Hi, all.

Nya is now 10 weeks old, and she is completely housebroken. I thought I would have had an issue with it at this point, but she's been a breeze. However, I do let her out frequently.

Though the reason I'm posting is that she wants to be outside all the time. I keep the blinds up at the back door, otherwise she will deem it as a toy for her to chew and tug at. Sometimes she will sit at the door and whine to be let outside. I know she doesn't have to go because I will have just taken her out, and she did both #1 and #2.

I may have mistakenly obliged a few times to her whining because it had been awhile since I last let her out, so I thought that may be why she's whining. When I do take her out at these moments, she may or may not go, and then she just sits in the grass refusing to move. I take her out for an extended period of time every morning, afternoon, and evening. Most of the time, she just spends it sitting and watching. We're still working on walking on a leash.

I suppose my source of frustration is that I can't take her out every 30 minutes just because she whines. Is there a way to combat this? She has plenty of toys and things to chew on. I try to play with her, but I also have other things I need to do. Sometimes the best moments are when she's asleep, so I can focus on getting something done. Any advice?

Are you in an area where you can put her on a tether where you can readily see her? Maybe she'll be happier outside. We have an invisible fence and Ami is most content outside - if he's not romping with my sons dog who visits frequently then he is usually flopped out in the shade of the rhododendrons or a second doormat on the front stoop. Your pup is too young to train to invisible fence so either a fixed, really secure fence or a tether is the way to go.

I'm currently in a townhome with a really small yard, so it makes it a bit more difficult to tether her. But we have an off-leash area that she never wants to stay in. We take her off the leash, and she runs straight to the exit. She doesn't run around or play. I'm suspecting she hates being confined, even if it's large fenced in area.

The problem with tethering her, as well, is that she eats everything in sight. I've never seen a puppy eat as much mulch, grass, plants/flowers, worms (dead or alive!), and whatever else she can lay her tongue on, as she does. It's why walks are so incredibly difficult because there are a bunch of worms outside, since the weather has been rainy and moist.

AnnieChan91 wrote:

The problem with tethering her, as well, is that she eats everything in sight. I've never seen a puppy eat as much mulch, grass, plants/flowers, worms (dead or alive!), and whatever else she can lay her tongue on, as she does. It's why walks are so incredibly difficult because there are a bunch of worms outside, since the weather has been rainy and moist.

JUst like a human who has just learned to crawl! The good news is...this, too, will pass. She will only be a puppy for, in the long run, a short period of time. In the short run, don't give in to her whining - everything you do with her teaches her something - whether you want it to or not. We are currently dealing with a somewhat similar situation - every night, after dinner (we eat very late) we watch a movie. One night a week or so ago, we had not had Archer hear to play for a couple of days, and things were really busy so Ami did not get any walk that day - just as the movie started, he came and started his "take me out song and dance" He wouldn't let up, I felt guilty for not taking him out and thus, out we went. Well, since then the movie opening credits have become a cue. We watch the previews, dog lies at our feet. The opening credits/music starts...he raises his head...his tail wags...he jumps up...he comes over to me...he paws me, he playbows, he woo woo woos....I gave in one two many times and now I have a problem.

So my advice is - think very carefully when you respond to your dog - do you want this behavior to continue? I would have available a rotating bunch of toys, chewies etc that she can occupy herself with when you are not available. THen, make scheduled play times that she can depend upon. You also might want to crate train her - have the crate be where she just chills (NOT a time out place.) ANd whatever you do, DO NOT GIVE IN TO WHINING!!!

I agree with Amy that everything we do teaches our dogs how to behave. Avalanche was one I had to break of "Let's go play!" because I couldn't tell the difference between "Dad, I *really* need to go out!" and "Dad, let's go play!" so for now, play time is when I get the leash and we go out; otherwise he gets put on his lead off the front porch - no play time involved.

What I'm suggesting is that if you take him out to potty, it should be *just* potty time, after he does his business you take him back in; if you're going out to play then clue him, however you like, that this is play time. He'll learn the difference - eventually.

Miya was the same way, she loved it outside. So as a pup I did have a runner that she could lay under a tree, I could see her, and she got to watch the world go by. Like Al and Amy said though, you can not give in to them, and you have to have set routines. So when leash came out it was done in three ways, leash on and I said go out to potty, leash on and let's go for a walk, leash on and let's go out to play. Everything was done at specific times. To this day, every morning we go out so she can sniff around, it is her routine, then we do more structured things through out the day. By having you set the times and activities you remain in charge and not the dog. Same goes with leash training/walking. Setting up your dog for success is key, before a structured walk maybe a little play time first to settle your pup down. When walking Miya as a pup I used "stay on the path", so she wouldn't stop and sniff all the time, they do get it eventually. If you are planning on your pup doing any type of mushing instead of "stay on the path" start using "on By" same idea.

As everyone else has said, just do not let her out when she whines if you know that she doesn't have to go. You'll probably get an "extinction burst" with the whining where she'll try even harder to go out, but you still can't do it. Just like crying with crate training, it should subside with consistency.
Also, there is something she is getting out of being outside, so I'd try to figure out what that is. Ours never whines to go outside unless he has to "do his business" and I believe that is because he gets plenty of play in the house with us. If you only play vigorously with your dog outside, that could be one reason she wants out. If she isn't playing with the toys you have out for her, she is probably bored with them at the moment (they much prefer playing when something is moving/throwing the toys).
Also, just as a side note, your dog is probably house trained because of how often you let her out, which is great, but I still wouldn't be surprised if accidents happen when you start to taper off how frequently you let her out and start relying on her to tell you. Errorless housetraining is awesome but it requires vigilance once you start to take her out less frequently as she is able to hold it longer.

Thanks to everyone that has posted. She appears to be doing better with the whining. I've become more attuned to her whining, and what means what. She can hold her bladder longer now, since I have to be away for at least 4-5 hours a day - so yes, she is crate-trained.

I recently taught her to play fetch, and she seems to enjoy that a lot - only indoors though, which will become impossible when she's full grown. But when I try to take her outside to try fetch, she immediately becomes disinterested. Both on her leash and in the off-leash area. Maybe there are too many distractions to play outside. Most of the time, she just sniffs around and lays in the grass. She is getting better with walks. I do think she might be bored of her toys, but even when I rotate them or introduce new ones, she is only interested them for a short period of time before getting bored (and destructive) again. She has all kinds of toys with/without squeakers, and she also has bully sticks, Himalayan chews, and a variety of animal ears. The one she seems to enjoy the most are the treat toys, like her Wobbler and Tug-a-Jug. But I try to avoid giving them to her all the time with all the treats. I have tried using her kibble, and she doesn't care for it.

The bored with the toys thing? Even when Ami was on his trolley all day except for his (then) 3 walks a day, his interest in a toy, playing with me, would, at best last for maybe 5 minutes. The best we got at that time was just before bed, when he would have off-leash time in the shop where he could run and chase things but even then I would have to change the toy every few minutes and after mayb 10-15 minuetes, he was toyed out. Now that he is free to roam the 4 acres and play with Archer, even when Archer is not here and he is bored to tears, he will play with a toy with me for...2 minutes. What Ami really, really, really likes is his walks...he wants to be out exploring. If not, its "let me sleep, Mom." Unless he really wants a walk, then he is all over me, wooing, pawing, play-bowing. Unless its a car ride.