Lily is ready for any weather extreme that Clifton Park can throw at her. She has an umbrella, a waterproof raincoat,
a Gore-Tex jacket, a fleece vest, and a brimmed hat for sunny days.
Despite her extensive outerwear collection, Lily despises going outside.
Lily is a Coc
kapoo. If she were human, a psychotherapist might diagnose her as an agoraphobic, someone who is fearful of the outdoors or public places.
Actually, she is fine with being out in public, as long as her feet don’t touch the ground.
Yes, she is one of the dogs that you see in various infant-like conveyances – strollers, sling carriers, front packs, and pet purses.
Her owner thinks she has a housebreaking issue but that would be wrong because Lily IS housebroken. She reliably does her business on wee wee pads in the downstairs bathroom. The issue is that Lily’s owner wants her to potty outside, and Lily is not having it.
The following has become a ritual that occurs three times per day:
1. When Lily’s owner tries to bring her outside, the dog runs away as soon as the leash appears.
2. When Lily is finally captured and successfully attached to the leash, she plants her butt on the floor and refuses to move.
3. Her owner then picks her up and takes her outside.
4. They pace slowly around the back yard, Lily reluctantly lifting each paw and setting it down gingerly on the dreaded grass. She sighs and gazes longingly toward the house.
5. Nine times out of ten she does nothing outside.
6. Once back in the warmth of the house, she merrily trots over to the pee pad to do her thing. “Ahhhh,” she says, “now isn’t this better? What is the point of going outside when you’ve provided such a convenient toileting opportunity right here?”
And that’s the key. Given the opportunity, Lily TAKES IT. She has been given the opportunity to pee on pads, just as she has been given the opportunity to be carried.
We may never get Lily to embrace the great outdoors, but by moving her piddle pads inch by inch to the door, and then outside, Lily’s owner will eventually get her dog out of the house to do her business.
By changing the ritual, like having Lily wear her leash in the house, feeding Lily a meal or two outdoor, we can convince the dog that walking on grass isn’t all that bad.
And finally, Lily’s owner understands that her dog was born with four sturdy legs that Lily will use, if given the opportunity.
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