How to House Train a Stubborn Dog
If you have a stubborn dog, any sort of training can be hard work. It is especially important to house-train a stubborn dog for the happiness of your family and your pet. If your pet is always getting in trouble for going potty on the floor, then no one is going to be happy. As with any training, house-training a stubborn dog requires consistency, patience and practice. If you feel like giving up, contact your vet or a dog trainer for support and advice. It is possible to train your dog--no matter how stubborn he is.
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Instructions
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Make an effort to crate-train and house-train your dog at the same time. A dog kennel, or crate, is useful for a stubborn dog because dogs don't like to go to the bathroom in their sleeping area. If your dog is sleeping in his crate at night, then he will not want to go to the bathroom in there, too. He will have to if you leave him in there too long, so crate-training and house-training really do go hand in hand. For more information on crate training, see the link in the Resources section.
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Take your stubborn dog outside every couple hours. Go through the same path in your house, follow the same routine such as grabbing his leash and your jacket, and leave through the same door to take him outside. You must be consistent. This also means waking up in the middle of the night to take your dog out, using the same path, routine and door. The crate helps your dog feel safe and not want to potty in there, but you can't leave a stubborn puppy in a crate all night and expect him to not have accidents.
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Praise your dog, and give him a treat when he goes potty outside in the designated area where you want him to go. You can even use a command when you get outside, such as, "Go potty." Make this a fun and happy time for your dog. Your dog should start to relate the positive reinforcement with doing his business outside.
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Watch your dog carefully during the day for signs that mean he has to go potty. Most dogs will sniff the ground, go off by themselves or maybe even scratch the carpet. As soon as you see your stubborn dog displaying any of these signs, take him outside. Give your dog the command, and praise him once he goes to the bathroom outside.
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Reprimand your dog ONLY if you catch him in the act of doing his business inside. It does not mean anything to the dog if he is being punished an hour later for having an accident. If you catch your dog in the act, say, "No!" Take him by the collar and put him outside. Give him the command, and praise him when he is finished. Remember, house-training dogs takes time and patience, especially if you have a stubborn one like the lovable basset hound in the photo.
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Tips & Warnings
Once your dog gets older or has fewer accidents, you do not have to take him out every couple hours. You can stretch the amount of time between visits outside. Eventually, your dog will learn that when he has to go to the bathroom, he must go to that door where you always go out. If you want to train your dog to go to the door, then use praise and treats when he successfully accomplishes the behavior, just like you did when he was learning to be house-trained.
