There may be something in the garden that is making her reluctant to go. Make sure you have some longer areas in the garden that she can explore.
Eventually, your dog will get over her reluctance to go out and play. Try to give her some space, and make sure there are some places in the garden she can explore that are longer and more remote. You might also want to try some new toys or treats to entice her out.
We got an adult Lab-cross approximately 2 years old a month ago, and she is lovely and very calm indoors to the point of being comatose. However, she really enjoys being outdoors and is a big fan. The problem is that she won't use the toilet when she is in the garden. See also Why does eating wet dog food cause diarrhea?
The reason behind this might be that she was used to being outside all the time and never having to go to the toilet. As such, she doesn't know how to deal with this new environment. A solution might be to take her out for a little while each day and have her go to the toilet. Alternatively, you could try to train her to go to the toilet inside by rewarding her when she does go.
Logan is now 8 months old and was toilet trained very quickly, however lately he has been refusing to go outside to use the toilet. See also Why do dogs whine after anesthesia?
In the meantime , Logan has been using a potty chair and a toilet in his room. His pediatrician has told us that it's okay to do this until Logan is actually ready to use the toilet outside. Logan is generally a very obedient child and we believe that he will eventually be able to use the toilet outside, but we just want to make sure that he is doing everything correctly in the meantime.
It's possible that your dog will start to have bowel movements as soon as it sees the leash. Stay with your dog outside and do not let it roam free in the yard.
Eventually, your dog will learn that it needs to go outside to use the bathroom and will start to go when it sees the leash. If your dog is not going outside on its own, you may need to take it to the vet to verify that it is having regular bowel movements. See also Why does my dog sit on other dogs' heads?
