Can a 3 year old dog still be potty trained?

So I have a pom...Bean. She is three years old. I worked with her for months as a pup to potty train her and she did kind of learn but not like other dogs I have had in the past like my lab who figured it out fast (RIP passed away 2 months ago at 12 ) So recentley we added a beagle to our family who is catching on so quickly! But Bean just never has figured it out. She must have the smallest bladder ever beacause she seems to pee nearly every hour! She weighs only 4 lbs...so yes a small bladder. I always keep a potty pad handy which she uses...along with the hardwood floors, tile floor and laundry room floor. I am lucky I ONLY have carpet in the rooms upstairs and she can't climb the hardwood floor stairs to get to them so unless the kids take her upstairs almost all of her accidents are visible. Anyway with the new pup I just wondered if a person could actually teach a 3 year old dog to do a new trick...and potty train her! I would be equally happy if she would just use the potty pad when she cannot hold it to go outside as I can't take her out every hour. What do you all think?

yes they can still be potty trained, people who get adults from shelters often have to do it. I might take her to the vet to rule out any medical cause of her frequent urination such as an infection. Are you using crate training to train her(and the puppy)? If not what method are you using to teach her where to go? How do you praise her for going outside? What do you do if she goes inside? What is the most time she is alone each day? I'm not a fan of puppy pads because some dos will think it's ok to go inside the house anywhere. If you are gone too long though and have to use a puppy pad make sure it stays in the same place and is in a litterbox (a very clear boundary for the dog) and is kept clean.

clean the pee smell out of your house, and strap that dog to someone in the family at all times until it is house broken. go back like you would with a puppy taking out every 15 to 30 minutes making sure you get the dog OUT BEFORE the accident occurs. SET an alarm clock if you have to. Do not let the dog have free roam until free roam is earned. It works..at any age unless there is a health problem. Lose the pee pads fast those things make my head spin around like CArrie. IF u train this way with EVERYONE focusing on the dog for a week or so you will be done. IF not you will not house break your dog and accidents will keep occuring. You have to be as diligent as you are with a toddler. Making sure epsecially to get that dog out first thing in the morning..after it wakes up from naps, after consuming food 9about 10 minutes will do..and after any great bouts of drinking after play...keep one eye on teh dog..make someone responsible. DO not scold the dog for having an accident in the house, scold your self and triple your efforts. THis works. I have broken the meanest adult leg hikers ever by having a leash attached to my belt and letting them know WHERE I SAY it is ok and where i don't.

Yes I'm crate training the pup and she's catching on quickly. Bean (the pom) was in a crate as a puppy but now she is in a pen on the hardwood floors with a couple potty pads while I'm gone and I just let roam free when I'm home. But I let her out right when I get home, in the morning and again at bedtime. I'm gone 3 days a week about 5 to 8 hours per day. My children aren't great help either because when they get home from school they just let her out of the pen and play with her not always taking her out like I do. But even in the pen she doesn't always go on the potty pads...she just seems to squat where ever without warning. I really don't think it's an infection because it has gone on for so long and she has no discomfort although I won't rule that out (except her accidents do include poo as well.) She does seem to have less accidents since I've been taking the pup to out so often. That's where I thought perhaps there was still hope! I do tell her "GOOD GIRL!" when she goes outside or on the pads...and "NO NO BAD GIRL!" when she goes on the floor quickly putting her on a pad. She understands for a minute but seems to forget the whole incident quite quickly. I too am not fond of the pads...but in her case it's been something I can't do without. If some of the accidents go on the pad it makes it much easier for me to clean up. If I were to really monitor the whole thing closely and give it all my spare time how long do you think it would take? Weeks? Months? I know Bean is smart in many ways...but I really do think she does forget things quickly. You can say "NO!" and she looks guilty for about 10 seconds and then she's over it. Lol. It would be great if she would just go outside and on the pads and not the hardwood floors! That would make life TONS EASIER for a single mom with three boys, two dogs, three cats and one leopard gecko!

smkie...just read what you wrote after my last reply. This is good advice too and I will give it a try! Keep you posted!