4 year old former apartment dweller won't pee in new backyard

[Littlejeans]

Hi All,
Grover is almost four year old Labrador and up until 2 week ago he was pottied on leash in the city (or when we were out on our daily hikes in nature). When we first moved to our house with a private, fenced backyard 2 weeks ago, he pooped and peed regularly and seemed to understand the concept of pottying in the backyard. He has always been praised and treated after pottying. I pick up after him immediately because if I miss a poop or wait to long I notice he will try to "bury" it with his nose.
In the last few days he has not peed in the yard. Yesterday we went on a hike so he emptied himself in nature but he has gone 24 hours now without peeing because I have been waiting him out. I know if I took him for a leashed walk in the neighborhood he would mark alot and pee. He understands what "out" means and when he had a little diarrhea 2 nights ago he wined at the back door so I know he knows how to tell me he has to go. We've gone out to the backyard 4 times today for 30 minutes a stretch (with me alternating between being boring and saying his cue word "go sniff". He does go sniff but no peeing. Is it possible he sees the backyard as an extension of the house and doesn't want to soil it? How am I going to show him it's okay if I'm already praising and treating him? It seems cruel to wait him out like this but I want him to know that he needs to potty in the backyard. Should I keep waiting him out? 24 hours is a long time!

[Maxx&Emma]

No, I would never wait 24 hours for my dog to pee. That is cruel.

My male will not poop in my yard so we hike two times daily for exercise and for him to relieve himself. I would walk with my dogs daily regardless, backyard play alone does not do it.

[mhb]

I'm thinking he does think the yard is part of the house. We've trained ours to not pee on the grass/patio and to go into the 'rough'; they can generalize those sorts of concepts.

Not an expert on this, but perhaps catch some of his pee from a leash walk in a cup and pour it onto the part of the yard where you want him to pee. They are very smell driven when it comes to elimination.

[hallieworthington]

Have you had any luck with anything?! I'm having the same problem with my lab, except that she's been in both apartments and houses with yards before and never had this problem. My girl is nearly 8 and is suddenly too good to pee in our new backyard, but has no problem holding it until we go on a looooong walk, which is something new. I'm trying to figure out what to do, because I'm starting to get frustrated with the fact she won't pee at 11:30 at night until we go on a 30+ minute walk.

[SunDance]

Have you had any luck with anything?! I'm having the same problem with my lab, except that she's been in both apartments and houses with yards before and never had this problem. My girl is nearly 8 and is suddenly too good to pee in our new backyard, but has no problem holding it until we go on a looooong walk, which is something new. I'm trying to figure out what to do, because I'm starting to get frustrated with the fact she won't pee at 11:30 at night until we go on a 30+ minute walk.

Good luck. I've had this problem with Sunnie ever since we got her. With my husband, she'll pee on the front yard or at least somewhere on our street. With me, she holds out until we get far into the park. Once in a blue moon, she'll pee on her own in the backyard...but only if she's out there "anyway" (i.e., not told to go out for that purpose).