I live in an apartment downstairs. I have a little garden in front of my window. I wanted her to do her needs there because it is easy for me to go with her and to clean after, too.
But I got no luck. I tried so hard. For two days I stayed with her outside all day long but she has refrained. When we were returning home she was going streight to the balcony.
Me and my husband we were already nervous about this. We decided to let the things as they were for a while. The puppy was continuing to do in the balcony till one day, when my husband had the ideea to show her the piece of cheese ( that is her reward when she does what we tell) associated with the words "pee poop" (these are the words she recognise when we used to go in the balcony).
Surprise! the puppy did her first poop outside.
We were so happy. We already were thinking we have to reorganise our balcony and to render it the initial destination.
But no... the next day she started again...she did not want to do anything outside. She was distracted, because a lot of things are going on in the neighborhood she doesn't know yet.
We let go for one more time. We did not insisted. We let her do her needs in the balcony but she did not receive her reward.
From the next day...she started to do pee and poop outside..in the garden and also in the park. She always receive her reward and she knows it.
Of course it happends incidents too. For example my brother saw the dog climbing on the balcony door and he let her go there. But it was ok, because she saw one more time that she did not get the cheese there.
We hope that with the time she does not wake us for her pee at 4 or 5 a.m. and than all will be alright . At this hour neither me or my husband don't wake up to take her outside. We go in the balcony :).
