# Potty Patch?



## BeyondBlessed (Jan 25, 2011)

Anybody have any feelings about this product. I planned to start taking my dog outside when I first got him, but I also planned on getting my yard fenced in as soon as I got a tree cut down, but its taking forever to get this tree cut down. Its been weeks since I got an estimate and gave the okay to cut down the tree, so I called a different place and was supposed to get an estimate this morning and they never showed. My dog has been great at using the puppy pad. Since he's used it he's only had an accident once and that was at the end of the hallway and I'm assuming he got lost, so to speak. Its hard to train a puppy to go outside when you've got to get them on a leash and possibly get your shoes on every time he shows signs before he just does it inside.


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## Fuzzy Pants (Jul 31, 2010)

I got my pup while it was still cold and snowy so trained her to go on piddle pads. Now that she's had her shots and all the snow is gone and I can take her outside she won't go out. I can walk her for 20-30 minutes and she'll hold it then go on her piddle pads as soon as we get in. I have a Potty Patch that she would never use except to lay down on so I might buy a real patch of grass to replace the plastic grass and just put that in her playpen with half of it covered with a piddle pad to try and get her used to going on grass so she'll eventually go outside.


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## mongrelmomma (Mar 18, 2011)

I wouldn't do ANYTHING else besides having your puppy go outside to pee. 

I adopted a shih tzu a few years back that trained with potty pads. Long story short, peeing on any soft surface available is the final graduation step to pee pad/pee patch training.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

What does a tree needing to come down have to do with taking the puppy outside to potty?


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

I get a good laugh every time a commercial for potty patch comes on. The image of 140lb Buster trying to use it...

Id imagine with any indoor potty option you'll run the risk of puppy deciding any soft surface is acceptable to use. For me its just easier to teach mine that they're to potty outside even if that means Im out in all sorts of weather. Ive had Buster out in everything from blizzards to severe thunderstorms...no fenced yard means Im out there with him.


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## BeyondBlessed (Jan 25, 2011)

InkedMarie said:


> What does a tree needing to come down have to do with taking the puppy outside to potty?


Basically if I fence in my yard now there will be no way to get to the tree, and I've tried, but its kind of hard to get my shoes on and leash on him before he does it in the house.


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## Taryn (Feb 9, 2011)

I would never want my dog to think it was anything close to acceptable to potty in the house. The only living creatures that go to the bathroom in house are the cat, who uses a litter box(because he isn't allowed outside) and the people who use the toilet, both of which are in the bathroom. 

All pee pads and potty patches do are teach your dog it's ok to potty in the house, which is the exact WRONG message to send. You want to teach them to not do so otherwise they'll decide where they want to go and it usually isn't where you want them to.

Taryn


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

BeyondBlessed said:


> Basically if I fence in my yard now there will be no way to get to the tree, and I've tried, but its kind of hard to get my shoes on and leash on him before he does it in the house.


ok, I kind of see. We had a fenced in yard then took down a huge apple tree, you put a gate in the fence! In regards to shoes and leash, let me give you some advice that was given to me five years ago when our pbgv puppy came home. First of all, any accidents the dog has is the humans fault. Pup must be supervised at all times, crate if you can't supervise. Second, you don't worry about shoes and leash. You have something on your feet all the time and keep a leash on your dog until he is potty trained. Figure out his schedule; take him out after eating, drinking, napping and playing. If he starts to go, say "no", take him directly outside. You'll be fine without a coat. As you exit your door, use the term you'd like to use to cue the dog. We used, and still do, "go potty".


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## lisak_87 (Mar 23, 2011)

mongrelmomma said:


> I wouldn't do ANYTHING else besides having your puppy go outside to pee.
> 
> I adopted a shih tzu a few years back that trained with potty pads. Long story short, peeing on any soft surface available is the final graduation step to pee pad/pee patch training.


That being said, I DO keep a pee pad around particularly when he has to be kept in the bathroom while we work. He doesn't get praise or anything for using it b/c I don't want to train to it, but he tends to use it anyway (not always though) because it has something on it that attracts him to potty there.


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## BeyondBlessed (Jan 25, 2011)

That's what I was thinking. It didn't take any training at all for him to use the puppy pad, and other than going at the end of the hallway once he hasn't gone on the carpet. I was thinking the potty patch would be a transition to going outside since it looks and feels like grass. There's really not an option for me for at least a couple days a week when I work and go to class. I'm usually gone from 6:30 a.m. until about 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.


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## WTBB (Mar 23, 2011)

I kinda laughed when I saw these potty patches when they came out. I couldnt imagine one of my mastiffs using one...LOL, BIG MESS.

I think it's just a better idea to p/t outside and if you have to work, maybe get an enclosure that is covered so your dog can relieve itself and not be locked up in the house all day.


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## alicia257 (Aug 9, 2009)

Has anyone actually used the potty patch? We have three dogs in an apartment with a patio where they can go potty if we're not home. We were thinking of getting some astroturf or the potty patch or something like that to keep it cleaner. Potty pads and stuff blow away and/or urine runs across the floor.

Also, our female dog doesn't like to go out there, we're not sure why. Instead she'll have an accident in the house if we're not home. We're hoping that putting "grass" out there will help encourage her to go outside.

Any potty patch experiences to share?


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## cynster (Feb 26, 2011)

I use training pads on a rubber mat, and Cosette consistently goes on the pad in case she really needs to go before I take her out. I would imagine you could do the same thing with the grass pads (but they seem like they would be a mess to me). I think it is a great thing to keep a pad for small breeds that aren't able to hold it as well as big breeds. They also aren't as big of a mess when they do go. 

IMO, the grass would begin to smell like urine and there isn't a lot you can do with it. If you want to eventually transition your dog to go outside, I wouldn't bother with the grass pads/real grass in the house. To a dog, it's just a space. If I don't have the pee pad on her rubber mat, she will still go on the rubber mat (I found that out when I was changing it) so I don't think it's a case of anything soft will do. It's a specific area they have to learn to go to. Cosette does both outdoors and indoors consistently with no accidents and no confusion. I would imagine it just takes time and reinforcement. Our rule is that if she has an accident, she has to go back on the leash so I can catch her and correct her. At this point it is very rare for her to make a mistake.


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## BeyondBlessed (Jan 25, 2011)

alicia257 said:


> Has anyone actually used the potty patch? We have three dogs in an apartment with a patio where they can go potty if we're not home. We were thinking of getting some astroturf or the potty patch or something like that to keep it cleaner. Potty pads and stuff blow away and/or urine runs across the floor.
> 
> Also, our female dog doesn't like to go out there, we're not sure why. Instead she'll have an accident in the house if we're not home. We're hoping that putting "grass" out there will help encourage her to go outside.
> 
> Any potty patch experiences to share?


Yes, I started using it. The puppy pads came naturally and this took a little bit of training. At first I sat it on top of a puppy pad, and he'd go off the side of it. Later I sprayed that Nature's Miracle "Go Here" spray and he sniffed around and started using it. I fold up a puppy pad and put it in the tray to save time cleaning up. They sell properly fitting absorbent pads on their website, though. Its pretty easy, I just take it outside and hose it off once a day or so and keep the poop picked up.


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## LittleFr0g (Jun 11, 2007)

> I adopted a shih tzu a few years back that trained with potty pads. Long story short, peeing on any soft surface available is the final graduation step to pee pad/pee patch training.


Not really, Kuma was trained on pee pads first and then transitioned to outside, and we've never had a problem with this. In fact, it's rather handy when it's storming outside.


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## BeyondBlessed (Jan 25, 2011)

Yep, it's been a long time since we've had an accident. Actually it's only happened twice since I had him using puppy pads. He even holds it if I don't have his potty patch down. After hosing it off I'll let it sit out and dry, and when I put it down he'll walk right over to it and use it.


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

Kuma'sMom said:


> Not really, Kuma was trained on pee pads first and then transitioned to outside, and we've never had a problem with this. In fact, it's rather handy when it's storming outside.


Same with my girl Corona.


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## nene (May 6, 2010)

I use the Pup Head with our 11 wk old Westie Gabby and I love it. She was trained to paper when we got her at 9 wks. She switched over to the Pup Head with no problem. We have the absorbant pads that go between the turf and the pan and I wash those about every 2 days. They never seem to smell tho and absorb alot. It is on our sun porch right next to the door to the fenced yard She also goes outside in the yard now that she is big enough to use the dog door and now is going mostly outside but will still occasionally use the pup head. For me it has made house training much less stressful. I praise her when she goes outside and make no comment if she uses the pup head in my presence. Just enjoy your dog and do whatever makes life easier and more enjoyable for the both of you and ignore "horror" storys about what can happen just because you are being flexible with you training.


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## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

I used the potty pads to my advantage to HELP with training Aija to go outside. Once she got ahold of the concept to use the pad, I started taking the pad outside with me, and setting it on the ground, once she got used to going to the bathroom outside (but on the pad) I took the pad away. Since she was already used to being outside and pottying, it turned out great for me, out of all the puppies ive potty trained, she ended up being accident free the fastest. 
Of course all the normal stiff came into play too, if she did do it indoors, id say no and shove her out the door and id always pop a treat in her mouth for going potty outside in any form.


Now that its been over a year without the pads an were totally accident free, I doubt shed even remember the pads, or use one if I needed her too, but they really never counted against me. She never peed on soft surfaces in the house afterward or anything of the sort.


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