pooped this morning, I totally ignored him out there and he tentatively went on the grass and did his business. Then I praised him and he was wagging his butt. I'm going to see about putting down some more patio squares for him to go, because after he did go this morning, he finally ate for me, I don't want him sick. And it's nice to know he's not the only paranoid bully out there afraid of bugs, he knows some do sting. I'll just give him some more time, hopefully when it cools down and the bugs go in the fall he'll loosen up. We used to play outside but it's never under 90 deg. here, so we don't do alot of playing unless we go to the public pool. Again, thanks for all your help, like you said, ya gotta love 'em!!

Max sounds like he's reacting the same way Bowzer was earlier this summer. He went out the front door to do his business & came running back in all hunkered down-he might have gotten stung by a little sweat bee or something-anyway, he refused to go out the front door after that. I finally ended up taking him out the garage door so he could do his thing close to the drive-way. He has finally gotten to the point that he will now go out the front, but it took a couple months-he still prefers the garage way! He's such a wimpy baby when it comes to bugs!!!

after much convincing, i believe Max was crying just to get my sympathies. Never cried for my husband and my mom stayed with him for a few hours today and he never once made a peep. we came home, he climbed up on the couch and started wimpering to me again... Little bugger... he knows how to get to me. the bandage is still there. I taped a sock on over it just to be sure he cant get to it... we will take bandage off Sunday, if it doesn't come off before them. I want to try to go as long as i can with it so it begins to heal... thanks soo much for asking.... good Luck with Rocky... (Max is actually puppy pad trained, as well as outside, but on these extreme hot days, i hate taking him out.... but i know the puppy pads don't work for everyone... and he still needs to go out to get exercise....)

Tracy

Poor little guy. All I can suggest to you is that you don't make any comforting coaxing noises when you are trying to get him to go on the grass. If you make comforting noises like, "It's okay, it's all right, you'll be okay," he'll get the idea that something is wrong because you are comforting him. Just like when a kid falls down, if the parent rushes up and comforts the kid, he'll start crying, but if the parent ignores it or goes, "Whoops, you fell down, huh" the kid won't freak out.
Be really enthusiastic about it, like grass is the most wonderful thing in the world, even better than Cheese! Maybe if you start spending more time on the grass having a really loud wonderful time out there and ignoring him, he'll eventually decide its worth the risk to go out where everyone is having fun.
Maybe if you put down a gravel area, you can at least quit worrying about him making himself sick. Then you can just ignore his fear and not give him attention when he is being scared of the grass. If he ever does step on the grass, praise like crazy! I would imagine a fear like this will have to subside eventually, especially if he is not getting attention for it. Good luck to you and I hope everything works out. Those crazy bullies, you gotta love 'em!

him next door (with permission), and he just thinks he's going to get bit/stung again. I never thought about gravel, I could make him his own area to go in, at least he won't get constipated holding himself. Thanks for the suggestion. It was good to hear from you, how is Max making out, I'm sure he's lovin' the extra attention. Hope his paw is healing fine, is the bandage off yet?

I don't have any great advice for you... Hopefully he will begin to get over his fears...is it all grass he's afraid of or just in Backyard - is front yard an option? I know some people on here actually have pea gravel areas for their dogs to use... maybe that's comething to consider.......

Tracy

If gravel is a problem, I have a friend who has a section of his very small yard set aside for his three dogs. He's put a fence on three sides and puts down wood chips or bark. His dogs need to go there and they don't have to go to any buggy place. Good luck. Poor bullie!