Dogs are very intelligent creatures. They also do have a variety of bathroom habits. There are some dogs that will literally pee anywhere, anytime and there are those that will not dare step out in the rain.
What do you do when your dog simply won’t pee in the rain?
There are dogs that will change their bathroom habits with the slightest change in the weather such as the wind, snow and even a heavy downpour.
Depending on the place you stay, your dog’s refusal to pee in the rain might actually be a real issue.
If you stay in an area that is cold and rainy, you will definitely have to train your furry friend to pee in the rain.
Here are some tips to help you out:
1. Have fun in the rain
If your dog simply won’t pee in the rain, you can help him to overcome this fear by having fun in the rain.
Take him out for a few minutes during light drizzles or just take a short walk when it is drizzling. That way you desensitize your dog to the rain and he will have no problem at all going outside to pee on wet grass.
However, only take him out during light showers or drizzle and not when there is an actual storm. You do not want your dog to be knocked down by the debris and carried away by the strong wind.
2. Get your dog some protective gear
You can invest in some rain gear to protect your dog from the rain as he goes out to potty.
Be wary of the fact that not all dogs will love the idea of being hurdled in a rain coat or warm clothes. But there are some dogs who will actually embrace the idea.
You can get a good raincoat that fits your furry friend perfectly. This will come in handy when he needs to go out to pee and it is raining.
You can also use an umbrella to cover your puppy as he goes out to potty in the rain. Of course, you might have to get a little wet as you hold the umbrella over him but that’s a small price to pay compared to have him pee on your new rug.
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3. Come up with a potty cue
You can teach your dog that he does not have to wait for a full bladder for him to go out to potty.
Establish a potty cue in order to help your dog to overcome the fear of peeing in the rain. This will help him to go out to potty anytime you command him so, even when it is raining.
4. Use positive reinforcement
There is nothing that motivates a puppy than his favorite treat.
You can pair up the potty cue with one of his behaviors, for instance, if you see that he is restless or wants to squat and lift his hind leg, you will definitely know that he wants to help himself.
Use your potty cue like “Hurry out!” and as soon as he does his business outside, you can then reward him with his favorite treat or give him praises.
5. Could the wet grass be the issue?
Well, the issue may not be the cold weather, your dog may just not want to step on wet grass just to go outside to potty.
You can try to use the pavement or the side walk but avoid the wet grass at all costs. This might help your dog change his attitude about going out to pee in the rain.
6. Lead your dog back inside as soon as he is done
As soon as your dog has finished his business, you ought to make a beeline straight back to the house.
This will motivate your dog not to fear going outside to pee in the rain because he knows he will soon be back in the house where it is warm and dry. He will quickly finish his potty business and get back into the house.
7. Teach him the basic potty commands
When you are training your dog to potty, you will definitely need to teach him some of the basic commands.
If your dog does not like to go out to pee in the rain, a command like “hurry Nala!” will help your little pooch to quickly pee and get back inside.
After your dog is done, make sure to reward him with his favorite treat or pat him on the back or simply shower him with praises.
This will motivate your dog to always obey and follow your commands because he knows that his favorite treat is in the offing.
8. Do not reward until he potties
You might be surprised at how long your dog is able to hold his pee just because he does not want to go out in the rain.
As part of his training, do not give him any reward until he actually pees. Even if you will have to stand by his peeing spot or any other place that he goes to pee.
Afford him very little attention until he pees. You can hold his favorite treat in your hand but do not give it to him unless he pees.
9. Make it for better, for worse
Stick by your dog through his thick and thin. You can share in your puppy’s misery by accompanying him to go and pee outside in the rain.
This will make your puppy trust you as his leader and will definitely follow your lead. This doesn’t mean that you also go to pee outside but rather just accompanying him to do his potty business.
10. Pay attention to his emotional needs
There are certain dog breeds that are generally timid and afraid.
You need to know whether your puppy just doesn’t like to go out in the rain and the possible reasons why.
If he doesn’t want to get wet, you can buy him a rain coat or if he hates cold pavements or wet grass, you can get him special gear like tiny paw booties to help protect his paws.
Final Note:
In a nutshell, getting your dog to go out to pee when it is raining should not be an overwhelming task. The above tips will surely help you train your dog to potty in the rain and cold season.
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