How to House Train a Dog for Free

House training an adult dog requires a different set of skills than house training a puppy. Diet and a puppy's typically weak bladder are less of a concern; more important are territorial issues and separation anxieties. The difficulties are far from insurmountable, however, and giving a new home to a older dog is a laudable action. The key rules of rewarding good behavior and being firm when mistakes are made apply to house-training a dog of any age.

Things You'll Need

  • Leash
  • Crate
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Instructions

    • 1

      Establish a routine for your new dog immediately. Wake him up, take him for a walk and feed him at the same time each day. This will ease your dog's stress about his new surroundings.

    • 2

      Choose a location to be the bathroom spot. Bring your dog to the bathroom spot first thing in the morning, after every meal and last thing at night. Reward him with a treat if he goes to the toilet on the bathroom spot.

    • 3

      Clean up any mess made in the house thoroughly and put the soiled tissues on the bathroom spot outside. This helps the dog recognize where he is supposed to go to the toilet.

    • 4

      Confine the dog to a tiled room when you are not able to watch him.

    • 5

      Pay attention to when and where your dog is going to the toilet. If he urinates around the edges of a room, he is "marking his territory;" reprimand him. If, on the other hand, he always goes to the toilet when you are out of the house, it is more likely to be separation anxiety. Reprimanding him will not help. Instead, do not show your dog any affection for 30 to 40 minutes before leaving the house.