The personality and thought process of the dog is an extremely complex mechanism. Training, whether for toilet training or teaching to sit on command, is simply a matter of communication.

That is, communicating your desires to your pet and requiring that he respond in a certain manner, all the time. But when a normally trained canine suddenly behaves in a manner differently than from the way he has been trained to behave, the owner must search for the cause before trying to find a cure.

Is it possible for an occasional accident to become a learned behavior in your mature dog? If an occasional accident goes unnoticed by a dog owner for any length of time, the possibility exists that the dogs actions will become a habit. Consistency in performing a particular act results in that act becoming a learned behavior. Therefore, it is possible for a perfectly housebroken dog to become trained to use the bathroom indoors due entirely to lack of proper supervision.

When this situation happens, there is no alternative except positive retraining methods. Removing the motivator is fine in the early stages, before the bad act become a learned behavior, but when the act has been allowed to become a routine, then it is the owners responsibility to retrain the dog.

Retraining is relatively simple and requires a minimum amount of patience, but a maximum amount of supervision. The training, on the surface, is similar to house training a puppy. The primary difference, and a fact which is in the dog owners favor, is that the new puppy doesnt know he has done wrong when he makes a mistake in the house. A new puppy is not quite sure at first why hes scolded in the house and praised in the yard. The mature dog is quite tuned in to two of the five basic principles of training correction and praise.

The keys to successfully re-housetraining the older dog are supervision and the judicious application of praise and correction. It would be unwise for the dog owner to follow the dog from room to room and, in fact, this tactic just might prevent the dog from making the mistake; thus, it would prevent corrective measures from being established. The dogs actions must be completely supervised, but he should not feel that he is being watched.

A typical situation might find the family sitting in the kitchen eating dinner, with the family pet sleeping near the living room. Suddenly, the dog gets up, stretches, yawns, and slowly makes his way down the hallway to another room. The dog owner should then follow, unobtrusively, to keep an eye on the actions of the dog.

How does a dog owner determine if his dog is getting old? How can he know that the accident that just happened is the result of the aging process that the dog is going through?

These are difficult questions, since a dog five years of age can be considered old, while a six-year old dog may still be, to a certain extent, a puppy. No two dogs are exactly alike. One dogs metabolism may be old at four years while another may not show signs of the aging process until eight or ten years old.

The first solution is to go to your vet. The reason is simple the aging process is not the only medical reason why a perfectly well-housetrained dog may suddenly backslide and forget his toilet training. The reason for the unwanted activity must be discovered and properly dealt with though. Unwanted activity, when not properly corrected, can soon become a learned reaction.

Your dogs vet can examine your pet and rule out such possibilities as nephritis, diabetes, or both. These two diseases can cause a dog the inability to hold urine. A urinary tract infection may be the cause, whether your dog is considered old or simply middle-aged. Your vet can check to make sure parasites or infections are not causing the incontinence.

Whether your dog is young, middle-aged, or old, a thorough medical examination by a vet is the first and most important aspect to consider when a dog that was perfectly housebroken suddenly forgets and has accidents. Only when all possible medical causes are ruled out should you start examining the possible psychological causes.

To have a better understanding of the many possible psychological causes, we must start with the simple and progress to the complex. If you own a male who quite suddenly forgets that he is housebroken, examine the possibility of a female in heat right next door. The compulsion to lift a leg in such cases is very overpowering and surpasses even the most rigid puppy training.

The problem here is, once the mark is left on the leg of the dining room chair, the scent remains long after the female dog next door completes her heat cycle. The scent instinctively draws the dog back to that same location for repeated leg raises.

The problem becomes worse if shag carpeting is involved. Wiping it up with water magnifies the problem because of the possibility of mildew. Mildew is notorious for attracting dogs. This type of accident (and it is considered an accident) is quite normal when a female dog is in heat nearby. Even the well-trained dog feels the compulsion to leave his marking. This lets the female dog know (or so the male dog thinks) that there is a perfectly capable and willing stud close by.

One of the best formulas for removing the urine scent from furniture, drapes, and carpeting is club soda. Removing it is a must if you are to return your dog to the status of the well-trained household pet that you know he is. Scolding and verbal reprimand at the time of the accident is perfectly in order as long as you have ruled out medical causes.

At the first sign that your mature dog is going to eliminate (excessive sniffing of a particular area), the owner should immediately take him outside.

The reason is obvious. How can you praise a dog for doing something right if you are not there to see it? The owner should go outside with his dog. Supervision is crucial at this time!

This means that somebody has to take the dog outside. Somebody must place him in the proper position and the proper place for elimination, so that the action can be followed by praise. Somebody must be there to praise him. Dogs learn by associating their actions with pleasing or displeasing results. It is not enough that somebody is there to chastise and verbally admonish the dog for doing wrong; someone must be there to praise him for doing right.

The praise will be relatively meaningless unless it comes from the leader of the pack. This is you, his owner. If you fail to live up to your responsibilities, then you cannot justifiably blame your mature dog for failing to live up to his. Someone must show him the way. In the dogs mind, it only counts if the teacher is the person the he loves and in whom he has confidence.

When you take your dog outside and fifteen minutes have elapsed without him eliminating, bring him back inside the house. But the supervision should not stop. In fact, it should be more constant. When the dog drops his nose to the floor and starts sniffing again, the owner should once again take him outside.

When your dog eliminates outside, you should be right there when it happens and praise him, then bring him back inside the house immediately. It is the same method that should be used if dealing with a puppy. Praise and correction are the keys with which we can successfully communicate with your dog.

It takes four days for the average dog to learn an average thing. For the mature dog or puppy who has unlearned something, it also takes four days for that dog to unlearn a learned behavior. Supervision is crucial to your success. The dog must be kept under constant watch while indoors so that positive corrective action can be taken.

The methods are identical for the dog that has never been housetrained. When a person adopts a mature dog from a pound, the dog is brought home and inside the house where he immediately eliminates on the floor. Training is therefore, crucial. It is much easier to train a mature dog than it is a puppy. Any dog, whether a year or twelve years old, can be trained to eliminate outdoors if the four day rule is followed through. The four day requirement for learning to take place in your dogs mind should provide you with all the necessary patience.

Regardless of your dogs age, praise is the communicating factor. Too many people feel that chastisement is the key. This is not true! Praise is the main ingredient. But in order to praise the dog for doing the right action, one must be with him nearby so that he can administer the praise.

There are five basic principles that a knowledgeable dog trainer always follows: Patience, knowledge, repetition, praise, and correction. By following these principals, you will have your housetrained dog back in less than a week. Good luck!

There are some isolated cases where the cause of a breakdown in toilet habits in a mature dog starts as a psychological motivation, but results in a problem becoming medically motivated. An example of this would be the dog that suddenly forgets his housebreaking and urinates out of jealousy and spite.

A dog of this type could develop a psychosomatic urinary tract infection, therefore giving him a reason to eliminate at will anywhere in the house. Such a condition can be inspired by the arrival of another pet like a cat or a bird, a new baby, or any other attention-stealing tangible. Verbal punishment in such cases will only perpetuate the problem.

The dog is getting attention which is, after all, what he wanted in the first place. As long as he is getting this extra attention, whether it is shaming or admonishment, he will continue whatever action prompts his attention. Competition can cause a breakdown in toilet habits without the problem evolving into a psychosomatic urinary tract infection. The dog owner should understand that competition alone can be the cause of the problem. And when there is competition, the dog wets!

The competition can be real or imagined. In either case, a thorough examination into any recent changes in household routine would be in order. Something may be giving the dog a feeling that his position, or your affection for him is in jeopardy. Whether actual or simply imagined, it is very real to the dog. If competition is to blame, extra time spent with your dog, and maybe even exaggerated affection, will normally suffice in removing the motivator of his bad deeds.

Then there is the sort of dog who indulges in the type of wetting where he lifts his leg against everything; bedding, curtains, furniture, etc. and finds it necessary to try and own or control his environment by wetting on it. This is the type of dog who is self-oriented, selfish, narcissistic animal that he wets on everything to make it more his own territory. This is a dog that needs a master in all the purest and literal sense of the word.

That type of dog suddenly realizes that he is the leader of the pack, although he really doesnt want to be. This dog is insecure and wants, in fact needs, strong and confident leadership. These actions usually materialize as a result of soft, permissive, easy-going dog owners who spoil and baby their dog. The ratio of love and discipline are tipped only in the direction of love.

Love in this instance is not a healthy love, both for the dog owner and his dog. Its permissiveness by an owner who is afraid that discipline may cause the dog to not like the owner. In reality, mistaken kindness can be a bitter and unneeded cruelty. When these dogs are placed in the pound and put to sleep, theres nobody to blame but their owners who thought so little of their pets that they failed to bring them up with the proper balance of love, discipline, and control.

There is a certain element of surprise, perhaps even shock, when the owner of a perfectly trained and well-behaved adult dog suddenly steps in a puddle. No, it cant be! He shrieks.

The possible alternative, such as a defrosting refrigerator, leaky water pipes, or a spilled cup of coffee give way to the awful truth; he actually sees the loyal household dog in the act of soiling inside the house.

The screaming and disbelief was followed by the slam of the back door as the old family pet is quickly banished out-of-doors like a nine-week old puppy that had just had an accident. Such harsh and fast action in such an instance can have serious and detrimental effects on the older dog. Whenever a completely housebroken dog starts urinating in the house, there is a medical or psychological cause involved.

The medical reasons will be covered first, since the majority of cases can be traced to that cause, rather than the psychological. It is important that the reasons for such behavior be pointed out and thoroughly checked before any retraining techniques are instituted.

Most dog owners know that the aging process of their dog will manifest itself in a gradual loss of hearing, followed by diminished vision. Squeezed somewhere in between, signs of arthritis might show up, decreased in appetite, more frequent naps, and other tell-tale signs which may become evident. What is not widely known is that toilet training is one of the first things to go!

Because this fact is not widely known and realized, it causes frustration and confusion to the dog owner who suddenly thinks that his dog has forgotten, is not as smart as previously thought, is lazy, or has turned into a sneak. Such behavior on the part of a perfectly housetrained dog could simply be the first signs of the inevitable aging process. In this aging process, the muscles of the bladder gradually lose their control.

In the male, the aging process can also cause the prostate gland to enlarge, and this will produce an inflammation which will cause him to urinate often. Kidney diseases occurs in about 76% of dogs over eight years of age. When a dog ages, there is a gradual degeneration of kidney tissue with a weakening of the kidney function.

The older dog should drink at least twice the amount of water than a younger dog since the older dogs kidneys will require it. Naturally, this will involve more frequent urination, thus more trips to the bathroom.

Where the middle-aged dog would have required being let out in the morning and once at night, the aging process will require more freedom outdoors. In most cases, the older dog will try to make his needs known to his owner. However, the owner, who is used to a regular routine, just isnt tuned in to the dogs new requirement. Then, the old dog is left with just one alternative. Its just as embarrassing to him as it may be to the owner.

In such cases, shaming and scolding will only make the situation worse, especially if the dog tried to communicate, only to have his communication fall on deaf or inattentive ears.

If there is one thing that all dog owners can relate to it is the experience of taking a puppy that has no clue about the proper area to use the bathroom in and then training him to be a responsible pet to use the bathroom in the appropriate place and at the appropriate times.

Housetraining a dog is also the most common area where many dog owners initiate the wrong kinds of training protocols. It is this situation where people could use just a few common sense tips to get their dogs quickly introduced to the proper way to use the bathroom.

The first thing you need to keep in mind is that all animals have a natural instinct to avoid soiling the very place in which they sleep and eat. Of course brand new puppies may not get it right away, but it doesn’t take long for them to realize that they do not want to urinate or create stools where they live and play.

Here are a few housebreaking tips that you can use today which will help get your puppy on his way to being properly trained when he has to use the bathroom:

1. When you wake up in the morning, avoid praising or greeting your puppy until he has used the bathroom. This will develop into a routine for him and once he realizes that he gets a lot of loving attention and praise after he uses the bathroom in the morning, this pattern will stick in his head and he will understand what to do in order to get what he wants, which is your praise!

2. When you start to bring your puppy outside or wherever it is you want him to use the bathroom at, stick to using just one command each time you lead him to the potty area. For example, I use the words “Go pee pee”.

3. Whatever route you take when you leave him from the house to his potty area, use this same path every single time you take him to use the bathroom. This will help create a pattern so that he understands that it is time to go to the bathroom when you are walking him through the same route.

4. And of course, it should go without saying that you need to use a lot of praise and loving caresses when your puppy properly uses the bathroom in the designated area. You must help him associate housebreaking with a positive experience and showering him with love and affection is the right way to do it.

Dog Poop Catcher

Sure you can scoop it, you can bag it, you can even compost it but can you catch it? Yes, you can! A dog waste catcher allows you to catch the poop before it hits the ground.

These units usually consist of a collapsible frame that folds out to create a circular shape onto which you can wrap a plastic bag. Simply put it beneath your dog as she’s doing her stuff and wrap it up when she’s done. If you want to go a little lower-tech, you always can use a paper plate.

Port-a-Potty

If you live in an apartment or have a terrace or small yard (or if you just want your pooch to potty in a specific area), try a portable potty. All kinds of these potties are cropping up on the market. You can even get them with real sod-replacement service.

Some models come with fake grass and a litter system beneath them; some include a built-in fire hydrant and white picket fence; others have clear walls for males that like to life a leg when the tinkle.

When choosing a potty, it’s critical that you choose one to match the size of your dog. Even if you have a small space, try not to skimp on size. Your medium-sized dog may not want to use a Chihuahua-sized patch of grass!

Litter Box Decisions

Small-dog owners may be interested in litter training their dogs, and indeed, this has proven successful for some. Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to use a litter box.

1) Do you have a small dog? It is much easier for a small dog to use a litter box than a large dog, and to scoop out their smaller feces.

2) If you have a small dog, do you travel a lot with her? If so, litter boxes are great ways to avoid extra stops, and they provide your dog with a familiar place to eliminate once you arrive at your destination.

3) Do you have a health reason for wanting to litter train? Is your mobility restricted in any way by physical limitations that would make it easier for you to litter train your dog than to walk her?

4) Do you live in a city – in an apartment on a high floor, which makes it difficult for you to get your dog outside in time to eliminate?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, consult your veterinarian to make sure there are no health roadblocks for your dog – then get to training!

Let’s face it, as a new dog owner you probably have not taken a canine training class or have studied up on the latest puppy training techniques that are available.

That’s okay! New puppy owners should not have to go to such lengths just to teach their pups the basics. But like all territories unknown, it is quite easy for novice puppy owners to find lots of ways to mess up simple puppy training, especially when it comes to the process of housetraining.

But you do not have to be one of these novices. To help guide your way towards proper housetraining with your new puppy, below are a few common mistakes that many people make, those of which you should aim to prevent:

1. Irregular schedule: Dogs thrive on repetitiveness and a routine schedule. If you fail to follow a schedule when it comes to taking your puppy to go to the bathroom, feeding times, and even bedtime, this can cause a disruption in the learning process.

For example, let’s say it’s Sunday morning and even though your puppy is waiting for you at the door to go to the bathroom at 7:00 AM (his usual morning potty time), and you feel like sleeping in, do not be surprised if you wake up to a puddle of pee or a stinky pile of poop on the kitchen floor. Adhering to a schedule is absolutely critical to successfully housetrain your puppy.

2. Ignoring crate training: Crate training is a safe and effective way to housetrain any puppy. Not only does it work well, but it is not the cruel training protocol that many people think it is. Placing your puppy in a crate when you are not able to watch over him will help your dog to develop control over its bladder.

3. Disciplining your puppy after the dirty deed has been done: In other words, if you continually yell and discipline your puppy after he has made a mistake, while not actually in the moment of the act, he will not have the slightest clue as to why he is being punished. This type of harassment will only cause your puppy to be scared of you. Only correct him when you catch him doing something wrong, never after.

4. Not cleaning up accidents when the happen: I realize that it may get a little tiring when you constantly have to clean up your new puppy’s poop and pee, but it’s an unfortunate part of the deal you made when you decided to bring home a new dog, especially a brand-new puppy.

Do not make the mistake of getting lazy and leaving his wastes to sit on the floor for any length of time. This can signal to your dog that it is okay to use the bathroom on the floor and he will continue to do so, typically in the same spot.

Housetraining is perhaps the most obvious example of why it’s a good idea to train puppies. Nobody wants stains on the carpet or the smell of pee and poop permeating the house. Yet housetraining is often overlooked or undertaken in a haphazard manner when it should instead be the cornerstone of the training process. Starting early is key, especially with toy breeds, which often have a reputation for being difficult to housetrain.

It’s essential to take puppies outside on a regular schedule so they learn to anticipate potty time and hold their urine or stool until then. If you’re not consistent about when you take a puppy out, it’s more likely to have accidents in the house and that’s not good.

After a puppy has the habit of peeing in the wrong place, it’s hard to change its mind, says Stanley Kissinger, a Yorkshire Terrier breeder in Virginia Beach, Virginia. But once the pup gets the idea, it’s extremely easy to train.

With that in mind, take your puppy out early and often. Physiologically, the puppy won’t be able to hold its urine for long periods until it’s older, but it can learn that outdoors is the place to go.

Establish good habits by taking your puppy out on a leash and giving it plenty of time to sniff around and find just the right spot. Keep its mind on business by repeating the words Go Potty in a friendly tone. Stanley says that, As soon as it potties, be happy and express that joy to the puppy. Take the pup back into the house immediately so it knows it was outside for that one purpose. It registers in its memory after several repeated events.

A Quick Word About Lifestyle Changes

Taking on the responsibility of raising and housetraining a puppy may necessitate certain lifestyle changes, particularly for single people. If you work outside the home and like to push that snooze button to the limit, brace yourself – you’ll need to get up at least a half hour earlier to allow time for your puppy to potty and play before you leave.

Should distance permit, your formerly errand-filled lunch hour now becomes time to go let your puppy out for a potty break. Moreover, forget that after-work drink with a coworker; you’ll need to rush home to tend to your puppy.

When proximity prevents you from going home at lunch or during periods when overtime crops up, you must make alternative arrangements for getting your puppy out. Hire a pet-sitting or walking service, or enlist the aid of neighbors willing to help. Whichever the case, it is imperative that your puppy gets out to potty and play during the day.

The X-Pen

An X-pen (or exercise pen) is a series of gates that snap together to become a sort of open-top cage that has a lot more room than a crate. Most trainers don’t advocate using X-pens as a housetraining device unless you’re going to put a crate inside of it and use a small area as a potty spot with a pee pad or newspaper.

However, that’s not a permanent solution to housetraining because presumably you’ll want your pup to only potty outside. X-pens are good for confinement in the same way that you’d use a baby gate to restrict your dog to an area that can be easily cleaned in case of an accident.

The Ever Trusting Pee Pad

Pee pads are a staple for small dogs, those that live in apartments, or incontinent dogs. Essentially, these are the same pads that hospitals and nursing homes use for their bed-ridden patients, just packaged differently. Some pads come infused with a scent that attracts the puppy to the pad.

Pee pads can be very helpful, particularly for people who are unable to take a puppy out frequently. The pads encourage a puppy to use one place for elimination and can be moved close to the door that will be used to go out for bathroom duties. Over a period of time, the pad can be moved outside if your ultimate goal is to have your pup use a yard.

Here are a few times when choosing pee pads:

1) Look for a brand with the best liquid-retaining properties.
2) Choose a size large enough for your dog.
3) Look for a brand that locks in moisture to prevent tracking.

Fan Of The Pan?

A few years ago, litter boxes came into vogue for potty training small dogs, especially those that live in apartments. Litter boxes can be effective but some dogs would rather play in the litter or eat it instead of doing their business there.

However, some dogs will use the litter box appropriately, making potty duties very easy on an owner just clean the box, add new litter, and you’re done. These boxes tend to work well with dogs that weigh less than 10 pounds.

Look for a dog-specific box because cat boxes aren’t tall enough for dogs, especially males that like to lift a leg. Using a litter box won’t untrain your dog from going outside; it will just give him an option if he has a tiny bladder.