How to housetrain my husband?
He wants the dog to 'go' in a particular spot in the yard, which happens to be all the way across the yard. It has been raining A LOT lately, so on top of it being wet and rainy for the poor dog, it is now muddy, too. The dog prefers to pee in a nearer location, but this is grass, so my husband doesn't like it. It doesn't bother me at all. So what if there are a few brown spots in a small area of the grass?... My problem is that overall I tend to let out the dog more often than my husband (he's working or out of town) and I let him go to the nearer spot. For a while it was a struggle to get him to go out at all (he wouldn't go in the house, just wouldn't go at all) so I was just happy he was easily going out and taking care of business. But now my husband has been home more and the dog goes to his 'new' spot thinking that it is okay, because I've allowed it to be okay, but my husband gets mad and he made the dog sleep in the kitchen last night. Any suggestions about the situation in general? |
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How about a compromise and choosing a small area closer to the house. Poor baby - he shouldn't get punished when you told him it was okay to go in the grass.  |
| I know! That's my whole point on this--I don't think that the dog should 'suffer' (he's not really suffering, but you know what I mean) for mom and dad's disagreement.
I don't know how we can compromise, though...he loves his grass so much and there's not a closer way to get to a non-grass location. I prefer him, actually, going in this spot because he winds up less muddy and it's easier to clean his paws afterwards. |
| I find that Barkley will (whenever possible) ONLY go on grass. He doesn't like to go on dirt/pavement/etc.
Try talking with your husband and explaining your & your pup's point of view. It's confusing for a dog to be sometimes-allowed to go on the grass and sometimes-punished for going on the grass. If you were to decide that your dog will always go on the spot your husband prefers, explain to your husband that it is much more effective to praise/treat happily when your dog goes on the proper spot with no punishment for going on the wrong spot. Your dog would quickly learn to go on the proper spot because he/she gets praise and treats for it! Or, a way to appease your husband and still allow your dog to pee on the grass is to wash it off. If your puppy goes poop, immediately pick it up. For pee, you can have a big waterbottle by the door and when you take your dog outside, you can dump some water on the spot where your dog has peed. This should prevent the grass from going brown and keep hubby happy. Hope you can sort it out with your husband. Just like kids, dogs need for both parents to be consistent on the "rules". We'd love to hear more about your dog! Please join the forum... then share pictures of your dog! We looove pictures! |
Sheepie Heaven wrote: We'd love to hear more about your dog! Please join the forum... then share pictures of your dog! We looove pictures!
I'm being stealth...I actually am a member, and you all know way too much about my dog!  |
Just by talk of all the love of grass, I think I know who you are. In fact, if I'm right, I actually thought. wow, this sounds just like _ _ _ _ _  Is this still going on? I think it would be one thing if he was tearing up the grass but if it's a matter of a few yellow spots, that just seems ridiculous. I'm assuming all other "waste" is picked up and disposed of? Is the problem mainly the pee?
How about turning the tables and just giving your husband a tiny patch of grass to take care of?  |
ButtersStotch wrote: Just by talk of all the love of grass, I think I know who you are. In fact, if I'm right, I actually thought. wow, this sounds just like _ _ _ _ _
Did this "guest" change the sex of the dog in question? |
| I don't think so. I could be wrong though... |
| Hmmmm. . . |
lol--Jill, I think you're on to me!! 
I know, being stealth isn't my strongsuit. At least I didn't give the dog's name! Yes, it's still going on. Actually, my dog was really good about going to the right place for a while, and then when it got wetter and colder he resorted back to going on this particular grassy spot. And since it didn't bother ME where he went I didn't bother running out all those days in the rain or middle of the night to correct him, so now in his mind it is correct. Yep, it's just the pee that's the problem. He actually still goes to the 'right' location to finish the job. I don't think it's a case of him not being able to make it to the 'good spot' to pee. I think he just likes the grass. I just feel bad for Dog when it happens because my husband gets so mad at him (he just says no and bad and won't let him out of the kitchen for a while--nothing horrible...) but Dog doesn't know he's doesn't anything wrong, because according to me, it isn't wrong. And I tell my husband this, that it isn't his fault that the dog doesn't know it isn't the right thing to do, but my husband says he knows and he has to learn...So I guess I'm trying to figure out a way to make it so I can convince my husband to loosen up. I actually find myself sneaking the dog out and hoping my husband won't look out the window or walk outside during 'pee time' and find that I am allowing the dog to go in the wrong spot. |
| Well if hubby won't compromise, then I'd say for the best interests of the dog you'd probably be better to just encourage the dog to go where hubby wants him to. That way the dog is learning consistantly from both and not getting in trouble and being confused.
If it was me, I'd pick a spot nearby and plant a small hedge in front of it so hubby doesn't have to look at it and tell him to get over it LOL |
| I think I know who this "guest" is, too!! I remember the talk of your husband not allowing your dog to pee on the grass. I'll PM you to see if I'm right!! |
| Is there a way to create a pee-zone that is closer to the house? I mean is there a landscape solution? Could you make a flower garden or carve out an area, attractively, of course, where you could put pebbles or something?
I was actually thinking of you, "Stealth", when it was raining all week last week. I was putting rain coats & boots on the wigglebums and walking them and it occurred to me that I was glad "I" didn't care too much about the grass and was just happy for them to pee anywhere we didn't get too muddy!! |
| Boy, I'm glad this isn't MY problem
Coincidentally, we tend to have this same thing happen at MY house, too. And Tammy, it WAS so rainy last week, but I figured the rain would wash away all evidence... |
I don't know how well it works but i just got a catalog from dog.com. i ordered my everlasting dog treat there and they have products to spray on your grass after you dog goes and its all natral and safe for you dog...and it keeps the grass green. maybee this will help. i will get all the info tonight from the magazine and write you about it if you are intrested.  |
| We have grass issues too. My hubby does not really care where Miley goes - he just wants the nice green grass.
He heard an old wives tale that a little tomatoe juice in the food helps to neutralize (I think) the urine so the grass stays green. I am not sure if it will work or if the dog's stomach would tolerate the tomate juice. I do know my hubby is considering trying this to avoid the brown spots. Lucky for Miley its winter and the grass is brown anyway. I am hopiung he forgets by spring. Best of Luck |
| I have a really good idea for you. I have three female dogs and the neighbor has four female dogs one being a Great Dane. We have a service which comes out five times a year to fertilize our lawns. Twice a year they spread dry lime with the fertilizer. Neither of us have one burn mark. The service company suggested this about 10 years ago and we have been doing it ever since, and it works great. Also we live connected to a golf course so our lawns always look really good. |
| How to train your Husband!!!! Tell him to sit and give him a treat.
It's hard when one says one thing and the other says another, really cunfusing for the dog. I feel your pain, I have issues with my husband too and the girls. He let's them get away with anything and I am the mean mom to set them straight. We don't have any grass issues as we have no green grass left at the moment due to drought and water restrictions, no watering the lawn. I have an area the girls go to, near the back door and with screening stones on the base of that area, it great as the pee soaks through and no burning the grass with pee and when wet it keeps there feet nice and dry to potty. Took awhile to get them to potty in that area, started off with the leads and took them over to that area. Took a week or two, now they both automatically charge to that spot to pee, even when they are outside on there own playing. So negotiate with the other half and decide between the two of you where you want the dog to go, then both be consistant and take the dog to the same area each time to potty. They catch on fairly quick if you both stick to the same routine.  |
lisaoes wrote: How to train your Husband!!!! Tell him to sit and give him a treat.
Or, better yet, don't give him a "treat." You do always have that to barter with. |
| I'm all ready to agree with you----but then I remember how irritated I get because my husband doesn't understand why I want the dogs kept out of my flowerbeds (which are really mostly mud now. So long perienniels that took me years to establish). It's the same thing, really, although the grass is closer and more convenient than the flower beds, for the most part.
It really is best if you can come up with a compromise: Try to sound very reasonable: You understand and respect how hard your husband works on the lawn, and you really appreciate it. You're just trying to figure out a closer potty spot that won't wreck his hard work and will let your dog come into the house without making a big mess (and ruining what I'd guess to be your hard work.). |
| Take hubby on a camping trip. Park as far away from the "mens room" as you can. Plan the trip when you KNOW its going to be wet, rainy and muddy out. Send him out in the rain to the pot. If he steps just outside door and hides behind a tree and pee pee's, and comes in complaining, tell him thats how the dog feels about it too.
I'd try to talk civil, but I'd also remind him that half of the yard is your's, and that the dog is going on your half. Tell him that God created the most beautiful grass on Earth, and even He allows the animals to potty on it, even if it does leave spots.
mouthypf |
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