Potty Training
 

When potty training a puppy should I get a pee pad or just take him outside a lot. I have heard to do both, which is better?

Depends on your yard or lack thereof, how much you are home, and many other things. A lot of people use just the pads inside; that's what I do. I'm 1.) lazy and would rather clean my bathroom once more a week than walk downstairs from the apartment 12 times a day. 2.) My yorkie, Luca Dean, was 5 months and untrained when I got him, so pee pad training was sort of the best option so I could grab him if he goes in the house and send him straight to the pad. 3.) More convenient to use pads and able to travel with them and not worry about him not going b/c he's somewhere unfamiliar. 4.) I plan to grow the coat and want to keep him cleaner 5.)There are lots of other dogs around my huge complex, and he may remain unneutered (depending ... ) and males spend all day sniffing outside if they are unneutered -- wanna put a few drops on every tree.

Now, if you own a home with a fenced in yard, you may consider having a pee pad outside and in to help him understand he can only go on the pad, and that way he can relieve himself if not kenneled while you are gone. These babies have tiny bladders and therefore have to relieve themselves often. At five months, Luca Dean pees about 5-8 times a day and has 2-3 bowel movements. He can hold it through the night or anytime he's in the kennel though.

It's really up to you on what suits you best. Oh -- cold weather. If it's in the 20's in Kansas right now, you may not want a young yorkie outside at the wee hours of the morning. Good Luck!

I decided to train Hercules to go outside, but I live in an apartment, so I didn't want to have to run up and down the stairs every hour.

We ended up building a little box that we put on our balcony with a pee pad in it. So I guess this is a combination of both methods! Our original intention was to put some sod in the box, but it's a little out of season now! This is working great, because he's going outside and we don't have to run around too much.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do!

I will be living in an apartment but mine is right by the door to go outside. I just did not want to have to go around and pick it out of the yard. When i could just clean up the pee pad. I think that is what I will do. However, my mom wants me to potty train hers and she lives on like 12 acres so she will want me to potty train her outside. Will that be hard to train them different, it will get confusing won't it? Have any suggestions.
Maybe I could just train them with the pee pad and then when I take my moms to her she can put the pee pad outside for a while, will that be confusing?