[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by Lovely05

I just want to clarify my post. I do not think I explained correctly what I was trying to say. I wonder sometimes if dogs get use to pottying on the pads due to the location of the pads. For example, in my earlier post I said my dogs go potty on their washable mat in my closet even if one washable mat is closer to them. Maybe some dogs recognize the location in the house the owner taught them to go potty and not the mat. This idea is just a theory based on my dogs' behavior. If I want to move the mats, then I have to reteach my dogs to go potty somewhere else. I have to show my dogs where the washable mat is located, and I have to tell them to go potty on the mat ten to thirty minutes after my dog eats for a week. The new owner has to show the dog where to potty, because the environment is different. Maybe the new owner could place the washable pads in the same rooms you paced them to help the dog transition to her new home.

I think you're exactly correct. We recently took an obedience class that was called "proofing." The idea was to teach our dogs to do their behaviors everywhere. If you teach your dog to sit at home, it doesn't mean he's going to know how to sit when you're outside on the grass. You have to teach him. Same with heeling. My dog knew how to heel fine in obedience class, but when I took him to the park with people and strange dogs and smells and said "heel," he didn't know how to do it. I had to teach him it was the same thing.

So I think you're absolutely right about potty training. The dog has to learn how to do it correctly everywhere. Once he's proofed, though, they're home free.