Potty training outside during the winter

[The dog] (and possibly his owners) needs to learn that he won't freeze solid if left out in the cold a "wee" (yep, pun intended) bit longer...

When [the dog] goes outdoors, whatever the weather, so should one of [the owners] (preferably wearing normal indoor weather-appropriate clothes, but no coats, hats, gloves, scarves, umbrellas, etc.). As long as they (the human) can tolerate being outdoors, so can [the dog] (and the fact is that [the dog] can tolerate inclement weather and unpleasant temperatures at least half again as long as his "uncoated" humans ever could). They may want to try a "tag team" approach, where [the dog] is put out one door where one human is standing by inside, and the other human goes out the opposite door (so that [the dog] still goes out "by himself" and is therefore not distracted from doing his duties). When the other human comes back in from the door where [the dog] cannot see that human, that human shouts to the one nearest to [the dog] and [he] is then allowed to come back indoors if he is ready to do so.

It [is also a mistake to put the dog] out for pottying too often. [He] may not [catch] on to the primary purpose of the outings because they are so frequent -- in other words, it is a sure bet that he is being put outdoors when he does not have to potty as often or even more often than when he does have to potty. If [the owners] are literally putting [the dog] out [let's say] every 45 minutes, that could be as many as 21 outings per average day -- he really needs less than half that many outings to take care of his potty needs. He should go out first thing every morning, last thing before bedtime, a few minutes after he finishes eating each meal, right after he wakes up from any nap, and right after any time that he has been playing or running around vigorously for more than a few minutes. And, the more routinely scheduled [the dogs]'s outings are, the faster and more easily his body will adapt his waste elimination needs to that regular outing schedule.

Perhaps this goes without needing to be said, but, anytime they can catch [the dog] in the act of pooping indoors, [the owners] should immediately shout a harsh, deep, voice-of-doom "NO!" at [the dog] and then pick [him] up and hurry him outdoors (mid-poop, if at all possible, so that he might finish outside). Conversely, anytime [the dog] does what he is supposed to do outdoors, he should be praised (and preferably, given a reward treat).

[Escrito por Melody Joyce em 28 de janeiro de 2006 para a lista Petdogs-L do Yahoo Groups]