Cash is extremely fussy about where he potties. I want him to use the dirt areas outside in my new "yard" but he won't. I want to cut out the morning walk and just have him do his business outside. Any suggestions for getting him to potty (pee and poo) in our yard? The yard actually his prefered surface too--wood chips. He refuses, most of the time, to walk on grass.

Don't leave the area until he relieves himself- as soon as he does, praise and leave

He held it for 12+ hours. Pee.

Well, then you need to wait 12 hrs +1 min

Ella once went on potty strike for 24 hours cuz it was raining. Princesses don't pee or poo in the rain. Just saying, I feel your pain. And Ella feels' Cash's pain If you're willing/capable of waiting him out, it'll happen eventually. Just make sure, when you do it, that you are home to let him out every 1-2 hours, and chill out there with him for 10 minutes, treats at the ready. I'd probably give him an evening walk, then give him no other options starting the moring the next day. The first time is always the hardest!

Can you bring a small treat or toy with you so you can jackpot him when he goes where he is supposed to. The one thing Carnegie has nailed down is peeing/go potty, on command.

Did you ever associate a word with the behavior? When I trained my Shelties, when they were puppies, I'd say "potty" or "go potty" every time they peed. Now, when I want to take Shiri into the agility training center but I want to make sure her bladder's empty, I take her to the center's potty area and walk her around, suggesting "potty" to her until she does. On long car trips, I can take Pip and Sun to a rest area and tell them to "go potty" and they do, almost immediately. I've always been glad that I taught them the word association.

Maybe if you mark the behavior with a word when he does it on his walks, and then take him to the new area and use the word? It might take some time, but might that convey to him what you want of him?