Tips for training to go potty in a certain location

[Amy]

Hello. I am looking for a bit of guidance. I am trying to train my girl to do her business in a designated area. This is new to her and she is not liking it at all.
We recently renovated our backyard and decided to make an area for Maggie. Before the renovation it was pretty much the area she would mainly go in, so I am a bit unsure why it is such an issue for her: though she was never going on a leash in the yard.
Currently, I am only letting her out while on her leash and I am trying to get her to go in the certain area. I have purchase a "gold" treat to only use for ths purpose. I give her praise,praise,praise too when she goes.
Yesterday she would not go over to the location. She stopped in her tracks as we got closer and started barking.
I clean the area down with water and remove #2 immediately.
Is this a lost cause? Anyone have success with doing this? It has been 3 weeks, and I am thinking it is getting harder and is certainly not becoming a habit for her.
Any tips are appreciated!! I don't want to give up!!!

Thank you.
Amy

[BG and Gavin]

I would leave a bit of feces behind each time so that her scent remains there and maybe that will clue her in.  Just wondering if its a spot that is far away from the house (like the furthest corner of the yard) because I know that Gavin goes to the furthest limits he can (both at home and at the cottage) to do his business.

[Amy]

I will try that. And the location is at a far point from the house, at a location that she did a majority of her business before.

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

Funny you should mention creating a special doggie potty area. We did that same thing.  We met with a landscaper and before we were through we practically re-landscaped most of the yard.   Hurley had a bit of a designated potty area before the redo but it kept getting to be a bigger and bigger area.   To train Hurley to use his special potty area we don't let him out to potty unless he is on his leash.  We say 'potty, potty…' in an excited voice the entire time.  When he tries to potty somewhere else we say no and gently pull him to his personal potty area.  The gentle pull is sometimes not so gentle and at times he does bulk but we don't give in even if it means pulling him to his potty area. But if he refuses to potty we take him back in the house and put him in his kennel for a little bit and then try again.  He could only hold his business so long so he finally would go in his potty spot.   That was about 4 weeks ago when we re-did the yard and we still keep him on his leash taking him out to go.  He goes straight to the new area and he potty's there most of the time without trying to leave the area to do his business.  We are just going to keep him on a leash until we are completely convinced he will not go anywhere else in the yard without per mission.  

It does sound like you are on the right track and I hope that helps you.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

This sounds like a perfect strategy....and consistency is the key IMO. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

I think it would be easier to train a puppy to go in a designated area.  You just carry them out and put them down in the area you want them to use.  With a grown dog, it may be more difficult.  My first doodle would pee on command and always went potty after he ate (without fail).  Even if he did not have much pee, when you told him to pee, he would give whatever he had.  Worked great before car trips and when traveling anywhere.  I think he got trained that when he was taken out and told to go pee, he was going on a trip in the car.  Worked for him anyway.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

If you didn't clean the area with water after she pees, the scent of her urine might act as a lure for her to go repeatedly in the same vicinity.  I'd leave some # 2 there, as well, for the same reason -- even if you have to pick it up from another location and move it to the preferred area.  Good luck.