See this cute, adorable doggie, she is cute and I love her to pieces however I do not love her refusal to go potty outside in the winter! She's done fine until recently when she refuses to poop outside. In her defense we have about 2 feet of snow in our backyard, and even though we have sunshine today our temperature is 6 degrees. Yes, you read that right 6 degrees! We live in Idaho, not in the mountains, in the valley about 20 minutes from Boise, and this is the most snow we've had since 1985.
I did some reading online and apparently this is not an uncommon problem with small dogs in the winter. Solutions, putting them outside immediately after eating which I do, tossing a frisbee or even a snowball to get them to play which gets their bowels moving that didn't work today our snow is powdery and won't form a snowball, also crating them and only letting them out to go potty so they re-learn where to go, no matter how much they don't like it. Since most small/lap dogs want to be with their owner they will run out pee and run back in because they want to be with you, it's warm in the house and the little activity has started to move their bowels so they go inside where it is warm. Besides crating the other suggestion was putting them on their leash tying it to a chair so they can move around in the same place you are. Shiloh usually sits right beside me on the couch, and guards the kitchen, bathroom and our bedroom when I am in there. Since she likes to disappear down the hallway I created an obstacle that includes her crate, a chair and an ottoman. She can go in her crate but she will not be out of eyesight of me. If I walk out of the room or house she will go back in her crate not only for my carpet's sake, but my sanity!
Happy Weekend!!
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