Potty Training an Older Dog - 3 Ways to Ensure Success

By Randy Gauthier

So dog is mans best friend ha? Well not when they leave presents for you all over you house. Many people prefer to purchase puppies, however there are those that prefer full grown adult dogs. Potty training an older dog can at times be difficult as they have already more than likely had bad habits ingrained into them. I am sure that you have heard the expression "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?" Well I am here to tell you today that this could not be farther from the truth and by following these 3 Steps to success for older dog potty training, Fido will be going in the right place in no time.

1) Always praise the good and try to ignore the bad- Obviously your main focus is to get your dog to eliminate outside as opposed to in. The best way to do this is with positive reinforcement. While it can be difficult to ignore when Fido has left you a present at the bottom of the stairs, scolding the dog after the fact does absolutely no good.

Never rub your dogs nose in his mess. I am sure you have heard of this method before. I would strongly advise against it as it teaches them to hide it, eat it and avoid going in your presence. The idea behind it is that the dog will associate the mess on the floor with not going in the house. Dogs are not capable of complex thoughts like this. Instead of associating the punishment with going inside, they learn that eliminating will make their owner upset. It also can cause submissive elimination. Secondly, it can cause a infection in your dogs nose that if left untreated can travel to the brain and kill your dog. I strongly advise against rubbing your dogs nose in his doo for these reasons.

2) Pick A Trigger Word - You need to come up with a word that you will use when you want Fido to do his business. A older dog can easily become confused as to what you want if you are always using different words to describe a action that you want him to perform. So if you want Fido to go "potty" make sure that you always use the word "potty" so he can associate that word with a particular action.

3) Select A Spot- Potty training an older dog will become much more easier if you are consistent with your commands and where you would like it to go potty. In addition to the trigger word that you have selected taking your dog to a familiar spot where it should do its business combined with the command of "Go Potty" will help your dog to associate the command and the familiar spot with a action that you would like him to perform.

Again, when you dog goes in the correct spot... PRAISE... "Good Fido Go Potty" Praise is the single most powerful tool that you can have when potty training an older dog.

Complete resources to help with Potty Training An Older Dog are just a click away. For more in depth step by step instructions to help get your older dog potty trained. Click Here Potty Train A Older Dog.