How to Get Your Dog Back on Track
If your adult dog is soiling in the house, the first thing to do is visit your veterinarian to make sure that the problem is not caused by a medical condition. If the vet says that everything is A-OK, then there are just a few steps to getting your dog back on the right house training track. When you can’t supervise him, be sure to confine him to a long-term or short-term confinement area. When you can super- vise him, have him near you on leash (and with a food-stuffed chew toy) so that you can prevent mistakes. When you take him outside and he relieves himself, give him three tiny, tasty treats for going in the right spot. In no time flat, you’ll have a dog who hasn’t been allowed to practice going in the wrong place and who sees the value in going in the right place.
House training is as easy as 1, 2, 3. (1) Confine your dog to prevent mistakes and (2) to predict when he needs to go so that you can (3) take your dog to the right place and re- ward him handsomely!
Keep Your Cool
Accidents will happen no matter how diligent you are. Whatever you do, don’t get angry at your dog. If your dog makes a mistake in the house, yelling at him or otherwise punishing him will serve only to teach him two things: that you aren’t so nice after all, and that you don’t like to see him go to the bathroom. Your dog will think, “Obviously, my owner has some weird urination issues and wants me to do it in private.” As a result, he will learn that the safest time to eliminate is when you aren’t around, and you will find that he is highly unlikely to go when you are at the other end of the leash. Instead, he will find hidden spots, like behind the couch.
Remember, if your dog makes a mistake in the house, it tells you that he isn’t house trained after all. Either you failed to put him in the right place when he need- ed to go or you neglected to confine him when you couldn’t watch him.
After being yelled at for going in the house, this dog is thinking that his owner has some hang-ups about urination.
As a result, he has learned not to go when the neurotic one is watching.
And so he is forced to hide to eliminate.
If You Catch Him in the Act
If your dog eliminates in front of you in the house, quickly say “outside.” Then scoop him up (if possible) and take him to his doggy toilet. Praise and reward him with a tasty little treat when he goes out there. Perhaps most important, let this incident serve as a reminder that you need to be more diligent about preventing mistakes.