Dog Potty Training

Believe me; it is really difficult to potty train an adult or older dog than to train a puppy.

I have had really nasty experience while dealing with an older dog that I adopted from one of my friends who was not able to take care of this dog.

First thing we should remember is that just as humans, it is easier to teach an older dog to do something, instead of not doing something.

This dog had the old habit of doing it inside and I knew that it would be really hard for me to eliminate this habit.

So, I first decided to spend a great deal of time with him and develop a sense of confidence in him so that he tries to do what I want him to do.

I got a nice crate for him, that was just enough for him to rest comfortably and not large enough for him to ease himself as and when he wants.

As soon as I gave him food, I started taking him outside to the place where I wanted him to ease himself every time he wants to. This was a small corner in the lawn. You have to be persistent and take your older dog to this same place over and over again as it would help the dog learn the right place faster.

Also make sure that you do not clean the spot thoroughly until your dog learns to go to the same place when it needs to go potty.

Another important thing is to use the same command while you are referring to potty. An older dog tends to get confused if you use different phrases.

Your dogs’ sense of smell is really very keen and the smell of urine or excrement in your house will make it think that it is the place to go potty.

So make sure that you do remove every trace of potty accident inside the house by using deodorizing cleaning solution to eliminate odors from your floors. As I had mentioned earlier, keep your dog in a crate and let him sleep there itself.

This will ensure that he gets used to his crate which would become like a den for him and he would not defecate or urinate inside the crate. As soon as he wakes up, take him outside to the same spot where you want him to ease himself.

Every time you do this, it would make him understand that he needs to go out and attend to nature’s call and not inside his home.

Lastly, do not feed your older dog or give him plenty of water just before he goes to sleep as it might be difficult for him to control himself and he might unintentionally ease himself inside the crate.

With a lot of patience you can definitely help your older dog learn to go outside and attend to nature’s calls and always remember that you need to praise him a lot and give him tons of love as he is a part of your family and just like your kid, you need to teach him good habits that take precious time but is genuinely rewarding.