Puppy apartments?
 

Hi I'm new to this forum and I'm getting a 8 week old puppy next week. I want to potty train him so he can do his business inside of our apartment. Has anyone heard of puppy apartments? Modern Puppies - Potty Training a Puppy it's a crate with a divider that leads to a puppy pad. I'm thinking if I should get this and wanted to know if there was anyone out there that used this and worked.

I have no experience with the puppy apartment. Mine is pee pad trained, and I used the play pen method. You place them in play pen with pee pads at one end and food dishes at the other. I would feed her in there and keep her in there until she peed, praise her, take her out. If you have a very young pup, it could take a little while for this process. The breed is notorious for being slow to potty train.

There may be some other people on the site who have potty trained more than I. I have only trained two pets.

Is there any way you can have the breeder keep the pup for 4 more weeks? it's better for the pup and it's easier for the both of you to adjust. I haven't clicked the link yet, but it sounds like a good system. I much prefer Gidget629's method better. That's how I trained my 1 and a half year old to use potty pads after being outside potty trained.

That is a good idea about the 4 weeks more. I did not catch on the OP that the pup was only 8 weeks old.

Those actually look like a great idea! I used a large crate with my first one and I just folded the pad up on one side.

I know you want to do everything just right. However, your pup is only 8 weeks of age, just being weaned from it's mother and to even consider taking it away from it's mother is not in it's best interest or yours. It's barely beginning to eat well on it's own. Transitioning it to a new home is stressful, they do go off of food in a new environment. The possibility of hyperglycemia is great. They can't be over handled, this can also lead to hyperglycemia as well as coccidia a common problem that a pup can contract from their mother and it manifests itself under a stressful situation.

From 8 to 12 weeks mother begins training in earnest. Begins to socialize the pup, teaches it where in the pack the puppy fits in. Mom begins to potty train it, teaches it how to play.

The breeder begins to socialize it with humans, how to conduct itself. Puppy shots don't begin until approximately 9 weeks of age and the pup shouldn't leave the breeder's home until it's 2nd shot at approximately 12 weeks of age.

There is wonderful information on the YTCA.org page on when the best age is for a pup to be transitioned to it's new home

What kind of contract is your breeder providing. Is she providing you a guarantee for life threatening diseases and for how long. Does she offer a money back should a life threatening disease happen? Liver Shunt, etc.

Welcome to Yorkie talk:D

I watched most of the video in the link and that is a terrific idea:D

I guess I can do that instead and save a lot of money! haha. but I'm a new puppy owner and I had no idea that its not good for the puppy to leave at 8 weeks. I can't do anything about it now because he's already on his way to me =(
Dvlshangel- how does the playpen method work? Do you keep your dog in there all day or only when it's time to eat? I was just going to put him in my laundry room gated, with a bed and pee pads in there.

Congrats and Welcome to YT !!
 

That video was great , which I had heard of it sooner ! Sounds like a great idea.
I always train my furbabies , the hard way, I made sure I will b home for at least a week sometime it takes a little longer, and that's all I do all day and evening is work with my furbabys , until it's train first on the pads and than outside.

Good Luck !! And Congrats and ur new furbaby.

bark@ulater!!!!
manina,mileyandmax

I don't think you need to spend money on the "puppy apartment" when you can get a crate and put a pad down on one side and a bed down on the other side...the diver is un-needed. As long as the pad and the bed don't over lap I'm sure the dog can figure it out.

It's the exact same idea. Pup is kept in a confined area that has sections. One area for pottying, eating and playing. The smaller the space at first he better because that'll give them a chance to be successful. No free roam until they're trustworthy. I like playpens better because in a laundry room you never know what they may find and get into.

it seems like a great idea but i think the exact same effect could be achieved by buying a three door(or 2 door) crate and buying a divider and cutting a hole in the divider and filing it down so its not sharp. the crate they use looks exactly like mine.
As for potty training i put Gatsby is a closed off area with food and a bed at one end and potty pads at another

I am bringing a new puppy home tomorrow. I too was looking at the puppy apartment but don't have time to order it in. I wanted to start off right. My little boy is 12 weeks old. I do have a crate and was thinking of making a divider out of cardboard. It only has one door. It is a good size crate though. I didn't know if just putting a pad on one side and his bed on one side would work. Didn't want to confuse him where he sleeps.

The first night I have him home should I ignore his cries in the night if I crate him and put the pad on one side? With my other yorkie a I woke in the night for about two months to let them potty. Or if I do the pen method should I let him cry in the night?

I don't let them cry during the night. I have always wanted them to know that they were safe and that I would respond to their needs. To that end, I've been known to sleep on the floor next to the crate for a time.

I've always responded by getting them out and taking them to the potty pad. No playing, no talking and then taking them back to the crate. I don't let them potty inside the crate because that defeats the purpose of crate training.

Donna you are a good mother. I appreciate your thoughts. I also would get up and let them out and only speak to them by saying "make peeps" and then put them back in their crates. Just like my kids when they were babies.....no talking just take care of business and then put them back to bed.

I wanted to keep him in my bedroom as I have with my first Yorkie but now that I have menopause issues and my bedroom is at 62 degrees with the air on full blast I don't want him to catch a cold! LOL! So will keep him downstairs in my family room. I am worried though about that because with my air on I might not hear him cry. Thinking when I get up for nightly potty myself that I should just go down and put him out.

I would really like to try to potty train in the house this time around. I have a block wall around my back yard, as we have a pool, and my puppies never went potty in the grass. Only on the concrete. My husband used to hate that as sometimes they would go by my patio furniture and the smell would come out when it was hot. So trying to avoid that this time around. Want to keep peace you know!

Hmmm, since he is going to be in another room you might want to pick up an inexpensive baby monitor to hear Winston.

Good idea. I have one. Never thought of that. Thank you. Just like when the grand babies would sleep over.

I have the puppy apartment, but I have to say I prefer to use my white iris playpen ( the four sided one) with potty pads down, and a bed and some food. It's cheaper, she can move around, she's happier. Btw I own 3 puppy apartments. One at my work, one at home, and one at my boyfriends... And I almost never use them.

We have the puppy apartment in a size small as well. We love it! KS was potty trained fast and never has accidents. She sleeps in the bed with us now and only uses it to potty in now. It was pricey but it was well worth the money for us. I thought potty training was going to be so hard but this made it super easy!

Our little girl just turned 2 & we finally gave in & bought the puppy apartment. Have only had it 2 days so too early to give a review. The bedroom area appears small but Hope is very comfortable sleeping there. She's been use to using a pad by the back door or going outside but she's quite & difficult to pick up her signs of having to potty. We have a vacation coming up so we thought this might be easier for my daughter with 2 kids to watch her while were gone. This way they won't have to worry about taking her out. It may be more difficult to train since she's older but she picks up tricks well. Hoping with lots of praise this will be a success.

Help...desperate pee pee pad training ......
 

Hi all.....I have posted before about this same problem. Seems I am a bit winded and need to vent and seek help!

I am so frustrated with my 10 month old Winston. I wanted to pee pee pad train him as I travel for the winter and wanted to be able to keep him in the condo when I am away. It would have been so much easier as we go out of the country and it is a little difficult to find places to potty him.
Well I have been successful in that when I put him in his special crate to potty(sort of a puppy apartment type of crate it is expandable) and tell him to Pee Pee he instantly does it. But......he will very very seldom go in on his own to do his business. That puppy apartment video shows the dog jumping in and out on his own....really does it work that way. Maybe the idea is good but I need the video to see how they train them. Maybe I did something wrong in the training process?

We just came back from Mexico and taking him was extremely stressful. He had multiple accidents. I try to keep up with him every couple of hours but sometimes I got caught up in cooking ect...and would forget to potty him and he would go right on the rugs. I had to pick up all the owners rugs and tuck them under beds. Of course there were two I could not pick up and those he chose to use. When we went out for extended amounts of time I would leave him in his pee pee area and he chose to pee pee somewhere else. A couple of times he did go into his area (walk in shower with glass doors that shut) this was when I too was in the bathroom with the bathroom door closed and he was stuck inside the bathroom.

He also has been neutered and had his extra baby teeth pulled. He had many chewing toys all over the condo but instead chose to chew the furniture. I was so upset having to find things to repair the furniture in the condo.

He is 10 months old now. Is this normal? Do I keep up with the same routine that it will eventually kick in and work? I have had many yorkies and all were easily potty trained. I potty trained all of them outside though.

He is not sleeping in the area where he potties. I only put him in the side that is divided when I am not going to be home for a long time.

In Mexico we let him sleep with us in bed as he didn't want to sleep in his play pen and would fuss and wake me up at night. It was no problem as he slept in a king size bed with us even though he insisted he needed so sleep right next to me. Upon our arrival home last night, I did put him in his crate next to our bed. He fussed a bit but did fall asleep. I don't have a king size bed at home and so really don't want him to sleep with us as I won't get sleep. So he sleeps separate to where he potties.

So this morning I placed a bell on the door and thought we would try the outside potty thing. Maybe he just isn't going to catch onto the pee pee pad thing and needs to go outside I thought. He refused to go outside to pee pee. Even yesterday after holding it a good 8 hours he would not go at the dog relieving spots at the airport. He held it until we got home and went in his potty crate. So this morning he wouldn't relieve himself outside not even outside on a puppy pad. After about an hour or so I just gave up and put him back inside the house in his potty crate and he went. Needless to say the morning was stressful for both of us.

Since we just got back from being away for two months I thought let's start with a fresh approach and use the bell on the door idea.

This morning I let his paw hit the bell then took him out to a spot with his pee pee pad. He wouldn't stay there or go. Then I brought out the play pen and put the pad in there to confine him a bit. Nothing....just jumping and getting all worked up. Took him back in and crated him on the bed side. Took him back out to the outside potty pen. Did this for about an hour. Nothing and he had to go as he held it all night. Now it is raining where we live and also cold. Hard to train him in these weather conditions. He hears the rain and get's scared and also doesn't want to get his paws wet. HA! Funny

Appreciate the help from anyone. Would love the indoor thing to work. What to do?

I just don't know what to do. I am so perplexed and I really need some helpful advice. I love him so very much. He is a ma ma's boy. Can't help but think I just can't get this to work. I just don't like him much though when he does these bad things.

Help please. Many thanks in advance.

Hi Teddy's Mom
Do you think my dog is not successful with the puppy apartment idea because I did not have the dvd for training? Wondering if I did something wrong. How did you get your little one to use the concept?

I think your throwing too many different things at him. He doesn't know what you want him to do. When they go someplace they are not familiar with they wont know where to go. I would stick with the puppy apartment but keep him in there. He needs to sleep on the bed side and pee on the potty side. I would only take him out when you can watch him every second.
Tether him to you if you have to. If you see him start to squat bring him to the potty side and praise him a lot. If he has an accident because he got away from you I would let him no firmly 'No No' and clean it up then ignore him for a while. When he does potty in the right place treats and praise..
As to travelling I think you are going to have to just bring belly bands with you until he is older. I used the big version of a puppy apartment and it worked although I really had to stick to keeping her in there when she wasn't watched. the puppy apartment is gone and a pee pad holder is in its place. She sleeps in a medium sized crate with a pad at night and it works great for us. She has occasional accidents but its usually because we didn't change the pad fast enough and she doesn't like to walk on pee! Good luck!

Appreciate your thoughts very much. I have been pee pee pad training at home for 5 months since I brought him home. He caught on quickly to go on demand when I put him in. Just won't go in on his own. We Left to go away in January. Two months while we where away he was shown were to potty in his new home. Now that we are back I thought I would try the outside idea since it doesn't seem he understands to go on his own. I thought I was really very consistent with him. How long does it take before they get the idea of where to go? Maybe I am not giving it enough time yet.

Ptpa
 

I ordered one of these; it arrived the day my puppy came home last Thursday so I started using it right away.

My baby got very sick with coccidiosis over the weekend, and by Monday she was so sick the vet initially thought she had Parvo. She is doing great now thank God, but while she was so sick she pretty much just pottied wherever she was and I didn't care. I figured her illness probably set us WAY back on the potty training, but my baby is so smart!

I can't bear to lock her in the apartment at night, she sleeps with me. If she is restless, I let her down on the floor and she will eat or drink or play with her toys and I let her back up if she paws at the bed. The Puppy Apartment is in my room; I leave it in the hallway to the Master Bathroom with all the doors open. My Lyla goes in there ON HER OWN to potty, and I'm so proud of her! Apparently she got the idea within the first couple of days that that is where she is supposed to potty. She still has a few accidents when she seems to "forget" where her potty is. But when she wakes from a nap and I set her on the floor, she goes to the potty room all by herself; three times yesterday and three times so far today, including going#1 and #2. I'm thinking she should be fully potty trained within a couple of weeks at most. I'm so glad I got the Apartment and kept her in it the first couple of nights so she got the idea where to potty. I think she will be much easier to potty train than I had expected.

I will post an update later on when she is fully trained. Right now I'm thinking it was well worth the money! I will definitely use it for my next Yorkie down the road...because of course Lyla will need a friend! :heart to:

I'm trying to picture the playpen. Does it have doors on it so she can go in when she needs to potty? If not, I'm confused about how it will train her since she won't be able to access it on her own when outside the playpen?