I just recently moved to a new apt, I don’t have a balcony, or an outside fenced patio.. My dog is 3 yrs old house trained, but how is he supposed to go out if I’m never home due to work or school. I take him out when I’m home but I’m gone anywhere from 9 to 14 hrs a day. I bought him pee pads but He doesn’t seem to like them. What is a good way to train him to use them, or simply is it just one of those situations where you can’t teach a old dog new tricks?
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated
It is unfair to leave your dog alone for 9-14 hours per day.
Is there a friend/neighbour/relative that can stop by and check on your dog, let him out to the toilet and maybe walk him?
You could look into dog walkers, sitters or day kennels also.
i have a dog, she’s about 3 years old now, and sadly she was never trained. she understands sit, but only sometimes does it. she pulls on the leash, constantly tries to run away, jumps up on everyone, and if i took her off the leash in public she would never come back.
any ideas of a training video or website i could use to spare myself the $125 on a class?
Nix,
I do agree with the others who have said that PROFESSIONAL training is worth every penny (not Pet Smart).
But I can tell you this with confidence: buy some training books. If you are a good reader with comprehensive skills and the patience to train your dog yourself (it is a great bonding experience) it is highly likely that you and your dog will be successful. Here is a link to Amazon for positive dog training.
How do I potty train an adult dog without crate training?
I have three dogs, one I rescued. It has been 5 months, and yet I am not able to train the new dog to be house trained. When I leave to go out she goes potty in the same area of the bedroom. I have tried crate training, and that was a disaster. She just could not take it. How do I work with her in a positive way?
She only goes potty inside the house, when I am gone.
Apart from the potty training, she is great dog. She listens realy well. Great on lease. Just a great loving gentle dog.
Thank you for your advice. Please suggest alternatives to crate training, for house breaking this dog.
I am a housewife so I am only gone a few hours a day.
Oh all my (three) dogs are rescued, but this dog is a recent additon to the pack.
The reason crate training usually works is because dogs generally don’t like to potty where they sleep. Some dogs don’t realy care though. I know from experience! If crate training is a no-go…which I have seen in adult dogs who aren’t used to it, and she is consistently going in the same spot while you are gone, try the disposable pee pads that you can buy at any pet store.
I know it’s common sense and you are probably alredy doing this, but make sure to take her outside right before you leave every time. If she pees outside when you do this, give her lots of praise and maybe even a treat. In fact, I would praise her everytime you see her go potty outside. You can’t really punish her for peeing inside because you aren’t catching her in the act, but if you ever do see her start to go. Give her a firm “no” and take her to wher eyou want her to potty.
The other option is to keep her in an area like the bathroom or laundry room, gated off with a baby gate while you are gone. Place a bed or blanket for her to lie on and place one of the potty pads in a corner. It’s the same concept as the crate, just not as confining.
You didn’t say what kind of dog she is, or how big of a crate you used. Maybe if she is small enough, you could try a bigger crate as well. (I’m assuming the problem was that she freaked out at being confined in a small space). Just a suggestion. Also, if you think it is a concern, you might want to take her to the vet to have her checked for a UTI like someone else said. Although, if she is only doing it while you are gone…it is more likely an anxiety or training issue.
I hope one of these suggestions helps you out or that someone suggests something that will work for you and her. Godd luck!
i’m adopting an 3 or 4 yr old dog that was rescued from a puppy mill just a week or two ago. since he is used to being in a cage all the time he isnt completly house broken does anyone have any ideas that might help me house break him? also he is small (about 4 lbs) and white and fluffy if anyone has any name suggestions? that would be great thanks!
I guess the same way you would a puppy, but it will take a lot of work and patience. I can send you some potty training tips, that should work whether the dog goes outside, on pee pads, or in a litter box, it is all the same theory. You are just going to have to hang in there, it will depend on the dog how fast he learns.
I use a crate* to potty train with, but only for potty training and then I break it down and store it. I put blankets and a small food and water dish in the crate. Dogs don’t potty where they eat and sleep. When they are first little, I only expect them to hold their potty for 4 hours, and then 6 hours, then 8 hours and so on. So when they are first little, I set a timer or alarm clock to wake myself up at night to take them out. I only allow my puppy in the bedroom* or the living room, only one room at a time. They have to graduate to more space. If I allow them to have full run of the house, it will overwhelm them. I take them out the same door each time. I tie a dinner bell to the door handle. Do not use a jingle bell as they could get their toe caught in it. So when they are little, I ring the bell for them, and then open the door to go outside to potty. When they get bigger, I take their paw and whack the bell and open the door to go potty. Eventually getting to the place where the puppy will ring the bell and let me know when they need to go potty. Dogs want to please you, so it is your job to let them know what behaviors please you and what doesn’t. So when my puppy goes potty, I give her a treat*, and clap, and make a fuss and praise her. So she learns that going potty outside makes me happy. If she has an accident I use a word like “shame” and take her out right away. When correcting, I use a stern, firm voice, but I never yell* or spank* my puppies. Take them out when they first wake up, after they eat or drink, or when they are sniffing around. Some puppies go pee right away, but may not go poop until 10 minutes later, so wait for the poop. I have a little play time here, because sometimes I think they are done, and they are not. Puppies train at their own pace. While I may have a puppy that hasn’t had an accident in several weeks, I don’t let my guard down. I don’t expect my puppies to be “fully potty trained” until the 6 to 8-month-old time frame, and depending on the puppy, one-year-old. If they have a setback, shake it off, and start over. I only have my puppies in the crate when I am not watching them. When I am sleeping, cooking, ironing, doing chores, basically when I am not watching her. All other times, she is out of the crate practicing being a “big girl.” This is the time I train her how to behave in the house. So we are practicing “no barking”, ‘no biting”, “no jumping”, and “don’t eat the furniture.” I also have to practice “playing inside” so she doesn’t knock over things. Some puppies can sleep through the night around 3-months-old, but their bladder is grown around 6-months-old.
REVISIONS:
*I use a crate to train with. It is the method I prefer, compared to other methods I have tried. While personally, the crate traumatizes me, (it looks like a doggie jail), my puppies do better in the crate. They like it, I guess for the den like feeling, but I noticed that if they are in the crate, while I am doing chores, they are o.k., because the crate allows them to see me and be re-assured. The crate can also be a comfort when stored in the basement for dogs who live in areas where thunderstorms and tornados are an issue. It is a safe secure place for them. However, use the method that works best for you…..a laundry basket, a cardboard box, a woof-woof house, child gates……whatever works for you.
*Bedrooms, I use the bedroom and living room for training, because it works for me. Choose rooms that work for you, but watch for rooms that are damp, or drafty. While my puppies sleep in the bedroom during training, once they are trained, I let them sleep where they want to. They don’t have to sleep in the bedroom forever.
*Treats. While I use treats for training, you don’t have to. I like Charlee Bears for training (a little cracker for a little mouth,) I use them for training, but once they are trained, I cut back on them. Although I use them to give pills too. I used different treats for different things. We use one bone at bedtime to let the dogs know it is time to go to bed. We use a big rawhide for when we go on long trips, so they have a bone to amuse them, and they will be expected to hold their potty. When they get the rawhide, they will not eat their food and water, until we get home from our trip. (dogs are funny) Do what works best for you.
*Some puppies will go potty in the same spot each time. Some puppies have to be told to go potty. A command like “go out” for #1, or “go finish” for #2 might work for you. This is a good thing to train if you travel with your dogs. By using commands, the puppy won’t get confused when you are visiting someone, on vacation with you, or when you get to a new home. The command will tell them what you want them to do in an unfamiliar place.
*Yelling. It is not a good idea to “yell” or “spank” your puppy and then take them outside when they have an accident. They may get confused and think that going outside is punishment. While you want to correct them, if you are extreme, they may not want to go outside again.
*Sometimes it seems like you take your puppy out 5 million times a day. You can sit on a bench, or folding chair, or a 5 gallon bucket turned upside down to stay in the shade. I use an umbrella for shade too. You can always tape your favorite tv shows. In the winter I microwave a gel pack heating pad, (sold at walmart in the pharmacy, made by Kaz, I think.) I put the heating pad under my jacket so I won’t freeze to death. In the summer, I freeze bottles of water, so we can grab one real fast on our way out the door. I have a mini back pack by the door I can just grab with doggie treats, a flash light, a rubber band for my hair when the wind is bad, etc. Do what works for you.
*Time lines. Keep it real. Puppies train at their own pace, so while your last 2 dogs may have trained faster, this puppy might take longer. Training is all about routines, and repeating yourself. It is about rewarding good behaviors, and correcting bad ones. If you have a setback, shake it off, and keep going. Good luck.
I know from experience! If crate training is a no-go…which I have seen in adult dogs who aren’t used to it, and she is consistently going in the same spot while you are gone, try the disposable pee pads that you can buy at any pet store. 
