Loves it outside... but I don't!

[Jennifer Goaring]

So our new dood, Mojo, just loves the backyard.  I am perplexed because there is nothing interesting out there and it is cold and rainy.  My other dood, Sam, never wants to be out there -- gets his business done and then wants right back in.

 

I would get it more if it was the two of them playing out there -- but he often goes out and Sam stays in.

 

Honestly, I would rather not deal with the in and out constantly because it is wet and muddy out there.  But I don't really want to deny him a chance to get out when he wants and I am also trying to get the hang of his potty habits and such (we've had him 3.5 days and he is 13 months old).  He is not a fan of having his paws wiped off at the door so sometimes I can't even convince him to come back in at all (thought a treat usually works).  SIGH.  Such a totally different dog than our first... it is pretty amusing.

 

I do get that I can put the bells on the door away and then just ignore him a bit if I want to... I just am trying to figure out what the fascination is out there.

 

 

[Jennifer Goaring]

I thought I had added this picture to the original post but it didn't come through...

 

Anyway, this is Mojo longing to go back outside!  :)

[Adina P]

Oh goodness...I totally hear your pain!  Boca is our outdoor doodle.  She would spend ALL DAY and EVENING there if she could.  Unless it's meal time she wouldn't even try scratching on the door to come in.  She likes to chew on sticks, investigate, smell the air, hunt, dig (ugh) or whatever.  She just LOVES it. Rosco, on the other hand, unless there's something going on outside would much rather hang out indoors.

[Taylor & Huff]

Oh poor MOJO! Maybe you should buy the paw plunger or something like that. Maybe he just likes the feeling of the wind through his hair.

[Jennifer Goaring]

What in the world is a paw plunger?  I have never heard of such a thing... off to google it.

 

I have let him out like 5 times this morning already.  I am just getting to where if he will simply come back in for me, I don't even always bother with the paws (just wipe up the floor instead... SIGH).  It is just something I am not used to... I feel bad if he is hanging out outside by himself.

 

It is windy and stormy... so he may like that.  We have a road behind our house and people walk by or cars go by so he may like that too.  I just think I am taking it personally in a weird way (putting human emotions into a doggie thing...) because it makes me feel like he is trying to stay away from us or likes it better outside in the cold and rain than inside with us.  Stupid I know... but he is new to us and I worry about bonding with him.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Since you have had him such a short time I know it is hard to deny the going out because you aren't all that familiar with his potty habits.  When I don't want mine getting muddy feet I just take them out to potty on a leash.  That way I know they went and I know when they need to go again (approx).    Good luck.  I'm sure MoJo will settle into a routine.  He has quite a bit of changing yet to go I'm sure since he has only been there a few days.  i found with my fosters they didn't really even begin to settle into my home before at least 2 weeks.  Then all the real personality would start to appear.

[Pat and Traveler]

Trav drives me crazy with the wanting in-and-out thing.  He wants out when he needs to pee or poo, when he's bored, when he hears anything interesting, when he thinks the neighbor dogs might be outside, or for whatever other doggie reason he may have.  Then he wants right back in, usually within five minutes or so, and barks if I don't open the door quickly enough to suit him.  I don't want him barking and disturbing the neighbors so I usually open the door pretty quickly.  Once the door is open, he may come in or he may grab a leaf or stick and try to entice me to come out and play, or he might get distracted and trot away, only to return in two minutes, stare pathetically through the glass door for a short time before barking again.  Sometimes I just say no, but I'm never really sure about when he NEEDS to go out.  He's sitting by the door right now, and just made a discreet woof to let me know that the services of his doorhuman are required.  He's really got me trained.  :)   

[Jennifer Goaring]

Hee hee!  That sounds JUST LIKE US... we have those jingle bells on the door and these doggies have me and all the kids so well trained!  If we are upstairs and Sam wants us to come back and be with him, he will ring the bell which means SOMEONE will come down to let him out -- so then you go open the door but he doesn't actually want out at all... but is all happy that he got a person to come to him.  Sam learned that trick when he was very young.  Mojo's solution to this problem is to just jump over the doggie gate and come upstairs to FIND a person to be with... SIGH (so much for keeping some boundaries in place... I am working on it though).

 

Sometimes a doggie door sounds like a good idea -- but it is so soggy around here (Pacific NW) that I am afraid of muddy dogs run in and out through the house...

[Chelsea and Bailey]

Bailey is totally an outdoor dog. Thankgoodness she was born in the winter - as it gets pretty cold out here, otherwise I'm not sure it would go the same... An example: at this very moment she is outside, and has been outside for about 20 minutes- It is -26 feeling like -30 with windchill!! Thank GOD I have a fence!!!!

 

I feel the pain about the mud though... we had one nice day here last week where things were melting and she was black! (she is cream)- oh spring is going to be fun..

[Adina P]

Once you get the hang of his potty habits and such, you might want to block access to that back door.  Might not be possible depending on your floor plan, but that's what I do when I KNOW Boca has NO need to potty and just has ants in her pants.  I close the baby gate and that closes access to the kitchen which leads to the mudroom where the back door is.  I only do it when I KNOW she can't possibly need to pee or poo again.

[Jennifer Goaring]

My floor plan doesn't really allow it.  I mean I could go buy more gates and try to work something out -- but I have a really open plan and the gate we have is a free standing on that folds -- one of the only few out there wide enough to cover our huge open areas...  Honestly, I'd have to gate him upstairs or something like that to block access and for the moment I don't want him up there!

 

I am just tired today -- was up really early yesterday to run an 8k (Shamrock Run) and with the time change/daylight savings it was even EARLIER... and hubby is out of town too -- so I am just exhausted... so I am annoyed at the constant in and out today.  When the boys get home from school I will go take him for a walk and try to wear him out some.  He is terrible on the lead, so we'll take the gentle leader and see how it goes.  Sam will go nuts about being left behind... but oh well.  Not sure I will have the energy to go walk Sam as well after the fact... we'll see.   Honestly, we haven't been walking Sam daily this winter -- it is just too cold an yucky out and he is so laid back he doesn't seem to "need" it even though I am sure it would be good for him.  Any nice day we get, he gets to go -- I am just not die hard enough to go out in stormy weather.  I may have to change my plans with this new guy though... he may be a dog who needs a daily walk or two... hmmm.