Only the very naïve think that it’s easy to raise a puppy. And, as we all know, one of the biggest challenges that puppies come with, are their bladders.
Is it okay to use training pads?
Take a stroll through most pet stores and you’ll notice a large variety of puppy training pads. What exactly are these for, and how do you use them? The first question to ask yourself is probably if you should use them.
Before we continue about housetraining, there is a lesson to be learnt here. The fact that something is available for sale, does not necessarily mean it’s safe for your dog. Electric collars, for example, are available on shelf, yet they have been proved to do loads of damage. Remember that dogs can suffer from emotional damage too, and this is not always noticeable to the untrained eye. So, please, think before you buy!
The golden rule, which could be applied to both training and products, is that it is okay as long as no harm (physical or emotional) is done to either the animal or the human. No need to overcomplicate things – this is the basic rule.
Right, back to the training pads.
Why are training pads helpful?
It seems a bit illogical to teach your pup to eliminate on a pee pad, only to then have to teach him to go outside. Why train twice, when you can get it right from the start? But training pads can be useful in these circumstances:
- A backup plan to keep your house pee-free if you have to go to work and pup stays in the house.
- A space for your dog, who sleeps inside the house, to use at night. However, please note: if you have a puppy, housetraining should continue during the night. It’s not fun, but it gets the job done quickly and effectively. Most healthy adult dogs sleep through the night, only very occasionally needing a toilet break.
- Puppy pads are useful if you do not have access to a garden.
- Owners of Toy breeds will be quite familiar with the attitude of some of these dogs in rainy weather: “You can toilet train me as much as you want to, but I am not getting my feet wet!” Pee pads can come in handy for these dramatic little guys. (Who are we to judge? We wouldn’t want to do our bathroom business in the rain either!)
Pee pad training in six steps
Just as dogs have no idea we generally want them to go outside for toileting (they don’t get a handbook titled: What Humans Want), they are not going to understand what the pee pad is for either. If you thought that training pads were a way to avoid training, you might want to rethink getting a dog. Training will always be needed.
You can approach your pee pad training similarly to normal housetraining. Follow these steps:
- Choose the room or area where you are going to keep the pad. To make it easier, you can put out a few training pads to make the area bigger, and gradually remove them as your dog gets the idea.
- Choose a cue. Life will become so much easier if your dog can associate the action of going to the bathroom with a specific word. You can choose any word you want (your dog doesn’t know the meaning anyway), as long as you are consistent and use the same word every time.
- Now, you have to anticipate when your pup needs to go. For young puppies, you can work on every hour, as well as after they have eaten, played, or slept.
- When it’s time for a potty break, take your pup to the designated area, and wait for him to do his thing. Just as he is about to, clearly say the cue word, so that he learns to associate the word with the action.
- When pup is done, offer him a small, yet delicious treat and enough praise to convince him that he is the most awesome dog in the world.
- Repeat patiently until your dog starts going to the pad of his own accord.
Moving the toilet outside
What if your dog is trained to use a training pad, but you want to wean him off it? Remove the training pad, and clean the area properly with a product that doesn’t contain ammonia. You don’t want any doggy-bathroom smells to remain.
Now, keep an eye on your dog – if he goes to the potty area, simply take him outside instead, and wait for him to go. It’s here that your cue comes in handy – use it to ask your dog to eliminate. Once he gets it right, it needs to rain treats and praise – make sure you make it worth his while!
As with all training, it will require patience. Never punish your dog if he doesn’t get it right. If you really struggle, rather get professional help and let a reputable behaviourist help you troubleshoot your process.
