I get the call more often than you might think.
Me: So…tell me about your dog.
Owner: She’s a Yorkie. 6 years old. She’s a good dog but….
Me: Let me take a shot at it. She’s not housebroken…?
Owner: OMG! How did you know?
Me: Wild guess.
6 years of coming home to a wet carpet or a pile in the kitchen. 6 years of paper towels and carpet steaming and muttered curses. 6 years of trying everything suggested by friends, relatives, neighbors, veterinarians, books, TV shows, the dog walker.
6 years of simmering frustration.
At some point, dog owners have an epiphany that it is time to get some real help. It could be a visitor who cautiously mentions the smell or a family member embarrassed to bring friends home.
Is it too late to convince Madison that the toilet is outside?
My motto is: its NEVER too late to train a dog. Yes, it might take longer. Absolute consistency is mandatory. And all family members must participate in the program if they want Madison reliably housebroken.
First we made sure that Madison's veterinarian checked her out, just in case she had some physiological reason for her behavior. There wasn't.
Here is what we did to help Madison be successful:
1. Clean all the floors thoroughly. Dogs have a very powerful sense of smell, and any hint of past transgressions will just inspire Madison to return to the scene of the crime.
2. Start with a small area like a mudroom or bathroom or a section of the kitchen that is gated off. Giving Madison the run of the house is an invitation for her to discover old and new places to do her business.
3. Train Madison to come when called, sit to say hello, respect boundaries, stop jumping and barking…in other words, teach her that there are rules in the house, including NOT using it as a toilet!
4. Take her outside often, always to the same spot, to do her business. If she doesn’t, keep her on a leash with you inside the house so she doesn’t sneak off to potty under the kitchen table.
5. Be patient. It took her several years to get to this point, and reversing it won’t happen overnight.
6. Get help. A Certified Professional Dog Trainer knows how to housebreak a dog, even a Yorkie!
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