Don't know what anyone's reaction to this will be. Did find a thread on this from last year or the year before. It seemed a bit polarizing as far as opinions. But I invested in the potty training puppy apartment.
Modern Puppies - Potty Training a Puppy
2 factors are that we live in an apartment, and I work full time. Also, it's still winter and that I don't want him outside where the other local dogs go until all his shots are done and he is old enough for flea/tick/heart worm protection. So I made this investment.
I got Bentley on Saturday and the PTPA did not arrive until Wednesday. So before that it was an playpen with pee pads out. He was hit and miss when he was allowed out to play. Many accidents were just outside his pen so it was not a matter of being too far away. After setting it up and introducing him to it, it was playtime. He was back the hall when all of a sudden he made a beeline for the kitchen where his apartment was, hopped in and did his business. I was shocked.
He's gone from 50% accuracy to I would easily say 95-99% accuracy. The 2 accidents he has had I will admit, unintentionally I basically set him up for failure. But even after the accidents, he get's right back on track.
Once he's all trained using the apartment and he's able to go outside I'll let him start to potty outside as well. I just really needed something that I felt he had space to do his business while I'm at work. Once I know he's at almost 100% accuracy I will end up either buying their fencing or come up with something on my own to give him a "play yard" during the day.
Bentley's very content with it and I could not be happier.