Jenn and the Dogs

Puppy Pads claim to help make potty training easier and many people have come to believe that dogs automatically know how to use them.

This is very false. Yes, they are scented to attract your dog, but the truth is puppies have no idea that they are suppose to pee on these pads. Puppy pads really look like fun toys in the eyes of a puppy because they are basically giant pieces of tissue paper and anyone who has owned a puppy, or even an adult dog, knows how much joy puppies get from playing with and ripping up tissue paper…

If you want to use puppy pads, you first have to train your puppy to pee and poop on the pad. Sounds like extra work, doesn’t it? It is. Training your puppy to use puppy pads is an extra step before training them to go to the bathroom outside. It is not necessary to use puppy pads at all and most trainers will tell you to simply skip it. If you want your dog to use the bathroom outside, then train him to go outside. Not inside on a pad.

In addition to being extra work, using puppy pads can also cause your potty training to go backwards, cause confusion in your dog, and take LONGER to house break your puppy. This is because when you train your puppy to use puppy pads, you are training them to do their business in the house and, thus, you are teaching your dog that it is ok to do his business in your house. Sometimes this all a puppy learns because young puppies, and also some adult dogs, have a hard time telling the difference between a puppy pad and a rug or carpet, so they will just assume that it is ok to “go” anywhere in the house. This leads to more accidents on your floor and a bad habit is formed. Again, it is best to simply skip using puppy pads and take your puppy outside to use the bathroom from day one.

Now, there are some occasions in which using Puppy Pads is a good idea. People who live in an apartment and do not have a yard or outdoor area for their dog to use may, by all means, use puppy pads to create an indoor bathroom for their dog. Dogs who are injured, senior dogs that have a weak bladder, nursing mother dogs, puppies who are less then 10 weeks old, etc. can all benefit form having an indoor bathroom that a puppy pad would provide.

If you would feel more comfortable using puppy pads when you are not home (for example, if you work long hours and don’t want to worry about rushing home during your lunch break to let your dog out) and you do not mind the extra work it will take to teach your dog, then by all means go for it. I happen to live in an apartment on the second floor, and I taught my dogs to use puppy pads in addition to going outside because I do not really have a yard so the only time my dogs get to go outside is when we go for walks. It was extra work, but it was wroth it for me. And might I add that my 4 month old puppy still “misses” the pad every once in a while.

How do you teach your dog to pee on a Puppy Pad?

First decide where you want your dog’s indoor bathroom to be. To give you an idea, it should be far away from where your dog eats, sleeps, and plays. Dogs don’t want a toilet in their kitchen, bedroom, or living room any more then you do. The laundry room or hallway is a good idea. Do not put it in the basement unless your dog can already walk up and down the stairs on his own.  If you keep you dog in the kitchen when you’re not home, make sure you put the pad as far away from your dog’s food bowels as possible.

The rest of training is basically the same as training your puppy to go outside (see House Breaking 1) only instead of taking your puppy out side, you’re going to take him over to the pad.

Tip 1:  Use the leash and go with your dog! Just like going outside, you must put your dog’s leash on and go over to the pad with your dog. For a puppy, it’s helpful to pick up your puppy and place him on the pad. Encourage your dog to “go potty” when he’s on the pad in a happy, excited voice. And praise him when he does!

Tip 2:  For the first month or so of training, it’s helpful to place two or three pads down at a time so your puppy has more room to sniff around. Dogs like having room to sniff and find that perfect spot to go on. As your training progresses, you can decrease to two pads and then one pad. Use your dog’s leash and your hands to gently guide your dog over to the pads if they start to go on the edge and miss a bit. Do not punish your dog for “missing”. It will take time to perfect his aim.

Happy Training!
Jenn