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Your dog has been in your life for as long as some of your kids. You’ve seen him grow up from the energetic ball of fur he was when he was a puppy to the older and more subdued dog he is today. He’s an integral part of the family. With age though has come health problems. He’s no longer able to make it for long walks or great distances to go for a pee. He either ends up giving up before you’ve managed to get him to a suitable toilet spot, or he relieves himself on your floors. You’re not the biggest fan of cleaning up pee and it doesn’t give the house quite the smell you’d like either.
Training him to use a pee pad only comes with benefits. It will save you considerable time taking him out to go to the toilet. It will also save him from pain and discomfort if he can no longer make the trek to the bathroom.
The good news is, training your pooch to use a pee pad is pretty easy. He may be aging, but don’t let it be said that an old dog can’t learn new tricks! You simply need to incorporate the pee pad into his toilet routine. That means consistent use and as few slip-ups as possible. You’ll also need to take steps to make the pee pad as inviting as possible. Treats or toys will go a long way to motivate him to embrace his new toilet patch as well. If he’s still pretty receptive you could see results in just a week. If he’s really old and stuck in his ways then you may need a few weeks to fully affect change.
However long it takes, it will be worth it when you have a straightforward clean-up, instead of a soaked carpet. You’ll also help keep him comfortable if he’s got health conditions.
Before you get to work, you’ll need a few things. A pee pad will, of course, be the first essential. You’ll also need a generous supply of mouth-watering treats or his favorite food. Simply break the food into small, easily digestible pieces.
The hardest component is time. You need to set aside time in the morning, midday, afternoon and evening, to ensure a consistent routine. With such a time sacrifice also comes with the requirement of patience and an optimistic attitude.
Once you have all of that, you’re ready to make a start!
The Set Up Method
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Place the pee pad in a location he’ll be comfortable in. Placing it against a wall with some degree of privacy is a good idea. If he has three walls around him he’ll feel even more at ease. It’s best to get the position right from the beginning, you’ll get much quicker results.
Easy to clean
Make sure it’s easy to clean. You may want to keep it close to a sink, drain or trash can. All of this will stop you carrying a wet pad throughout the entire house every day. This will save you time and ensure consistency for him.
Size
Pick a pad that is the right size for him. If he’s a bigger dog he’ll need a bigger than average size. If it’s cramped he won’t feel relaxed and comfortable and you’ll find it much harder to convince him to use it regularly.
Privacy
Make sure it’s in a place where he’ll got some privacy. If there is constantly people walking past it, he won’t be able to relax. You wouldn’t want people staring at you when you go to the toilet, and neither does he.
Easy access
Also make sure he can get to the pee pad easily. If he has to trek half a mile to get to it, he may opt for the lazy option and use the floor instead. Also, try and keep it away from where he eats and plays. Nobody likes going to the toilet where they eat, not even dogs. The corner of a utility room if often a sensible choice.
The Familiarization Method
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Introductions
Put him on a leash and walk him around his new toilet. Encourage him to sniff and take an interest. Do this at least a couple of times a day for a few minutes. The more he’s used to it, the more likely he’ll be to use it.
Get animated
When you’re around it, talk in an animated voice to get him excited. If he sees it as somewhere he can feel happy and relaxed he’ll be more inclined to use it. Dogs mirror their owners' behavior so he’ll look to you for approval of the pee pad.
Routine
When you think he’s likely to need the toilet, put him on a leash and walk him to the pad. Encourage him to go, but also make sure you give him some privacy by facing the other way. If he’s always at the pee pad when he needs to go he’ll soon get into the habit of using it.
Reward
When he does go, make sure you give him a tasty reward. A treat or his favorite food will help cement it as his new favorite toilet location. The better the reward the quicker you’ll see results. Also give him plenty of verbal praise.
Don’t punish him
If he does pee outside or somewhere else, don’t punish him. His bladder will already be getting weaker because he’s older, you don’t want him to start peeing out of fear. This will make it even harder for him to control it and go where you want him to.
The Verbal Cue Method
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Routine
Make sure you take him to the pee pad regularly, whenever you think he’s likely to need the toilet. 20 minutes or so after meals, the morning and the evening are all likely times. If he’s always at the pee pad, he’ll be much more likely to use it.
‘Go pee’
As he starts to pee on the pad, give a ‘go pee’ command. You can use any word or phrase you like. Just make sure you give the command in an upbeat, high pitched voice. You want him to associate this command with good things and relaxing.
Reward
As soon as he’s finished his pee, give him a tasty treat and some praise. He’ll soon start associating the verbal cue with going for a pee on the pad and a delicious reward. Soon the command alone will make him charge for the pee pad to relieve himself in the hope of food. Practice this every day for a few days.
Bring forward the cue
After several consistent days of using the verbal cue, start giving the cue before he goes for a pee. By this point he’ll associate the trigger with the pee pad and his bladder will probably automatically start to relax. Continue to reward him after he goes.
Practice
You now simply need to practice this every day. If he has any slip-ups, clean them up calmly and make sure you get him to the pad next time. He’ll soon start naturally using the pee pad to go to the toilet, at which point you can top using the verbal cue and you can cut out the treats.
Written by James Barra
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 11/21/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
Training Questions and Answers
She doesn't want to eat dog food just people food she has pancreas her stomach real sensitive always getting sick won't eat only want people food
Dec. 25, 2022
Princess's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
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Hello, It sounds like the main issue here is finding a food that both tastes good and is easy for her to digest with her health concerns. I would ask your vet for a recommendation for some canned foods that would be suitable for pancreatitis. Something that's real meat without all the extra fat and harder to digest ingredients might taste good and be easier to digest. A freeze dried kibble option, like Ziwi Peak or Honest kitchen might taste better if your vet knows of a similar variety that would also be easy enough to digest. I am not a vet so I am not recommending any specific food, so I do not know what would be suitable health-wise, but taste wise, look for options that are more freeze dried or canned to taste better than kibble, while also being suitable for her digestion with the pancreatitis. If the food isn't suitable for pancreatitis also, not only could it cause issues with her health but it would also make her not want to eat because she feels sick not being able to break down the food well enough. Homemade dog food is sometimes recommended for such dogs, with ingredients like rice, low fat chicken, and sometimes a supplement. If you are willing to make her meals, you could also ask your vet what they would recommend feeding in that case. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Dec. 27, 2022
We fly with our dog - he's a champ and sleeps most of the time. 5 hours is the longest one he has been on with no issues. But we are thinking of a longer flight (8 hours) would like to be able to use a pee pad for him after the flight in the airport if necessary because we can't get him to an animal station at an airport (not all have them). Since he's a male he always lifts his leg. I can follow the suggestions above, but what do you do about the leg lifting? Put half of the pad up the wall? Put an object in the middle of the pad? I am stumped!
Dec. 20, 2022
Winston's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, I would practice with the pee pad at home, being sure to buy a type that has the tape on the bottom or bring your own double sided tape. I would find a corner with two walls, use two pee pads, half the pee pad up the wall and half on the ground in both corners, then have something you have practiced with at home you can place in the middle of the pee pad to teach him to target that... like a small piece of a thick branch. For example, you would be creating a disposable version of this product: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/poochpads-indoor-dog-potty-pro-16-x-24-2740740?cm_mmc=PSH%7cGGL%7cSPP%7cSBU04%7cSH6%7c0%7c2URVSVnSrE2koP1nMikiH7%7c58700007475444199%7cPRODUCT_GROUP%7c0%7c0%7cpla-1455570211093%7c131995355474%7c15084559098&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-oqdBhDfARIsAO0TrGF6fJejvBv9d48qS80cZhuFn0KqOGfkF9HFEKPeR25UHj6-J7kYe0EaAs1iEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds I have not personally used these but these may help hold the pee pad up in instead of tape: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pee-Pad-Holder-For-Dogs-Potty-Training-For-Leg-Lifting-Dogs-Marking-In-The-House-Any-Size-Puppy-Pads-Magnet-2PC/1647280573?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101118004&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-393207457166:pla-51320962143&wl5=1015474&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=528979255&wl11=online&wl12=1647280573_101118004&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-oqdBhDfARIsAO0TrGHEgOA3G17AUOXKnJPA-1Gn-q4hmuOhdUhNpT9trppaNJfEHZMvsJ8aArw8EALw_wcB Example of something that you could place on the pee pad to help him learn to target. I would buy a plastic version for easy cleaning/wiping off after. At home spray it with a potty encouraging spray and start by placing it outside and taking him potty to it in the regular area he pees in, then gradually moving it closer and closer to a pee pad set up in a corner to teach him to pee on it while its on the pee pads. Reward him with a treat every time he pees on it. Be sure to bring pee pads, something to hold the pee pads up with, a target like the plastic log, wipes to clean it with, and a plastic baggie to store the log in when not in use, all of this folded down shouldn't take up too much space. Log pee target example: https://www.amazon.com/Flameless-Candles-Candlestick-Flowerpot-Ornament/dp/B07MR6VBCJ/ref=asc_df_B07MR6VBCJ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532910988920&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18073801941361114126&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1015474&hvtargid=pla-1393044599903&psc=1 Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Dec. 21, 2022
I bought a porch potty for my balcony. My dogs have always had a yard till now. They will lay on it and sit on the porch potty but won’t use it. I have got the neighbours dogs to pee on it while they are also on the balcony to show positive praise and told the neighbours dog good boy lots while peeing on it. I have took both of my dogs pee in the snow and put it on the porch potty in hopes their own scent would help I also did this with their poop. I also sprayed it with a product designed to make dogs pee on pee pads and that also didn’t work. My dogs are very smart but won’t use the potty :(
Nov. 11, 2022
Odin and Octavia's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, First, the area might be too small. You may need to start by creating a larger area using multiple grass pads laid out together on the balcony until the dogs get used to using that area...Generally a dog needs a potty area to be four times their own width and length at least, in order for their desire to keep a confined space clean not to be discouraging them to go potty there. If there is another dog they get along with well enough to be left on the balcony with, then when weather is good, you may need to spend two days per dog, hanging out on the balcony all day with the dog who will use the grass pad whenever they need to go, so that the area smells like a potty, they are seeing another dog go, but also, so that they are out there long enough that your dog can't just hold it to go elsewhere and due to watching the other dog and smelling it, is more encouraged to go there also. You may need to go inside and spy from on them from inside if your dog believes they aren't supposed to go potty there, and is less likely to go with you present. If you do that, make sure the area is safe for them to be left on the balcony without you though, and with each other. The first time you do this, your dog will probably hold it for 8-12 hours until they finally give in and go. Be ready to praise and reward and let them inside again as soon as they go, to help your dog see that you want them to go potty instead of them expecting a punishment. You will need to repeat this waiting out process for a couple of days until your dog gives in after holding it all day, and starts to go potty there more easily as they see it's acceptable. Again, make the grass area larger for about a month, until the dogs are comfortable easily going potty out there, then very gradually decrease it back to the current size slowly. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Nov. 14, 2022