What to do When Your Dog Just. Won’t. Go.

June 28, 2016

We’ve all had those mornings. You know the ones – the alarm didn’t go off, your hot water took forever to heat up, you couldn’t find those pants you wanted to wear today and all of a sudden you’re soooo late and all you need is for your dog to stop sniffing around outside and go to the bathroom! Yeah, like I said, we’ve all had one of those. Well, hopefully the tips below will help your pooch get down to business when you need him to. But there’s nothing you can do about the dreaded “nothing goes your way” days!

1. Make sure your pup’s reluctance to go potty is not a sign of a medical condition. Dogs are smart. They often figure out that once they poop, the walk’s over. But before you accuse your pup of being a manipulative little genius, find out if they’re holding it in because of something more serious. Urinary tract infections are a common cause of urinary retention, and constipation might be stopping up your dog’s bowels. Get the opinion of a trusted vet before you trying any of the methods below.

2. Find a quiet area and make it a habitual potty spot. Like us, pups prefer to go #1 and #2 in peace. Your dog might be uneasy relieving himself in an area with lots going on. It’s kind of like when you go to the bathroom and someone talks to you through the door and suddenly find yourself with a weird case of bathroom stage fright.

3. Tummy massage. Never underestimate the power of a gentle tummy rub. Your pup will think he’s just getting a normal belly rub for being a good pup, but soft clockwise motions might help get things moving, if you know what I mean.

4. Use a command. Most people use “Go poop,” but feel free to get creative. I have also heard of people who say, “Do your business” and “Go potty.” The important thing is that your pup knows it’s go time when you say the magic words so you’re not walking up and down the same street for an entire hour because your pooch thinks you’re just going for a normal walk.

5. Get that cute booty moving! When housetraining, owners are advised to take their pup outside or to a fresh puppy pad immediately after playtime, because all that horsing around encourages your pup to let loose! Taking a quick jog around the neighborhood or playing a game of fetch might be just what your dog needs to finally go.

We hope that these tips will be effective the next your pup needs to hurry things along because you need to get out the door! Let us know any tips or tricks that you might have for “potty time” with your puppy, we are always looking for good advice to pass along! Thanks for being a loyal reader of our blogs!