How to Stop Pet Accidents in the House

One of the most common questions new and experienced pet owners alike often find themselves asking is how to get their dog to stop peeing inside the house. This can be a frustrating problem that is not exclusive to new puppies. Indoor accidents can happen at any age for a variety of reasons, so it is important to understand the potential causes of peeing inside the house and ways to help avoid it. Once a dog begins peeing in the house, or marking certain areas, it can be a very difficult habit to break, so it is important to stay on top of this and house train your dog as soon as possible.

What can cause accidents in the house?

To best determine how to stop accidents from happening in the house, it’s first important to understand why they are happening. There are a variety of reasons a dog may pee in the house, depending on its age and circumstances.

If your dog is currently a puppy or at the early stages of house training, occasional accidents are normal as your dog learns where it can and cannot go potty. If you’re experiencing a lot of accidents while potty training, your dog probably just isn’t clear on what the rules are yet. When teaching your dog where it’s appropriate to potty, remember to give them clear boundaries with lots of potty breaks, and most importantly, be patient.

If your dog is older or has already been fully housetrained and suddenly starts having accidents in the house, something is likely going on. Peeing inside the house could be your dog’s way of letting you know that they are not feeling well or are having some other issues. Accidents in older dogs are also a sign of urinary tract infections, kidney disease, or diabetes. If you think this may be the case, it is important to talk to your vet as soon as possible to identify what is going on and find a solution.

Provide your dog with regular potty breaks.

One way to help avoid accidents inside the house is to make sure that you are giving your dog regular potty breaks outside. The length of time your dog can go between potty breaks can vary based on your dog and its age. While some crate-trained dogs may be able to hold it for 10-12 hours, new puppies often need to go out every hour or two. So, make sure you consider your pet’s individual needs when deciding how often to take them out.

If your house training your dog and they are having accidents, increase the frequency with which you take them out, so they have more opportunities to go in their potty area. You could also consider installing an electronic pet door so that they can go outside to go potty as they need to.

Reduce access to common accident areas.

Sometimes having one accident inside will leave a smell that helps reinforce the idea that this is a good place to go potty for your dog. This is called marking and can be difficult to stop once it starts. If your dog has picked a common spot inside that they like to have accidents, reduce their access to that area so they don’t have the urge. This can be done with physical barriers or an invisible fencing option.

Once you have restricted access to the indoor area, continue to provide positive reinforcement when they go potty outside and try to keep taking them to the same area. Like it did inside, the smell will help reinforce that this is a good place to go potty and help them learn faster.

Contact Superior Dog Fence Today!

Superior Dog Fence specializes in pet containment systems that go under the ground. This provides a safe way for your pet to learn boundaries and protect them from strangers and running away. We have many solutions for pets depending on the size of your yard and other options for your convenience. We are locally owned and have lower overhead than some of our big competitors – which is obvious by our pricing! Give us a call today to learn more!