June Newsletter

House Training an Adult Dog

House Training an Adult Dog

Do you have a grown dog that has accidents in the house? First, see your veterinarian to rule out medical causes. Then use these tips to improve that behavior.

Older dogs make great companions, yet they may occasionally (or consistently) have accidents in the house. For that reason, many otherwise wonderful pets get turned over to shelters. Some people fear the problem can’t be solved or it would take too long to correct it. Yet it doesn’t have to be that way.

There’s no single cause for why a dog pees or poops indoors. It could be the stress of a new environment. Perhaps the dog lived outside before and was never housetrained. It’s possible he needs to be walked more often. There could be a medical problem causing him to lose control. He could even be sending you a message.

The first thing to do in addressing the issue is to take your dog to your veterinarian so that medical causes can be ruled out. If there’s nothing physically wrong and you want professional help dealing with the problem, ask your veterinarian to recommend a trainer or dog behaviorist.

Addressing the problem yourself is not difficult. Keep in mind that there are natural times when a dog needs to relieve himself such as waking up and after meals. Time your training to those time periods to yield the greatest success.

The majority of trainers agree that crate training is the most effective way to housetrain a dog. Again, it works with their natural instincts. In this case, they don’t want to soil where they sleep.

Bring out a suitably-sized crate that's not so big that the dog can do his business in the corner and distance himself, but not so small that he can’t turn around. Until the accidents stop, that needs to be where he sleeps.

First thing in the morning, release him from the crate and take him outside. Walk him until he does his business. After he performs, praise him effusively; positive reinforcement is a powerful tool. But don’t punish him if he messes up; it will only stress him and delay the results you want.

Your dog will need another walk after breakfast, though not immediately as with a puppy. Take him out again within two hours of feeding. Wait. Praise. For the rest of the day, keep him in a confined part of your living space and walk him every two hours or so. Watch for signs such as increased activity, pacing, pawing or panting to indicate he needs a walk, and respond without delay.

If you catch him in the act, rush him outside to finish, saying “Outside.” Repeat the word each time you take him out.

During the training period, clean areas where accidents have taken place with a bacterial enzyme eliminator liquid, available in pet stores. Otherwise the scent will draw him back.

Patience, diligence and consistency are the keys to achieving success. Dogs are proud animals and truly want to please their people. So take time to give your wonderful companion the training he needs to remain your friend for life.