Outdoor Dog Potty Training

Outdoor dogs don't have to worry about learning where to go when they need to urinate or defecate. Sometimes, the owner of an outside dog decides to bring the dog indoors, perhaps if the weather is severe or if the dog is old. House-training a dog that lives outside is more challenging than house-training a puppy, but it is doable.

  1. Time Frame

    • The amount of time it takes to house-train an outdoor dog differs from dog to dog, though Unchain Your Dog estimates it could take as little as one to two weeks. Some will get it relatively quickly, particularly if they used to live inside at some point in their lives. Others that have always lived outside might have a little more trouble. The time frame for house-training an outdoor dog increases if the dog has too many accidents indoors.

    Considerations

    • An outside dog can urinate or defecate whenever it feels the urge. It might not have learned to control its bladder and bowels, which could result in indoor accidents, dog trainer Lori Verni says at Free Dog Training Info. This is not the dog's fault; it has just never needed to hold its waste or eliminate in a certain place. Cleaning up accidents quickly and calmly and praising the dog for eliminating outside can help cut down the number of indoor accidents.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Most outdoor dog house-training accidents are preventable with constant supervision. Confining the dog within a dog-proof area, with pet gates or a crate when you cannot watch it, prevents most accidents, according to Unchain Your Dog. Realize that this might be overwhelming to a dog that is used to being outside all the time, and don't use a crate if the dog appears frightened or claustrophobic, as it could injure itself trying to escape.

    Misconceptions

    • It is a common misconception that it is the outdoor dog's fault when it has a housebreaking accident. In fact, the fault lies with the human for failing to supervise correctly, according to Unchain Your Dog. Another misconception is that using a simple household cleaner on accident spots is enough. Unless you use a cleaner that removes odor as well as stains, the dog will smell the urine and be more likely to use that spot again.

    Warning

    • Punishing an outdoor dog for a potty training accident indoors can be counterproductive to your training, dog trainer Kathy Diamond Dennis says at Veterinary Partner. Punishing for an old accident creates fear and uncertainty in the dog. Punishing the dog mid-flow could cause the dog to believe that you don't want to see it eliminating, and cause it to urinate and defecate in hidden places in the house. Instead, distract the dog mid-flow and take it outside, praising it when it eliminates in the correct place.