Establish good habits early by treating your new addition as if he has never been housebroken before. Leash-walk your new dog so you can be sure of when, or if, she has relieved herself. This will help to ensure success. If you are observant and consistent, you should be able to retrain a previously housetrained adult quickly and with few mistakes.
Supervision: Begin by supervising your new pet at all times when indoors. Attach her to you with a six-foot tether as you go about your business. Or use baby gates to confine her in the same room you will be in. Watch for signs that she needs to eliminate. (See above) Reward your pet immediately for going. (*NOTE: Do not just let your dog out the door and then wait until your pet comes back inside to reward. You would then be rewarding your dog for whatever is happening at that exact moment you have given the reward and not for doing her business.) Save the fun part of a walk for after your dog has relieved herself. This will become an incentive for your dog to eliminate quickly.

Confinement: If you will be unable to provide constant supervision when you first bring your new pet home, it is best to provide safe and pleasant confinement. Dogs do not like to eliminate where they sleep or eat. Proper confinements would be a portion of a small bathroom or utility room sectioned off with baby gates or with large cardboard boxes. Any confined area (including crates-see below) should be only large enough for a dog to stand, turn around, sit, and lay down in comfortably.
Crates can also provide safe and humane confinement when used properly. Feeding in an open crate can help a dog to be more comfortable with it at first. Don’t push the dog in or close the door. Just let the dog eat in there.

Encourage your dog into a crate by using high value treats (especially loved tidbits). Use these treats only with the crate. For extended crate time, give your dog a Kong toy (available at pet store or grocery) filled with something your dog likes—soft dog or cat food, peanut butter, soft cheese, etc. You may also add kibble to these soft foods and deduct the amount from his regular meal allotment.

Do not make a big deal when you let your dog out of the crate, but do take him immediately outside to relieve himself. Make this a boring outing and take him directly to the designated bathroom spot.
Establish a routine: 1.) Feed once or twice daily at the same hours. (This makes elimination more regular.) 2.) Take him out for basic needs routinely, and do this at the very least four times daily--ex: first thing in morning, when you arrive home, after your dinner, before bedtime. 3.) Pick a specific place where you encourage your dog to eliminate. (This will prompt him to go there in the future.)

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