Hi folks - we're getting our first ever puppy (a Sprocker) next week & I'd love some advice! I've been reading the Happy Puppy handbook, but I have a question about choosing a suitable toilet area in the garden: Our garden is on a steep hill, and the area outside the (kitchen) back door is a concrete space cut into the hill, with bins, wood store, bikes etc. We have a grassy area in the mid-level of the garden, but it's up quite a long & uneven set of steps (some are pretty steep). I read Pippa's advice that puppies shouldn't be allowed to go up and down stairs when they're young as it can be bad for their developing joints & lead to hip problems later in life. What would be the best option for a toilet area in our situation? I'm thinking either: a) We use the grassy area, which would be preferable because it's not where we walk all the time to get wood, put out rubbish, get our bikes etc. BUT it would mean always having to carry her up to the toilet area, so not really empowering her to do the right thing on her own. b) Use a litter tray outside the back door. Then if we want to just pop her outside the door, she's got a clear place to go (perhaps as well as the grassy area, when we want to carry her up there). What's people's advice about litter trays - are they an option? What are the pros / cons? c) let her go on the concrete area outside the back door. Which would mean she could walk there herself, but it's not ideal if she is pooping anywhere in that area. And could it be confusing for her to if we try to train her to use concrete AND grass? What are your thoughts - grass / concrete / litter tray - or a combination? Thanks for your help! Becca
Hi and welcome to the forum Congrats on your impending puppy! Very exciting. I'd probably try to avoid large or accumulated quantities of pee on the concrete - that will start to smell and this might be hard to get rid of. I don't see why a litter tray would not work fine, but because it's so specific it might take a bit longer for your pup to work out that she has to go there (or maybe because it's so specific it'll be faster...). I'd go for a combo of grassy area and large litter tray. Get something for the litter tray that's big enough for her to stand fully in once she's grown a bit, maybe 2 foot by 2 foot (thinking of this, how much space can you devote to a litter tray?).
Hi and welcome to the forum. The front of our house is entirely pebbled and Juno has always happily wee'd and poo'd there and also used the garden. We have always picked up the poo as son as she has finished and disposed of it in the bin. I'm sure you won't want to trot up to the grassy area at silly o'clock of the morning with your new puppy so I think you will have to use the concrete area either with or without a litter tray. As long as you rinse it down once a day with a suitable product it shouldn't cause a problem.I'm pretty sure that there are other members who have toilet trained on hard surfaces outside.
We have a small Paved garden, so made a large wooden frame and filled it with wood chip, about 2 x4 foot. We had this close to the back door at first then moved it a bit further round the side of the house. We scoop up his poop along with a bit of wood chip, especially when it's gone a bit runny. A great consequence is that Homer never goes to the toilet in the middle of a field on a path or pavement but will find a spot in the leafy undergrowth next to the path. Much easier scooping up some extra dry leaves than trying to wipe a poopy smudge off the paving.
If you want them to use concrete you need to start when they first arrive. They have no trouble spending on grass later on, if needed. A litter tray would get stinky very quickly and be hard to clean + fill with water in the rain. We have a concrete spending area for the pups, I swill every wee with watered down Simple Solution in a watering can (100/1) no smell at all. It's ideal. I really wish we had thought to have one when Tatze arrived, we would have saved a scorched lawn. But she will hold her wee all day rather than using the spending area! Here is our spending area -
Thanks everyone for your great suggestions & advice! I'm super excited (and nervous) about her arrival - it's great to know there are some experienced and helpful folk on here... cheers
