# Transition from wee wee pad to outside?



## The Dogman Commeth (Jan 30, 2009)

Hey everyone!

Been having crazy bathroom problems with my newly adopted doxie! I usually left him in the crate while i was not home, or went out for a while, and all he did was poop in his crate, and it was a big mess. He was going all over his crate the past few days, and I decided to give wee wee pads a try to at least get him out of the habit of going INSIDE his crate. It worked! I put the pad down about 4 feet from his crate. I went out for about 20 minutes to the store, and I came back to find a yellow stain on the pad, and believe me, I went nuts and showed him MUCH appreciation! i felt we needed to do this because at night, in his crate, he would sleep there in his feces, and it was just so rough to watch, to clean up, and to see him be a part of. But now, since he went pee on the pad twice, I'm ecstatic, and hope it continues!

So now, how can I make a smooth transition from this to outside training? i know it will take gradual change, but just an idea of what protocol to follow?

Do I let him get consistent with going on the weewee pad where it is now? Move it farther away as weeks go?
Move it outside, just to get him comfortable with going in the weather (he SHIVERS and runs away when we go out now, so wee wee pads inside for a bit is a good solution).

I also have the spray that attracts dogs to go to the bathroom where you spray it (currently using it on the weeweepads).

Any suggestions are welcomed!

Thanks!


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## jbray01 (Dec 26, 2007)

using the wee pad is fine for now, but if you come home and find a yellow spot on it and reward your dog, he probably doesn't know what he is being rewarded for. he would only really get it if he was getting rewarded as he was doing his business. just the same if you were to scold him for pooping in his crate. he will probably have no idea what he is in trouble for.

i would keep that in mind going forward with the housetraining. you need to catch your dog in the act of pottying in the right/wrong place. i am personally not a fan of the wee pads because i think that it trains your dog that going potty in the house is good.

but since you are already using them, i think you can maybe use them as a backup system. keep an eye on him and when he shows signs of needing to go out, take him out and reward like crazy when he goes outside. i would lay off reinforcing the pee pads if you want to eliminate them altogether. when you take him outside, try and keep him to one spot. try not to wander all over the place. he will eventually choose one area of the yard that becomes his pee spot.

maybe find a spot outside where he seems to like to go and spray a little or your spray there since he is used to going where he smells that.


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## The Dogman Commeth (Jan 30, 2009)

But if he does not go on the pee pads, he will just continue to go in his crate!


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

Lucky you, my puppy refuses to go on the wee wee pads! we just ordered him a really nice coat so that we can start bringing him outside because the wee wee pads are such a pain (I have the spray too, but no luck!). As long as he's using them, I'd say go with it until you buy him a coat as well, and the wee wee pads do suggest moving them closer to the door and then outside.


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## The Dogman Commeth (Jan 30, 2009)

He doesn't even go do the bathroom UNLESS I LEAVE THE ROOM. He will then immediately go after he cries and barks. He will poop 3 times in a row, without me there, middle of the day, without eating anything since 7 am!

What can i do to solve this?

Is this something he will grow out of?

I'm just losing ideas...if placed in the crate during the day, he will go INSIDE the crate. If kept outside the crate, he MIGHT go on the wee wee pad, might not -- depends! And he's too scared of the outside world totally -- I don't know if it's the cold or the grass, but he just runs away from them both. WITH THE SPRAY!

I have tried manually placing him on the wee wee pad 5 minutes after he's done eating, and he just moves off it...

Is my dog retarded?? lol

????


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

Nah, my pup will start squating...We'll place him on the wee wee pad and he won't go! I'd really suggest a coat, when I get mine I'll tell you how well it works for him. My pup will bear the cold for a little bit and go outside, he peed a couple times inside today but he pooped outside and that's what matters haha...

basically, puppies are untrained, unpredicatble creatures. They'll pee or poo where ever they want unless it's drilled into their brains that they can't. It will take quite some time depending on how old your pup is and what-not, but they are just learning so you can't label them 'retarded'.


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## The Dogman Commeth (Jan 30, 2009)

No I know lol I was only kidding...and my boy is 4 months.

Here is the normal course of things for him:

Wake up, try walk/potty -- nothing
Breakfast at 7 am
TRY to walk outside -- nothing
Bring him back him, put him in his room for 5-6 hours when i go to school with wee wee pad, sprayed down
I come home, poop and pee either on the pad/on the floor (hardwood)
Walk outside (nothing)
Dinner -- 10 minutes later, walk outside (nothing) WITH SPRAY ON GRASS (he doesn't even go near grass, he runs AWAY from it)
I leave him in his room for a while while I do some work; come back, poo and pee either on the pad or on the floor.

Is this normal? What would be my next step knowing this info?


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Just thought I'd mention this in case you aren't aware...You can buy adult bed pads for incontinence at Walgreens/Costco/Sam's/Walmart for much less money than buying dog "WeeWee" pads. Work the same, but less money.

And I would keep moving the pad closer to the door a littel at a time.


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## The Dogman Commeth (Jan 30, 2009)

I didn't know that, thanks spotted!

But in terms of what I listed above (scared of the outside/grass, going when I leave him alone), is this normal? How do I correct him if he goes when I don't see? (I have tried looking signs, but when I see them, and put him on the pad, he doesnt go until i leave)


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Not sure where you live, but if it's really cold, you might want to buy him a sweater. If he is cold outside or uncomfortable, that may be making him not want to go. You may need to carry him out and put him down in the grass. Give him a treat/play with him out there for a little bit to get him comfortable out there. 

Put some of his poop in the spot you want him to go. If you have a friend with a dog, see if he'll bring him over and let his dog go potty there. If possible, let your dog see him do it. Sometimes dogs like to go where other dogs go.

Try taking him out when you get home, if no potty, bring him in and play with him/feed him (young puppies should be eating 3 times a day), keep him tethered to you and take him out again. Try again every 20 min. Puppies normally need to go when they wake up, after eating, after playing. Keeping him tethered, and looking for signs (sniffing the ground, or stopping what he is doing (playing), and carrying him outside will help. Sometimes rubbing their belly will encourage them to go.

Clean accidents with an enzyme cleaner like Natures Miracle or "Kids n Pets", so they won't continue to smell where they pottied and return. If you clean up pee that isn't on the wee wee pad, you can use the pad to wipe some up. Leave that pad where he likes to go so he'll smell his pee on it and want to return there. (Doesn't need to be a lot of pee on the pad...just a little.)

Ignore accidents. If you catch him in the act, just say..."You need to go out", and take him out. Praise him highly when he goes outside or on the wee wee pad.

Many dogs like privacy to go. If you have a spot where there is a bush he can g o behind, maybe try using that spot. I have an adult dog that was a stray for 2 yrs that will back up to a bush, and put his butt almost on the bush and go.


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