Need help with re-training...

I have a 6 year old German Shepherd, Lhotse. He is the smartest, most obedient dog that I have ever known, and has been a breeze to train...until now.

We bought a new house about a year ago which had no landscaping at all. Lhotse has ALWAYS gone to the bathroom (#1 and #2) only in one corner of the yard. So this summer when we were designing and installing our landscaping, we kept the same corner for him with gravel that he can still use for his toilet. The rest of the yard has flower beds and sod. The sod borders Lhotse's john on one side. Now that the sod is in, he doesn't use his corner and is killing the grass. He still keeps his waste near the corner, but it's in the grass that borders his gravel.

In the past I have been able to pick up the waste and place it where it should be and he'll get the idea and start going there. Not now...

I have also tried showing him the poop in the grass and telling him a stern NO and immediately showing him poop in his gravel and giving praise. No luck...

Even if I catch him in the act and repeat the above step, nothing...

Any dog whisperers out there that can let me know what I'm doing wrong or how I might go about getting Lhotse to go in his corner again and stop killing the grass?

I've heard of buying other dogs' pheromones and spraying them where he should go. Has anybody tried this or have any other suggestions?

If you need help visualizing, visit this website: alasolutions.com/lhotse

Thanks!

A.C.
-Denver, CO

I don't mean to minimize your concerns but maybe I'm asking that you look at the situation from a different perspective. A little burnt out grass is a small price to pay for a good dog who has adjusted his natural instincts to the degree that he has. Rejoice in the fact that he is housebroken and doesn't go in the house. I certainly wouldn't confuse him because he's a few feet off where you want him to be. Certainly it is much more comfortable to stand on the grass while he relieves himself than the gravel. This is a good dog, look at it from his point of view. Maybe put grass in his area.

Well, I will agree with Rachel, he is a very good boy. My only suggestion would be, if you do not want him to go potty anywhere in the yard but "his area", then don't let him anywhere else in the yard until he has done his business. That means that every time you want him to potty, you put him on his leash and walk him in that area until he relieves himself, you praise him, and then he is allowed access to other areas. You may want to teach him a buzz word like potty or something for when you are in a hurry. But you (or other designated adult) should be the one to take him there and teach him that is where he is to go before he has access to the rest of the yard, and not just let him wander around and decide for himself. If that doesn't work, you may want to fence off an area of your yard of him to run and play and potty without concern for plants and grass.

I think my concern is more with the fact that he doesn't seem as "trainable" as he used to be. I got him when he was a pup and he's always listened to me PERFECTLY. I've never had any problem training him with anything.

I am not as worried about the grass...it's really not THAT important as he does still go only in one small section of the yard.

One thing that confuses me is that he had his designated area for a year and got used to that as "his" area. So I kept that same area "his" when I installed the landscaping, and now he doesn't use it.

As for the argument that it is more comfortable to stand in grass than small gravel for a few seconds...c'mon. This is a dog that has no problem climbing to the highest peaks in Colorado that are covered in jagged/sharp rocks.

You are correct though when you say I have a great dog. He went pee in the house only one time in his life with me, and I got him when he was 3 months old. I couldn't ask for a better pal; I just want to figure out what is going on.

Thanks for the replies.

AC

Oh yeah...and thanks to Ginger's Mom for the leash suggestion.

I will try that.

If you "kept" Lhotse's corner by putting gravel in his area, then I think the solution is just that Lhotse prefers to "go" on grass rather than gravel. In fact, one of the best ways to prevent a dog from going in a certain area is to put pebbles or gravel in the area because dogs are naturally inclined to urinate on soft surfaces (that's why dogs, if given the choice, will urinate on rugs rather than laminate floors). Soft ground holds scent better and it soaks up the urine.

Dogs really do live in the moment. If you rebuke him for defecating on the grass, that sends a point across. But if you praise him by moving the poop onto the gravel, that doesn't send any point. His mind is probably going, "So you put poop on the rocks...What did I do to garner this praise?" I'll be honest, it'd probably take an incredibly smart dog to put two and two together and start pooping on the gravel if you train like that. I think your timing of praise and punishment is a little off. If you catch Lhotse pooping in the grass, say "AH!" and pull him over to his corner. Let him finish pooping, and then praise.

Also, I'd get rid of the gravel and keep it plain dirt. ;)

I kept his area as it was. I added nothing, nor removed anything. He used it before with no problem.


Thanks for the replies.

(I always seem to forget something in my first reply)

I understand your point, "I think your timing of praise and punishment is a little off..."

However, I am just using techniques that I have found to work with him before. He is an exceptionally smart dog.

No worries though...I will just mark this whole topic up in the 'oh well' category.

Thanks for all of your replies.