# Do you take your dog out for potty even if it's pouring outside?



## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

Yes, we do. We have a fenced in yard so "taking her out" in a storm equates to me opening the back door. I generally reserve walks for when it's not raining (although we love snow). However, we have lived in apartments in the past and I have definitely done the miserable storm walks before. I figured that both of us getting soaked was still easier than cleaning the carpet.


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## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

Being from Washington, we FREQUENTLY have pouring rain. Our kids go out rain or shine. You'd think they would get quicker about doing the business in the rain, but not yet! Normally, if it is pouring - we will blow them dry when they come in.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I would never, ever not take my dog out because of weather. It's rain, you'll dry. It would definitely set back housetraining to suddenly say oh, it's okay to pee inside TODAY but not tomorrow when it's sunny out.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Outside you go. Grab your rain coat!


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

My dog would pee inside more than outside if we did that, hehe. But I can see how it wouldbe tough in a lightening storm!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

My friend was lazy about this with her boxer puppy, and now she is soooooo sorry. Whenever it rains, he fights going outside and wants to sneak upstairs to potty in the guest room! It is much better to suck it up and go out, than confuse the process.


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## dochusar (Apr 10, 2011)

I concur with all that has been said. Goldens love the rain! I always take my dogs out, rain, snow or sun!


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## wenryder (Oct 21, 2010)

Yes! It will set back your training if you don't.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Isn't that what raincoats are for ?  Yes, especially a puppy needs to be taken out and watched and praised. Older dogs can perhaps wait it out but not pups.


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

Absolutely!! We even go for our walks when it is pouring.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree with everybody else. Don't confuse the process.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Yes, unless it's lightening.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Yes, most definitely. 

Umbrella and leash work well + getting dogs to go potty on command helps. My storm phobic golden will even go out for potty during storms. 

I also go for walks when it's raining lightly. Downpour or thunder are a no.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Yep rain, snow, really cold we head out to do their business. Th only one I didnt do that with was Vendetta. The people I got her from lied she was only 4wks old. They messed up giving me her birthdate I questioned it they said opps got confussed. I call a couple of days later to ask again and they gave me the orginal date they had stated. So it was 2yrs ago this past Dec 19th. I didnt take her outside until feb. We had a very cold Jan. -30 and colder for days. She is a very clean dog. It didnt take much time to trainer her once we started going out.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I think you should reword the question to SEVERE weather. 

When I live in MA, I would not take my dogs out in the hurricanes.

Now that I am in KC and have just experienced my first REAL hail storm. ( I have two insurance claims opened - one for my car and one for my house. ) I would never take my dogs out in a hailstorm either. That hail could kill somebody.

A thunderstorm - depends on the severity. I wait until the worst of it is over ( count how far the thunder is ).

If it is just the inconvenience of getting wet, it is one thing, if it is a safety issue for you and your dog - then safety comes first.


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## bioteach (Nov 13, 2010)

Just think of a rainy potty session as "automatic flush".


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## julliams (Oct 27, 2010)

I'm about to take Zali out for a pee and it's raining. I'll update as soon as I get back inside on how it goes - lol

UPDATE - No problem at all. I just put my hood on and she did her business as normal. There was a bit of 'up and down' as the grass was wet on her bottom, but she did go eventually. No harm done and I don't think she would have even felt the rain through that coat!!


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## uat1 (Jan 25, 2011)

I am not just talking about light rain... there was thunder, lighting and even hail last night...
I haven't used a rain coat for years, I think I am adding that one to my shopping list. Perhaps I should get a safety helmet as well : ) , it's hail season in here right now.


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## Sienna's Mom (Oct 23, 2007)

I would say keep a raincoat, umbrella etc. by the door. Along with lots of towels. We have Sienna trained just by repetition that when she comes in she sits and gives each paw to be dried off : Otherwise she would be tracking in lots of MUD.

If it's severe weather, then keep an eye on it and either take her/him out before it hits or wait it out a bit to see if it passes through.

I totally understand the question and see why you would wonder about the safety in heavy hail or thunder. Hopefully some members in wild weather areas might have more input. Here, in the PNW we might get hail/thunder but it's usually over quickly and probably not as intense as you. We do get A LOT of rain!!! and yuck.

Good Luck!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

If it's severe, then I'd be watching her and trying to make sure she doesn't wander off and pee or poop inside the house. Hailstorms up here are usually over pretty quickly and Ranger is full grown, so it's not a big deal to him if he has to wait for a little. He once held it in for 10 hour because it was pouring rain and princess didn't want to go outside. But with HIM, I know he's not going to wander off and pee somewhere. 

I'd say probably your best bet would be to build a little sheltered area in the backyard so you could take her out there and not have to worry about hail/rain, etc. Or if you're in a condo, find a little overhang that you can dash to when it's potty time in bad weather. But definitely don't give the okay to pee/poop in the house when it's raining. I know at least 2 dogs that were allowed to do that a few times and now do it whenever it rains, despite being outside.

On that note, the only time I don't make Ranger go outside - sometimes I have to wheelbarrow him outside in inclement weather - is when it's hailing hard. We get frequent hailstorms here but they're usually little pieces and over within 15 minutes. Last summer, we got HAMMERED with hail out of nowhere...a bright sunny day turned pitch black and it hailed for 20 minutes. There was no way I was letting Ranger go outside in that!

This is how dark it was at noon on a summer day...and yes, those are hail balls on the ground:









Actual golf-ball sized hail









Damage it did to my truck - can't imagine what it would have done to Ranger. He was outside on a walk with his dog walker when a similar storm hit them 30 minutes before it hit home - luckily she'd taken shelter under a tree!









Weather like that, Ranger and I both stay inside!


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## Adriennelane (Feb 13, 2008)

Yes. We just go in the back yard, but Lucy won't go out without me. So, I put on a raincoat and tough it.


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

Joey goes out rain or shine, snow, hail, sleet, whatever! I always wear a raincoat, rain boots and bring an umbrella. Also because I know we wont be out there for TOO long I put a coat on Joey so he isn't TOTALLY soaking wet. Lord knows he loves to take his time pottying!


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## winniekid (Mar 27, 2011)

I just spent the first day home with my pup taking him out every trip in the rain. He didn't seem to even notice.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I never want my dogs to think it's "ok" to go in the house. Rain or shine... outside!! Although my Georgie does not love thunder, so I have to kick him off the porch.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

My Jasper is thunderphobic, so I am always keeping an eye on the weather. If I see it's going to storm soon, I get the dogs out to potty. None of them have any desire to go out in a storm, but they won't go potty in the house, either.


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## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

Ranger said:


> If it's severe, then I'd be watching her and trying to make sure she doesn't wander off and pee or poop inside the house. Hailstorms up here are usually over pretty quickly and Ranger is full grown, so it's not a big deal to him if he has to wait for a little. He once held it in for 10 hour because it was pouring rain and princess didn't want to go outside. But with HIM, I know he's not going to wander off and pee somewhere.
> 
> I'd say probably your best bet would be to build a little sheltered area in the backyard so you could take her out there and not have to worry about hail/rain, etc. Or if you're in a condo, find a little overhang that you can dash to when it's potty time in bad weather. But definitely don't give the okay to pee/poop in the house when it's raining. I know at least 2 dogs that were allowed to do that a few times and now do it whenever it rains, despite being outside.
> 
> ...


OMG, with hail like that a helmet is a necessity!! We get hail pretty regularly, but little tiny pieces. Thanks for NOT taking Ranger out in that weather!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

On rainy days, take him out as needed. Get yourself a slicker or poncho.

I wouldn't want to be out in storms or hail, dangerous for you and puppy and getting beaten up by hail could cause phobia. On stormy days, keep weather radar up on your computer and get him out when you see it coming. If I hear thunder, I tell Penny "You'd better go out now because you won't like it in a few minutes". lol She doesn't like rain on her head.

But definitely don't let him go in the house.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Outside potty no matter what the weather. 

When Hank was little I stood outside in the rain with an umbrella many times. Now that he's old enough to go out alone, I don't.


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