April 19, 2011
My 4 month old puppy doesn’t always relieve herself where I want her to in the yard. Should I correct her for this?
Full Question:
I have had this 4 month old puppy for 3 weeks. When we first rescued her, we showed her where to go (urinate and defecate) in the yard. At first she did so well. I always praised her. We did not always go right back in the house afterward. Sometimes we would play or exercise. Now she is going anywhere she pleases. After a walk just now, I took her to the designated area and she did not go. I walked across the lawn to the garbage can with dog in tow and she stopped and went along the way. I immediately corrected her but I can't understand why this is happening now when she had done so well before. How can I get her to go where she is supposed to go? At first, she would go right away, now she plays around. It is like I have untaught something.Thanks,
Kathy
![Ed](https://leerburg.com/Photos/articles/authors/edfrawley.jpg)
![Ed](https://leerburg.com/Photos/articles/authors/edfrawley.jpg)
You are 100% wrong in what you have done by correcting this dog for going at a different place in the back yard.
Just be happy the dog is going outside and not in your bedroom. You are going to screw up your dogs head by trying to force the pup to do what you are trying to do.
You can always take the dog to one spot and praise when the dog does her business there. You can pick up her dog poop and put it in the place where you want the dog to go.
The only time a dog should be corrected for going in the wrong place (when its this young) is when it goes in the house. As it matures you can verbally scold the dog for going in the wrong place but never physically correct it.
I suggest that you get a couple of training tapes to learn about dog training. I would point you to:
Your Puppy 8 Weeks to 8 Months
Basic Dog Obedience
Just be happy the dog is going outside and not in your bedroom. You are going to screw up your dogs head by trying to force the pup to do what you are trying to do.
You can always take the dog to one spot and praise when the dog does her business there. You can pick up her dog poop and put it in the place where you want the dog to go.
The only time a dog should be corrected for going in the wrong place (when its this young) is when it goes in the house. As it matures you can verbally scold the dog for going in the wrong place but never physically correct it.
I suggest that you get a couple of training tapes to learn about dog training. I would point you to:
Your Puppy 8 Weeks to 8 Months
Basic Dog Obedience
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