Housetraining Adult Dogs: My Training Journey Tips and Techniques

Let me tell you about my journey training Buddy. It wasn't easy, and I made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I learned a lot.

I wish I had known this sooner.

many adult rescue dogs come with imperfect housetraining skills – or none at all.

Watching Buddy go through this was heartbreaking.

the good news is it’s fairly easy to teach an old dog this new trick.

The key to rock-solid potty training is to start the day your dog comes home.

If you stick closely to a routine, you should be able to housetrain an adult dog within a week or less.

When you first bring home your adult dog, they’ll need to go out for midday bathroom breaks.

If you have work or other obligations that prevent you from taking your dog on a midday potty break, hire a dog walker.

The first week or so is crucial in setting a new routine for your dog, and you want to avoid as many preventable indoor accidents as possible..

I felt so guilty when I realized what was happening.

if hiring a dog walker is not in your budget, ask a friend or neighbor to let out your dog in exchange for another service or favor..

Crate training is the easiest way to teach a dog bladder and bowel control. That’s because dogs don’t like to soil their sleeping and eating areas.

The crate should be big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down in comfortably, but no bigger.

If it’s too spacious, your dog may feel like they can eliminate in one corner and still keep their living space clean.

I wish I had known this sooner.

also, make sure to give your dog lots of time outside the crate for exercise, training, and just hanging out and bonding with you.

Watching Buddy go through this was heartbreaking.

if you’re worried about putting your dog in a crate, rest assured you won’t have to use it very long.

I felt so guilty when I realized what was happening. they may even prefer to lie down there during the day, even when they no longer have to.

When using a crate to housetrain your dog, follow these guidelines.

They ensure your dog won’t suffer from anxiety or eliminate in their crate.

I learned this the hard way, but at least Buddy is okay now.

you won’t always have to give your dog as many opportunities to use the bathroom.

I wish I had known this sooner. aim to take out your dog:

Once you know they’ve got it, you can move them to four bathroom breaks a day — the standard for adult dogs.

Also, take your dog for a walk or give them some playtime as a bonus reward.

If they always come straight back inside after eliminating, they’ll learn to hold it to prolong their time outdoors..

There will inevitably be an accident here or there while housetraining, no matter how closely you stick to a training routine.

In the instance your dog has an accident inside, stick to these rules when picking out a cleaning product..

Stick with your training routine, and your adult dog should be doing their business where they’re supposed to in no time. Good luck!

This was definitely a learning experience for me. Buddy depends on me to keep him safe, and I'm trying to do better every day.