Dogs hate our new garden

We've just had the garden paved in Indian Sandstone, it finally looks lovely after seven years! The only problem is the dogs wont pee in it. It's been finished a week now, and neither of them want to toilet on it. It was half paving, half grass before this, and of course they toileted on the grass.

It's always been the routine that we get up and let them out to potty as soon as the alarm, or Misty, wakes us up. We feed them breakfast, we get dressed have a cuppa, and then we go out a walk. At night we always let them out just as we're going to bed. Even after being cooped up all night I still can't coax a pee out them in the mornings.

Anyone else been through this? Any suggestions?

Perhaps it just smells too fresh and new to them. I suspect eventually they'll break down and do it. You could encourage them by planting some scents for them. Perhaps sprinkle a little household ammonia about? Or if you can somehow catch some of their pee--I read about someone who had a special soup ladle for that--and sprinkle it in the right place.

My small backyard is half paving half grass, I wish Fletcher would potty on the grass. He always goes in the paved part. My husband thinks its because we have an older dog who used the grass, so the new puppy thinks that his area.

I think Emkaybee is right, maybe they think its not "their" place anymore.

Melissa

I am a bit in the same way. we live in las vegas now. in the back yard we had a spot that we laid a 5x7 patch of grass for the dog. she went on it fine. it died and looked like just what it was...a pee patch. we replaced it and after awhile it died too. so I bought some astro turf and laid it down. maile pee'd on it right away and has not used it since. she prefers to walk out on the rocks and do her business there. I just can't understand how she would rather walk over rough uneven rocks to do her business. I think I may have to get some more real grass patches I can't stand that she uses the rocks. her poor little feet.

Thistle's favourite potty texture is gravel.

I would give them lots to drink, maybe some cucumber water (natural diuretic), and then just go out and wait.

murphy's mum - maybe their house-toilet training is the reason? One doesn't "do" these things on a hard surface? Sophie doesn't "go" on the street... she always veers over onto grass.

Tried waiting them out today. Letting them out every 15 minutes, and then bringing them back in and Misty peed her bed. Looks like we're just going to have to adapt the routine, I don't want her wetting the bed every time she needs a wee.

It's funny about the hard surface thing though, they are both happy to pee on the pavement