The Potty Crisis!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Darwin has always been good about going potty quickly. He even does it on command most of the time. But he does not like this snow one bit. I honestly don't remember having this big of a problem last winter. When we take him out it will be 20 minutes of standing there (It's always been less than 5 minutes in the past) and he won't even go! He doesn't seem nervous, just continuously sniffs around and circles but never goes.

We can't go to his regular spot because it's under 3 feet of snow, so we've had to wander to find less deep places. the only times we have been able to get him to go fairly quickly is if we take him to an off-leash area. Honestly, I don't want him to get in the habit of only wanting to go off-leash so I am trying to be firm about having him go when I take him out.

I have been wondering if part of it is food related though. We recently switched him to a grain free food. He usually goes 3 times a day but now it's 2. Once in the morning, once at night. But that is after a whole lot of standing around. Maybe it's the snow discomfort, or maybe he just doesn't poop as much with this new food. All I DO know is that I hate standing in 12 degree weather for 20 minutes. Yikes. Here are some photos of him at his OLD poop spot. Not going to work anymore!

[Kyoko]

I felt embarrassed when they peed on the top of the snow last year.... you know, its so visible.....Like "Who made this spot on this beaufitul Snow!!!???"

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack actually likes what I have come to call "snow toilets". He will stand on that plowed area in the front of a snow bank and practically sit his butt up on the snow mound and poop there. Makes it very nice for me as far as clean-up goes...I don't have to bend over much.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Karen, we could shovel it but it's the exact spot that the plow dumps every day. So it would continuously get buried. That is why the snow is so darn deep there. It's also really solid hard ice in some spots. I wondered if maybe he would climb on top of those areas and do it right on top but he was pretty insecure climbing up that high, he wouldn't do his business like that.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I've had to bend over backwards to make sure Starlit has a proper potty spot or she will hold it for more than a day. No Joke. I wish I could shovel a little path for you. Maybe make a fort with walls. The Potty Igloo Stall? I agree with Karen, adorable but these dogs take " The Spot" so serious. I sure he is struggling with this or is it just me and Karen? Maybe just mine does ?
I love you Darwin :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know it isn't funny, but those pictures of Darwin practically buried in snow are so cute!
Would it be possible to shovel his favorite potty spot?

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Ha ha ha ha...too funny!!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Kyoko, yeah, his old poop spot is definitely not going to work anymore, it's too deep. We didn't actually try to get him to go potty in this photo, I just had him climb up there to demonstrate how deep it was. :-)

[BG and Gavin]

Those pictures are hilarious. Poor Darwin - where's a doodle to poo?

[Kyoko]

Brrrrr! That seems like a hard thing to do!! At first before I saw the picture, I thought may be his feet are cold, but men! He is buried !!! The material probably won't even fall down to the ground because of the snow....

[F, Calla & Luca]

Maybe he just doesn't want to get a tush full of snow--who could blame hin?