puppy does not want to play in backyard

Comments

• JessicaRabbit

  August 2008 edited November -1

  It sounds like you have answered your own question, obviously an invisible fence does NOT work. A dog should NEVER be in a yard unattended, especially without a physical fence.
  
  Shibas need to be walked year round. Brandon on this forum, lives in Wisconsin and can probably give you some advice on how to handle midwest winter walks best.
  
  Many dogs only poop when on walks. My dogs will not poop where they play. They have to be walked at least three times a day.
• dlroberts

  August 2008 edited November -1

  I agree with Jessica on all points. Get a real fence, walk him year round, and take him for a walk to help him poop.
  
  As for the not playing in the yard thing, that could just be maturity or boredom. Lucy doesn't really play much when we go to the dog run unless one of her favorite friends is there. Sometimes I can get her to play by throwing a toy and running around myself, but usually not if there are other dogs there or if she is more interested in sniffing around to what other dogs have been around lately. Then again, it could also just be that he has to poop and he's asking you to take him on a walk so he can.
• brandon_w

  August 2008 edited November -1

  Many Shibas like to be walked to poop, as they do not want to dirty the area where they live.
  
  You are wrong about walking your dog in the winter, winter walks are what your Shiba was built for! If it's sunny and 25º out you will not find a dog happier to be outside than most Shibas. However we as humans are not built to withstand the cold temperatures as easily as the Shiba, they have evolved to be dogs suited for the tough winters in the mountains in Japans, we have developed heaters and insulation.
  
  Here is what you will need for winter walks:
  -A good pair of boots that are gortex (or something similiar, not just "waterproof"). If you are prone to being cold, you might want to look into boots with extra insulation. I wear Merrell's, however there are a lot of great brands Columbia has a "Titanium" line that is reasonably priced and are so warm I thought my foot was melting when I put them on.
  
  -Good wool socks. I like SmartWool brand socks. They are fairly expensive but they last a really long time, are very tough, and don't stink if you wear them for all of your dog walking for a week.
  
  -A warm coat. My coat is the Columbia "Titanium" line, it is light in weight but the insulation is very warm. The outer shell is water/wind/snow proof. I've had it for one winter and it still looks brand new.
  
  -Snow pants or snowboarding pants. I prefer snowboarding pants because they are not loaded with insulation (I'm a warm person), but they offer rain and wind sheilding, and they are wide at the bottoms (bell bottom like) so they can go over your boots. They also have built in gators to keep the snow out of the top of your boots when it gets deep.
  
  -Long underwear. Tops and bottoms, layers are key to staying warm, and they wick moisture away from your body. There are many brands to choose from.
  
  -A good hat. I really like "TurtleFur" hats. Some hats even have windblocking materials now.
  
  -Good gloves. I have mittens that have a flap that opens to reveal fingerless gloves, great for when you need to tie off a poop bag.
  
  -Good sunglasses, that snow is really freaking bright sometimes.
  
  No, all of this good gear is not going to be cheap. However it is going to keep you warm and allow you to comfortably be outside with your Shiba so it can have the exercise it deserves in the winter. If you don't exercise your soon to be adolescent Shiba, it will destroy things in your house and cause you a great deal of stress which can subdued with booze.
  
  There are many places to get good deals on gear.
  
  www.rei.com (they have an outlet website you can get to from their regular site)
  www.sierratradingpost.com (outlet)
  www.campmor.com
  http://www.backcountry.com/ (they also have an outlet)
  www.steepandcheap.com
  
  Or you can go to stores such as Cabella's, Gander Mountain, and even a lot of sporting good stores such as Dick's.
  
  For your dog you might want to look into a container of Musher's Secret wax to protect their paws from the sidewalks salt, or you could try booties since your pup is young and you may be able to have them get used to them.
• apshiba

  August 2008 edited November -1

  thanks for all the replies.
  
  When I menat I wont be able to take him for a walk in winter, I meant when it is bitter cold/snowing,outright dangerous windchills. Yes I have some of the winter gear and will add to it. but in my opinion Puppy needs to learn to poop in backyard even if he likes to take care of business on the run.
  
  One observation- if I dont take him for a walk in the morning , he will poop without hesitation in the afternoon/evening in the backyard. So when it needs he is not holding. How long it takes for 6 month Shiba to ge elimination motions after he eats. I feed him morning/evening 1 cup kibble. In fact I have eliminated going outside right after we get up because he will not pee. He will do that after eating food. He has access to cold fresh water all the times and he drinks a lot and we make sure he is not dehydrated. He likes the ice cubes so we will give hime those if we think he should be drinking water.
  
  I had installed invisible fence after talking to few Shiba owners about the success rate of the fence with the shibas.
• Edgewood

  August 2008 edited November -1

  Well, each dog is an individual in regards to the invisible fence. I used to own Siberians (notorious runners) and while some were okay on invisible fences, many were not. Many would bolt thru and just take the pain for the (exciting) chance of freedom and roaming.
  
  So I think that your Shiba finds it more interesting outside the fence than in and is willing to take the pain to get out and roam. I would definitely put up another fence(physical). I knew of a Siberian who had a physician fence (4 foot) with an invisible fence on the inside of the physical one and she still managed to get through and get out. Some dogs are determined...If your dog has learned to escape the fence, it will not be safe to keep him in it. JMO.
• JessicaRabbit

  August 2008 edited November -1

  You will discover that most shiba inu websites will adamantly discourage you from using invisible fences.
  
  Also remember that a dogs elimination schedule should not be catered to your convenience but for your dogs health. You will have little to no luck of trying to train a shiba to stop being a shiba, which is what it sounds like you want to do in teaching your puppy to poop in your yard. Most people get shibas because of their fastidious cleanliness and that is precisely why Frost is not pooping in your yard.
• LoveMyMylie

  August 2008 edited August 2008

  I have heard nothing but escaping Shiba's from people with invisible fences, therefore I'd highly recommend against them. Shiba's are smart, very clean, persistent, and intelligent. They need at least two hours of exercise every day, year round, or else you'll start seeing some destruction due to frustration and boredom being done to your home. So honestly, he should be outside the fence for the "not pooping in the yard" to not be a problem at all. You've gotten some great answers, all of which I agree with!
• sunyata

  August 2008 edited November -1

  I have an Invisible Fence with a shiba. Bella does fine with it (yet, we never leave her completely unattended in the yard... One of us is always paying attention to where she is.). However, she seems to be the exception to the rule. We also trained Bella on the fence when she was 16 weeks old, and will do the same for Nola (we have already started training her on where the boundaries are, just not with the audible signal and the collar). If your pup has figured out how to "jump" the fence, you definitely will need to put up a physical fence... You can not retrain the dog once it has figured how to get out.
  
  As for the poop part, I agree with what everyone else has said. Bella has a corner of the yard she goes in, but Nola will not go in the fence boundary. We have to take her elsewhere for her to potty. While this is great for housetraining (still no accidents!!! knock on wood), it is a pain to take her out in the front yard whenever she has to go (can not take her out on walks yet, as she is not fully vaccinated). But they are my pups, and I love them, so that is what we have to do in order to keep them happy and healthy.
• Leonberger

  August 2008 edited November -1

  You've been given loads of good advice. Do get a physical fence, and make it a tall one. It will give you some added peace of mind.
  And do walk your dog in Winter. I must say I'm kind of jealous of you guys about the Winter weather, I wish I could walk Kuma in snow often, but that's not happening around here.
• apshiba

  August 2008 edited November -1

  very good advice. We love Shiba and that is the only "Complaint" we have. We never leave him alone, someone is always there with the puppy when he is outside. Still you all know how fast they can switch gears.
  
  He has not had any accidents at home in 2 months. alongwith popping problem (which I can accept as a part of Shiba package) I am worried that he does not want to play in backyard. may be all his behaviour is because of hormones.
  
  we go for walk/jog for 30 minutes now. doc told to take it light till 6 months of age. Anyway he is getting neutered this Friday.
• JessicaRabbit

  August 2008 edited November -1

  At six months my shiba was walking 3-5 miles a day twice a day as well as going to the dog park (this was prior to getting Piglet or Miko).
  
  I hope his surgery goes smoothly. I feel comfortable speaking on behalf of the gang here that we would love to see pictures of him.