Whilst most dogs tolerate moving to a new home quite well, younger dogs who have only recently become toilet trained or older dogs who may have the early signs of cognitive decline can struggle to adapt, especially when it comes to toileting.
Yes, it is. Much like you’d train a puppy in the first instance, the same principles apply to older family dogs too.
The whole idea of potty training is to reduce the unwanted behavior (going potty on the carpet) and increase wanted behavior (going potty outside).
So, you need to provide the opportunities for the wanted behavior (regular access to outside) which then reduces the likelihood that the unwanted behavior will occur.
To start with, you need to show your dog where they can go potty.
So, head outside. If you don’t have a secure yard, attach them to a long line, so they can explore but they are still safe. Wait. You need to wait for them to go potty. As soon as they do, praise and reward them.
But remember, don’t praise or reward mid-flow.
This can distract them which means their bladder isn’t totally empty. Cue likely accident when you return back inside.
Like you would with a puppy, you need to head out again in around 2 hours. This may need to be less if your dog has any health issues which can cause them to toilet more frequently.
Likewise, if they have a mealtime during that time, they will likely want to toilet as soon as possible after their food.
Again, wait for them to toilet. Don’t rush them and don’t play with them. Once they have toileted, praise and reward them and if they are asking to play, this is the time.
The most important thing is to get into a routine with toilet training. This helps your dog understand that another out is coming, so they will be able to toilet soon.
This could be every hour, 2 hours or 3 hours, depending on your dog. Once your dog has started toileting outside, their scent will be present.
Try to take them to the same spot initially when you head outside. This may encourage them to toilet. But always pick up poop – some dogs don’t like toileting around old poop!
Take your dog out first thing in the morning and plan your routine for the rest of the day. He should always be taken out after mealtimes or playtimes.
He also needs an out just before bed too. It can be helpful to take some time off work initially, just until your dog learns where his new toilet it.
If your dog does toilet inside, the timespan between outs was too long. It needs to be reduced. Never punish your dog, we know that aversive techniques can create and exacerbate problematic behaviors.
Alter your routine so your dog can succeed.
Use a detergent to clean the area along with white vinegar. White vinegar is great at neutralizing odor which reduces the likelihood of your dog wanting to soil there again.
If you are struggling with your dog toileting in the house, it can be helpful to partition the home.
If he is crate trained, add some barriers around the crate, so he can be limited to a smaller area. If accidents do occur, the toileting isn’t spread around the home.
If he’s not crate trained, use room barriers to limit his access to one room. Ideally, with hard flooring. This makes it so much easier to clean up.
This isn’t a long-term solution, but it can help during the training process.
It can be even easier to train if you have the ability to leave a door open to a back yard or garden.
You still need to actively encourage your dog to go outside to potty, but once they get into the swing of it, the easy access will reduce the likelihood of any accidents inside.
Some owners teach a command alongside the toileting like “go potty,” you would need to label the behavior as they are doing it.
This can create a distraction so consider whether this is appropriate for your dog.
It is possible to retrain a dog to go potty, patience is a virtue and many of the principles from puppy toilet training still apply. Get into a routine and set them up to succeed.
Contributor: John Woods, Founder - All Things Dogs