How to Retrain Your Dog When Moving From a House to an Apartment

Moving from a house to an apartment requires a change to your dog's toilet routine -- especially if your previous home allowed your dog easy and immediate access to outside. Now that you don't have a backyard, you will have to consider whether you are able to take him outside at designated times every day, so that he can relieve himself. This can be difficult, If you live in a high-rise apartment with lots of stairs, are elderly or lead a hectic lifestyle. Retraining your dog to use an indoor toilet therefore, could be the best option for you.

Things You'll Need

  • Newspaper or training pads
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Start retraining your dog immediately when you move into your new apartment, so he doesn't get into any bad habits. Select an area of your home which is most suitable for him to eliminate. For example, in a bathroom or laundry room that has tiled or vinyl floors, that are easily cleaned and away from areas in the house where you like to sit and eat. Make sure that the designated area you choose is also a reasonable distance away from your dog's food, water and sleeping area, as they too like to keep these things separate.

    • 2

      Put a few layers of newspaper down -- or some training pads -- in the area you have chosen. Make sure it is a big enough area for him to become accustomed to, and then you can gradually make it smaller, as he learns that this is his new indoor toilet.

    • 3

      Keep an eye on your dog for the first few weeks. Any time you think he might want to relieve himself, such as when he has just woken from a nap, shortly after eating or drinking or after play, take him to his indoor toilet and give him the command "go potty." If you notice him squatting, scratching, sniffing or circling an area, this might mean he needs to relieve himself too, so respond in the same way if he does any of these things.

    • 4

      Praise him when he goes to the toilet in the right place. Give him a pat, tell him he is a good boy and offer him a small treat. Similarly, if you catch him relieving himself in the wrong place, interrupt him by saying "no" in a firm voice and take him to the correct area. However, if you find that he has made a mess somewhere later in the day, simply clean it up as your dog will not understand why you are punishing him, once the time of the accident has passed.

    • 5

      Replace the layers newspaper or training pads with fresh ones each time he goes to the toilet, but leave one soiled sheet on the top layer of his toilet. The scent will act as a reminder to him that this is where is supposed to go potty.

    • 6

      Reduce the amount of newspaper or training pads, as he begins to understand his new toilet habit. Eventually, you should aim to use just one or two training pads or pieces of newspaper for his indoor toilet, which will take up very little space in your home.