Potty outside in thunderstorm... alternative?

J

jasonsjwou

Forums Regular
This morning we had a severe thunderstorm watch in my area.

Usually, I count the seconds between lightning flash and thunderclap. Greater than few seconds means the lightning is miles away and I'll be okay to go outside.

But this morning, we had a thunderstorm where lightning and thunder were happening simultaneously. I didn't want to go outside - as there is extremely slim but real chance of lightning strike.

But Eevee had to go, so I took out my big golf umbrella and literally risked my life out there while Eevee happily sniffed and circled in thunderstorm and peed/pooped.



THere's got to be a better way.

What do you guys do, if you have to let her out to potty in the storm?

Setup another area in Garage? Porch? Bathroom/Litterbox ???(I'd never do this but)

I'd like to hear what you guys do.
 
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Thunderstorms have been going through here too (I bet you got some of what we had yesterday!).

I don't have a baby puppy to take out at the moment but I understand your worries. My house is on the top of a hill with no trees close by. Even so, I generally will take a puppy/dog out even in the rain/thunder/lightening. I just don't use an umbrella! I get soaked or for the older dogs, I can stay on the porch and they get soaked lol.

Personally, I never set up an area to potty "indoors" (including a garage). But I have a German Shepherd Friend that does. She has a large exercise pen in her garage and she has put down cedar chips for the puppies/dogs to use when she can't go outdoors.

It is hot and muggy here in MO today... hope it rains a bit again and maybe cool us off a little!
 
I just put them out and they learn to do their business rather quickly and get back in...now when its just raining here I do go out with an umbrella...however mine have learned if they stand next to me under the umbrella they dont get wet, so they stand there under the umbrella not doing anything..So the majority of the time I just suck it up and wear a hooded coat.
 
Oh my, this post is funny to me!!!!! I thought I was the only person that had "PRISSY" shelties that hated getting wet!! I too, am forced to get a hooded jacket and go stand in the rain. If not,,,,,,,they will stand FOREVER on the porch!:yes:
 
I sympathize with anyone that has to walk a dog on a leash in a severe storm,I really do. In times when Earnhardt was really young,and he was a leash walked dog,I did not go out in severe storms,nor even think I was going to carry an umbrella.
Just rain,I had no problems,I would just suck it u,put on a rain coat in any hour of day or night.

But here,with each new pup if it was storming severely (lighting) we do have a very large sun porch,and honestly I would rather clean up pee & poop on a tiled floor from a small puppy than to expose them to some real dangerous situation for him & me. If they had to be leash walked & I had the priveldge of a tiled floor & threy were really young...out on the porch~

None of these guys like going out in the rain or storms now,but they really have no choice.I am lucky that we have two large buildings with roofs on them,so they do their thing,and if I am not right there,tey know where to go until I open the door.Then they come barreling in like a stampede.

They just do it very quickly and come in. As for Mia I remember her first experiance with pouring rain.The poor babe had no idea what was hitting her on her body,and she curled right up in fetal position almost.Scared out of her mind!

Now many months later,she is as the rest,and does things quickly,and either is with them under dry cover,or waiting paitiently at the door along with the rest.

My son has two tea cup chi's,and they use a litter box with special stuff made especially for dogs.But I would not ever us it.I think its pure silliness & laziness on thier part.One would have to know my son,to know why I say this.
 
I have another prissy sheltie.
He waits as long as possible when it is raining.
He lets me know as soon as it stops so we run and go outside.

Might be because I make him wear a raincoat when it's pouring out (he doesn't like it much). but the raincoat means he isn't in as much a hurry as I am in the rain :( I tough it out with a hooded coat myself, and sometimes he is the one who gets the umbrella!

He does have an indoor potty area, but he won't use it if I am home.
Its for emergency use only, if I'm late at work or the like.
And those are HIS rules...
 
Like lightplum said, you just take them out, business as usual. Once pup is old enough they will decide to either pee in the deluge or hold it longer.

We often get these storms at the cottage. The boys are finally old enough that they will hold it until its comfortable to go outside.

What you can consider is to crate the pup until the storm is over, assuming that you have already crate trained. If the put is crate trained, unlikely that he will pee inside even during the storm, and as soon as its over you can take him out and praise him like no tomorrow.
 
Meggie will not go out in the rain unless her bladder is about to explode. Cooper could not care less if it is raining. As a matter of fact, I think he likes it! I don't go out with them if it is raining, but I have the luxury of a fenced yard. I'm glad I don't have to walk them on a leash. Those of you who have to do that have my sympathies.
 
I use to walk Maverick often in the rain when I lived in Vancouver. I made him a rain coat and I had a good jacket and boots. It was mostly a mist and we did not get too wet. I never seen a storm like the storms here in South Dakota where I have been living the last two years. I think that there where 3 Tstorms during the seven years I lived in Vancouver. My boys will bark there heads off at the thunder, especially Ryder. Maverick prefers to sit in my lap. If I see a storm coming on I try to get them out there before it starts. If its first thing in the morning I have to go out with them so I can coax them to come back in. Barking at the thunder!! Is too much fun. And it scares the heck out of me!:( Luckily there has only been a few morning storms since I have been here. I am also grateful that middle of the night storms don't get them up while they are sleeping in their crates.
Here some pics of after an afternoon storm last week.
http://wetbackyard.shutterfly.com/pictures/33#31
http://wetbackyard.shutterfly.com/pictures/33#30
http://wetbackyard.shutterfly.com/pictures/33#29
http://wetbackyard.shutterfly.com/pictures/33#24
http://wetbackyard.shutterfly.com/pictures/33#17
http://wetbackyard.shutterfly.com/pictures/33#13
http://wetbackyard.shutterfly.com/pictures/33#9
 
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