Some dogs will learn that by going to the back door, they’ll be granted access to the outdoors and learn to take advantage of the system. It’s unlikely that your dog is trying to outsmart you and trick you into thinking they have to potty. Dogs really don’t think in such malicious, strategic ways. While this may seem like the case, in reality, things are much simpler than that.
As your dog learns, repeat behaviors that are reinforcing, meaning that they learn that by going to the door, it opens, bare all the magical things associated with the great outdoors.
On top of that, your dog has learned that they’ll be getting one-on-one attention the moment they walk towards the door. As they are assured of getting all this reinforcement, you can be assured that your dog will want to repeat this experience over and over.
So, the first question to ask yourself is: Is your dog relieving themselves every time you take them out? If this is the case, then it’s still recommended to take them out whenever they ask for it. If your dog isn’t peeing every time, then they’re likely asking to go out just to have some fun outside.
One point to consider is that sometimes, when a dog may have a frequent urinary tract infection, they’ll need to go out more frequently.
One reason why your dog may whine to go outside is that the outdoors provides your dog with endless attractions. For example, it’s like dogs are kids overlooking the gates of Disney, looking to explore that magical world. Unlike humans, staying indoors simply doesn’t offer much entertainment for most dogs, especially more active breeds.
Critters
Lots of dogs whine and act restless, looking to go outside as they detect the presence of critters. Dogs have a powerful sense of smell and they can hear things that our ears will never detect.
If you see that your dog is sniffing the air and pacing, then there’s a chance they caught a whiff of some critter from your air conditioning vents or heating vents, or perhaps from the air currents coming through the house.
Maybe your dog’s powerful ears have detected some noise that’s intriguing to them. Interestingly, dogs have a high capability of hearing very subtle sounds such as mice scratching on walls.
Regardless of whether your dog smells or hears some distinct sounds, your dog is on a mission to hunt down the pesky intruder.
Even though your dog is fed from a shiny bowl and wears a fancy collar, dogs still remain hunters at heart. It’s possible that your dog may be therefore asking to go out to inspect the source of the sounds or smells that have gotten them intrigued and they may do so in a very demanding way that is difficult to ignore.
However, not all dogs are drawn to critters at the same level. Some dogs, more than others, are equipped with much higher drives to hunt down wild animals.
For example, breeds like small terriers (such as Jack Russell terriers, Yorkshire terriers, and Cairn terriers) are notorious for wanting to chase after small critters such as mice. Who can blame them? Breeds like this have a history of being selectively bred to kill rats or other small critters.
Something to consider: Could it be possible that there’s a new dog in your neighbourhood or perhaps a cat that keeps passing by your yard? If so, it’s possible that your dog wants to go outside just to learn more about them.
Smells
It’s normal for dogs to associate the great outdoors with reinforcement. In other words, the outdoors gives them access to activities that give them gratification.
Unlike us humans who typically do indoor activities such as watching T.V, crocheting in front of the fire or social media, dogs actually have very little to enjoy when they’re confined between four walls unless their owners offer them things to do.
Instead, the outdoors offers an ever-changing kaleidoscope of smells. Here’s a quick fact: smells are never the same from your dog’s perspective. So, every time you take your dog out, there’s a change in scenery with newer scents that your dog never grows tired of exploring.
As humans are visual beings, it can be difficult for us humans to completely comprehend as we mainly use our eyes to interpret the world. Meanwhile, dogs focus on detecting scents and interpreting clouds of odorous particles that come from every direction.
Engagement In Reinforcing Activities
On top of exploring the outdoors, dogs are also attracted to the outdoors as they get to stretch their legs and move around. Dogs, being cursorial animals, are known to enjoy walking and romping around, therefore being constantly confined in the home doesn’t allow much of that.
Many dogs love to patrol their home and investigate everything around the property on a random basis. If your dog is prone to barking at cars, people, dogs or animals who approach the fence line, then they could be asking to go out every time they hear a vehicle passing past their home.
There are some dogs that like to patrol around their home a few times a day and urine mark. Urine marking in dogs isn’t considered as them needing to relieve themselves. Rather, it’s peeing with a purpose and that purpose is leaving scent around.
In particular, intact female dogs may be looking to repeatedly go outside because they want to urine mark when they are in heat. The same could apply to male dogs that may smell this scent from quite a distance and may ask to be taken out repeatedly as well.
What Should You Do?
If you have a dog that always wants to go outside, then you may be desperately seeking solutions. So, here are a few tips for certain situations.
Try to monitor what your dog is doing when they’re being taken outside. It’s normal for dog owners to let their dogs out but never really gain an insight into what their dogs do once out. What’s your dog doing once they get access to the outdoors? Are they going to potty? Are they barking at triggers? Are they going on a sniffing adventure? By doing a little investigating, you can discover good information which may help you in the resolution of the problem.
If the problem continues, take your dog to see your veterinarian. Also, see your vet if your dog is always asking to go out, but before they were happy spending time with you in the home.
If you suspect that there are critters in your yard, then consider hiring an exterminator, preferably one who uses safe and natural pest management methods that have low or no adverse risks to your dog.
If there’re noises or a new dog has moved into town, for the time being, try putting on some white noise (radio, tv or fan noise) and see if this can help to calm your dog.
Make sure your dog is receiving a good amount of exercise, plenty of walking, playtime, training and mental stimulation. When your dog is spending time indoors, offer your dog interactive toys like a stuffed Kong, Kong Wobblers and Buster Cubes.
Try to rotate some toys so that your dog never grows bored with them.
If your dog’s passion is to continue sniffing, engage their brain with fun treasure hunt games and canine nose work.
If you’re tired of your dog whining to go outside but worried about whether your dog is truly telling you that they need to go potty? Then here’s a way to tackle the issue. When taking your dog out, put on a leash and take him to a designated potty area and stay out for only five minutes. If they truly need to go to the potty badly, it’ll usually not take them long to go potty. If they don’t go, then go straight back inside and try again later, repeating the same process. Doing this should help to reduce the behavior of asking to go outside just for the fun of it.
If your dog goes potty, then reward them and let your dog off the leash (if your yard is secure).
Although sometimes it’s not as straightforward, as some smart dogs can learn that peeing in the yard will grant them fun time afterwards, so some dogs will learn to purposely pee just for the fun of it. In cases like this, it may help to take the dog out first thing in the morning when they’re more likely to pee, then spend a good amount of time outdoors until they get tired and bored. It’s common for owners to take their dog inside when they haven’t had the opportunity to sniff around and get tired. As a result, this makes the yard even more appealing.
Start to gradually lengthen the times you take your dog out. So, if your dog is asking to go outside every hour, next time try to push it to every 70 minutes, then 80, then 90, etc. During these intervals, make sure your dog is being engaged in activities that keep their mind off the outdoors.
If your dog still goes to the door even though they’ve emptied their bladder and bowels, you can acknowledge it and say “not now” then call them to you, ask them to and encourage your dog to chew a toy that’ll help keep them busy for some time.
Another good tip is to feed your dog at the same scheduled times throughout the day. This can help their elimination patterns become more predictable.
