pad training VS going outside

[lovespandp]

I have a 8mo and a 1 1/2 year old they are both pad trained...well the 8 month old is acting up...is it easy to train to go outside??? what do you all prefer?

[bellasmomok]

I don't think any potty training is very "easy". I would think of retraining a pup to go outside rather than on a pad as simply starting over. All the training you did in the beginning.....countless accidents, etc....is what you'll have to go through to retrain him to go outdoors, except it may very well take longer since he is having to "unlearn" something and "learn" something else.

Personally, I have pad-trained Bella (9 mo), and sometimes I really wish I hadn't (because of the accidents.....very few at home, but visiting other homes is a totally different story and is confusing to her)....but on those freezing days and rainy days, I'm so glad to not have to make her go out!! Soooo....I guess you win some and lose some really.

After she's a year old, I plan to strengthen her training a bit by teaching her to hold it (since pad trained dogs don't understand that concept because they always have access to their pads, whereas outdoors trained dogs can only go out when they are taken and so have to hold it until then).....it will probably be a super "fun" process, but if she can get that down, then it will be well worth it!

[Patti]

I agree with Tara. When pad trained they never learn to hold it. I got Pixie at 13 months ans she was not trained in the least. I had Cali who was pad trained and my older pom who is only trained to go outside. I tried pad training Pixie and she would not train to the pads and had many many accidents. Then one day she just started to go outside like my Pom. So I made a big deal whenever she goes outside and give herr treats. She is 3 now and while she still has the occassional accident she goes outside most of the time. Now Roxie and Cali only use the pads and will never go outside even on walks.

[Erin]

It took me from 3 months old (when we got him) until about 10 months to train Loki. We got Sammy at 10 months old and it took about 6 months to train her. They ring a bell to go outside. We don't have a fence so they go out on leashes (flexis while i stand on the porch or inside the door) and that works because I'm right there to reinforce it. I could never pad train Loki anyway, since he pees like a gallon a day, but still I prefer them going outside. Even when it was super cold they just went really fast and they peed next to the porch. There is something about the routine of asking to go out, getting the leash on, going outside that they catch onto. Pee pads give them permission to pee in the house. They learn to pee in a certain spot, like the laundry room, whether a pad is there or not. Also, they mistake throw rugs as pads. Crate training helped. It was a big job to train them but it was worth it!

[Britster]

Originally Posted by Erin

It took me from 3 months old (when we got him) until about 10 months to train Loki. We got Sammy at 10 months old and it took about 6 months to train her. They ring a bell to go outside. We don't have a fence so they go out on leashes (flexis while i stand on the porch or inside the door) and that works because I'm right there to reinforce it. I could never pad train Loki anyway, since he pees like a gallon a day, but still I prefer them going outside. Even when it was super cold they just went really fast and they peed next to the porch. There is something about the routine of asking to go out, getting the leash on, going outside that they catch onto. Pee pads give them permission to pee in the house. They learn to pee in a certain spot, like the laundry room, whether a pad is there or not. Also, they mistake throw rugs as pads. Crate training helped. It was a big job to train them but it was worth it!

completely agree!

outside.

[izzierj]

My babies are easy ! One only goes outside, 2 do both and 1 goes outside, comes in and pees NEXT to the wee wee pad !

[xoxodoglover89]

Originally Posted by Erin

It took me from 3 months old (when we got him) until about 10 months to train Loki. We got Sammy at 10 months old and it took about 6 months to train her. They ring a bell to go outside. We don't have a fence so they go out on leashes (flexis while i stand on the porch or inside the door) and that works because I'm right there to reinforce it. I could never pad train Loki anyway, since he pees like a gallon a day, but still I prefer them going outside. Even when it was super cold they just went really fast and they peed next to the porch. There is something about the routine of asking to go out, getting the leash on, going outside that they catch onto. Pee pads give them permission to pee in the house. They learn to pee in a certain spot, like the laundry room, whether a pad is there or not. Also, they mistake throw rugs as pads. Crate training helped. It was a big job to train them but it was worth it!

I agree as well. My furbaby is bell trained as well. I also don't have a fence so I also use a flexi and stand in the doorway while she goes out to potty. When she was young, I tried to pee pad train her. It worked for awhile, but eventually she started going next to the pads or she'd just chew them up. It definitely took awhile, but now I'd say she's 99.9% trained to go outside.

[SRD]

I pad trained my chi girl when she was a puppy, and she was doing well with it, until one day I took her out of town to my cousin's, and she just got so confused and it took her some time to get back to where she was. so I realized the problem and decided to outside train her, it took me literally a year to have her fully switched, it was such a pain.
the same goes for my yorkie gal dolly, I got her when she was already 8 month, and was pad trained already, so I had to retain her to go outside.
but now they are very reliable and Im glad I did it. the house does not smell at all, no accidents next to the pad, and I saved so much money for not having to buy the pads. and since we live in the sunny FL, cold weather isn't really a issue. in case of a hurricane or something, I would have them do it in the garage, which doesn't happen that often~

[LoveMyJake]

I prefer outside, but mine are trained for both. I started out pad training because of our very cold winters. I live in a snow-belt area, so we get tons of snow in the winter. I didn't want them going out in all that bad weather if they didn't have to. Once spring came, I started taking them out. I think they prefer going outside, of course. They love going out and running around, and they get good exercise that way. But, when it's horrible weather with below zero temps, it's nice that they can use the pads. If the temps aren't too bad, I will still take them out. It's just nice to have the choice.

[bellasmomok]

Originally Posted by Erin

Also, they mistake throw rugs as pads.

I've heard that some do this, but I have several rugs, and Bella has never peed on them!! Apparently she understands the difference between her pads and rugs. Even when we went to my aunt's, there were several pads all around (a different kind than hers), and she dabbled with ALL of them, lol! But again, not on any of the rugs that were around.

To be honest, even though she is VERY good about the pad, the simple fact that when we're at other people's homes and she has accidents, has made me want to retrain her to go outside instead. I have a feeling it will be a looooong struggle. The main reason I didn't want to outside train was because I didn't want to have to blow her dry on rainy days......what do you all do? I keep her in a long coat (well it's only really modified long right now since she's only 9 mo. old....not really long, long yet) and will continue to do that, but even ones that are kept pretty short must still get wet and need dried after going out, right?? Could I try putting a pad on the porch on those days and see if she would just go on it outside rather than going out in the rain???

[hugz4all4]

Tucker (4 months) was the only dog Ive had that I decided to pee pad train and after about 2 months of it, I started taking him outside. I started with the pee pads cause he was so little when I got him and it was already really cold here and to be honest I thought it would be so much easier for me. However like the others said he started to pee on anything that was cloth based (I used washable pads) and he started to have more accidents in the house then when he was really little.(which I still dont understand ??) So now we got outside, its been more work with him than other dogs Ive had, but he is catching on. I have to take him out every hour while he is awake or he will pee/poo in the house. I was leaving the pad down for inbetween times or if I lost track of time but I was afraid that it was confusing him so I dont leave them down anymore. When he has to go now he will head to the door so he is almost there!! Im looking forward to when he can hold it longer cause going out every hour is a pain in the booty.

[viviansnickers]

Snickers is trained to go outside and I would not have it any other way. The thought of poop and pee in the house makes me queesy and to think he always would be stepping in it on soiled pads is not appetizing to me either. It took me 4 months to train Snick and he still has the occasional accident but we are very good to take him out every 4 hours or so. He goes right to the door when he needs to go. Our doorwall is attached to our patio and my husband gated it off and put wood chips down and thats his potty spot and no leash needed. He is also trained to go on a pad in the garage when it is raining outside or extrenely frigid, but he hates it b/c after awhile it gets dirty in there. But he still will go. The best is he wipes his paws on the entrance mat after he comes in. Could not ask for more. OUTSIDE ALL THE WAY!!

-Vivian

[erika1948]

Both my poodle who has passed on and my yorkie use both. They both started outside but picked up on the pads easily without much effort on my part. Especially my poodle seemed to understand that when I was away she was to use the pads. My yorkie male is pretty good about it although he sometimes still goes on a throw rug or wherever he pleases. Maybe he learned from her! Once in awhile I still kneel in a wet spot!! Using pads is a real godsend in the middle of the night when he has to go. Only thing is that sometimes he will whine to wake me up and show me that he did it right!!

Erika