Not everyone wants to adopt a puppy. Many people are more comfortable bringing an adult dog into the family. You may not know much about the dog at first, so you will find out during your time together. You will likely find out quickly if your new companion is house trained or not.
Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks!! It may take a little longer, since the unwanted behavior has been practiced for a while. With patience and consistency, you can achieve success.
During training, always have eyes on the dog, or crate them, to avoid accidents. Signs an older dog needs to go out include pacing, whining, circling, sniffing. It’s up to you to recognize and reward the signals your dog is giving you, then they will figure out how to ask.
Because they’re older, they can usually hold their bladder/bowel longer. Establish a routine. Take them out on waking up, after eating, after playing, and plenty of times in-between, until you get an idea of how long they can comfortably hold it. Feeding on a regular basis will help form an elimination routine and make success more achievable. Go out with them so you know when they relieve themselves. If they don’t go after some time, bring them back in, crate if possible, or watch them and return outside in about 10 minutes.
If your new dog has an accident inside don’t yell or get excited. Calmly and quickly take them outside and encourage them to relieve themselves. Scolding them may make them afraid to go and they will hide it from you. Because of their history, older dogs may be pickier than a puppy about where to relieve themselves. Maybe they’ve only been on concrete, never experienced grass or gravel. Give them options if they seem hesitant.
Thank you for adopting an older dog, with patience and consistency a lifelong friendship can be your reward.
~Jill Simpson