If you are bringing an adult dog home as a pet, you will likely need to train him to go outside. Many adult dogs have undergone changes that may have caused bad habits to resume and some may never have been trained. In both circumstances, teaching an adult dog not to go to the house can be a task that takes time and patience. However, you can do this by understanding the root of the problem, maintaining a strict routine, and offering plenty of positive reinforcement. Read on for more information.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Understanding Why He Needs at Home
Step 1. Understand the reasons adult dogs can go to the house
Unlike puppies, who don't know how to ask out, an adult dog can have much more complicated reasons for evacuating indoors. If you have recently adopted an adult dog or want to retrain it, you should first find out the reasons for it to behave in an undesirable way. By being able to determine what pushes the dog, you can decide the best course of action.
Step 2. Take your dog to a vet to rule out medical problems
Before trying to train an adult dog, you should take him to the vet for a checkup. Some adult dogs have evacuation problems due to medical problems. The vet can examine him and see if a medical condition is causing his behavioral defect. The most common problems that lead the dog to go to the house include:
- Changes in diet
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Urinary tract infections
- Bladder stones
- Post-neuter hormone problems in female dogs
- Medicines
- Arthritis
- Age-related cognitive dysfunction
Step 3. Consider whether new people have recently arrived in the house or if others have left
Some dogs develop problems with needs in the home because a family member they loved has left or because someone has started living there. Consider recent family departures and arrivals to determine if they are causing the dog problem.
- Has one of your children recently left for university? Or have you recently bought a new puppy? If a recent change is causing your dog's problems, it may take some time for him to get used to the new family situation.
- Be patient and let your dog know that he is still appreciated and loved despite the changes. Play with him, praise him, give him toys and rewards to help him feel more confident.
Step 4. Determine if fear or anxiety may be causing your dog's problems
Some dogs develop fear or anxiety about going out and can go to the house as a result. If your dog has any qualms about going out, something about that experience might scare him.
Understand what causes your dog to be afraid of going outside. If, for example, your dog is frightened by the sound of passing cars, he may not evacuate sufficiently or not just when you take him out
Step 5. Learn which surfaces your dog prefers
Some dogs do not like to go outside because they have developed a certain preference for one type of surface. The most common favorite surfaces include carpets, concrete, and furniture. Knowing these preferences can help you retrain your dog for outdoor toileting.
- Pay attention to where your dog goes to the toilet most often. Do you prefer to do them on the carpet, the tile floor, the laundry or somewhere else? Is there any reason why she might prefer that spot rather than quit?
- The preferred surface may depend on the environment previously occupied by the dog. For example, a dog who has spent the last few years in an environment where he was not often let out may have learned to like rugs and carpeting. A lab-grown dog, on the other hand, may prefer concrete.
Part 2 of 3: Training an Adult Dog
Step 1. Develop a good daily routine
This can help keep the dog from going to the house. Make sure you feed him at the same time every day and take him out at the same times. You should take your dog out to go to the toilet at least four times a day. If your dog eats and goes out at random times, find a schedule that works for you and stick to it. Here is an example program:
- 6:00 am: let Fido out
- 7:00 am: breakfast
- 7:30 am: let Fido out
- 12:00: Let Fido out
- 17:00: walk
- 19:00: dinner
- 7:30 pm: let Fido out
Step 2. Encourage your dog to always go to the same spot when taking him out
In addition to following a constant program on the outings of the dog, always bringing him to the same place will allow you to train him better. Use an encouraging phrase like "go to the bathroom" to let your dog know what you want him to do there. The repetition of places and orders will help the dog understand what you want from him.
Remember to give him a lot of praise when he needs to go outside
Step 3. Always check the dog
Noticing early signs that your dog is about to urinate or defecate in the house can help you train him to prevent him from doing so. If your dog has a tendency to evacuate indoors, find a way to keep an eye on him at all times. This way you can prevent his needs.
- Try to keep it with a 1.5m leash tied to you. This way he won't be able to go to another room to evacuate and you can also observe his behavior to understand when he needs to go to the toilet.
- If you can't keep an eye on him during the day, you can use a basket or playpen to confine your dog to a small area for short periods of time (less than 4 hours).
Step 4. Stop the dog's needs with a clap of the hands
As soon as you notice that she is about to go to the toilet, get her attention by clapping her hands loudly. Do not yell at the animal and do not physically punish it for changing its behavior. Just clap your hands and then take him out immediately.
Be kind and encourage the dog when you lead him outside. If you yell or appear angry at him, he may begin to interpret walking outside as punishment
Step 5. Clean up the dog's dirt as soon as the accident occurs
The smell of previous needs can cause the dog to evacuate in the same place. The best way to prevent your dog from soiling an area again is to clean up immediately with an enzymatic cleaner specifically for pet droppings.
Don't scold or punish the dog. It will not discourage him and may even lead to more accidents, increasing the dog's fear and anxiety
Step 6. Praise him when he evacuates outdoors
Positive reinforcement is the best way to teach your dog a new behavior. Be sure to reward him with a lot of praise when he goes out in the open. You can reward him with prizes, time to play or a walk.
Step 7. Ask a neighbor or friend to take the dog out when you are not around for long periods
To make sure your dog doesn't have to restrain for long periods of time, ask a friend or neighbor to drop by your house and take him out when you can't. Forcing the dog to stay indoors for many hours will lead him to go to the toilet inside, because he will not be able to restrain himself for a long time.
If you don't know anyone willing to take the dog out, you can hire a pet sitter
Part 3 of 3: Using Other Strategies to Train an Adult Dog
Step 1. Follow your vet's instructions for dealing with medical problems
If your vet has identified medical conditions that require special treatment, or other interventions, be sure to follow his instructions. If your dog's problems are related to a medical condition, they won't get better until you treat them. Contact your vet right away if your dog's condition worsens or does not improve despite treatment.
Step 2. Work to change the dog's surface preference to grass
You can get your dog to stop evacuating by gradually introducing grass into the types of surfaces he prefers to use. For example, if your dog prefers to urinate on the carpet, put a small carpet in the yard. Let him use the carpet, but add a handful of weed every day. When the carpet is completely covered in grass and your dog is still using it, remove it. The dog should have gotten used to grass surfaces and continue to urinate outside.
Step 3. Relieves the dog's fear and anxiety on outings
Simple changes to your dog's daily routine or environment can help alleviate his fears. Once you have identified the source of their fear, you can take steps to reduce or eliminate it. For example, if your dog is frightened by the sound of passing cars, try to take a quieter route or get him out at a time when traffic is lighter.
Step 4. Consider purchasing clothing to protect your dog from cold and bad weather
Some dogs don't like to go out when the weather is bad. You can make the experience more tolerable for your pet with protective clothing. If, for example, your dog does not like to put his paws in the snow, you can buy "shoes" that he can wear when you take him out. Or, if he doesn't like getting wet, consider getting him a raincoat to wear when it rains.
Step 5. Consider seeking help from a certified professional trainer
Some dogs have not been trained to urinate outside the home or begin to do so indoors after years for many different reasons. If your dog is unresponsive to your efforts to train him and has no medical reasons for him to go to the house, you may want to hire a professional trainer to help you.
Advice
- In addition to praise, give your dog a reward when he shows he understands where he needs to go.
- Partying your dog when he goes out of the house provides positive reinforcement that will encourage him to repeat the behavior.
- Dogs don't like dirtying the place where they sleep; for this reason it is a good idea to confine them to demarcated areas.
- If you have a garden, mark a specific area where you can allow the dog to do his business and take him there every time you go out. This will serve to reinforce the routine by presenting the pet with a familiar place to go for pee breaks.
- Remember that the most important thing is to be patient. Even if it will take some time to reach the goal, be prepared to work with your dog.
Warnings
- Never yell and never hit your dog during training - you will frighten him and he is less likely to learn.
- During training, do not send the dog alone in the garden; you will not know if he has actually done his business and therefore you will not be able to reward him. When it's ready, you can give it more freedom.
- Do not rub the dog's nose in his feces or urine; even though many people use this training method, it will only scare them away.
