She takes WAY too long!

Okay, so this is something that we've been dealing with for a while, and let me say it is annoying! But it just occured to me in the past couple days that maybe I could get some help from PT. So here is what's going on...

So whenever Belle needs to use the bathroom she goes to the door, and if we don't see her she whines or makes a noise to get our attention, which is normal, so that's not the problem, but when we take her out she takes FOREVER to use the bathroom. Now I will admit that SOMETIMES (but rarely) she does have her good days where she'll only take a minute or so, but most are bad days. It's not the doing the business that takes the time, it's the finding the spot where to do the business. She'll sniff around and run around and walk around and trot around just to find a spot, and she'll do this for such a long time. Sometimes my mom is out there for FIVE MINUTES until she comes back in. One time she was actually out there for TEN minutes. And while we're out there waiting for her to do her business we do encourage her by saying, "Go pee pee, Belle." Unless she needs to do number two -- but I think you get the point. And it DOES help a little, but not always.

I mean, we've babysat some dogs before for friends, and when we let them out to do their business, they ran to the yard, did it, and ran back in. But Belle, nope, she has to run for the yard, sniff around for the perfect spot for minutes, do it, and THEN come back.

Is this something common? And is there any possible way to help this?

My chihuahua does the EXACT SAME THING so I got whats called a "pee post" at petco I'll send you the link. And it may seem weird but its true and it works. Since I brought it Mister(thats his name) goes out pees and comes back in. Hope that helps.
Chi Hugs-----

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.as...amilyID=12347&

Thanks a bunch! I'll definitely look into that, and it actually seems like a pretty cool idea. Belle is a chihuahua/pekingese, so maybe it's a common thing in chihuahuas or small dogs -- I don't know. :confused:

I am glad I could be some help. I'm not sure if it is common in small breeds or not. All I know is that before I got it I was freezing my butt off because he would take forever. So my mom told me about it and sure enough it works.
Hope it does for you too. :D

That's just the way some bitches are! It's also possible that she just wants to explore a little and has learned that as soon as she goes, she's taken back inside. She's learned to prolong her time outside exploring all those good smells by waiting till the last minute to go.

Toy dogs like some time outside too! :)

To train her to go on command; the instant she squats to go, use your key word, then praise her when she finishes. If you're 100 percent consistent, she'll learn to go on command in no time.

Yes, I agree she has learnt to prolonge her time outside with you by holding off going to the loo because she's taken straight back inside when she has been.

It is also common for dogs to ask to be let out purely to get attention even if they don't actually need to relieve themselves. They know that if they go to the door and ask to be let out, everyone goes rushing because they think they need the loo. If a dog can't get your attention in other ways, it can often learn that doing this is the sure way to get it.

My Mom's Bichon always does that and it upsets her. I never had an answer as to why she does it. Mine always went right away. She's outside sometimes for 10-15 minutes (and Mom is 80 years old) and it's cold and she's tired. Thanks Mr. Chi. I'll have to get that. :D

Do you have your own garden? Maybe if you just dog proof it, high fence or whatever so she can't escape and have a dog flap in the door. If she is a small breed, a catflap will do. We have catflaps for the cats and they are lockable both ways for when we don't want them going out and also to stop them coming into the house from the porch at night. There is one on the inner door and one on the outer door. Dogs learn how to use them even more readily than cats. That way, she can take herself out and you don't have to stand about waiting.

I use a cue word too.. I find it comes in handy at a show ground to make sure they go, or the rain- I swear a rain drop hits the head- and its like " why am I out here.."
also remember- sniffing the yard is like reading the newspaper to us.. All the uh latest news.. Could be that you have something coming into your yard lately- and that would be the reason. ...

Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions! I'll definitely be telling my mom about it and trying some stuff out myself. Thanks again! :)

Just make sure your cue word is not something you would say around other people.. lol. I had a puppy once pee on a mans leg because I said to my husband- who was in side " would you HURRY UP".. AND the pup peed on his leg.. roflmbo..

Haha! Oh, man that would be awful! I'll make sure that the cue word isn't something I use daily.