How to Get a Grown Dog Potty Trained

You should use the same steps to potty train your grown dog, as you do to potty train a puppy. The main differences are that you have to break your older dog's bad habits and you must practice a lot of patience, as it may take longer to housebreak a grown dog than an eager-to-learn puppy.

Things You'll Need

  • Crate
  • Enzyme cleaning product
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean your home. Dogs have a very keen sense of smell and make most of their decisions with their noses. If your dog has been eliminating in your home, you must completely remove the smell of urine, otherwise your dog will think it is okay to relieve itself indoors and it will be a tough habit to break. Most cleaners just mask the smell of the urine to you, but your dog will still be able to smell the urine enzyme. An enzyme remover is the best way to get rid of the smell for good.

    • 2

      Feed your dog twice a day at approximately the same time. Most dogs need to eliminate 15 to 30 minutes after eating, so putting your dog on a feeding schedule will help it develop a bathroom routine. Avoid keeping your dog's bowl full, so it can eat throughout the day, as this will only confuse it as to when and where it should relieve itself.

    • 3

      Confine your dog to a small area. The best way to do this is with a crate, but you can also find a way to confine your dog to a small area, the size of a dog's bed. Dogs sleep approximately 14 hours a day, therefore, they like to keep their sleeping areas clean and neat. When your dog is confined to an area just big enough to sleep, it will not relieve itself in that area. When you let your dog out of its sleeping area, immediately take it outside so it can eliminate.

    • 4

      Watch your dog closely when it is out of its confined space. When dogs have to relieve themselves, they start sniffing around and circling. If you give your dog free reign of your home, it may relieve itself indoors once it is out of your view.

    • 5

      Use positive reinforcement. Dogs like to please their owners and respond very well to positive reinforcement. When your dog displays acceptable behavior, reward it with praise, a favorite toy or a treat. Every time your dog relieves itself outside, shower it with praise. This will let your dog know that it is pleasing you by eliminating outside.