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Originally Posted by Tiskers  Oh no, these replies are not very encouraging!!! Wah!!! 
Great idea about gradually making his area bigger, thanks. I've thought about that, but the way our home is laid out makes it very hard to just give him one room, etc. Well, except for a bedroom or a bathroom, but that would really separate and isolate him... and I'm SURE he'd claw and scratch and ruin the doors!!!
I've thought about trying to gate off the kitchen, but there are 3 doorways, and the cats must go through the kitchen to get to the basement where their kitty litter is. It would just be very impractical and awkward at best.
I would really hate to have to send him to the post-a-note factory... (I told him he's probably too little, the glue factory wouldn't want him!) I keeed, I keeeed!!! |
I have the yard x pens. They are plastic and you can add as many sections as you want so you can make a large area. My pup is 8 months old and hasn't had an accident in a long time. I use the Iris pad holder and love it. I think it helps him understand it is his potty because he has to step over the frame. I have one in the laundry room on the main floor and one upstairs. He has gradually earned access to the main level of our house one area at a time. Our downstairs is very open so I used the yard x to confine him. At one time, I pretty much had the panels all around our whole den area. I still don't let him upstairs unless I'm up there too. I still keep him confined to kitchen and den when I'm not home. With the open layout of our house, I've had to get creative with confinement. I agree with others about too many pads around. Most training info I've read says pups learn where their potty spot is, so it seems same location is important. Finley will be in dining room and I see him running to laundry room to potty. But... We took him to the beach a couple of weeks ago and he did great there. I showed him where his potty was several times and praised and gave treats. I think he recognizes his pad holder now. I've done this with 3 other pups and they've all done great. The others were girls, and I was worried about success with a boy. It is a lot of work. Hope this helps.