How do I toilet train an adult dog?
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How do I toilet train an adult dog?
I've just adopted a 6 year old lurcher who appears not to be house trained! Today is day one and we've had lots of accidents in the house. The lurcher used to live in kennels before it was rehomed and before I got it, it lived with a foster carer in her home. I keep taking the dog outside so it can clean itself, but apart from the one wee the rest have been done inside! Has anyone any advice on how I go about toilet training an older dog?
Re: How do I toilet train an adult dog?
Welcome to the forum
I'm not an expert, but I think toilet training an adult dog is the same as toilet training a puppy, though it can take longer as the dog has to unlearn previous habits. So start by taking him/her out into the garden very regularly, say every hour or even less. [Note: I'm wondering if you refer to your dog as 'it' because English isn't your first language. 'It' sounds odd to English-speaking ears, so I'll stick to 'he'r if that's OK but of course it's the same for males!]
Whenever your dog toilets in the garden or oustide the house, praise her and give her a treat - not right in the middle of the act or you'll distract her, but as soon as she's finished. You can also add a marker word like 'pee' or 'poo' and she might come to recognise these as requests to pee/poo when oustide the house. In the house, watch her like a hawk for any signs that she might need to go, such as circling, pacing, sniffing the floor, and when you see them, take her outside. If she does go indoors, don't scold or say anything, but clean up with a biological, non-ammonia-based cleaner. Any lingering smell, or the smell of a cleaner containing ammonia, will indicate to her that that is where she should go.
Eventually, she should learn that outdoors is a great place to go and ask to go out. Dogs can 'ask' to go out in different ways - some might stand in front of you and stare at you, some whine, and some just stand silently at the door waiting, even if you're at the other end of the house. So you'll have to be vigilant!
I'm not an expert, but I think toilet training an adult dog is the same as toilet training a puppy, though it can take longer as the dog has to unlearn previous habits. So start by taking him/her out into the garden very regularly, say every hour or even less. [Note: I'm wondering if you refer to your dog as 'it' because English isn't your first language. 'It' sounds odd to English-speaking ears, so I'll stick to 'he'r if that's OK but of course it's the same for males!]
Whenever your dog toilets in the garden or oustide the house, praise her and give her a treat - not right in the middle of the act or you'll distract her, but as soon as she's finished. You can also add a marker word like 'pee' or 'poo' and she might come to recognise these as requests to pee/poo when oustide the house. In the house, watch her like a hawk for any signs that she might need to go, such as circling, pacing, sniffing the floor, and when you see them, take her outside. If she does go indoors, don't scold or say anything, but clean up with a biological, non-ammonia-based cleaner. Any lingering smell, or the smell of a cleaner containing ammonia, will indicate to her that that is where she should go.
Eventually, she should learn that outdoors is a great place to go and ask to go out. Dogs can 'ask' to go out in different ways - some might stand in front of you and stare at you, some whine, and some just stand silently at the door waiting, even if you're at the other end of the house. So you'll have to be vigilant!
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Re: How do I toilet train an adult dog?
if a male, the dog may be scent-marking to make himself feel more secure. Females scent-mark too, but not as much. Are the wees pools on the floor or squirts up the wall? The latter will be scent-marking.
There may be a urinary infection, and if a she and spayed, spayed b itch incontinence. She will need a vet check and appropriate meds.
Calming pheromone diffusers such as Adaptil will help.
Take her out very frequently and always reward for pees outside.
There may be a urinary infection, and if a she and spayed, spayed b itch incontinence. She will need a vet check and appropriate meds.
Calming pheromone diffusers such as Adaptil will help.
Take her out very frequently and always reward for pees outside.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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