Some sound advice for house training an older dog

We know you love your dog but soiling in the house can be very frustrating! Dogs that soil in the house are a lot more likely to be surrendered to shelters or passed from home to home. If you adopted a dog that is not house broken or your puppy just never seemed to grasp it, these tips will help you get your dog to do their business outside.

Space Management - Control the amount of space your dog has and block off unnecessary areas. Your dog has probably gotten into a habit of sneaking off and soiling. By limiting the space, your dog will be forced to soil in front of you (which they won't like) and you will be able to make a correction. This may also help you notice the signs that your dog shows when they need to go. As your dog starts soiling outside, you can give him more trust, but this might take a while.
Use a Crate - Also a form of space management, the crate will be your biggest ally in house breaking. The crate is not a punishment and should be introduced in a positive way. Often, the crate will act as the safe spot for the dog, similar to a wolf and it's den. If your dog goes out but doesn't go to the washroom, place them in the crate and take them out again in a hour or so. When you leave the house make sure to crate your dog. Don't give the dog a chance to make a mistake.
Create a routine -Dogs are creatures of habit. Creating and sticking to a routine is essential for house training an older dog. Be consistent with feeding and watering to help you estimate when your dog will have to go out. Eventually the dog will be used to the schedule you set.
Create a washroom command - creating a washroom command will help your dog to soil quicker and to be less distracted on walks. This will also help the dog that just wastes time outside and then comes in and soils in the house. When your dog is soiling outside make sure to give your chosen command. Some examples are "hurry" or "potty". Eventually your dog will learn the command and understand why you are outside.
Cleaning - Make sure to thoroughly clean any accidents with a product that will eliminate the odour and your dogs urge to re-soil in the same spot. Vinegar works great for this!
Use the same spot - Make sure to always take your dog to soil in the same spot every time and use your command. This can be adjusted once your dog is fully trained and understands that his business needs to be done outside.
Praise - Make sure to give your dog lots of praise when they finally do go outside. The praise should be given after the potty command and after they soil. Most importantly throw a PARTY when they go. Don't punish an accident in the house. This will only encourage your dog to hide where they soil out of fear. If you catch your dog in the moment, then you can correct them and take them to their potty spot.

This process might take a while but with patience and determination these tips should help you get your dog back on track!

House Training an Older Dog

Josh Vettor

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