My dog won't go to the bathroom outside by himself eventhough he alwys has free access. What do you suggest?

Mr. Frawley,

I looked through all your topics and didn't see this one.

P.B. is my 7 month old Chihuahua, a Father's Day gift. I am at home 24/7 recovering from brain surgery, but this is not about me.

P.B. sleeps by himself in the laundry room with full access to the backyard which he uses faithfully. He always goes outside and never on the floor between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

While in the office/spare bedroom, P.B. was advising me when he needed to go outside by jumping down off the bed. I found this to be the only reason he jumped down (in other words he trained me). The problem is he will not go outside on his own. He is used to me taking him out. The doors are left open all day and he has free access to the backyard, to his food and water.

I take him outside and wait. He runs to me when he is finished for his praise!! When visitors come (he adores my granddaughter) he loses it and urinates. The other night he jumped up on the bed and urinated and looked right at me while doing it. Outside he went. One evening he urinated almost on my feet in the kitchen. Outside he went.

When he urinates in the house, he is quickly escorted outside along with a scolding. I use a rolled piece of copier paper and whack my arm which is holding him. The noise scares him so much that he yips as if he's getting the beating of his life. My arm is getting smacked, not him. I am sure he knows why is being put outside.

He follows me everywhere, even to the bathroom. He curls up at my feet. Yes, I accidentally step on him regularly.

My stepchildren (18 and 22 years old) play the BOO game (they jump at him when he comes around the corner) which startles 'it' out of P.B. I have asked them to stop, but watching P.B. jump almost a whole foot in the air is just too entertaining to them.

I apologize for this going long. Any advise you have will be greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance.

Sincerely,
Rick