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Housetraining Tips for an Adult Dog

housetraining an adult dog

Housetraining an Adult Dog – You just adopted a beautiful adult dog. But you’re not sure if he’s knows how to do his business outside. Whether you adopt an adult dog or puppy there are adjustments to make. While adult dog prefer to go to the bathroom outside, some may have never lived in doors. And just because a dog may be potty trained in one home, it may take time to learn in another. It’s a new adventure for you and things are different for your dog too.

With this said you will take the same approach to housetraining an adult dog as you would as with a puppy.

The dog has many adjustments to his new environment and doesn’t instinctively know that you don’t allow peeing on the floor – especially his prior owner didn’t mind or didn’t seem to care.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that because he’s an adult dog that he’ll just “know” what to do. Start with him as if he were a puppy and gradually teach him the routine of your home’s pet potty schedule. To help you get off to success with your dog here are some tips for housetraining your adult dog.

Consider a Crate for Housetraining

Using a crate can be helpful when housetraining a dog. As long as there is no previous trauma associated with crates. (Such as a previous abusive situation). You can start with crate training or restricting your dog to a bathroom area. Then set a schedule for potty breaks.

Adult dogs are very picky about finding a potty place outside that’s apart from where they play, just as they don’t like to potty near where they sleep or eat.

Help Your Dog Find His Way Around

Help him find that place in your yard or outside when walking and return him there for subsequent potty breaks.  You have to monitor the potty breaks for several weeks to learn your dog’s elimination patterns.

Routine is Key to Housetraining a Puppy or Adult Dog

You also have to set morning and evening feeding times. He may not have had such an organized life schedule, so this could take time for adjustment.  Don’t believe that old saying, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” It’s not the age of the dog that matters – it’s the consistency of the owner.

Gentle Approach for Housetraining an Adult Dog

If your dog came from an abusive home, filled with shouting and hitting due to any accidents, then your training efforts may take longer. First you have to win the dog’s confidence and understand that he needs time to get comfortable in his new home.

Patience and Consistency

There will be accidents, so be prepared to clean it up and move forward.  Don’t assume that an adult dog will be any easier to train than a puppy. Both dogs would face the same adjustment issues. You have to train with consistency and affection so that you reinforce the responses that you want repeated.

Housetraining and Older Adult Dog

An older male dog may be accustomed to marking his territory by urinating on it. This is an instinctive behavior for male dogs – you aren’t going to break him of it without breaking his spirit or having him neutered. Even then dogs will mark there territory in the park and around the yard.

Concluding Our Tips  for Housetraining an Adult Dog

Follow the above tips and your dog will be doing his business outside in no time at all. Just remember your canine friend is adjusting to a lot, a new family, home and best if all enjoying all the love he deserves. Housetraining an adult dog is a small step in a rewarding lifetime you will share together!