Jezreel asked:

I recently adopted an adult dog from the animal shelter and she is NOT potty trained. My other two dogs are, and I’ve trained several puppies, but this is the first time I’ve gotten an adult dog that obviously has never been indoors. I’m asking for help, not suggestions to take her to a trainer. I’m trying to do this myself. Thanks :D

Reply:

House Training for Dummies was a huge help to me when training our dog. It covers all the how-to’s. Really, any of the answers you get will only cover the basics – this book will cover it all.
The best thing would be to start with the basics of crate training, just like you would a puppy. Old dogs can learn new tricks. But you will need to be patient. It is harder to *unlearn* a bad habit than to create a new, good one.
You will need a crate big enough for her to stand up in and turn around in. Then you will need to help her become comfortable with the crate. The basic jist is that you keep the dog in the crate when you can’t watch it and pay adequate attention to the signs that it needs to go potty. So, if you are going to be in the shower – put the dog in the crate. You take the dog out at regular intervals for potty breaks (with rewards to help establish good habits) as well as food and water breaks and time for play and walking. The goal is to help the dog be able to hold it for longer, and be reliable when out Buy Levitra Online of the crate.
Tips for training: Stay calm, and never, ever punish a dog for something it did when you were not watching it. (Delayed punishment will only create distrust between you and your pooch)
Good luck!