Dog toileting on synthetic grass - 2009-03-17

Question

We recently had synthetic grass laid in our backyard and now our 12 month old german shepherd goes to the toilet on the grass instead of the dirt on the sides and rear of the garden. How can we encourage or make him go to the toilet on the dirt, not the grass?

Answer

There are a few things to consider here. What was there before the new synthetic grass? If there was ‘grass’ and it was used for that likely the scent is still there. If there was no grass before, the new grass is the preferred option for the dog as it is more natural environment than doing it in the dirt. I would recommend to lead-train the dog to go to the same spot – and clean the spots on the synthetic grass where he has been with 25% white vinegar / 75% water solution to remove the smell/scent that is there now. But a dog will always prefer grass over soil / dirt, unless trained to go to one spot.