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My Husky pees inside when alone. How do I finally house train her?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Siberian Husky | Female | spayed | 10 months old | 50 lbs

Siberian Husky with no health problems, 2 vet visits confirmed. Goes to the bathroom when I'm not home in or outside the crate. I've tried positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement (when caught in the act), crate training, taking her out before I leave, exercise before I leave. If I'm not around and she feels like going to the bathroom she's just going to do it. I have another dog a couple months older and he is complelty house broken, I thought I knew what I was doing but clearly not.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Sara Farmer, DVM

Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 10th, 2017

It sounds to me like you're doing all the right things - every once in awhile there is a dog that is just difficult to house train! I would advise you to avoid negative reinforcement - this can sometimes lead to the dog just waiting until you're gone to urinate.

You could try a 'potty training boot camp' for a weekend: keep Belle tethered to you and keep an eye on her at all times for a full weekend. Any time she seems like she is searching for a place to urinate, take her outside immediately and give her a treat and praise. It can help to have her meals on a schedule, and you could even put water on a schedule as well - as much as she wants every 4 hours. Make sure you have cleaned all urine spots in the house well with an enzymatic cleaner and confirmed that they are clean with a UV light (these things are available at pet stores). If you're still struggling see if your veterinarian can refer you to a behaviorist for help. Good luck!
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