Housetraining older dogs
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.
What to do if the dog has an accident
Remember, this method of housetraining is based on PREVENTING accidents. By faithfully taking the dog out often enough, you'll
get faster results than if you discipline the dog after the accident has already happened. If your dog makes a mistake because
you didn't get him out when you should have - it's not his fault!
If you catch the dog in the act, stay calm. Holler NO while you immediately send him outside! Don't just send him outside, put a
leash on to take him out and show him where the bathroom is. go out with him and talk to him. This is a little trickier with an adult
dog especially if he's new to you and you don't know how he'll react to being grabbed and thrust outside. Put a leash on to take
him out and show him where the bathroom is. Make a point of getting the dog out more often in the future!
ANY other corrections such as rubbing his nose in it, smacking with newspapers, yelling, beating or slapping only confuse and scare
the dog. If you come across an "old" accident, it really doesn't pay to get too excited about it. Dogs aren't smart enough to connect
a past act with your present anger and he won't understand what you're so mad about. He'll act guilty but it's only because he knows
you're mad at him. He has no real idea why you are correcting him.
Keep in mind that health problems, changes in diet and emotional upsets (moving to a new home, adding a new pet or family
member, etc.) can cause temporary lapses in housetraining. Diabetes in adult dogs and urinary tract infections in both puppies and
adults can cause dogs to have to urinate more often. Urinary infections in young female puppies are common. A symptom is frequent
squatting with little urine release. If you suspect a physical problem, please take your dog for an examination.
Sudden changes in dog food brands or overindulgence in treats or table scraps can cause diarrhea. Dogs don't need much
variety in their diets so you're not harming yours by staying to one brand of food. If you make a change, do it gradually by
mixing a little of the new food with the old, gradually increasing the amount of new food every day. A sudden change of water
can cause digestive upset, too. If you're moving or traveling, take along a couple gallons of "home" water to mix with the new.
Cleaning up accidents
If you've worked hard with this training method, you won't have many! Put your puppy (or adult dog) away out of sight while you
clean up a puddle. Dog mothers clean up after their babies but you don't want your puppy to think that YOU do, too! Clean up on
linoleum is self-explanatory. On carpeting, get lots of paper towel and continue blotting with fresh paper until you've lifted as much
liquid as possible.
There are several home-made and commercially available "odor killers" that are helpful. In a pinch, plain white vinegar will work
to help neutralize the odor and the ammonia in the urine. (Don't use a cleaner with ammonia - it'll make it worse!) Sprinkle baking
soda on the spot to soak up moisture and to help neutralize odor, vacuum when dry. At the pet store, you can find a good selection
of products that may be more effective. A diarrhea stain on carpeting or upholstery can be lifted with a gentle solution of lukewarm
water, dishwashing soap and white vinegar.
Dogs are attracted to urine odors and their noses are much better than ours! Even when using a commercial odor killer,
a teeny residue will be left behind that our dogs can smell. Keep an eye on that spot in the future! This remarkable scenting
ability does have an advantage - if you must paper-train your dog and he doesn't know what newspapers are for yet,
"house-breaking pads" are available at your pet store. They are treated with a mild attractive odor (too weak for us to smell),
so your dog will gladly use them!
