When it comes to potty training your puppy, many new pup parents begin in the home on pads before transitioning outside. Suppose you live in an apartment or area where you cannot easily go outside several times a day or, perhaps worse still, take them out because your dog is not yet fully vaccinated and there is no place safe for him/her be; then potty pads are a great way to housebreak your puppy before moving them outdoors. Using the same spot will assist your dogs in learning where they want to pee and start forming muscle memories faster so as to learn this habit fast.
Potty pads have come a long way since the days when people used newspaper or pieces of cardboard that would get mushy and fall apart, or towels that needed washing every now and then. Well, thanks to the current technological advancement regarding dog’s products, today we have potty pads! These are indoor protective, extra absorbent moisture-locking (depending on the brand), odor-wicking mats that will save your floors from any mess.
How To Set Up Potty Pads In The Home
Get started with off with his toilet teaching by picking up an always-pup’s pad at home. Start off by covering a larger area with 3-4 potties until your pet becomes more accurate about targeting the pad alone. Using the same spot will help ingrain into their minds where they should pee as well as create the muscle memory of going there which helps in forming this good habit faster.
The Fastest Way to Potty Train: Create a Potty Schedule
Just like it sounds, a potty training schedule lists times throughout each day when you’ll need to let your puppy out. Our team at The Puppy Academy recommends introducing structured scheduling for bathroom stops during which time he can ‘hold it’ until after some time when he will know where he can go. We also have sample schedules and additional tips for toilet training on our blog link.
Positive Reinforcement
Much of creating positive associations in puppy training comes with rewards and praise. Whenever your puppy goes potty on their potty pad at the right time, celebrate! Give them a pat and consider giving them a little treat as well! Basically, they just did what you asked of them, and you want to teach them that action results in something good.
Common Mistakes New Puppy Parents Make
Everybody makes mistakes even when it is their first time to house train puppies. You need to know these tips if you plan to use pads for the process: Watch your dog while he pees every single time. The odds are high that sometimes your puppy might descend onto the floor instead of continuing with his business on the mat due to being inexperienced. Use their collar/harness, leash, or pen around the pad area to help with this. Also, do not let your dog begin playing or tearing up his potty pads because as per its view turning the pads into toys can be quite confusing for him/her.
Troubleshooting Accidents on Potty
Potty training accidents can happen for various reasons. First, many dog owners do not take their dogs out often enough to go potty. Young puppies cannot hold it long and you may have waited too long to take them outside. Also, if you are moving the potty pad while they are still learning, this may confuse them and slow down their housebreaking process. Lastly, if your puppy is having accidents in his crate, it may be too big for him. Make sure that you choose the right size of crate for your puppy with enough room for him to stand up, sit down lie down or turn around without too much extra space.
Keeping Puppy Pads Clean
Change the pad after use every time so that it remains clean always. Many dogs will refuse walking on a pad that has already been soiled, lest they track little pee paw prints all over your house. Whenever they need to relieve themselves, there will always be a clean spot for your dog.
Should You Use Puppy Pads?
When it comes to toilet training tools, puppy pads can be an excellent choice especially for those who live in apartments or own dogs that ‘go’ frequently. They come with convenience and versatility but using them might prolong transitioning onto outdoor potties only.It is important though that each dog behaves differently from others thus its bowel control aptitude may differ from others’. Finally, This journey will require consistency, patience and positive reinforcement as your best friends during this period of time.