Any advice? Pup won't go outside...

[I luv boxers]

Hendrix is 4 1/2 months and he's both an inside and outside dog. He has a hug backyard to play in and a kennel of which he sleeps in at night. When we're home in the morning and at night he is inside with us.

My issue is........gradually over the past 2 weeks he's started to stop at the back door and won't step a foot out the door when we want him to come outside. Even if I go out there and call him, he will just stand at the door. I have to end up getting some food and coaxing him out, and sometimes this doesn't even work. Now he's even started going to the toilet inside again! Once he's outside with us he's ok, he doesn't seem scared of anything?

I have a feeling that I know what has caused this...........his biting has been getting a little out of hand lately and we started using "time out" to try to stop the behaviour. Guess where his time out is..............yep, outside. What do you guys think, could this have caused his reluctance to go outside?
If so, any suggestions on what can I do to reverse the damage? How can I get him to be a puppy who loves to go outside?

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Absolutely! By using the back as a "time out" place, the dog has come to make an association of lack of freedom/attention and punishment with the outside area.

I suggest (i) stop using the back yard as a time out place. Put him in his crate or wherever (by "time out" we are not talking punishment; it is what it implies: a time to chill out, time out to calm down). But try your best NOT to convey your anger/frustration when placing the dog in "time out," and (ii) until YOU get over yourself and retrain the dog about time outs, use a LEASH to get him inside and out. Go back to housebreaking 101 immediately as well, using the leash.

Good luck.

 

[I luv boxers]

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a go, although I'm not sure what you mean by:

(ii) until YOU get over yourself ??

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a go, although I'm not sure what you mean by:

(ii) until YOU get over yourself ??

I mean until you understand fully what a "time out" is. It is NOT punishment.