Housebreaking an Older Dog

You may decide to bring home a dog instead of a puppy from the dog rescue unit or adopt a dog from the dog shelter. When you bring home a dog, you should keep in mind, the dog understands nothing and may be a nervous wreak, unsure of his new surroundings. Many times these dogs are not house trained and you need to follow some rules regarding housebreaking an older dog.

The first and foremost rule of housebreaking an older dog is patience. You need to keep your cool at all times while housebreaking an adult dog. It is not the dog's fault as he was never taught to eliminate at a specific place. Remember, a dog is bound by habit and once he learns to follow a habit it becomes a bit difficult to change it. However, a dog in spite of his age can be taught to learn new tricks as they are really smart creatures, eager to please the master. If you are wondering how to housebreak an older dog, then the following housebreaking tips for dogs will prove to be useful.

How to Housebreak an Older Dog

You should keep in mind that it will take a while to housebreak an adult dog that was never given potty training as a puppy. Whenever you bring an adult dog home, you should assume he is never house trained. He needs to start from the scratch and re-train him as soon as you get him home. The first thing to do when you get him home is take him to the yard or the area you want him to eliminate. You can allow him to eliminate in that area before taking him into the house. The dog may want to explore and sniff around, but you should keep him on the leash. Wait in the same area patiently and allow him to eliminate. Once he does eliminate, praise him and show that what he did was right and acceptable.

Then once you get him to the house, make sure you take him out frequently. Make sure you take him to the area every half an hour when you are home. You should establish a routine and take him out the minute he gets up in the morning, after eating and before going to sleep at night. You should match his housebreaking pattern with your schedule and stick to it always.

You should look out for signs that tell you your dog needs to eliminate. You should take every sign seriously and take him out every time. This should be strictly followed during the initial phase of housebreaking an older dog. When you are leaving the house or cannot supervise him for some time, you should confine the dog in an area like a crate or the bathroom. This is because dogs do not like to soil the area they sleep in.

Never give the dog an opportunity to eliminate in the house. You should supervise the dog at all times when housebreaking an adult dog. You can keep the dog on a leash that is about 6 foot long or hold him in an area surrounded by baby gates. The dog should understand that he is not allowed to go potty in the house. If you have kept the dog confined in an area for several hours, the minute you let him out, take him to the bathroom spot. Once the dog eliminates at the bathroom spot praise him lavishly.

Accidents During Housebreaking an Older Dog

Almost all dogs will have an accident in the house at some point or the other. You need to accept this as it a part of adjustment in the new house. Also, if the dog has an accident after several weeks of training, it shows, you may not have followed the housebreaking tips for dogs correctly. When you find your dog eliminating in the house, do something to startle him like make a noise or clap loudly. But remember do not scare the dog. Then take him immediately to the bathroom or bathroom spot and allow the dog to eliminate there.

If you find a soiled area, it is too late to reprimand the dog. All you need to do is clean the area up. There is no point in lecturing the dog or punishing him for it. He will not be able to understand the reason for your anger and it only make him feel scared of you. Even if you punish the dog a second later, he will not understand it. Instead you may see more bad dog behavior due to punishments. You should clean the area thoroughly and eliminate any smell of urine. Dogs tend to urinate in areas smelling of urine and continue having accidents.

Giving Cues When Housebreaking an Older Dog

When housebreaking an adult dog you should give them a cue. When you take the dog in the same spot, you can give him a cue. You can use the words like 'go potty' or 'go outside' every time he needs to eliminate. Also, use the word when he is doing the business and make him understand by 'go potty' you mean to do it right now. You can read more on how to housebreak a puppy.

You should remember that to housebreak an adult dog you need to remain consistent. You should never break the housebreaking schedule even after you have been successful in dog training. Always shower the dog with praises and give him dog treats as reward when he eliminates at the bathroom spot. This will encourage him to have fewer accidents. Remember to take your dog on long walks to burn off excess energy. Because a bored dog will try to eliminate in the house. You need to remain patient and help housebreak an adult dog in a gentle and firm way. I hope these tips on housebreaking an older dog proves to be useful to you and your dog.