Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

Once upon a time, I trained my baby girl Audrey to NOT potty in the backyard.

Why would any sane person do this?
It was meant to be temporary because the backyard was being sodded and as you know dog urine causes dead patches. Instead we would we'd open the front door and she would "do her business" in the front yard and just return when she was done.

After it was okay for her to go back in the backyard she refused to do so. As a matter of fact if she felt we were trying to encourage her with treats to "do her business" in the backyard she would run back in the house!

The place we've recently moved to has a very small front yard and she will not use it nor will she use the backyard. So it is now a normal routine for me to have to walk her around the corner to a field where she will go potty . . . we do this at least five times a day (if she asks to or not).

In the past few months, and more so in the recent two months, I wake up (well kind of awake) to Audrey wanting to go outside. I FINALLY have the puppy sleeping through the night (who goes potty in the backyard thank goodness) but now I have senior citizen who has to go . . . when she has to go out. Some mornings I wake up and think "was I out walking a dog last night in my pajamas or was that a dream?"

Last night was particularly bad however, she woke me up twice!! Ugh. I really couldn't figure out why she was whining at me the second time but I just assumed it was to go outside. Which she did go potty but I don't know if it was necessary. I just really really hope and pray this does not become routine. She did have urinary track infection but we recently just finished our meds to take care of that. IM SO TIRED

So you may wonder if I'm so tired why am I up so early. Well, that is another thing I'm awoken at 5:00 in the morning every day because we have to go "outside". It's easier to just get up at this point.

It's so had not to be completely frustrated with this. I'm just wondering what it feels like to be well rested at this point because it's been months for me.