Usually, when a pet lover brings a new puppy home, his first goal is to potty train him. No one wants a filthy house. But if you adopt an older dog or your puppy is no longer a “puppy,” you would expect him to behave. But sometimes, things happen differently. What would you do if your dog is not house trained at 1 year old? Can you start potty training now? Is it too late? If not, How can you potty train your 1-year-old dog?
Is it too late to potty train a dog at 1-year-old?
It is never too late to potty train any dog. Your 1-year-old dog may take some time, but you will be able to potty train him with the right training strategy and consistency.
You can even potty train a dog from a puppy mill or a stray dog. The key is consistency, patience, and the knowledge of the trainer.
For how long a 1-year-old dog can hold his bladder?
If your 1-year-old dog is otherwise healthy, he will be able to hold his bladder for more than 8-10 hours. An adult dog needs to pee once or twice a day except for the small dogs. A small dog may need a toilet break 3-4 times a day.
An adult dog should be able to hold his bladder throughout the night.
If your dog cannot hold his bladder for many hours, he is either not trying to hold it or is not well. It is best to get him checked for UTI or any other medical condition that might be hindering the potty training.
Your dog may also be urine marking. That’s different from house soiling. How to tell if your dog is urine marking or house soiling? Read this article.
How do you potty train a 1-year-old dog?
Potty training a 1-year-old dog is a straightforward process. You follow the exact potty training method you would use with a puppy. It’s easier because young puppies need a lot of potty breaks throughout the day, but with adult dogs, this is not the case.
I have a complete article that will walk you through the steps of potty training a dog, but here I will write a summary that you will find helpful.
How to potty train a 1-year-old dog?
- First, confine your dog using a playpen and put him on a regular schedule. You can also put him on a leash and keep him near you. Every activity, including sleeping, playing, eating, drinking, training, and waking should be at a specific time. Write down the schedule and stick to it.
- Keep an eye on your dog and note down after how much time of a specific activity he needs a toilet break. Whenever your dog pees or poops, note it down in the schedule.
- Notice what cues your dog shows before peeing or pooping. Usually, dogs stare, squat, bark, scratch, sniff the ground, or circle. Note down what your dog does.
- By tracking and writing down everything, you must be able to know his routine and when he needs a toilet break.
- Now, take him to the potty spot on a leash and say your fixed potty command like “go potty” whenever it’s time. If your dog does the deed in the right place, praise him and give him a treat. If he doesn’t, wait for a few more minutes.
- If you find a potty accident in the house, do not yell, just clean the mess with an enzyme cleaner and note down the time and place of the accident like this.
- Repeat this process until your dog learns to go on his own or tells you when he needs to go.
Free download for you: Puppy potty training printable tracker
How to know that your puppy is not fully potty trained? Read this.
So this was a summary; you can read this article to learn step-by-step potty training of your puppy.
The following articles might be helpful.
How long does it take to potty train a 1-year-old dog?
It should not take more than 12 weeks for your 1-year-old dog to learn to potty on the right spot by himself. However, so many factors affect the time it takes to potty train your dog. For example, some dog breeds are harder to potty train, while some are easier.
Read this article; how long does it take to potty train a puppy?
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Potty Training 1-year-old dog at night?
A 1-year-old dog should hold his bladder overnight, and you should take him to the potty spot right after he wakes up. But if your dog soils his crate or bed, it’s best to set up a pet camera and note down that at what time he urinates on his bed. Set alarm for 10-15 minutes before that time and take him to the spot on a leash.
But make sure to make the bathroom trip real quick. Do not shout or praise him in a louder voice. Just give him a treat calmly and put him back to bed.
Do not let your dog sleep in a soiled place. Check for the urine stains with a UV flashlight and clean it up; otherwise, it’s highly likely that your dog will go there again.
1-year-old dog potty training regression:
If your 1-year-old dog was potty trained but has started peeing and pooping in the house again, it can be potty training regression.
Regression is a normal part of a dog’s brain development. Stress, environmental changes, or changes in the routine can also be a cause.
Good news! Your dog will not be like this forever; he needs a quick follow-up. Get back to the basic training, like taking him to the potty spot on a leash. Give a reward for good behavior.
Get a UV flashlight and check your house. Find out the urine stains that encourage the dog to pee there again, get an enzyme cleaner, and clean the stains. This is so important; otherwise, your dog will keep going there repeatedly.
Can your potty bell train your 1-year-old dog?
Once your dog is fully potty trained, you can teach him to use the bell when he needs the toilet. But you cannot potty bell train your dog before he is potty trained.
Use the right way to potty bell train your dog; otherwise, get ready to listen to ding dong all day long.
Read this article to know how to potty bell train a dog.
Necessary potty training supplies:
Here are a few things that you must have in your hands when potty training your dog.
- Leash
- Enzyme cleaner
- Dog training treats
- UV flashlight
- Paper towels
Conclusion:
If your dog is not house trained at 1 year old, there is no need to worry. It’s never too late to potty train your dog. You can start training today. Note down when your dog needs a toilet break and take him to the right place on a leash. Preventing potty accidents in the wrong place is the key.
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