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Originally Posted by ArmaniMan  Chloe probably pees 10 times a day- she CAN hold it, she does when we are traveling (she held it for over 12 hours when we flew this weekend- I gave her a couple of chances and she wouldn't go), visiting somewhere with no access to pads, or if she is crated for some reason (she hardly gets crated, but she will not soil one if she does). However, in those situations she usually has less access to water and I think that is part of the reason. At home, I see no need to withhold water- I know it does more harm than good- especially for a liver compromised dog. So I let her have as much water as she wants and therefore she pees ALOT. Both of mine have access to pads and use them reliably. I have three pads down around the house and they all get changed twice a day. I know people find them "gross" or think they are just a crutch for lazy small dog owners but to each their own I suppose. I find them to be a necessary part of my dog ownership. There is no way a person who needs to work full time outside the home could get a dog out 10 times a day, even with a walker. Armani goes less times per day but I still like that he can go whenever he chooses. |
I don't think pads themselves are gross.... I just find that with *most* pad trained dogs, I constantly see posts like "oh, he misses it sometimes! But oh well, it's no big deal" and "Yeah, they mistake rugs for pads!" I think
that's gross. I don't care how firm poop is, to just in a sense "allow" it, is a little gross. I know all dogs have accidents, including Jackson. If I'm not diligent enough to take him out (and generally, it IS my fault, for not listening to him barking at the door, thinking he didn't have to go) he will poop in the living room, I'd say it happens once every 3 months.
I just think that if a dog is truly pad trained, they will basically always go on the pad, with a few minor accidents here and there. But I swear, most people I see that use pads say their dogs miss the pad all the time, or just go on a rug. I mean that would be like if my dogs peed as soon as they got to the back door. It's close to being outside, right? So I'll allow it. I wouldn't not ever use pads -- if I had a dog that had to go more frequently, or a young puppy, or possibly even if I lived in a high rise apartment or something, it'd be something I'd definitely consider. Also, if I could not get someone to let Jackson out mid-day and he was home for 8hrs, it'd be something I'd consider, but I doubt he'd use them. Jackson just personally wouldn't use them, even as a young puppy, so I don't think they'd work for us. When we went camping and put 3 expens outside the RV door, the other 2 dogs would go right in the expen, not Jackson! LOL. That boy needs room to sniff, he's so annoying, haha. Oh and I don't like litter boxes either -- hence why I don't have cats, lol. I just don't like pee/poop in the house at all.