Teaching a dog how to potty is one of the most important things you can do. You will not have to worry about him wailing in the house. Lucking for you, dogs learn pretty fast, and it is unlikely that he will be soiling the house once you have trained them how to potty. Now, the training process is not exactly an easy one. This is especially when you own a stubborn dog. This article will discuss tips to help you potty train your difficult dog successfully.
9 Tips To potty train a difficult dog
Sadly, our four-legged best friends may not always get it right. Sometimes he might have a few accidents in the house, leaving it quite messy. While some dog owners opt to surrender their puppies for this behavior, you don’t have to give up yet. Below is an outline of how to potty train a problematic dog:
1. Start early house training
A stubborn dog won’t just obey your commands. Sometimes he might ignore you the whole time and whatever they feel like. Having such a difficult dog can be a hassle trying to potty train the dog, but it is possible. You will, however, be patient with him. Well, potty training is more effective when initiated early. Therefore, when you bring your puppy home, it is up to you to start this training. In most cases, dog owners will go for house training, whereby you teach your puppy that it is unacceptable to eliminate their waste in the house.
You can initiate house training by limiting access to specific places in your house. Some people will prefer confinement like a crate. This way, you can always be able to watch your dog. Now, assuming that you have already chosen the potty area, you will be responsible for getting him to pee there.
For instance, if his potty area is in the yard, you will have to take him outside when nature calls. To train your dog successfully, you must estimate his tendency to go pee or poop. About half an hour after a meal is a reasonable estimate for when your pup will likely eliminate waste.
2. Use Paper Pads
These will be your lifesaver, especially when potty training a new dog. Exercise is even more difficult when your dog does not heed your commands. Besides, you just met them and do not know anything about his feeding and potty habits yet. However, I believe that you can take the challenge.
You can introduce paper pads when your puppy is in a crate. This will make it easier for you to clean after him. You will also be able to raise the designated potty area quickly. For instance, you will reduce the number of papers to let him know what paper pads are for. He will identify them as the only surface he can use as a potty area.
As mentioned above, you will gradually reduce the number of paper pads until only one is left. At this point, you can now introduce the potty place. Put the partially soiled paper pad on the potty area and take your dog there during pee/poop. Use the above-outlined analogy to estimate when your dog is likely to eliminate. Upon seeing the paper pad, your dog will know what you want him to do. It will take a few weeks, and your dog will be fully aware of the designated potty area.
3. Use Rewards to reinforce potty training a problematic dog
When we are training any tricks our dogs, we emphasize using treats to make our dogs obey. Introducing a new command or simply potty training your dog does not matter. Difficult dogs will always give in to pleasures. While there some dogs are naturally stubborn and challenging to train, all dogs will do anything to have a taste of a treat.
Now, while using a treat, only offer it to him once he obeys you. This is aimed at creating a positive association of the training with rewards. For example, you should introduce tips if your dog does not seem to attend to your commands. It could be praised or, better yet, a tasty one.
Now, when you take your dog to the potty area, let’s say, outside, he may potty at all. . Once he gets disrupted, it will be challenging to get him to eliminate. At this point, take him back inside his crate or bed. Eventually, he will not be able to hold it any longer.
It would help if you used the phrase ‘go potty’ during this process. Once again, your dog will get used to using the potty area quickly. Every time to take him there, I instruct him to potty and reward him when he does it. Rewarding him will speed up potty training a problematic dog; for more on Dog Training, Read More Here.
4. Create a routine To potty train a difficult dog
This is the first thing you should do once you bring your new dog home. Include feeding and potty training in the schedule. Well, the fact is, you can only be able to potty train a dog when you have studied his behavior.
We have previously mentioned that a dog may take 30 minutes after feeding to get the urge to eliminate. Therefore, use this estimation to your advantage. Adjust your schedule so you can be there when your dog needs to potty. Well, it will be your mistake when you fail to let him outside for the scheduled potty trips.
You will likely start house training from the crate. When you are house training, you will likely begin to house training from the container. Well, once you have already introduced them to the designated potty area, he will want to rush there whenever you let him out of the box. Ensure that you get him to the potty area at approximately the same time every day. This also implies when feeding the dog.
5. Supervise your dog indoors
Even if you put your puppy in a crate, you will want to introduce him to the house. This is better done when you have already potty trained your dog. You may let him out of the crate and around the house to give him more freedom. Well, as we mentioned above, training a dog is going to be a gradual process.
When the time comes, and your dog is trained enough to enjoy the freedom of his own home, you will have to supervise him. If your dog is not yet independent in potty training, you should always be with him. Once you let him out of a crate, he will be very excited. He may even want to roam around the house, resulting in house soiling.
For this reason, once you let your pup out of the crate, ensure that both of you remain engaged the whole time. This is the only way that you are going to keep him from loitering around and having those accidents. You can use toys to capture your dog’s attention. Should you observe any signs that he might need to go outside, take him out and instruct him to ‘go potty.’ He should get used to this within no time.
6. Clean up the accidents quickly
Difficult dogs present a significant challenge when looking to potty train them. However, you should remain consistent and practice kind words. During the training process, it is no surprise for your dog to get an accident in the house. It is going to be frustrating but then again. Training a dog means that you have got to practice patience.
Should your dog have an accident in the house, you should clean it as soon as you can. If you own a chihuahua or a terrier, you must be extra careful handling him. He might develop the notorious habit of peeing in his bed or even on the floor. Always clean it up and ensure you keep up with the set routine. Additionally, exercise your dog daily and keep consistency with potty training.
Even though some dogs can be pretty challenging to potty train, you will eventually break through all barriers. However, remain kind and patient with your pup until he gets there. Once he is thoroughly house trained, you will not experience any more trouble with him soiling the house.
7. Take him to the potty after meals and play
As we all relate, you probably have witnessed your puppy eliminating right after a good play. Well, after feeding, he will also want that potty break. Do not forget to take him outside after a good nap, as he might also need that bathroom break.
Nighttime potty training might prove to be complicated. This is because sometimes your puppy may need to potty at night, and you have no idea! And because he can only hold it for a short time, there is a chance that he might get into an accident, and you will wake up to quite a mess. It is, therefore, recommendable that you set the alarm and wake your puppy outside. This way, you will give him a chance to potty before he can soil his bed of other areas on the house. Use this method especially for grown but challenging to potty train dogs.
When your dog takes a nap during the day, take him outside to potty as soon as he wakes up. He will likely need that potty break.
8. Supervise your dog when he is outdoors as well
We have mentioned that you should also be able to monitor your dog when he is playing outdoors. This is especially when he is in the process of potty training. While he might know that he is not supposed to eliminate just anywhere, there is a chance that an accident could happen. Therefore, keep watch and also remind him to go potty, especially when you are playing outside. Don’t let him stay outdoors on his own. You don’t want to keep cleaning your yard of his waste, right?
Also, by supervising your dog, you will ensure that he is not distracted during his potty break. To potty train a problematic dog, understand that you must associate the practice with positive outcomes. Therefore, if your dog experiences an ugly encounter or gets startled while eliminating, he will be unable to do so. Failure to which he may soil the house later on.
9. Remove the beddings
Some dogs will find it even more interesting to eliminate their bedding. This is a common practice amongst dogs, thereby notorious and brutal to potty train. If your dog doesn’t stop soiling his bedding, you may want to remove it immediately.
As we mentioned above, potty training is not going to be an easy task. Eliminate them. This, however, does not mean that you should leave him alone. He is going to find someplace else to potty. Well, do not allow him to choose his spot. Instead, you have to introduce him to your designated potty place.
Conclusion
Potty training is one of the most challenging things you will ever have to do for your dog. It will be time and energy-consuming, but it is pretty rewarding. You will never have to deal with house soiling ever in your life. However, it would help if you remained consistent and patient; he will probably experience accidents before he gets used to potty training.
Just because your dog does not seem to be getting it does not mean you should give up on him. You may change your training techniques to potty train your difficult dog. Ensure that he is always supervised when he is not in his crate.
You can always instruct him to go potty now and then. Once again, do not forget to carry some treats while potty training a dog. You will be able to fasten the process of potty training your dog. Don’t ever punish your dog for getting those minor accidents. Instead, please clean it up and continue potty training him until he is fully independent.
