While it's usually harder to train an older dog than a puppy, it's never too late to train a dog — you just have to be willing to put in the time, patience and determination required to create boundaries, establish new habits and eliminate destructive behaviors.
It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a predictor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside.
Potty training isn't just for puppies! Adult dogs might need a refresher on house training if you've noticed a regression, or they might never have learned that they're only supposed to go potty outside. Some dogs need help transitioning from using pee pads to only going outdoors.
Puppies can sometimes pick things up faster than older dogs, and older dogs can be a little more set in their ways, but you can absolutely train a dog of any age. While you may have to make some extra accommodations, training an older dog can be done, usually with great and lasting results!
A common problem that arises in dogs and affects their ability to be potty trained is a urinary tract infection. A urinary tract infection should be suspected especially in cases where a dog reverts back in their training and starts having more frequent accidents.
Never rub a dog's nose in urine or feces, or punish a dog for an “accident.” This will teach your dog to fear you, and he may hide when he has to “go.” It is not instinctive for dogs to relieve themselves outside; it is only natural for them to not go where they sleep.
Depending upon how routine your life is, most dogs will have begun to work out certain patterns in your life by around three years of age and will have appeared to calm down.
Take her out first thing in the morning, after breakfast, after dinner, and a few times throughout the day and before bedtime. If she doesn't go, bring her back inside and immediately put her in her crate for 10 minutes before trying again. Do not let her loose indoors if she has not eliminated outside!
First, stop your dog in the act of whatever he's doing, then give him a different, pet parent-approved option. For example, if you walk into a room and notice him chewing your shoes or hairbrush, swiftly tell him "No!" and take the item out of his mouth. Once your dog is calm, present him with an actual chew toy.
Don't punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, just clean it up. Rubbing your puppy's nose in it, taking them to the spot and scolding them or any other punishment will only make them afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence.
Yes, an older dog can absolutely be potty trained. In fact, house training an adult dog can actually be easier than house training a puppy. This is because adult dogs are more likely more used to holding in their pee, so getting accumulated to a bathroom schedule may be easier for them.
Through no fault of their own, some pet dogs reach adulthood without being fully house trained. Fortunately, with time and patience, it is possible to establish new habits and teach your dog to stay clean in the house.
The Challenges of Potty Training Older Dogs
Older dogs have larger bowels and bladders, and better control of their bladders and bowels, which is helpful in potty training older dogs. Meanwhile, puppies don't always have the physical ability to hold their waste in for very long.
The reason puppies hold on outside and then pee immediately once they get back in is that the house is their happy place and the yard is not. As soon as they come inside, their parasympathetic tone increases and only then do they feel the urge to urinate. Your job is simple in theory: make outside a happy place too.
A young dog can hold their pee for up to 10-12 hours if needed, but that doesn't mean that they should. The average adult dog should be allowed to relieve itself at least 3-5 times per day. That's at least once every 8 hours.
In conclusion, one can learn things about a puppy's temperament as early as 4-5 weeks, although the older they get the more you can learn and the more reliable a temperament test. By 6-8 weeks, a breeder should be able to tell you many details about your pup's personality.
One to three year-old pups can be very energetic, hardly staying still for a single minute. As they age, however, they will begin to take longer and more frequent breaks between spurts. Most dogs will lose that seemingly abundant energy as they pass the three-to-four-year mark.
Social aggression usually develops in dogs between one to three years of age. It's important to realize that the complexities involved in social aggression are poorly understood and hotly debated by behavior experts.
Citrus. The citrus smell is arguably the best dog repellent there is. You do not have to do a lot. Simply peel an orange or a lemon next to your dog and you will observe it leaving the spot immediately.
If you must reprimand your dog, do not do so by smacking them on the nose. This behavior can make them angry or frightened, and a bite may be forthcoming as a result. It can also make them head-shy, a condition that causes fear of being touched on the head, making it difficult to go to the groomer or vet.
Punishing your dog by rubbing their nose in urine is an ineffective and outdated method that can cause more harm than good. Dogs are much more likely to learn and respond to positive reinforcement, rather than punishment.