How to Toilet Train an Older Dog

Older dogs also may have issues with accidents inside the home. For the most part, older dogs that are urinating and voiding indoors are doing so because of anxiety, territory marking or a new pet in the home or next door. The dog also may be suffering from a medical issue such as a bladder infection. This should be diagnosed by a veterinarian. For the most part, retraining a dog to potty outdoors is very similar to training a young puppy.

Things You'll Need

  • Enzyme-based cleaner
  • Paper towels
  • Dog crate
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take the dog outdoors to void first thing in the morning, after meals, after playtime, before bed and immediately in the night if the dog is whining to go outside.

    • 2

      Feed the dog and give it water at the same time each day. This will give you some idea when the dog will need to eliminate and allows you to take the dog outside before an accident occurs.

    • 3

      Clean up any accidents immediately after they happen with an enzyme-based cleaner and paper towels. A dog will tend to void in the same area over and over if it can still smell its old accidents.

    • 4

      Keep the dog in a crate at night or when it cannot be closely watched at home. The kennel should be large enough to only allow the dog to lie down and turn around. Most dogs will not eliminate where it sleeps, so confinement in a crate will cut down on nighttime accidents. An older dog also is capable of staying confined for longer periods of time because their bladders are more developed.

    • 5

      Watch for signs that the dog needs to void. A dog will begin to sniff the ground, whine, pace or it may even scratch at the door. When these signals occur, immediately take the dog outdoors to eliminate.

    • 6

      Offer the dog a treat and praise once it successfully voids outside. The dog will begin to associate this positive outcome with eliminating outdoors.

    • 7

      Avoid yelling at the dog or physically punishing it if it has an indoor accident, especially if the accident occurred several minutes or hours after it was discovered. According to WebMD, the dog cannot associate the punishment with the crime if it occurred at a different time.