Whether you get a puppy or a full-grown dog, and whether you've had your pooch for three months or 13 years, there's always a chance that your four-legged friend will use your home as a toilet. Expect accidents with any dog, but if your best friend is leaving you smelly presents on your favorite rug, it's time to make a few changes so your dog learns to love and respect you and your home.
Things You'll Need
- Disinfectant specifically for animal waste
- Wee-wee pads
- Dog crate
Instructions
Clean the rug. A dog's sense of smell is up to 50 times stronger than a human's. It's that sense of smell that makes it poop and pee in the same place when you walk it. So even if you can't smell the odor of the accident anymore, the dog can. And if it has to go when you're not there, it will go on your rug because, to the dog, the rug smells like the bathroom. Purchase a disinfectant specifically for animal waste and clean the spots on the rug where you dog has done its business, as well as the floor underneath the rug. You don't want to leave any traces; your pup will sniff them out for sure.
Walk your dog. Two times a day is minimum, but if your dog is having accidents, one or two extra short walks might be necessary. Consistent times are important for all dogs, but it's absolutely required for dogs who are having a hard time holding onto it. If you're only doing two walks, make sure you walk the dog until it poops and a good 15 minutes more until it can be reliably accident-free.
Establish consistent eating habits. A puppy eats three small meals a day; an adolescent, twice; an older dog, just once. Feed it the same amount at the same time every day. Try to leave the same interval between eating and walking. This will help set your dog's internal timer. It may also be a good idea to talk to your vet about the kind of food your dog eats to eliminate the possibility that its diet is causing the accidents.
Use wee-wee pads, absorbent pads scented with pheromones that encourage a dog to go to the bathroom on them. They're sold at pet stores and can be a great option if you have to leave your dog home for longer than it can hold it.
Crate your dog when you're not around. If your dog can't get to the rug, it can't poop on it. This technique is usually used during the beginning stages of your relationship, but can be introduced when behavioral problems present themselves. The dog is kept in its crate whenever you're not walking it, training it or actively playing with it. This might seem like a heartbreaking concept, but is only temporary and it teaches the dog the necessity of waiting for the proper time and place for doing its business.