For some of us dog owners, we don’t necessarily always have the time to take our dogs outside to go pee. Indoor potty training has been on the increase in a big way this past decade, particularly in cities with cold climates and among those living in high-rise condo buildings.
The alternative to taking them outside to go pee is to use a puppy training pee pad. This is the safest way to let your dog pee indoors. If you are looking to train your dog to use a pee pad, here’s where to start.
No punishment
The first rule is no punishments for accidents. If your puppy happens to pee or poop elsewhere, take them over to their pad. We don’t yell ‘bad dog’ at them. All this will do is cause a dog to hide when they have to go to the bathroom next.
Restrict access to areas inside
For two weeks, keep your puppy on a leash with you wherever you go inside. This is potty training 101 for dogs. When they look like they’re about to go pee or potty, take them over to the pad. After they’re done, give them a lot of congratulations and a treat. Don’t allow your puppy to have free access across the house. What will end up happening is if they start to pee in the wrong areas, they will always go back there to do the deed again.
Set up her own private room
When you can’t watch them leave your puppy behind in a small room with puppy training pads covering the entire floor. Of course, leave them some food and water, toys, and bedding as well. This is only to be done across a three-day period. From there, every two days after, remove another training pee pad until there’s only one left. If they end up having a pee off the remaining pads at any time, start over again.
Feed on a schedule twice a day
Dogs should be fed once in the morning for fifteen minutes. Put the bowl down and time it. Afterwards, remove it. Your puppy must learn to eat when food is available. This will also encourage them to have less accidents during the day. Do the same later in the day.
Take her over to the pad every 2-3 hours
Following any sleep, play, or eating, take your puppy over to their pee pad. Every two to three hours at least, this should happen. Reward your puppy generously when they use the pee pad. Encourage them. Give them five minutes or so on the leash. Stand with them and ignore them until they do their business. After five minutes if nothing’s happened, take them off the spot.
If you continue to follow these patterns for roughly two weeks, this should be enough time to train your puppy on pee pads. If they start to have accidents after training, re-trace your steps to start all over again.
Featured Photo by Torsten Dettlaff from Pexels
