How to Train Your Dog to Use a Pee Pad
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Introduction
There may be many reasons a dog needs to be trained to pee on a pee pad. Dog owners who are immobile may not be able to take their dog outside often enough for the dog to eliminate. Some owners train puppies on pee pads before training the dog to go outside. City dwellers without yards might decide to use a pee pad for their dog inside the apartment. Moreover, older dogs who might not make it outside may find their last years easier using a pee pad. Small breed dogs are often taught to use pee pads because the outdoor elements may be difficult for them to handle as the seasons change. Teaching your dog to use a pee pad could eliminate stress for you as well as your dog. He will not be left fearing punishment after having an accident, and you will not have to worry about messes to clean from carpets and floors.
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Defining Tasks
Using a verbal command such as “potty” will help teach your dog where to go. Pee pad training your dog is not difficult, but it does require patience. To be successful, someone will have to be with your dog for long periods of time over the first few days to show him your expectations for using the pee pads. Puppies will be easier to train to use pee pads, however, adults can be trained as well. It just may take more time and patience, as you are not only teaching him a new skill but potentially changing previous habits. If you want your dog to eliminate on a pee pad always, be prepared for the materials you need and have a space partitioned off within your home to do the training. Keep the pads in the same place, because moving them may require retraining for your dog.
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Getting Started
You will need a few items on hand before you begin to train your dog to pee on pee pads.
- Pee pads
- Treats for rewards
- Patience
- Time with the dog to encourage eliminating every hour or two
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The Keeping a Pee Pad Method
Most Recommended
4 Votes
Most Recommended
4 Votes
Location
Keep your puppy partitioned off and confined to a small area, either a room or a crate large enough for your dog to have a sleeping area separate from her potty area.
Set up
Cover the entire potty area with pee pads and leave your dog.
Introduce command
Take your dog to the potty pad often and use the “potty” command.
Reward
Reward good behaviors while on the pad.
Redirect
If your puppy begins to play or does not eliminate after a few minutes, remove him from the pad and place him back in his sleeping or playing area.
Repeat
Repeat these steps often, keeping in mind a puppy can typically hold his bladder one hour for every month he is old.
Redirect
If your dog has an accident, blot the urine onto a paper towel and place the paper towel on the pee pad to attract your dog’s sense of smell.
Reduce pads
Over time, as your dog learns to use the pee pad, you can decrease the number of pee pads in your dog’s space and open his space to include more of the house.
The Room of Pee Pads Method
Effective
3 Votes
Effective
3 Votes
Set up
Place pee pads across the entire floor of a small room. When possible, use a hard surface floor instead of carpet.
Introduce command
As your dog is learning to use the pee pads, place him in the room with a “potty” command or another verbal cue.
Get acquainted
Each time you visit the room with your pup, let him sniff around without allowing him to play.
Reward
Once the dog eliminates, use the command word again and offer your dog a treat.
Timing
While training, be sure to visit the room often. About ten minutes after eating, visit the pee pad room with your dog, repeating the steps above.
Monitor and reinforce
Keep a close eye on your dog as he trains to use the pee pads. Reward for positive behaviors and redirect if he has an accident elsewhere.
Keep it up
Keep actively training your dog until he can go into the room by himself to eliminate.
Reduce pee pads
As he learns what the pads are for, you can remove some pads and keep only what you need in that room instead of covering the entire floor.
The Keeping Your Dog Away from Pee Pads Method
Least Recommended
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Least Recommended
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Monitor
Keep a close eye on your dog as you bond and play together.
Go to pee pad
Every few minutes, leash walk your dog to a pee pad you have in a separate place within your home.
Introduce command
Place your dog on the pee pad and say a command such as “potty,” so he can associate the word with the action of eliminating.
Redirect
Only keep your dog on the pee pad for a few minutes. If he does not eliminate, do not allow him to play.
Leave potty area
Leash walk him back to the area where you two play and bond.
Repeat
Continue this process with the understanding that once he goes, he should be able to hold his bladder one hour for every month he is old.
Reward
Once he is successful, use the command and treat reward for praise.
Continue
Repeat this process until your dog begins to lead you on his leash to the puppy pad himself. Remember to reward your dog each time he uses the potty on the pee pad
Train with accidents
Try to catch him in an accident and take him to the pee pad with command words and a treat if he is successful.
Written by Amy Caldwell
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 09/27/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Amy Caldwell
Training Questions and Answers
Esang
Shih Tzu
Five Months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My puppy isn't consistent with peeing on her pee pad. Every morning, she pees on it, but during mid-day, she just smells the pad and refuses to pee on it. I also noticed that when the pad is kind of soaked already, say, she peed on it for like 4x, she won't pee there anymore. How do I make her pee on the pad consistently?
Aug. 22, 2022
Esang's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello, First, you will need to change the pad more often, or add a second pad right next to the first if you are gone for too long to be able to change the pad when it gets soaked. Dogs naturally want to avoid going potty in an area that's too soiled. Another option would be to teach pup to use a doggie litter box instead of a pee pad if the soaking it a regular issue, so things may absorb better, or a larger disposable real grass pad. Whichever type of pad or box you teach, to get pup to go potty there consistently, I recommend following the Exercise Pen method from the article I have linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy In order to see progress with pup being motivated to only go potty on the indoor potty spot and not elsewhere, like your rug or carpet, accidents need to stop for long enough for pup to start associating the rest of your home with cleanliness, to form a habit of keeping your home clean. For that to happen, pup needs to have more supervision or confinement when you can't supervise to ensure they are close to a potty when their bladder hasn't been emptied in the past hour. Some dogs have a hard time telling the difference between pee pads made of fabric and carpet and rugs, which are also made of fabric. If you notice all the accidents are on rugs and carpet and pup continues to struggle, I would switch to a disposable real grass pad (often the easiest transition) or a doggie litter box (which uses dog litter that's paper based, not cat litter). Those types of indoor potties can be easier for a dog to tell apart from other things found in your home. Grass pad brands- more expensive upfront but you use each one for a couple of weeks, instead of one day generally. www.porchpotty.com www.freshpatch.com Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Aug. 22, 2022
Lucky
Garaman shepherd
1 Year
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
How to teach a dog to get along with every one
June 28, 2022
Lucky's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello Namita, Is pup currently aggressive toward people or other dogs, shy but not aggressive, or you are just wondering how to get started in general with a dog who might be fine but you don't know yet. If pup is already aggressive toward people and/or other dogs, I recommend hiring professional help and using safety measures like a back tie leash or basket muzzle. If pup is just shy but not aggressive, check out the article I have linked below. Shy dogs: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-socialize-a-shy-dog/ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
June 28, 2022