HELP! Puppy hates the rain!

[Domi's Mom]

Our 8 week old puppy was just starting to get the hang of going outside but its been raining the last couple of days and he refuses to stay outside. I've tried everything from holding him to comfort him, tough love and ignore him, but he hates it. He does everything possible to try and sit underneath one of us or just sits there and crys his face off and doesn't do anything but shake. It was raining all last night and we know he had to pee but wouldn't and just kept getting up every half hour to try again but would do the same thing! Someone please help!

 

[gmacleod]

Have you thought of taking an umbrella out with you? LOL - no dog likes to pee in the rain, and for a young puppy who is just starting to learn that potty is outdoors only its a pretty big deterrant that can slow down his potty training progress. Plus, you don't really want him outside shivering for too long if you can help it - he's a baby and babies get chilled easily.

Here's a couple of previous threads that might help you out a bit:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58203&highlight=rain
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40817&highlight=rain

 

[kitikarial2]

peeing in the rain

When we first got Lucy at 8 weeks it was cold and rainy. I would stand outside for an hour sometimes and she would just curl up in the dirt where she wouldnt get wet. it was a long process, i dont know how she finally started to go outside probably just got bigger (I even got her a sweater) try the umbrella thing. Now she will go out in the rain and it doesnt seem to bother her. i guess depends on how hard its raining too haha. good luck it will get better.

 

[Domi's Mom]

i tried the umbrella this morning, no luck! i am just hoping this is something he grows out of!

 

[kitikarial2]

Dont worry he should grow out of it for the most part. Although Im sure he will still hate the rain. But they are soooo cute!!! hahaa

 

[Shakira's Ma]

Hates the rain

I wouldn't hold my breath on your baby ever liking the rain. My boxer mix was terrified of rain. It started out her just being scared of the thunder and lightning and then she got to where she would go ballistic over a small sprinkle. She would breathe so hard and her heart would just race. When she was a baby she was like yours, just didn't want to be out in it to potty, but as she got older dislike became terrified. Hope your baby isn't this extreme. :(

 

[Domi's Mom]

What do you do about potty training and going potty if they are that terrified of the rain?

 

[Idgie's Dad]

This works very well for us: When your pup first wakes up or straight after a meal he will want to pee. Take him straight out and give him a command and praise and maybe give him a treat when he does what he cannot help doing anyway. He will soon associate the verbal command with peeing and getting a treat and praise. You can reduce the times he actually gets a treat quite quickly. When you are just about to open the door start saying the command and it should re-inforce the going outside thing. Then when it is raining he knows exactly what you want. We find this works. We tell Idgie to 'do your business'. Suggest you pick something not too embassing if overheard and something not likley to be overhead in normal conversation by your pup indoors! If your puppy learns to do his business on command, he will know what you want done promptly when it is peeing from the sky! We find it pretty convenient all round, especially when it is raining cats and dogs. I get her to do #2s in our own garden before her walks, to save carrying around a full bag! She will do both # 1s and # 2s to the same command, which ever she needs to do most. Of course your boy will still torment you later on by saving a bit for each mail post!

Reminds me of the great confusious saying - never pick-pocket a dog-walker!

Good Luck.

Tony

 

[lovepotion25]

I wonder if a dog rain coat and booties would help? I have a problem with one of mine not wanting to go in the rain, but he will eventually go if I take my other pups out because they don't mind the rain and he doesn't want to be left behind

It would probably take time to get your pup used to a raincoat as well as an umbrella, but I hope you have some luck fixing the problem

 

[Shakira's Ma]

Domi's Mom When housebreaking Shelby, my boxer mix that was terrified of the rain, she was at that time only reluctant to go outside and I just took her out and let her know it was okay. It is when she got older that the fear of rain became more evident and she was already housetrained at that time. I think that her bladder became a tank on days that it rained because she absolutely refused to go outside and she never, ever made a mess in the house with the exception of times she was on prednisone for her cancer. So in answer to your question about how do you potty train when they are that fearful, I don't have a clue, I think that would be very difficult.