How do you potty train an adult dog?

Answer 1

Housebreaking your puppy is probably the most important thing you teach your dog in its first year of life. Yet, everyone has a different idea about how to achieve a housebroken puppy. Part of this is because each puppy is an individual and becomes housebroken at a different pace and in a different way. Also each household has different constraints and environments to work with. After 15 years of giving clients advice, and housebreaking my own puppies, I have devised a few golden rules to work with.
Rule #1 Take into account your dogs physiology.
Bladder control begins in puppies at 12 weeks. Most puppies fewer than 12 weeks cannot physically hold urine or stool for more than a few seconds when they are ready to go. After 12 weeks, bladder control is achieved slowly through the next 3-6 months depending on the breed. Toy breeds are the slowest to gain bladder control. What this means is if your puppy is less than twelve weeks old, he will not be able to wait to go outside, will not signal that his bladder is full and will have accidents if he is allowed to roam free.

Rule #2 Think like a dog.
Dogs naturally prefer to have dirty areas and clean areas. Your job is to teach them that the dirty area is outside and the clean area is inside. Keep the idea as simple as possible. Don’t use newspapers or wee-wee pads inside the house, as this is very confusing to a dog. Dogs have a very difficult time understanding that it is ok to go on the newspaper in the bathroom but not the newspaper on the floor next to the couch. I have never seen a fully housebroken dog that uses wee-wee pads or newspapers to eliminate. There will usually end-up being some stool and/or urine in other parts of the house. This is not a hygienic condition for anyone in the house to live in! If you cannot take your dog outside at least 3 times daily, I recommend getting a cat.
Rule #3 Housebreaking starts with YOU being housebroken.
When you adopt your puppy they generally have no idea about housebreaking, so you are the housebroken one. You should take them outside every hour for a puppy less than 12 weeks and every 2 hours for an older puppy, unless there are consistent accidents, in which case you can take them outside more often. Don’t wait for a young puppy to signal you as they don't usually start signaling nor have time to wait for you to notice until after 16 weeks of age. When you take your puppy outside and they stool or urinate, then they have earned free roam time in the house until they may need to go again (less than 1 hour for young puppies, 1-2 hours for older puppies). If they don't have a stool or urine, contain them in the house so they don’t make a mistake. This brings me to the next housebreaking rule.

Rule #4 Use a crate.
Crates are invaluable tools for housebreaking. A proper crate should be large enough for the puppy to stand up and turn around but not large enough to urinate in one end and sleep comfortably in the other. Dogs like to be clean and will usually not dirty their sleeping area unless they have no choice. Don’t leave a young puppy longer than 4-5 hours in a crate but after 12 weeks they can usually be left 8 hours. If you cannot watch your puppy closely when he is free roaming, put them in the crate or take them outside to eliminate so you know they are “safe” to roam.

Rule #5 Leave water out all the time but feed in meals.
Water should be available to puppies at all times except in the crate. Puppies can get dehydration or water gorging if water is only offered at certain times of the day. Kidney problems can result if the puppy is not allowed to drink when thirsty. Food should be given in meals, generally three meals per day for a young puppy. Offer food for 15 minutes and then pick it up. We know that puppies should have a bowel movement within 15-20 minutes after a meal. This helps you time the bowel movements so that we know when they are coming and you can get them outside at the right time.

Rule #6 Use praise to reward good behavior.
When your puppy does what she is supposed to, praise her so she connects what she did with what you want. Alternatively treats can be used but be careful that you are not giving so many treats a day that your are causing an imbalance in your puppy’s diet. Most puppies respond best to praise and it is readily available, as well as easy to give out. If your puppy has an accident don’t scold unless you are standing right next to her and catch her in the act. When you find an accident in the house, just clean it up and move on and consider where the error was made. After all it was your fault for not being housebroken (see Rule #3). Never use physical punishment of any kind as that just creates a fearful puppy.

Rule #7 If your puppy is not making progress by 13 weeks of age, check for health problems.
Generally after several weeks of consistent housebreaking all puppies start to show some progress. They go to the door occasionally, are able to hold urine more than 1 hour or show other signs of catching on. If this in not happening, ask your veterinarian to do a thorough check of your puppy including a urinalysis. Sometimes young puppies have health problems that make housebreaking difficult or impossible.

Rule #8 Be consistent and patient.
Puppies understand things that are done the same way every day. Take your puppy to the same door to take him outside. Using key words such as “potty” every time you take him outside. Hang a bell on the door, low enough for your puppy to reach it and ring it before you take him out. He will come to associate the bell with the need to eliminate and will eventually ring it on his own to signal that he wants to go out. Be patient. All puppies can be housebroken with enough time and consistency.

from http://www.bissell.com/Main.asp?Page_id=46649

Answer 2

You can use a modified puppy schedule to train an unhousetrained dog or one that's having housetraining problems. Start from the beginning just like a puppy, use a crate and put them on a schedule. An older dog can be expected to control itself for longer periods provided you take it outside at critical times — first thing in the morning, after meals and last thing at night. Until they're reliable, get them outside every three-to-four hours in between those times.

Adopted older dogs that have always had freedom may be unwilling to have a bowel movement when on a leash. You can either walk them longer or keep them confined until they really gotta go. Just like a puppy, don't give them the run of the house and keep them in a crate or small area if you can't supervise them. You can give them more freedom as they become more reliable.

Answer 3

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://bitly.im/aMPXN

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 4

My friend had a miniature poodle that crapped in the can...he had to go outside to pee tho. I don't know how she got him to start using the john but it was during a time he had a bout of diarrhea and she was tired of letting him outside every 5 minutes -lol! If you meant to ask how to house train an adult dog - the same way you would a puppy. Take him outside every hour or two and give him lots of praise when he does his business outside. Try catch him in the act when he goes indoors and sharply say "NO", then bring him out for him to finish up in the proper place, then praise him when he does. Eventually he will know that going outside is good, inside is bad. This may take some time, depending on how old your dog is. Just remember the 3 "P's"....Praise, Patience and Persistence. Good luck!

Answer 5

there is no way to POTTY train any kind of dog that im aware off mayb HOUSE TRAIN but not POTTY though cats set there litter box on top of the toilet each weak take some of the litter out untell its an empty box the weak after its got no litter remove it and if your lucky the cat will potty in the toilet but it is not a 100% succesion probley about 40% succesion rate if at first it doesnt work try again but i do not know of any potty training for dogs

Answer 6

It is more difficult with an older dog but certainly not impossible. Take the dog out first thing in the morning. As soon as the dog pees praise the dog a lot. Walk it so it will have a chance to defecate. When the dog goes, praise it a lot. Pay attention to your dogs 'looking for a spot' behavior,knowing this will come in handy. get your dog on a regular schedule for going out. Morning, noon, late afternoon and bed time usually works well. if no one is home for the noo walk make sure the dog goes just before you leave and as soon as you get home. If you see the dog doing it's looking for a spot behavior, get the dog outside. If you catch the dog in the act clap your hands loud to distract the dog, and get it out side. If you find puddles or piles after the fact just clean it with an enzyme cleaner and go on about your business. It will be much easier if you crate the dog while gone. Always remember to praise the dog for doing it's toilet outside.
In my opinion pads are a mistake. Why teach a dog to go inside when you can teach it to go outside just as easy.

Answer 7

Has this dog been an outside dog most of its life, or was it just never house broke?
I'd take the dog out every couple hours when you can and get is used to going outside. You might have to stay out with him/her for a long period of time until they "do their business." Take them in and give them a treat for going outside and really praise them. Just keep repeating the cycle and they will eventually get the hang of it. Try to take them out the same door too, so they will start going to that door when they need out.
I was told once that if the dog had always been outside, it would not go inside, but that might not be true.
Good Luck!

Answer 8

Have you tried to crate him when you are not there to supervise him and to be sure to walk him after he eats. I potty trained my puppy by having him use wee wee pads (also can use the pads that are sold in the pharmacy for ill patients, they are cheaper than wee wee pads. Some people call them chucks.).

After he learned to use the pads, I decided to teach him to do his business outside. He was almost a year old (maybe 6 mos Plus) when I decided to show him how to go out to do his business. Since he had been using the pads and he wanted to go back in the house to use the pads, I took the pads outside & showed him that he should use the pad outside. ventually he got used to going outside on the pad and later he decided to go without the pad when he went outside. The trick was to be sure to walk him often and especially after meals.

An adult dog doesn;t need to go outside as often as a puppy but I walk my dog in the morning, noon, afternoon and night time. If he acts like he wants to go to the door, I take him out. Now he is 9 years old and due to his health problems he might require more potty breaks then a younger & healthier dog.

I hope this gives you hints.

PS. I like BW's advice. He is a trainer & he knows about this. By the way, I waited too long to potty train my puppy but in the end it worked out.

Answer 9

My dog was an adult when he finally potty outside. I rub his nose near the sight that he would do his thing.And would say bad boy and took him outside, and told him you go potty outside.
It took a lot of work.He does go outside now.
I couldn't do the crate thing, but I guess it's the best.

Answer 10

My wife is an expert at this,she takes the dog outside to a particular place on a schedule she worked out,every couple hours,the dog soon learns the routine.

Answer 11

Start to take him out side every day three times a day on a regular basic on the same time. Also don't go back in the house until he done his bussiness. It is going too be hard at first but once you get the dog on a regular plan he will start going too the bath room on his on even quicker when he is out side whe it is time for him too go. :-)