Not everyone who wants a new furry friend has any desire to get a puppy! Puppies can be trouble!
And, many of us just don’t have the time to dedicate to a tiny furry baby.
Plus, it is nice to rescue an older soul from the shelter or from a rescue.
One of the biggest complaints that I hear from new owners of adult dogs that have been rescued from shelter, etc. is…
“My dog isn’t potty trained!”
Sometimes, this is entirely the case. Most often, however, it is because one house is different from another.
I mean, in human terms, one toilet is just like another.
But, in dog terms, backyards or walks are quite different from one house to another.
This is why I shudder whenever I hear someone say they are paying someone to potty train their dog/puppy. Just because he is potty trained in one place, doesn’t mean it will work in another
But there are 3 big rules I will share with you to get your new dog potty trained in 5 days:
#1. Stick to a Routine
Feed your dog at the same time every day, morning and night.
Don’t just leave the food out, then you won’t know when he eats and therefore when he might have to go potty.
About 20 minutes after your dog eats, he will likely need to go out and poop.
If your dog or puppy needs to go out in the middle of the night, I would try and feed him earlier.
A good walk before bed, or a game of retrieve in the back yard, can also help move things through the bowels and stimulate the body (plus it will help him sleep).
If he seems to have to go out a lot at night, pick up his water so that he is not filling his bladder.
#2. Go Outside with Him
So many new dog owners pop the back door open and let the dog go outside by himself, and therefore have no idea if the dog has gone potty.
Unfortunately, dogs get distracted by different sounds, bugs, butterflies or whatever, and they can stop mid pee or poop.
I have 2 dogs that are very different.
My girlie poops at least twice and sometimes three times a day (if she has been super active). Ironically, she eats very little.
My boy is a “once a day pooper”. He poops once in the morning after breakfast.
So I know if one of them misses an opportunity, I need to make sure that they are given another.
I also know that my female drinks A LOT of water and has to pee every few hours, but my male is good going out about 3 times a day.
I still utilize a crate in these instances if I need to; for instance, if we are at someone else’s house.
Crate training is an amazing potty training tool and is crucial for happy, healthy dog ownership!
#3. Stick with Him
Don’t just bring your new dog home and let him run the house!
I keep my new dogs with me, and often even on a leash.
He isn’t likely to have an accident if he is on a leash and following me around the house!
Plus, keeping him with me ensures that I am teaching him basic manners.
If my freshly cooked pot roast is cooling on the counter, I am not going to allow my new dog, who is on a leash, to jump up and grab it. I can prevent that and teach him an alternate behavior.
But, basically I am preventing him from learning that he can sneak into another room and relieve himself!
Then, it becomes my job to make sure he gets outside and he doesn’t have accidents.
If you can keep this up for just 5 days, you will have a potty trained dog!
If you can prevent accidents you are on the road to a 100% potty trained dog!
via Whisker Therapy