Small glitch in the system

We've got a small, amusing, and ultimately unimportant issue in the potty training. It probably is not one that you'd have seen coming. I sure didn't.

Cooper now won't poop anywhere except in the front walkway. He gets panicky and resistant if we try to make him poop on his tiny toilet, and he hasn't pooped in his underpants since last Saturday (which was only day 2 of the training weekend, so it was pretty understandable). Nope. In fact, he's managed to poop in the front walkway 5 of the 6 last days. The one missing day was a poop-free day.

Now, the weather is sure not inviting for pooping in the walkway lately. It has rained or drizzled almost non-stop for the last two weeks. And it isn't like we are overtly encouraging this behavior. It is just that the kid is always in the yard- throwing his frisbees, digging with his little shovel, jumping off the landscaping rocks, climbing into the lilacs and getting stuck between the branches... typical toddler stuff. He has a nice rain hat and rain jacket and rain boots. Why not!?

I almost wonder if this is all because of the dog. He poops in the yard, and Cooper can see that all the time. Maybe given his options, Cooper just thinks he might as well try out what Lucky has been doing. Hard to tell. Or perhaps it is just a way to avoid coming inside and interrupting his play more than needed.

But most of all- whatever. He understands when he has to go, that he should tell us when he has to go, that he needs to pull off his pants and underpants, and he's going about once a day. And it is not like he's pooping in the vegetable garden- that'd be worse.

But really- front walkway? Couldn't he have picked somewhere a little more hidden? Like at least the backyard?

:)