| Training » Potty Training an Adult Dog |
| Most people with dogs want to welcome them inside the house from time to time. In fact, many dogs actually live indoors MOST of the time. While this can be a great experience (letting your best friend and loyal companion share your space), a good deal of training is required to turn a dog into a suitable roommate. Obviously, the biggest issue is ?potty training.? Of course, this is much easier to accomplish potty training when you begin early (see Potty Training a Puppy). However, it?s never too late to ?teach an old dog a new trick.? So, don?t worry about training an adult dog. You simply have to be patient and understanding. In time, you?ll succeed. The first thing to consider is that you should always use a positive approach. Never severely punish your dog or do anything that will inflict pain or fear. Adding fear to the training program will NOT accomplish your goals, but will end up harming your relationship with the dog. Also, keep in mind that you are working with a basic behavior that is perfectly natural (i.e., elimination). When you?re potty training, you are not trying to actually stop the behavior of elimination. You simply aim to train the dog to do this behavior in a specific location (outside) and at certain times. There are many methods used in training a dog. One very successful method uses ?crate training.? If you have adopted an adult dog (or for some reason you find yourself in a new living situation where your formerly outdoor dog is now an indoor dog), you may now face the prospect of potty training an adult. You should approach the task in the same way you train a puppy. It may take a little longer, particularly if the dog in question has some very bad habits. However, be persistent and you?ll win. Naturally, a crate used for an adult dog needs to be larger than what you would use for a puppy; you should make sure to find one that is suitable for your dog?s size, allowing it enough space to move around comfortably. However, do not have so much space that the dog will easily create a toilet corner. If your adult dog has a history of eliminating indoors on the carpet (or on paper), he clearly believes this is acceptable behavior. Your goal is to shape his behavior. If your adult dog has never been potty trained in the past, and has eliminated only in the outdoors, your potty training program should be much easier. He already knows the ?location? part of the training. Now, he just needs to learn about timing. In ?crate training,? you allow the indoor dog to stay in a crate (or kennel) while you are sleeping or away from the house for short periods. Being confined to a fairly small space will more easily encourage the dog to ?hold it? until you allow it outside. Note: you should not leave a dog in a crate for long periods; this crate is only for short periods. When the dog is outside the crate and moving about the house, stay alert to its needs regarding elimination. As soon as you see him attempt to use the bathroom, take him outside. Praise him when he ?goes.? You absolutely MUST be consistent with your efforts. You will get best results if you have a very strict schedule. A dog should be let outside the first thing in the morning, after all mealtimes, and every few hours when you are around. Make sure all members of your household cooperate in the training program. This will make the process go much more smoothly and be less confusing for the dog. |
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