Outdoors vs. pads

[gram2k]

This debate might be as old as time, but the search option hates me so excuse the question if it's been asked.

Chloe is going on 6 months old and we're using pee pads. When I say it's been "hit or miss" I mean it literally. Just when you think she's "got it" you walk down the hallway and in the middle of the floor is an "accident" or she'll deliberately go in another room altogether where there isn't even a pad.

Hence, my question. Would it be wiser to start training her to go outside? Is this method easier for dogs so that they can totally seperate where they're supposed to be going opposed to pads and carpet?

From reading others posts I realize I'm not the only one with this problem, but has anyone switched and if so, found one method better or easier over the other?

THANKS in advance to any that responds!

[sqbear42]

Sweet Pea is a little over 1yr old and we have been using indoor pee pads since we got her at 12wks. Sometimes she will go a few weeks and pee/poop on the pad then other times she will look right at me and pee on the floor or on my bed. It's so frustrating when we think she finally gets it.

We hope to be moving this year into an apt so she just has to get this pee pad thing cause most apt carpets are light colored.

Many on this site have told me to just go back to begining puppy training.

Good luck.

[spiritwings1202]

I think if you live in a warm climate house breaking is easier and less mess.
Pixie is the only dog I ever pad trained and that is bc we got her in Nov and it was just too darn cold to house break.
Now when I take my 6 yr old out to pee I bring Pixie and she does pee but she still uses the pee pads in the house. If I lived in the south when I got her or if it was summer I would of house broke her.

[Little mama]

I use pads because I work and couldn't stand putting her in a crate. I'm lucky and my mom comes over almost everyday but won't take her outside.I have found with allie she does best when she only had access to a certain area. I have 4 gates so she is only in the family room , kitchen & lanai, where we spend most of our time. I am lucky it is all tiled so if she does miss spray with vinegar and wipe up. I have to say, She goes on her pads 99% of the time, only misses if she thinks she doesn't have an open spot. So I have learned to changed them frequently. She is 8 months. Hopes this helps.

[Bellasmygirl]

I'm not sure what to do myself. I think I will house trian Bella when I do get her.

Just wondering if you can do both pad/outside and it is effective?

Good luck with which ever one you decide to do.

[107barney]

Hi, we use (and sell) pads. I use them outside on my porch and inside my home. My dogs will go out on the grass when they have the option too.

[Her Name Is Rio]

I never had success with Rio and pee pads. She prefers to walk around a bit before she goes, so a pee pad was too small of a surface for her. We just let her out in our yard and she knows the command "go potty." But as other posters have said, harsher climates might need to rely on pee pads. We live in California, so the weather is usually very mild. We watched her like a hawk for months and always made sure we put her out after she woke up from naps, after she ate or drank, and luckily it's paid off. She's 13 months now and is completely trained. She even lets out a little bark and waits by the back door if she needs to go.

Just be consistent and be sure to use an enzymatic scent remover spray for any "accidents". Good luck!

[bamawife]

Raley is almost 4 months old. He is still pad training. We got him in January and even though I live in the south, it was still in the 20's and 30's and just too cold to take him out. When we travel, he is very good at going potty on grass. I leash him, take him out of the car and tell him "go potty" and he does. Sometimes he still has accidents inside but we don't have carpet...thank goodness!

Do what you feel is best for you. Now that it is warmer here I am going to begin working with him going potty outside when he wakes up and before he goes to bed at night!

Good luck!!!! Consistency is the key!

[Sweet Apple]

Originally Posted by gram2k

This debate might be as old as time, but the search option hates me so excuse the question if it's been asked.

Chloe is going on 6 months old and we're using pee pads. When I say it's been "hit or miss" I mean it literally. Just when you think she's "got it" you walk down the hallway and in the middle of the floor is an "accident" or she'll deliberately go in another room altogether where there isn't even a pad.

Hence, my question. Would it be wiser to start training her to go outside? Is this method easier for dogs so that they can totally seperate where they're supposed to be going opposed to pads and carpet?

From reading others posts I realize I'm not the only one with this problem, but has anyone switched and if so, found one method better or easier over the other?

THANKS in advance to any that responds!

All I can tell you, is my experience...I could not, under any circumstances, get Apple pee pad trained...As soon as I got rid of my carpet, and got laminate, and started taking her outside, she was trained in about two weeks...Very seldom do we ever have an accident, anymore...Buzz came semi-trained to the pee pad, and I started him outside w/Apple, and he's pretty much outside trained, too....But here's the deal...If Buzz needs to go at night, he'll use the pad, and I like that...Apple, on the other hand HAS to be taken outside...I wish she would be in and out trained, when it's raining, like the dickens, but she will go, out in the rain, if it's not raining too hard...Buzz freezes up, if it's raining, and looks at me like I've lost my mind lol...For me, outside works best, but not as convenient as pads (but cheaper lol)...

[lwilliams]

I use pads for Rucker. He's 5 months old, and it is so convenient in the middle of the night when he has to go. My husband thinks I'm nuts and that I should take him outside. Now that it's getting warm I might start training him outside.

[CJxDanielle]

My Cody is 6mths old as well, he has been using the puppy pee pads since he was 3mths old and about 2 weeks ago we decided to make the switch.

The pee pad was in his crate so he use to always go in there for the bathroom. Since we have made the switch he still has accidents at night we he is in the crate for the night, but other than that I think its a better switch. Its much less mess and stink in the house and he can go anywhere outside (but usually always chooses this one spot). He also use to jump back and forth, like he wasn't done using the bathroom and he would hop out and the mess would be on the carpet.

Also since he is starting to left his leg it works better for us.

[Britster]

I am not really a fan of pee-pads. I think they have their place (if you live in an apartment on a high floor, boating often, are gone for over 8 hours a day...) but other than that, I don't like them. I do find from posts here that most of the yorkies who are pee pad trained are the ones who have the most accidents, and confuse them with rugs, etc. Who could blame them? IMO, I don't like pee/poop in the house, period.

I got Jackson in the cold December weather as a 9 week old pup and I put down pads in his expen for the first week but we immediately began outdoor training. He's been 99.9% potty trained since 5-6 months old. That other .1% is typically when I'm stupid, and KNOW he hasn't pooped for the day but still give him full roam and he will go to the other side of the house and poop.

We live in a separate "suite" part of the house so if I keep the door closed to the other big side, he's 100% trained, he's also 100% trained over at my father's house where we stay often and will bark at the door if he's a strangers/friends house. He's never had an accident in the house when we aren't home, and he has had free reign of the house since 5 months old. I dunno, it's just my personal preference.. yes, sometimes it sucks if it's pouring down rain or when we had the big snow storm... but we deal and we also have a screened in porch I allowed him to use during the snow.

[Gen]

I have been dealing with the same decision myself with my 7 month old male Hadley. He goes on the pads 90 % of the time. I keep him on a leash even while in the house when I'm home so he can't make a mistake. So the only real time he has an accident is when I'm not home and thats usually poop because he moves around and the pad isn't big enough, but if I'm standing there he makes sure to stay on the pad. He will also go while standing at the gate in his room if he wants out, but that doesn't happen very often. I did move the pads to the garage during Spring Break and that worked great. I intend to do that again this summer. I think sometimes we all who use pads get a little lazy and think they should know to go to the pad instead of taking them there like someone would whos dog goes out. Thats why I think somewhere outside the house is great even if you use pads like the garage or porch, because you actually have to take time out and take them rather than assuming they will go on their own.