We have a 5 month old Labradoodle. He is doing great on crate training and obedience. However, we have a fenced in back yard and cannot get him to go outside and potty and play by himself. He sits at the back door and cries. We are in a safe area and would like for him to go outside and enjoy himself or just potty alone and come back to the door when he is done. Are we asking too much of a 5 month old puppy? As he gets older will he start doing this on his own? Can we try anything now?

I once had a Lab that didn't like to be outside by himself, but he would at least stay out by himself long enough to relieve himself. I wouldn't worry about him wanting to come in once he has relieved himself. It would be a nuisance having to still go out with him every time. I can't promise it will get better on its own, or at the moment, think of a good fix. Exercise promotes having to relieve itself, but you must be out there for that. Try throwing a ball to the far end of the yard. He may relieve himself on the way back with it. Maybe hope he will take to warmer weather. If I think of something else, I will get back.

As mean as it sounds I find just ignoring the dog seems to do the trick. Eventually they will realize they have to do there business, so they run off for a minute do what they have to do and come back to the door again. Make sure you watch out a window to see for the first while that he is going to the bathroom. When he does no harm in letting him back in. Soon he will learn 'outside = go to the bathroom = going back inside = :D '

It is hard to ignore a puppy whining and scratching at first, but the more persistent you are about not letting him back in until you know he has done his business the less frequent it will become. The first few times you do this is trying because the whining and crying is consistent and seems like it will never end, but if this has worked for him in the past he will keep it up longer, so you need to make it stop working for him and to do that you need to learn to ignore it.