You cannot blame your puppy or senior pooch for not wanting to venture out into the cold, wet weather to do their business. But cleaning up accidents indoors is hardly a long-term solution. Fortunately, there are a few simple tips and tricks that can encourage your furry friend to head outside when nature calls, even during winter.

1. Go out with them. By heading outside yourself your doggie is more likely to do the same and follow you. Give them plenty of positive encouragement and reward them just for going outside when it’s very cold or raining.
2. Give them a nearby toilet spot. Clear an area for them to “do their thing”. If you’ve had some wet weather, frost on the grass, or even snow, clear an area close to the house where your dog can go to the toilet. Cold ground and frost can be daunting for puppies, and this can make toilet training a puppy in winter a real challenge.
3. Be prepared. Have your shoes, jacket, a lead, poo bags etc. on hand, so you can be ready to get out as fast as possible in case nature calls in the middle of the night. 
4. Make toilet training a bit of fun too. Show your pup how much fun you can have in the winter. Keep it short at first, and gradually make play time longer, weather depending! Remember dogs can get frostbite too!
5. Have a back up plan. If your dog absolutely refuses to go out, use an indoor toilet area, potty pads, puppy pads for pups and diapers for senior dogs. Use this as long as the weather is really uncomfortable. You could also set up a pee pad or sod of grass in the garage, undercover carport or veranda, which they can use too. You can also try and use doggy diapers, especially in the evenings. Go back to a normal routine as soon as the weather allows.

Content by Pet, Pool & Home. 

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