How to housebreak an adult dog??

We recently adopted a dog that we found near an interstate exit. He's adorable.Very small....weighs maybe 8 or 9 lbs. Vet thinks he's a cross betw.a wire haired terrier and chihuahua. He's abt 3 yrs old,so not a puppy. Has a great personality,good with other dogs,kids,etc. Problem?? He's not well housetrained!! Not knowing his background,we've tried newspaper,piddlepads,going outdoors,the usual.... If we watch carefully and see him "looking",I put him out and he goes. Otherwise,he just pees in the house,on the furniture,the floor,wherever the urge hits him. We've had him neutered,but that didn't help.
Any ideas on how to housetrain an adult dog??? Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

[Aruba417]

I am a firm believer in crate training! This has worked for every dog I've had. Including a 6 month old English Bulldog. Not quite an adult, but still she had NO previous training when we got her and she peed/pooped everywhere.

What we'd do, is either over night, or if we're going somewhere...you put her in a kennel that's not TOO much bigger than her. (obviously big enough so that they're comfortable). So then, first thing in the morning, you open the kennel and immediately walk her outside to the area you want her to go. Most dogs will NOT go to the bathroom in the kennel because they don't want to get it on themselves. If they DO go...it will be messy, but I can almost guarantee it won't happen again. After holding their pee/poop all night, they'll be ready to go as soon as you let them out. We trained our bulldog by saying "go poo" once she was outside in the spot WE wanted her to go on. We never let her pee on the porch...we always walked her to the dirt.

After about a week, she should be much, much better. Some dogs catch on faster than others. A lot of people don't agree with crate training because they don't want their dogs to be confined, but it works. Good luck!

[Aruba417]

The main thing that I forgot to stress is to BE CONSISTANT!!!!

[peekawho]

Another useful tip is to try tether training.  Take the dogs leash and run it through your belt loop.  Then put the snap end through the loop where you hold onto the leash and pull it snug.  You then snap the free end of the leash to the dogs collar.   Keep the dog tethered to you whenever you are home.  This way, the dog can't wander off to pee in another room or corner unnoticed.  

If he is tethered to you, you'll see the instant he starts to circle or sniff and can get him to his designated pee/poo spot immediately.

Another hint is not to free feed (though I don't know if you do or not).  Food should be put down twice a day, then taken up if not eaten in 15 min until the next meal time.  Most dogs will eliminate shortly after eating and drinking.  If you constantly have food down and the dog constantly nibbles, you will lose this valuable instinct to "go".  

(I wish I could still do the belt thing with my dogs, but at 110 and 70 pounds respectively, they'd pull ME!  It worked well when they were puppies, but I do have one who still has the occasional accident. Usually it's because I'm not paying attention, though)  

[Mer43]

I have a 3yr old chihuahua that we adopted 2 months ago. She did have some training however she goes thru periods of peeing on the carpet in our hallway, even when she has access to the outdoors. She will do this  for 1-2 days deliberatly, then go outside with no problem.  It is so frustrating. The trainer suggested crating her when this happens. She does go in a crate at night for bed, but how do you use the crate for potty training? I did not understand this. She has done fine for 2 weeks now. She is outside during the day when we go to work and does fine. Do you know why she would revert back and forth? Is it a plea for attention? Thanks

[MILLY98]

MY HUSBAND AND I JUST ADOPTED A 3YR PITT AND HE IS NOT HOUSEBROKEN. HE WAS AN OUTSIDE DOG SO WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME WITH HIS POTTY TRAINIMG. WHEN WE TAKE HIM FOR HIS WALKS HE WILL USE THE BATHROOM OUTSIDE BUT HE WILL ALSO USE THE BATHROOM INSIDE WHEN WE BRING HIM IN. WE NEED HELP!

[addie71105]

I have a problem with a cocker spanial male that is 4 yrs and has depression or soemthing. I am wondering what i ac do to get him more comfortable. Their is no other dogs and i am spend alot of time with him everyday. he just layes around most of the time and just pout most of the day other then to go potty. what do i do?

[lindapalm]

Does he eat and drink normally?  Do you take him for long walks, and play with him?  If you do,and all  he wants to do is lay around, I would have him checked by a vet, he sounds sick, not depressed.