this is a good question. i am the same way. i think that if you train him to trya nd use the potty pad until he gets older that is fine. i take Dollar out as much as possible and when I do take him out I set him on the potty pad so that he associates going outside with the potty pad and that way if he does go inside he will use the potty pad! Does that make since. I sometimes wonder if I am confusing Dollar but each dog is different. All we can so is be persistant in our methods and not keep swicthing things up. they will learn.