You engage in similar activities when you potty train an adult dog as you do with a puppy. However, you need to change the potty training schedule slightly for an adult dog. An adult dog poses a different set of needs. An effective potty training routine is one that meets all of these needs.
Bringing an adult dog to your home requires consistent effort when it comes to potty training. Make sure to set time aside when your dog first arrives home so that you can devote your full attention to him. This is critical because an adult dog is most likely used to their old living situation. They may be confused with the new situation and not understand what is expected of them. Lay the praise on on thick during training so your Siberian Husky can adapt to the new situation and succeed in potty training quicker.
This chapter will cover topics including:
basic dog potty training tips for the adult dog
A crate potty training method for the adult dog
A day by day schedule for the crate potty training method for the adult dog
BASIC DOG POTTY TRAINING TIPS REGARDING THE ADULT DOG: The key, is to follow a potty training plan that has a specific schedule and is filled with consistency and persistence. If you stick with the plan discussed in this e-book you can have your adult Siberian Husky potty trained in as little time as possible.
Let’s discuss basic potty training tips in general before we take a look at a specific schedule. The fundamentals for the adult dog are a little bit different in that they rely more on the past experience of your Siberian Husky. For example, was your Siberian Husky previously in an environment where they could run free and go the bathroom anywhere? This will affect how you should potty train them.
For adult dogs in general, the fundamentals include:
Be consistent. Dogs thrive on routines and consistency. They are environmental learners and will associate specific times of day and certain areas as their bathroom areas.
Therefore, make it a point to take your dog to the SAME SPOT or area each time you take them outside to go to the bathroom. This not only teaches them where to relieve themselves, but saves your yard from being filled with dog waste.
Recognize your dog’s current bathroom schedule. This means you need to realize that dog’s typically have to go after meals and at certain times during the day.
Adult dogs have better bladder control than puppies. Therefore, they can wait longer periods of time between bathroom breaks. Adult dogs do need to be taken outside to relieve themselves first thing in the morning and right before bedtime as well. In addition, they will need to go outside after eating as well as after waking up from a nap.
Paper training can help potty train a Siberian Husky of all ages. Use paper training to help your dog understand where to go if they can’t hold it. However, you don’t want to get them used to going indoors. To combat this you can place paper outside as well and teach them to relieve themselves on the paper outside.
Praise, praise, praise! – It is crucial that you praise and support your adult dog when they relieve themselves outside. Make a party out of it if you have to. Your adult dog should associate warm, pleasant feelings with going the bathroom outside. Smile at them, pet them, and talk to them in the super sweet doggy voice. Help them to adapt to their new environment through positive reinforcement.
In contrast, use a low, loud voice to reprimand them when they go the bathroom indoors. They need to see your verbal disappointment as well. You should use a totally different voice and body language so they can separate the two reactions you give them regarding relieving themselves outdoors vs. indoors.
*Note: Do not reprimand them if they go the bathroom inside, but it is on the paper. Remember, that’s ok. That is where you trained them to go. Don’t comment about it because you want them to get used to going the bathroom outside.During potty training “outside” only means bathroom – When your dog goes outside to relieve themselves they may become distracted by the bug hopping on the porch or the leaves blowing around the yard. Do not let them play outside until they are completely housetrained.
This can lead to constant whining by the back door to go outside. You may think they want to go the bathroom when in fact they just want to play. They may even continue to go the bathroom inside and only play outside. So wait until they are completely house trained before you play fetch in the yard.
Try again later if your dog doesn’t relieve themselves. Sometimes you’ll take your dog out to go the bathroom and either they don’t have to go or they have stage fright. Take your dog back inside and try again in a little while. Don’t scold them for not going. Maybe they really had an empty tank and didn’t need to go the bathroom.
Keep a close eye on your dog. The best course of action is to prevent accidents before they happen. How can you do that? You can prevent accidents by watching your dog every moment of the day. This is not always feasible so you can keep them in a secure area as well. Keep them in an area that has a floor you can easily clean.
Be patient. Adult dogs may be set in their ways and need adjustment time. We will teach you a routine to have your Siberian Husky potty trained, but remember they can fall off the bandwagon from time to time. This is normal and even expected.
Watch for the “tinkle dance”. The tinkle dance is the classic sign that your dog is about to relieve himself. Dogs need to scope out an area to go the bathroom. They do this by sniffing around the ground (or floor). The sniffing becomes more intense and the dog will start walking around in circles. They are closing in on their target. Very soon after they will find a suitable spot and go the bathroom.
Create a verbal cue. You can create a verbal command to help speed up the bathroom process. For example, once outside you can tell your dog to “Go potty” or “Tinkle”. This can be effective especially if your dog tends to get distracted. You don’t have to use it, but it can speed up the process.
Create a safe outside environment. Take your dog out on a six foot leash to go the bathroom if your yard is not fenced in. You don’t want them to suddenly dash at the squirrel that is scurrying across the street. Being unattended and unrestrained can be very dangerous for puppies and dogs of any age.
Remember that a fenced in yard does not always prevent your dog from wandering. However, some breeds will grow to a size that allows them to jump over the fence and escape.
Dogs prefer a clean sleeping area. That is why crate training is a great method to use when potty training your dog. Your dog will not want to go the bathroom while in their crate. When using this method is critical that you supervise your dog. You don’t want lack of attention to be the cause of their potty “accident”.
Some adult dogs have been able to roam free when they go to the bathroom. They may refuse to go the bathroom when you have them on a leash. You can walk them for longer periods of time to see if they will eventually give up and go the bathroom. Another option is to not take them out at the first inkling of an urge, but wait until they have an intense urge to go the bathroom.
SUPER FAST POTTY TRAINING METHOD – “USING THE CRATE”
An effective dog potty training method involves using a crate. The crate method works for both puppies and adult dogs. The crate is by no means a “prison” and this is a perfectly humane way to potty train your dog.
You can either use a crate or a small, enclosed area. A crate is recommended because this is the dog’s sleeping area. Dogs do not want to soil their sleeping quarters. Therefore, if they soil their crate they are soiling where they rest their head at night. The crate is an extreme motivator to get your Siberian Husky be learn to relieve themselves outside.
Make sure the crate you choose isn’t too big. You don’t want your Siberian Husky to have the luxury of soiling one end of the crate while they sleep at the other end. This will defeat the purpose of the crate as your Siberian Husky will be able to avoid sleeping where they have soiled the crate.
When you are at work you might leave your Siberian Husky in the crate for long periods of time. It is advisable to have a larger crate in this instance so your dog has room to walk around and become cramped. Place newspapers or “piddle pads” at the end of the crate so your pooch can relieve themselves if necessary. This bends the rules on crate training somewhat, but is necessary as it is in the best interests of your dog.
What are “piddle pads”? Piddle pads or puppy training pads are pads made of a super absorbent polymer that traps in urine moisture and odors. Piddle pads have a scent that attracts dogs to them and instinctively urges them to go the bathroom on the pads. You can find a variety of piddle pads on the Internet and at pet supply stores such as PetSmart.
If you do place newspapers or piddle pads in the crate make sure to change them as often as you can. It is a matter of sanitation and comfort for both you and your Siberian Husky. Eliminate the odors and mess of soiled newspapers and pads as soon as possible.
What should I place inside the crate? The crate will be your dogs “bedroom”. Therefore, you want to make it as comfortable and inviting as possible. This is very important if you are going to leave your dog in the crate for extended periods of time. Your Siberian Husky dog is like your child and you should treat him with loving care.
Items you should place in the crate include: water dish, sleeping pad/blankets, bones, and toys. Dogs, Siberian Huskys included, love to swat at their water dish every now and then. This can become a wet mess. Find a water dish that will attach to your crate. This type of water dish is much harder to tip over. Your Siberian Husky will be prevented from showering themselves and the floor with water.
Make the crate a safe haven for your Siberian Husky. Make sure, however, that you don’t put the crate in a far off corner of your home. You want a quiet space, but you don’t want your dog to feel like they have been sent to Siberia. Try to place the crate in the washroom, kitchen, or bathroom.
As mentioned earlier, you can confine your dog to a small area instead of a crate. Some people don’t like to look at the wire bars of a crate. If you don’t like this “cage” look you can purchase a heavy duty plastic travel kennel. They come in a variety of colors and sizes. In addition, you can use them when you go on trips.
If you do not want to use a crate or kennel then make sure your small space is not in a deserted area of your home. Avoid shutting a door to a room as a means of confining your Siberian Husky. They want to see what is going on and will feel lonely and isolated in this case. Use a baby gate across the door instead. Your Siberian Husky will be properly confined, but will still feel like a member of your household. Plus wouldn’t you miss looking at his cute Siberian Husky face?!
Just like a child that is being sent to their room, your Siberian Husky may put up a stink about going in their crate. They will whine and bark. Be strong and don’t give in to your Siberian Husky’s tantrum. Don’t be a sucker to their sweet black eyes because if you give them an inch they will take a mile. If the whining persists then say “no” in a low, firm voice. Eventually they will give up and fall asleep. It is a matter of wills and your will needs to last longer than your Siberian Husky’s.
If the whining doesn’t die down eventually and becomes more intense, check your Siberian Husky to see if he needs to go outside or is hungry. If you have a separate dish for food, your Siberian Husky may hit the food bowl as indication that they are hungry. You need to keep to your feeding schedule though. Don’t give your Siberian Husky food if it is not dinner time yet. If you do, they will associate hitting their food dish with getting food whenever they want. As far as a bathroom break, watch for the “tinkle” dance.
Thankfully Siberian Huskys are a smart breed so placing them in their crate is not a big deal. However, the goal is to have your Siberian Husky walk into their crate on your command. If you have to always lift them up and put them in the crate then you need to add an extra incentive. Try saying the voice command and then placing a treat inside their crate. They will go in to eat the treat and you should praise them. Use the command each time, but vary whether you give them a treat or not. Eventually they will become used to walking into the crate at your command.
It is tempting to let your dog have the run of the house. If you do this, you must follow them wherever they go or you are going to stumble upon “accidents”. Therefore, it is suggested that you don’t let your pooch have a run of the house until they are fully potty trained and used to their new home. So start with the crate and move your way up to more freedom in the house.
THE POTTY TRAINING SCHEDULE:
Hopefully you have read this information before you brought your lovely Siberian Husky home. The reason being is that you want to start potty training from the minute you bring your new adult dog home. Sound too soon? Well, it’s not because dogs are environmental learners. Many times they make associations with different items in their environment. This is why you want to create the correct associations with regards to the bathroom before they cement any bad habits in their frame of reference.
Following is a step by step routine for the 5 ½ day potty training program. Adhere to this schedule diligently and your Siberian Husky will be well on their way to being potty trained. It must be noted that with any program results may vary slightly based on the needs of your Siberian Husky.
THE ½ DAY INTRODUCTION – YOUR NEW ADULT DOG ARRIVES HOME:
Your Siberian Husky will most likely need to go the bathroom. Carry him to the area in your yard where you would like him to go the bathroom. If he doesn’t go the bathroom right away, wait until he does. He may spend time exploring the area, but that is fine because you want him to become comfortable with your yard.
Don’t forget to clap and smile when he does go the bathroom. You want him to associate relieving himself in this area with your approval and praise.
Take your Siberian Husky inside right after he goes the bathroom. You don’t want him to associate being outside with play time. That comes later after he is potty trained.
Play with him and cuddle with him for an hour. Watch for any signs that he has to go the bathroom, such as the “tinkle” dance.
Take him outside to see if he will go the bathroom again. Adult dogs tend to be able to go three to four hours between bathroom breaks. Your dog may not have to go the bathroom, but praise him for going outside anyway. You can extend the length between bathroom breaks as your adult dog becomes accustomed to his new surroundings. Remember you need to create his potty schedule and try to prevent accidents.
Time for dinner! Place his dinner in the crate with him. He may not eat it right away as he is still adjusting to his new environment. Immediately take him outside to go the bathroom. It might take up to a half an hour for your Siberian Husky to go the bathroom so be patient. It is very likely, though, that your dog will defecate within 5-15 minutes after eating. This is due to the gastro-colic reflex which prompts bowel movements after eating. If your Siberian Husky appears to be just wandering around the yard, he may have become distracted and forgot why he was out there. A verbal cue such as “go potty” will help him to get back on track. Get him moving as well. Run around the yard and have him follow you. This will increase his activity level which can help stimulate a bowel movement.
Take your Siberian Husky dog outside for a bathroom break every two to three hours until bedtime. Carry him from his crate to the outside and vice versa. Why? Well, if your Siberian Husky is allowed to run loose, right after he is taken out of his crate, he may be tempted to go the bathroom on the carpet.
It’s bedtime! Take your Siberian Husky out for one last bathroom break before bed. Place him in his crate for the night. It is typical, if not expected, that he will cry and howl throughout the night. Part of this stems from adjusting to the new environment or he might have to go the bathroom.
Take him outside to see if he has to go the bathroom. If he doesn’t go the bathroom, put him back in his crate. Don’t let him sleep anywhere else or this will lessen the effectiveness of crate training. He may continue to howl. Eventually he will fall asleep. He’s a dog and dogs love to sleep!
NOTE: It is vital to take your dog outside through the same door each time. This will cement in their mind where they need to go to head outside for a bathroom break.
THE FIRST FULL DAY WITH YOUR ADULT SIBERIAN HUSKY:
The key is to create a regular routine to prevent accidents. This will enable your Siberian Husky to link going outside with going to the bathroom. The more consistent you are the stronger and faster the link will be created.
Carry your dog outside first thing in the morning to go the bathroom. Do this right away. Don’t make breakfast first.
Feed him breakfast in the crate and take him out again. After a few meals you will begin to determine whether he usually needs to outside immediately after meals or if he can wait a few minutes.
Play with your Siberian Husky in a confined area of your home. Keep your eyes on him at all times. Prevent “accidents” whenever you can by being an all seeing eye.
Take him outside every two to three hours throughout the day to go the bathroom. Remember to praise him immediately after he goes the bathroom. Stay with him outside for up to 30 minutes to see if he will go the bathroom. Patience is a virtue and you definitely need it right now.
When you are inside the time should be split between meals, playtime, and sleeping in his crate. Dogs love routines and will adjust to your daily routine in no time flat!
Lastly, take him out before bedtime. “Accidents” are bound to happen so don’t be too upset. Be patient, consistent, and persistent and your Siberian Husky will be potty trained quickly.
THE SECOND FULL DAY AND ONWARDS:
Repeat the six steps from the “First full day”. It is critical that you don’t deviate from the schedule and plan. If you stick to the plan the odds are great that your dog will be potty trained in no time! There was a great deal of effort involved, but it was worth every minute of it.
You might be thinking—but it has been a while now and my dog isn’t trained yet—but that is wrong. He has learned several things and you are the one who has taught him. It’s just that your dog is an adult dog, and because he can hold his urge longer, you have had fewer, less frequent opportunities to correct or reward his potty behavior.
Your best bet—Keep to the schedule!
The very best you can do to get your dog to respond to your housetraining efforts is to stick to the schedule.
Are you wondering what’s the big deal if a dog gets tuned into a schedule? Are you thinking it is not what you expected from a housetraining book—you wanted a miracle and what you got was a ‘stick with the program’ moral?
Well the miracle lies in the fact that you could get your dog to follow a routine. Left to your dog he would have loved to jump on the bed, pull apart the cushions and pee wherever he felt like! You instead, made sure he ate on time, went to the bathroom spot outside of the house on time and bonded with you. Isn’t that sort of a miracle?
Why does a routine or schedule, a crate, and a couple of housetraining words work? It works because it has been proved that:
Dogs always develop elimination habits in the first month of their lives if kept on a routine.
Dogs will never mess up and eliminate in the place where they sleep.
Dogs like to go back to the same spot they did before.
Dogs according to Pavlov can be trained to a conditioned stimulus, which means they can be trained to eliminate in a particular spot and by repetition of certain words repeated over and over again.
It’s also a miracle how you deal with the housebreaking accidents that are bound to get you all steamed up. But accidents are bound to happen and the way you deal with it tells a lot about yourself. Nevertheless here’s a recap on how to deal with accidents:
Stay calm and don’t yell at the dog—think about it, if you had kept an eye on the dog the accident wouldn’t have happened. So stay clam and don’t take it out on the dog.
Use newspaper to soak up the urine/ or pick up the stool and let your dog watch as you flush it all away.
Clean up the mess with the odor eliminator and take your dog outside to the potty spot.
Here’s a tip: Never use ammonia-based clean up stuff because they give off the urine smell that might attract the dog again to do potty there!
** Remember, the only difference in technique when potty training a puppy or an adult dog, is that the Adult Siberian Husky will take longer to learn the routine and the behavior you want. This is mainly because of the frequency in which the adult dog needs to eliminate.
Since they can hold it longer, it requires longer monitoring and vigilance on your part to prevent an accident from occurring, and then to teach the right behavior.
But keep in mind – It can be done!
Here’s a recap of some more dos and don’ts of housetraining to keep you on track: ③ Do be there for the first two weeks of your dog’s arrival
Do prepare for your dog’s arrival by marking out the elimination spot and getting a crate for the dog.
Do make sure that the area you allot for your dog has linoleum floors and is close to the elimination spot.
Do not punish your dog physically for accidents.
Do plan a schedule that is realistic enough to follow.
Do plan out the diet correctly and fix the timings.
Do make sure that the first place you take your dog to when you get him home for the first time is the elimination spot.
Do choose the right housetraining commands to associate with the elimination process so that your dog can make the connection also.
Do praise your dog every time he does his pee and poop job in the right place.
Do take your dog out to the elimination spot 10 minutes and again 30 minutes after every meal.
Do take your dog out to the elimination spot after every drink he has. ③ Do take your dog to the potty spot after every nap.
Do make sure that you make your dog see the crate as his private den. ③ Do not use the crate as a place of punishment.
Do not allow your dog the free run of the house until he is housetrained. Always have the dog under your supervision till he is trained.
Do be sure to limit the water intake in the evening—have a cut off point after which you do not give water to your dog.
Have a realistic expectation for your Siberian Husky. They are after all animals—no matter what you do, you cannot expect them to open the latch, do their job, cover up the potty and walk around with a clean behind. That is a bit too much to ask for your pooch. You should appreciate yourself as well as your dog for being able to follow a routine that would bring order to both of your lives. Incorporating structure and rules will not only help the dog live in your house without any accidents but the scheduling of meals and brushing and training will help him live a longer happier life.
