What should you do if Sadie is fully house trained and starts having accidents inside? Management is the key to understanding what is going on. First, you need to assess the situation.

Are you taking your buddy out frequently enough? As Sadie gets older, she’ll probably need to go out more often. Sometimes we get busy and forget. Try setting a timer for every daylight hour or so while you’re retraining her.

Next don’t just open the door and let her out if she’s started to have accidents; go out with her. When she does pee, be sure to calmly praise and pet her after she’s finished (don’t interrupt her as she may not empty all the way). That way, you’ll be sure she’s actually pottied because sometimes, Sadie may get too busy with sniffing or chasing leaves and forget to go.

Once you’re back inside, if you’re sure she’s empty, you can let her have the run of the house for a while. However, when you can’t supervise her, you may want to confine Sadie to a laundry room or crate.

Keep track of when she has accidents to see if there is a pattern. Is it immediately after she drinks water, mid-morning, or right before bed? If there is a schedule for her accidents, you may avoid them by taking her out before accident time.

She may be marking, so be sure that you clean up her accidents thoroughly. Use an enzymatic, natural cleaner because regular floor cleaner may not remove all the smell perceptible to your pup. Dogs like going in the same spot, so it is important not to leave any scents behind.

If these tips don’t solve the problem in a week or two, it’s time to head to your vet’s office so they can determine if there is a medical problem.

Do NOT scold her or wack her with a newspaper. That won’t help the problem; it will just make Sadie afraid of you. Remember, dogs are not considered fully house-trained until they are about a year old.

Follow these steps, be patient, and be consistent. Sadie should be back to house-trained in no time.