Are you Pad Training the Right Way?

Category: Pets | Tags:

Date: January 8th, 2013

One of the wonderful things about puppies is that they are so cute and innocent, and we get to share in their joy of discovery of this new world!

They rely on their human pack to teach them life lessons, and one very important part of that learning is housetraining.

Young dogs have weak or undeveloped bladders. In time they develop the muscle strength necessary to hold their urine for longer periods of time, but at first they must eliminate within just an hour or two after eating or drinking. It can be difficult to maintain this schedule if you work out of the home, leave it for any extended period of time, or even while you sleep! That’s why pad training is recommended for some dogs. By training your dog to eliminate on a carpet-safe absorbent pad rather than the furniture or floors, you save the both of you quite a lot of stress.

Getting a dog to use a pee pad is easy!

Step 1 – Place the pad in the same spot repeatedly. Putting the pad in the same place will help the puppy become accustomed to this new form of going to the bathroom. Remember: repetition is good.

Step 2 – Bring the puppy over to the pee pad whenever you think they might have to urinate: first thing in the morning, right before bed, after extended play time, a deep drink of water, or a long nap. This is especially important for puppies, who have little bladder and bowel strength during the first year.

Step 3 – Reward your puppy when they eliminate on the pad. Keep a box of treats handy so that when your dog has successfully done his business on the pad, you can quickly slip one to him. Positive reinforcement is the key to housetraining.
  Use a special type of treat for rewarding, and only use this treat for this purpose.

Step 4 – Don’t respond negatively when dealing with the pads. Many owners will react with yells and pointing when they see that their pet has had an accident near the pad or that they have chewed on the pad. Don’t make this mistake! Puppies will associate any negativity with the pads themselves, which will undo your hard work.

Step 5 – When you leave, place the pee pad in the room/area where your puppy will be. This will help reinforce that this is where your dog should go to the bathroom while you’re gone. Soon your puppy will learn to go independently of you and your schedule.

With these 5 steps, the transition to pee pad should be much easier for you and your pup. Don’t forget: pads are no replacement for healthy walks with your pup.

However, when your dog gets old enough, and to save some money because pee pads can be costly, you should transition your dog to only eliminate outdoors.  See our next blog post for hints on how to housetrain your pup!