Those Piles in the Backyard

Have you ever wished those annoying 'bombs' weren't littering your backyard, making it hazardous to walk without keeping your eyes glued to the ground? How about training your dog to only use one designated spot to do his 'business', and to do it on command!

As a confirmed cat owner, I wasn't sure what I was in for when my husband and I decided to get a puppy. One of my concerns was our beautifully landscaped backyard, full of flower beds and manicured green grass. The last thing I wanted was all our hard work destroyed. So when my husband assured me that this wouldn't happen, I was skeptical.

As I found out, training the puppy to use only one small section of the yard was incredibly easy. Raven was only 8 weeks old when we brought her home, and not big enough to navigate the stairs alone. We followed approved crate training procedures, with the exception being that when she did have to go out, we carried her to the 'bathroom' area, and repeated the command 'corner' until she relieved herself. As soon as she could go down the stairs alone, we led her there on a leash and continued the verbal command. Soon she would run over there when she felt the urge.

The advantages on our part are great. When it comes time to clean up, there is only a small area to scoop. We chose to gravel the area and delineate it with a rock edge to make the acceptable area more apparent to her. Because it is gravel, it can also be hosed down occasionally.

Secondly, just before we head out for a walk, she gets sent to her 'corner' to do her business first. This way we rarely need to scoop in the middle of a walk. She also gets sent to her corner before we leave her home for any length of time, and we feel comfortable knowing that she isn't miserable waiting to be let out. Sometimes she doesn't really need to go, but at least we know we're leaving her with an empty bladder.

There are many advantages to this simple training, and no disadvantages. Try it with your dog and have no further concerns about walking barefoot in your backyard this summer!