How to Train Your Puppy to Use a Pad

Sometimes when you are potty training your puppy, getting outside on time is not an option. If you have a disability or live in an apartment where getting to the outside takes some time, you may opt to train your puppy to use a pee pad indoors. Other scenarios where pee pads may be a good option are when you are going to have to leave your puppy for extended periods of time without being able to take him outside, such as when you are at work. It should be remembered though, that puppies need attention other than just a bathroom break, and leaving a puppy for extended periods of time without care is not a good option. Sometimes extenuating circumstances occur.  

If pee pads are the way you are planning on training your puppy, there are a variety of commercially available options of absorbent pads, some are even scented to encourage your puppy to eliminate. Remember, however, that once you have trained your puppy to use a pee pad indoors, it may be more difficult to teach him to eliminate outdoors. Pee pads are a good solution in many circumstances though, when getting your puppy outside to pee is not viable.

When house training your puppy using pee pads, or any other method, the most important thing is to make sure that accidents do not happen by never leaving your puppy unsupervised or unconfined to an area where the puppy won't relieve himself, like a bed area or crate. You will also want to provide timely access to the pee pad, so your puppy has the opportunity to successfully go potty and be rewarded. Making the pee pad the best option by making it the only area other than feeding and sleeping spots can be useful to direct your puppy to use the pee pad for eliminating. Make sure your puppy always knows where his pee pad is, and take him to visit his pee pad frequently so he does not forget and have an accident somewhere else in your home. Remember most puppies need to use the potty shortly after waking up and within 30 minutes of eating. Capturing successful pee pad usage is more useful than trying to punish mistakes, which is rarely effective and is usually just confusing and upsetting for your puppy.

To successfully pee pad train your puppy, you will need treats to reward successful behavior, a method of confining your puppy to avoid accidents, like using a crate or pet play pen, and lots of time to supervise and capture when your puppy needs to “go”. Be consistent and resist punishing your puppy for accidents, as this is only confusing for your puppy. Instead, clean up accidents with enzyme cleaners that eliminate odors to reduce the likelihood of an accident occurring in the same location again. Commercial pee pads come in all shapes and sizes--purchase absorbent pee pads to prevent spills. You can even get pee pads that have odors that attract your puppy and encourage him to pee on them!