Potty training for your adopted dog

Adopting a dog is a good thing and something you should be congratulated on.

However, moving a dog from one environment to another involves some changes to their routine and rules. Houses and yards are different, surfaces are different, people are different, and their routines are different. All of this will require some adjustments on your dog’s part.

If your dog came from a shelter, you may have been able to dispose of it wherever you wanted. This might have made him forget about his previous potty training, if he had any at all. Being in a new house means being exposed to new odors, especially from other pets or old ones, which can cause your dog to “mark territory.”

So you really need to get to know your dog and retrain him for his new environment. If you were well trained and have a previous situation, you should be able to retain it in a short period of time. Your first step will be to establish a new routine for your dog.

We all have routines, and your dog is no exception. Make sure you take it out first thing in the morning; he has been sleeping all night (hopefully) and will usually have to leave early in the morning. Feeding your dog early in the morning will usually produce the urge to go again, especially if you plan to leave him alone for a period of time. .

As soon as you return from being away for several hours, you should take the dog out again. And be sure to take your dog before bed every night, without fail. This will save you a lot of hassle and avoid the need to get up in the middle of the night.

Reinforce his proper behavior by praising him as soon as he’s finished, you can even give him a small treat. This way he will realize that you want him to go outside. This step is essential.

Many trainers stress the importance of selecting a potty spot for your dog that is convenient for you. Put your dog on a leash, take him to the bathroom area and don’t interrupt him until he’s finished. Another way to reinforce your use of this place is to take dirty cleaning materials from an accident in the house and place them in your bathroom. This will allow him to recognize the place by smell and hopefully associate it as the place to go to the bathroom.

I think it’s important to give your dog the “Go potty” command right before and during potty training. And be sure to praise him as soon as he’s done and wait until then to play with him.

It’s also important to feed your dog at regular intervals, usually twice a day. This will also make your potty training easier and more predictable.

In the early stages of potty training, you should watch your dog very closely, constantly watching him for signs that he needs to go potty. Every dog ​​is different, some sit by the door and whimper, others sniff around and look for a spot. As soon as you see him acting this way, take him to the bathroom. If he does come, praise him and reward him with something he likes, maybe petting or maybe a treat.

You can’t keep an eye on your dog; it’s best to keep it in a small area, so smile so it doesn’t want to go potty there. You can use any small room blocked off with a baby gate or small space, even a crate will work for a short period of time. But when you let him out safely and take him straight to the bathroom spot.

Accidents will happen, but how you deal with them is very important. If you find your dog while you are pottying him at home, clap your hands and immediately take him to the bathroom; and be sure to praise him if he ends up there.

If you find that you have broken into the house, there is unfortunately not much you can do about it. Punishing him after the fact is never a good idea, because he is unable to associate the punishment with the act. Anything you do after the fact will be ineffective and may damage your relationship with your dog. Just clean it without comment.

That said, cleanliness is important, as dogs really do seem to enjoy going to the bathroom in areas that smell like feces or urine. Just watch your dog when you take him for a walk.

To summarize, potty training is important for both you and your dog, if done correctly it will improve your relationship. Remember to establish a regular routine of eating and going to the bathroom, learn to watch your dog for signs that he needs to go to the bathroom, and praise him when he does well.