potty trainning

Question
My dog will not do either job in the yard  we have tried and tried  to no avail.   She is a maltise bread and is about 5 yrs old.   we got her from the dog pound, she needs to go on long walks before she pee's or poops.   we have a fenced in yard approx size is 80 feet by 40 feet.

Answer
Dear David,

This is easy.  Next time you know she's due for a walk, go to the back yard with her on a 6 foot leash.  Bring some tiny yummy treats in your pocket, a book, a cool drink (for yourself!) and even a chair.  Sit or stand in one place and read your book, occasionally commanding "go potty" or whatever command you like.  Do not walk her around or pay much attention, but do keep an eye on her to make sure you see if/when she eliminates.

Since she's 5 years old and has apparently never eliminated in your yard, you may be sitting there reading for half an hour or more.  I'd count on an hour, honestly.  So just accept it and wait there, happily reading your book.  

As soon as she eliminates (and she will if you wait long enough), praise her, give her 2-3 treats in quick succession while praising, and then GO FOR YOUR LONG WALK AND/OR PLAY WITH HER FOR 10 MINUTES IN THE YARD.

Do this every time she has to eliminate for the next week.  Yes, you'll probably have to get up earlier in the morning if you need to report to work at a particular time.  But in a few days, you will see her eliminating sooner and sooner after you get outside -- all in order to get to the treat and the walk.

Over the next 2-3 months you should be able to command "go potty" when you take her outside, and she will eliminate quickly.  Always reward her with a treat and at least 5 minutes of outdoor playtime or a 5 minute walk.  If you can do more, do more but I understand you have a life too.  Eventually you should be able to bring her out, command "go potty" and bring her back inside pretty quickly.

Good luck and thanks for writing!
Suzanne Harris, BSc, CPDT
http://www.dogdaysusa.com