Have you ever visited a friend’s house and found out that his or her dog was entirely trustworthy within the home? Your dearest buddy never needs to bother about things being eaten up, food theft or accidents.
When you ask her or him about how he or she made it to that, the person tells you about various advantages of crate training. However, you tend to leave the conversation feeling unhappy as your dog is relatively older and is pretty terrified of crates because of past experiences or absence of exposure.
What if we tell you that you can also train your older dog without a crate? Read below to know more.
How to house train an older dog without a crate?
If you are thinking about how to potty train your older dog, you can start training your older dog by using the leash method. In this case, you will need a leash about 6 to 8 feet long which you can attach to yourself with sufficient slack left in the leash for the dog to lie down if you are standing. Follow the steps mentioned below for house training an older dog without a crate to master leash training for your dog. Also, do not neglect thoroughly enjoying your dogs’ company throughout the process.
- Show leash: To begin with, you can show the 6 feet leash to your dog and provide him with the treat. When you see your dog acting happy, attach the leash onto the dog while offering him another treat. Now you can let him drag it until he seems to be comfortable. If your dog is accustomed to the leash treatment, you can skip this step.
- Attach yourself: Attach the handle edge to yourself when you see your dog being comfortable with the leash on. Keep in mind to keep sufficient slack in the leash for the dog to lie down peacefully next to you even if you are standing.
- Stimulation: While the dog is attached to you give him something to do when you stop moving. You can give a dog puzzle toy or stuffed toy for chewing on the toy food. Good entertainment prevents your dog from boredom by keeping him physically and mentally healthy, thereby by teaching him what the proper activities he can do. At the same time, he is bored in the long run.
- Pay close attention: With your dog attached to you, you can pay close attention to keep him out of trouble. Look for signs of boredom or signals that he needs to go to pee. You can also engage in exercise and stimulation like having and obedience training or going for a walk session.
- Reward: Do not forget to reward your dog for good behaviour. If you find your dog chewing on the proper toy, make sure to praise him. This is the key to housebreaking an older dog without a crate.
- Increase freedom: When you see your dog beginning to show signals that he seems ready for freedom, make sure to gradually increase your dog’s freedom by taking the leash off for specific periods while you keep paying close attention to your dog. If your dog seems to obey all the rules of the house and lets you know about his needs and stay calm in the house, then you can think about increasing his freedom by providing him with more and more time off-leash in the house. And, if your dog does not keep up with the excellent house manners, make sure to reattach his leash and keep practising his manners for a longer time.
