How to House Train an Older Dog
The key to house training is to prevent bathroom accidents rather than reacting to accidents that have already occurred. If you make it easy for your dog to succeed, he will learn faster and seek to please you by always going potty outside. If you wait and try to punish your dog for urinating or defecating in the house, he may learn eventually, but it won’t be as quickly.
Adult dogs can be set in their habits – if they “learned” to go to the bathroom indoors, then they will continue to do so until you teach them that going outdoors gets them praise and rewards.
Like housebreaking a puppy, how to house train an older dog also goes best with a dog crate or confined area (like a kitchen) where the dog can stay when you cannot supervise. Even if your older dog hasn’t used a crate before, he can learn that it is a safe and comfortable place to sleep and chew on his toys while you are out of the house. Don’t feel bad about confining your dog to his crate – in the end, you will both be happier!
Dedication and consistency are necessary for this plan to succeed. You can’t blame the dog for “mistakes” that are made because you can’t stick to the schedule. While an adult dog does have better bladder control than a puppy, if he’s accustomed to relieving himself inside, he has little incentive to “hold it” until you arrive home, especially if you’re late.
Your schedule for potty breaks should be as follows:
- When the dog wakes up in the morning and after any naps
- No later than ½ hour after eating
- Before bedtime
Do not wait for your dog to tell you he has to use the bathroom – assume he does and take him outside. You should also take your dog out to relieve himself anytime he appears to be sniffing around or searching. Usually he’s searching for a familiar place to use for his bathroom.
If you’re planning on leaving the house for a long period of time, be sure to bring your dog out to potty even if he’s been out recently. Male dogs especially will always “squeeze out” a few extra drops to mark their territory, even if they’ve recently urinated.
Every time your dog goes potty outside, praise him extensively. Make it a BIG DEAL and get very excited about it. Especially for older dogs, they need to see proper elimination as the highlights of their day in order to overwrite years of bad habits.
You may think it’s silly to get hyped up about your dog peeing on the grass, but a little silliness now will give you a properly housebroken older dog in the future. Break out the treats, use your baby talk voice, give your dog hugs. Whatever it takes to convince him that he wants to do all his business outdoors.
Some older dogs may have a difficult time having a bowel movement while on a leash. If they’re accustomed to their freedom, the idea of doing that while on a leash feels foreign. If you’re unable to let your dog roam in your backyard, you’ll have to be patient.
Walk your dog around longer or tie him on a run outside until he is able to go. He can’t hold it forever (but he may hold it until you take off his leash in the house!). Don’t give your older dog the freedom to run around the house until he’s fully house trained. With a lot of patience and dedication, you can teach your old dog new tricks.
