If you are considering the possibility of house training an older dog, you should know that the process is not half as difficult as you might think. While this is the case, there are a couple of things that you need to learn such as the previous environment, habits, and lifestyle of the dog. In this case, when training an older dog the first thing that you have to do is gain the dog’s trust. This might take time and for this reason, when training an older dog, you have to exercise a certain level of patience.
The First Step of House Training Older Dog
When house training older dog, you must first realize that if the dog was not exposed to any house training, they will come with the old habits of chewing, barking excessively and digging holes in your backyard are what is called marking the territory. In addition to this, when home training an older dog you will notice that they respond at a slower pace to the commands issued. Since these are your first months with the dog, you must stick to the basic guidelines of home training an older dog.
Techniques for House Training an Older Dog
- Before you start house training an older dog, you have to visit the vet first. Have all the necessary tests carried out to determine that it does not have any existing health problems. This could range from factors like urinary tract and in other instances flea infection. This is important when you want to get the most out of the process of home training an older dog.
- During the process of house training an older dog, there is bound to be a change of diet and this can cause cases of diarrhea. There are some people who become stringent and tough when this occurs but instead of punishing the dog, you should exercise patience and give it time to adjust to the changes. If after a couple of home training an older dog there is no change, you need to consult with a vet.
- While home training an older dog, you should establish a routine for eating as well as drinking. This is important since it makes it easy for you to monitor the toilet habits for the dog and makes it easy for you to take it out when the need arises. In the event, you don’t have time for this during home training an older dog, consider using crate training which also delivers perfect results for home training an older dog.
- During house training an older dog, do not give it food as a reward. This is because old dogs tend to put on weight fast and this is not good for home training an older dog. When home training an older dog, it is advisable to heap praise on it and tap it rather than giving it food.