Your Dog And The Rain (aka; “You Want Me To WHAAAT??”)

Professional pet sitters across the nation have MAJOR experience with letting dogs outside to ‘do their business’ while it’s raining.  Sometimes the looks on a dog’s face when we open the door for them to go out is enough to keep us entertained for hours.  They’ll stand by your side as you hold the door open for them, look at the rain, look at you, look at the rain, look back at you … you can almost hear what they’re thinking, right?  “You expect me to go out in THAT?  You’re crazy. YOU go out there!”  And yes, we as pet sitters have gone outside with them and stood in the pouring rain to offer ‘encouragement’ for them to do something that we would never do ourselves.  Sometime this is successful – others it’s not.

With spring in full swing there is little anyone can do about the rain. You know the old saying April showers and all, and I do love the flowers. But with the wet comes a host of inconveniences. So what can you do to make the season more enjoyable for you and your furry friends?

Reluctance to go outside

What if you can’t even get your pooch to go out when it’s raining? No need to worry about muddy paws if they won’t even leave the doorway. Have no fear there are ways to help with this!

• Training:   Teaching your dog to go out in the rain is no different than training your dog to do anything else. Even though training is much easier the younger you start, if you have patience and stay consistent you can, in fact teach an old dog new tricks.
• Partner:    As much as we don’t want to go out in the rain ourselves, having you with them is a big part of getting your dog used to the rain. Go out with your dog. Put on your raincoat and grab your umbrella. Being with you will help show them that they are alright. To start, keep them on a short leash. Either take them on a short walk or just guide them around their area in your yard. 
• Use cue words:  During this training you’ll want to associate your words with what you expect from your pup (or older pup).  Saying things like, “Go potty” or “hurry”, anything that works for you and your pooch. The cue word will signal it is time to go potty and in the long run will make your time outside in the rain shorter. As your dog becomes less apprehensive the word can even help in him going out without you. 
• Get excited with your dog!  When he has finished his task praise him and give him lots of love. Reward him with his favorite treat.

Congratulations – You now have your dog going out to potty in the rain!

Comfort while being in the rain

What can you do to keep your dog comfortable when she is out in the rain? 

Dogs (like people) may avoid being wet (especially when it’s cold).  Do your best to keep her dry to start with.

• Rain shelters:  If you have the space and funds to make one, a rain shelter can be a good way to make sure your dog doesn’t get wet to begin with. A simple roofed structure over an area where she can potty can be a life saver.
• Raincoats:  If you don’t have the space or the funds to provide a rain shelter putting on a raincoat can help keep the majority of your dog dry. Not all dogs will be happy wearing a raincoat, but with some patience and time most will learn and won’t be bothered.  Click here for some  great rain coat options for your dog.
• Rain boots:  Along the same line as the raincoat, boots are an excellent way to keep your dogs paws as dry and mud free as possible. They can be a great way to avoid a huge mess. Though even less dogs take to wearing shoes easily – with time they can be trained to wear them.  Click here to see what boots are available for your pooch.
• Umbrellas:  Another cool rain gear option is an umbrella specifically made for dogs. It has a leash attachment built into it. These dog umbrellas tend to be less intrusive and more easily accepted by pets. (*as an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases – so if you purchase from any of these links we’d like to thank you for supporting our local small business!)

Well, there you have it – several valid suggestions to help your furry love when it’s pouring outside.  Stay tuned to our next blog where we’ll cover the exciting job of clean up once they’re back inside.  We all look forward to THAT one, don’t we??