How to Train Your Big Dog to Be Inside

Hello Katlyn, How is pup socially? Any aggression or fearfulness of you or your housemates? If so, I would begin by working with a professional trainer who specializes in behavior issues to resolve any social needs first I would start with crate training, leash training if not already done, and creating a bigger dog proof area of your home. I would begin potty training and chew training using the crate, then when pup's bladder is empty you can tether pup to yourself with a 6 or 8 foot leash to prevent them from getting into stuff when you want them with you. Spend a little time each day on some basics that will be important: Sit, Down, Leave It, Quiet, Place, Come, Drop It, Off, and Out. I would make Sit, Down, Leave It, and Drop It priority first to help you manage pup's energy. With pup on the tethered leash part of the time you can carry treats with you in a training pouch or ziploc bag in your pocket, give pup commands when they start doing things you need to redirect, like Quiet with Barking, Sit when jumping, Leave It when chewing your things, ect...Reward when you catch pup doing well. When pup is doing well with potty training, no longer chewing or acting out while on the tethered leash, then give pup freedom in part of your home, where the area is still small enough you can watch them while you do other things and continue your daily training sessions. Sessions don't have to be super long, 20-30 minutes, then using those commands when it makes since during the day when home will help a ton overtime. As pup improves, you can give pup access to more and more of your home, but I would crate at night and when you are not home for a solid year, to ensure pup's good habits turn into long-term habits and will hold up when you aren't there to remind. Crate introduction - if pup is food motivated, the Surprise method is usually the method I recommend most. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Leash introduction if needed: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-your-puppy-to-accept-leash Check out the Crate Training method from the article linked below. Make sure that the crate doesn't have anything absorbent in it - including a soft bed or towel. Check out www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed for him. Make sure the crate is only big enough for him to turn around, lie down and stand up, and not so big that he can potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Dogs have a natural desire to keep a confined space clean so it needs to be the right size to encourage that natural desire. Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean any previous or current accidents - only enzymes will remove the small and remaining smells encourage the dog to potty in the same location again later. The method I have linked below was written for younger puppies, since your dog is older you can adjust the times and take him potty less frequently. I suggest taking him potty every 3 hours when you are home. After 1.5 hours (or less if she has an accident sooner) or freedom out of the crate, return him to the crate while his bladder is filling back up again until it has been 3 hours since his last potty trip. When you have to go off he should be able to hold his bladder in the crate for 5-7 hours, eventually up to 8 - less at first while he is getting used to it and longer once he is accustomed to the crate. Only have him wait that long when you are not home though, take him out about every 3 hours while home. You want him to get into the habit of holder his bladder between trips and not just eliminating whenever he feels the urge and you want to encourage that desire for cleanliness in your home - which the crate is helpful for. Less freedom now means more freedom later in life. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If he is not already used to a crate, expect crying at first. When he cries and you know he doesn't need to go potty yet, ignore the crying. Most dogs will adjust if you are consistent. You can give him a dog food stuffed hollow chew toy to help him adjust and sprinkle treats into the crate during times of quietness to further encourage quietness. Sit https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-sit Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Place command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Down-Stay: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Heel- Turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Come - Reel in method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall Off- section on The Off command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-train-dog-stay-off-couch/ Drop It – Exchange method: https://wagwalking.com/training/drop-it Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello there. The hardwood floor could be an issue. One thing I suggest is to keep her confined to a smaller space. When anxious, dogs will pace and work themselves up and then spiral for hours. The more space, the more they can pace and get worked up. So if you have a smaller bedroom, laundry room, or other space you can leave her in, that would be ideal for the next few weeks while she adjusts. Feed her in there, and make it comfortable with her bed and toys. Dogs can sometimes take up to a month to adjust to any sort of transition. Just support her the best you can during this time. She will start to come around!

Hello Christopher, I would begin with the same types of things you would work on with a puppy - crate training, potty training, basic commands like Leave It, Place, Sit, and Down, and a regular routine for pup. Check out the Crate Training method from the article linked below. Make sure that the crate doesn't have anything absorbent in it - including a soft bed or towel. Check out www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed for her. Make sure the crate is only big enough for her to turn around, lie down and stand up, and not so big that she can potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Dogs have a natural desire to keep a confined space clean so it needs to be the right size to encourage that natural desire. Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean any previous or current accidents - only enzymes will remove the small and remaining smells encourage the dog to potty in the same location again later. The method I have linked below was written for younger puppies, since your dog is older you can adjust the times and take her potty less frequently. I suggest taking her potty every 3 hours when you are home. After 1.5 hours (or less if she has an accident sooner) or freedom out of the crate, return her to the crate while her bladder is filling back up again until it has been 3 hours since her last potty trip. When you have to go off she should be able to hold her bladder in the crate for 5-7 hours - less at first while she is getting used to it and longer once she is accustomed to the crate. Only have her wait that long when you are not home though, take her out about every 3 hours while home. You want her to get into the habit of holder her bladder between trips and not just eliminating whenever she feels the urge and you want to encourage that desire for cleanliness in your home - which the crate is helpful for. Less freedom now means more freedom later in life. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If she is not already used to a crate expect crying at first. When she cries and you know she doesn't need to go potty yet, ignore the crying. Most dogs will adjust if you are consistent. You can give her a food stuffed hollow chew toy to help her adjust and sprinkle treats into the crate during times of quietness to further encourage quietness. Down https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Sit https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-sit Stay https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Place https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Out - which means leave the area https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It - leave it method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden