# House training a 4 yr old



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I adopted my girl from a GR Rescue when she was 2, she had lived her entire life outside in a cage/kennel and had never been inside a house until the Rescue took her into their program. I did a foster to adopt of her while she was being treated for some medical issues.

I worked with her for 3-4 days on house training, took maybe a full week before she stopped having any accidents in the house. I basically put her on a schedule of taking her out first thing in the a.m., before going to bed at night and several times throughout the day, 2-4 hours in between. Young adults can hold it longer than puppies. When I took her out, I'd say to her, let's go potty or you can ask your girl if she wants to go outside to go potty. Use a phrase so she'll know why she's going outside. 

I was surprised at how easy my girl was to be trained. The main thing is you need to be consistent and very patient with them. My girl was not food motivated when I got her, but she did respond extremely well to being told what a GOOD GIRL she was-I made a HUGE deal of it when she went potty outside. When she had accidents in the house, I NEVER scolded her or punished her, use positive re-enforcement only.

In no time you're girl will be house trained.

Good luck!


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## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

I second the schedule and reward the heck out of any "deposits" made in the yard. I adopted my girl 3 years ago when she was 3.5 years and we still do victory laps in the yard to celebrate the #2s outside.

Thank you for giving this girl an indoor life


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

SheetsSM said:


> I second the schedule and reward the heck out of any "deposits" made in the yard. I adopted my girl 3 years ago when she was 3.5 years and we still do victory laps in the yard to celebrate the #2s outside.
> 
> Thank you for giving this girl an indoor life


Love the idea of the Victory Laps!


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Buddy was about about 2 1/2 years old when I got him and not housebroken. I saw him poop in the living room of his previous home but in his defense the whole place smelled like dog pee and poop. He never had an accident once I brought him home. He is terrified of being crated as a puppy spent over 16 hrs a day in one so crating was not an opition for us. He was put on my Yorkies schedule basically 1 of the 4 asked to go out about every 2-3 hrs during the day. Every time the girls peed so would he. The por guy was running on empty plus he loves to be outside. I slept with him tethered to me the first week or so to make sure no accidents happened. He slept throughout the night from 11p-7 or 8a from the start when one of the other dogs would get up. If he has to go potty he gets frantic running from door to you. He won't come back instead unless he gets his potty party still 

Best of luck to you and the new addition


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## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

When I housebroke my adult dog many years ago, I started by choosing a potty area in our yard and placing a papertowel soaked with her urine (that I cleaned off my floor) in the potty area. When she smelled the scent of her own urine, it seemed to give her the idea. As soon as she started to go I gave her a command "get busy" then praised her lavishly. I continued to use the phrase "get busy" and she soon learned to eliminate on command.

It was fairly easy to housebreak an adult dog because they have better bladder control and usually a better attention span than a puppy.

Good luck!
brianne


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