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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,031
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

How to house break an older dog....

We got a dog off craigslist (pomeranian) and he is the cutest sweetest funniest dog.  I fell in love in a few hours.  He has two bad habits.  He is not house broken and wears a belly band diaper 24/7.  He also barks crazily at every dog when I walk him.  As far as housebreaking, according to vet he is between 7-9 years old.  He is neutered now and will not pee in front of me but out of my site the diaper get wet.  I walk him 2 times a day and he goes out every hour to two hours and pees.  Still he slinks off and pees. He has been to vet and had blood work and checkup.  He sleeps in my bed and has never wet his diaper in the bed at night.  I tried the umbilical cord where I attach him to my belt so he can not go far from me but that gets old for both of us fast and only works if he is attached.  As far as the barking when I walk him...I don't know what to do.  I have tried a treat when he hushes, saying no, picking him up....nothing works.  I am wondering if that statement you cannot teach an old dog new tricks is true.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,775
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: How to house break an older dog....

It is not true about older dogs. We adopted an older dog (7 years old) and had no trouble w/house training. By the way Hubbs says these dogs are not broken. You need patience. We have no carpeting and 4 dogs. I hate capeting anyway it is so dirty.

The poor guy needs a place to pee and needs to feel it is ok to pee in that place.

We have 4 pet doors but I know that is not possible for some.

The barking-- he may be afraid of them. The older dog we adopted is also a Pom.

When I lose the TV controller, it's always in some remote destination.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,491
Registered: ‎06-24-2011

Re: How to house break an older dog....

@chiclet  Your new companion is lucky to have such a kind fur baby mom. Could you use those puppy training pads and the tray for them? Could you confine him to a room (an extra bathroom?) with a small gate where you keep the pad & tray, and then let him out after he pees - along with a favorite treat? The pads have some kind of urine scent to attract dogs. The tray would prevent the pad from moving. I did this with my puppy, and she is perfectly trained. It took less than a week. I bought the pads & tray from Petco.

 

Is there a way to have your dog stop walking and sit if he starts barking at other dogs? And then continue walking when he stops? Maybe tell him "no" or "stop" while he's barking and then pet him with recognition when he's quiet and ready to walk again?

 

Maybe your vet has better ideas.

 

Best of luck.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,672
Registered: ‎05-13-2010

Re: How to house break an older dog....

Crate, crate and crate - this works regardless of dog's age.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,305
Registered: ‎06-08-2016

Re: How to house break an older dog....

Poms are typically known as yappers

The previous owner must have encouraged it, because maybe they lived alone or they got great entertainment from it.   Dogs left alone for long periods of time sometimes become yappers.

 

I used the Dog Whisperer method to stop my dogs from barking incessantly.   Mine were not 7 years old but not puppies either.

Too much to describe here but you can check it out.   The dog has to know you own the space as pack leader.    

 

Can't help you with the potty training.

If you can help your dog break these bad habits, you will have a loyal & loving friend.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,817
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: How to house break an older dog....

My vet told me that it's next to impossible to train an older male dog not to mark.  It's become a habit to them.  I had two older tzi shus that lived to a ripe old age and had to wear a belly band right up to the end.

I have an older female pom now that I rescued a couple of years ago and she's the most stubborn.  She will use the pee pad, but it drives me nuts.  Small dogs that haven't been trained are difficult to train when older.

His marking may have been why he ended up being for sale.

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,708
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How to house break an older dog....

@chiclet,  you posted "He is neutered now".  Does that mean he was not neutered when you adopted him?  How long have you had him?

 

Based on your description of him peeing when you take him out it sounds to me that he is not "peeing" in the house but marking his new territory.

 

If he is marking that may, or may not, abate as he settles in and becomes more confident in his new environment and new position in the family.

 

The same may apply with his barking at other dogs when on walks.  If he is barking due to lack of confidence that too may abate as his confidence grows or he may just be a dog that thinks he should be the only dog in the world.

The eyes through which you see others may be the same as how they see you.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,604
Registered: ‎10-25-2010

Re: How to house break an older dog....

It sounds like he is marking his territory.  Male dogs who wear belly bands might already be house trained, but they do not associate marking with going outside to do their duty.

 

Does he go # in the house?  

Many breeders have intact males who mark. They always wear belly bands in the home because they will mark. They will continue to mark after they have been altered if they have this habit already. I don't think marking is easy to stop.  

In the meantime, if he marks his spot, he will continue to do so if his scent is still there.  You need to make sure there is no urine smell on any of your furnishings by using an approperiate cleaner.  I use SCOE 10x.

 

I would crate him when you aren't there to keep an eye on him and always keep a belly band on him and not allow him into rooms where he might mark on your good furnishings.

 

I had a female who marked.  She would even lift her hind leg to do it...thankfully, it was only outside.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,178
Registered: ‎07-26-2014

Re: How to house break an older dog....

[ Edited ]

I wish I could help you.  I have the opposite problem.  My 6 yr old rescue who I got this past Dec. refuses to go potty "in the house!"  She's from Mexico & strickly housetrained to the hilt. 

 

She refuses to go on pee pads which means I have to take her out in the freezing cold morning, noon & evenings.  I have tried everything including "waiting it out" w/pee pads at the front door.  She howled like a banshee.  Figuring she was huring from olding it in, I took her out.  She gushed liked a fountain &  #2 was 1 long tootsie roll tube.  Another time, she fell asleep on the pee pad w/"attractant." icon_exclaim.gif

My vet & a trainer told me, if an adult dog NEVER used a pee pad, you cannot trick or train them to do so.  It is extremely hard to do so.  I was told to consider myself blessed w/such a dog who refuses to potty inside my home.  You can't teach a Mexican adult dog new tricks.  Smiley Tongue

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,708
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How to house break an older dog....


@Mz iMac wrote:

I wish I could help you.  I have the opposite problem.  My 6 yr old rescue who I got this past Dec. refuses to go potty "in the house!"  She's from Mexico & strickly housetrained to the hilt. 

 

She refuses to go on pee pads which means I have to take her out in the freezing cold morning, noon & evenings.  I have tried everything including "waiting it out" w/pee pads at the front door.  She howled like a banshee.  Figuring she was huring from olding it in, I took her out.  She gushed liked a fountain &  #2 was 1 long tootsie roll tube.  Another time, she fell asleep on the pee pad w/"attractant." icon_exclaim.gif

My vet & a trainer told me, if an adult dog NEVER used a pee pad, you cannot trick or train them to do so.  It is extremely hard to do so.  I was told to consider myself blessed w/such a dog who refuses to potty inside my home.  You can't teach a Mexican adult dog new tricks.  Smiley Tongue


@Mz iMac,  have you considered a large cat litter box?  Perhaps if you started with some dirt/sand then gradually changed over to cat litter or pee pads your little girl would adapt.

The eyes through which you see others may be the same as how they see you.