Nugget is 8 weeks and I bought puppy pads to use at night in his playpen. I have been trying very hard with potty training during the day - taking him out regularly and putting him in his crate before trying again if he didn't pee. I usually have to wait for quite a while before he pees, but today was awful. It was very cold and raining and he hated being outside. Every time I put him down to pee he would climb on to my feet and curl up to get his paws off the cold paving slabs (the only area I have that he can pee on). We were both frozen! He actually went several hours without peeing, so in desperation I took a puppy pad outside. He peed on it almost immediately. I did the same for the rest of the day and it made things a lot easier. But is this a bad idea? Will he always need the pads if I start using them? Or is this an acceptable way to get around the problem of cold temperatures and tiny puppies? Thanks for any comments!
Hi Calbury, I'm not sure I know the answer to this particular one, but many people try puppy pads at a back door for instance, but it just means its a two-step process in the potty training and I suspect this may be the case for you if you do that with the pads. Some dogs aren't that keen on rain, but its going to be a long process if you have a puppy who is not going out in the rain. Maybe you need to go out, prepare to get wet/cold, prance around have fun and play outside to get your puppy more relaxed. Then give 2 or 3 really good treats when he pees outside, see if that might help. Not maybe top of your fun thing to do list, but has its benefits......
Well, I don't think it's ideal for the reasons Jac gives....but I also wouldn't be spending hours standing in the rain with an 8 weeks old pup. Given your description, I'd be tempted to use the puppy pads and take a risk of it not being a problem later, when it's not freezing and he's a bit older. Definitely give him loads of treats for peeing, and even more if he ever pees off the pads...but he's a tiny pup, a baby - he'll probably pee well enough outside when it's not so bloomin' cold!
I used puppy pads outside for a short while. In my case, I don't think it hindered (or necessarily helped) anything - Willow gradually just went in the general area of the pad and then anywhere outside. I can't remember exactly how long I used it for, maybe a week, maybe two. I'd say go for it if it helps. I also did the prancing round like a fool to encourage Willow into the rain. It sometimes worked for a minute or so, but most of the time, she'd just look at me balefully from the doorway
ssssssh don't tell any one but when I was potty training Midge it was so cold and dark that I got so deperate for a wee while waiting for her to go I had to go in the garden too!
Did you burn the grass Back to the original question. With Molly the trainer said that if I put Puppy Pads in the crate overnight I was giving her permission to pee indoors, I got rid of the pads and except for the very occasional accident she never weed inside the house again. I was very vigilant about toilet training and although we had pads inside she rarely used them. She was quick and easy to toilet train. With a previous dog I kept her in the kitchen and moved the pads towards the back door and eventually outside. She took longer to train. Either way we got there in the end.
Rory ate any pad we put down. I collected his wee on a sponge and sprinkled the drops wherre i wanted him to pee it seemed to help. I got him tired and empty for bed time and he slept through most nights. He was reallt good I think i was lucky
I think it will be fine to use puppy pads outside if he hates the wet and cold - he'll soon grow out of it. I use puppy pads at night in the pen when they are tiny - it made no difference whatever to day time toilet training, all three were clean and dry very quickly and dry at night as soon as their bladders could hold it. I have a puppy once a year so can't contemplate losing that much sleep. I also have to carry my pups all over shops, towns and cities from 8 weeks old and I take puppy pads into the Ladies loo for them to use (then I wrap them in poo bags till we find a bin!). It hasn't set up any bad habits and Twiglet (and Gypsy before her) come to the Ladies with me when older without any mishaps! .
PS, if they don't perform pretty quickly outside, come back in and carry/cuddle the pup for a while - they won't wee when in your arms. Then try again. Cuddling pups? No hardship there!! .
Wanted to thank everyone (belatedly) for their replies on this. We went through a crisis shortly after this - poor puppy developed kennel cough (to which he's been exposed at breeder's - long story, but NOT the breeder's fault - he was mortified). Kennel cough rapidly descended into pneumonia - Nugget was admitted to vets and spent 2 days on a drip. His recovery was not guaranteed and it was an AWFUL experience. Happy to say that he responded to the antibiotics and we have now been able to bring him home. He's still coughing but he's eating well and very playful. We are relieved beyond words and treasure him even more than before! (And we are sticking with puppy pads outside - it's now essential he 'goes' quickly and they really help).
Oh what an awful experience, and I'm so glad Nugget is home safe and sound. Well done you getting your puppy quickly to the vet so he got the treatment he needed.
Oh what an awful time you have had. So glad to hear that Nugget is now doing well after being so poorly.
That must have been awful for you all. So glad little nugget pulled through. Do you have any photos of him to share?
Good grief what a horrible thing for your poor little pup to go through Glad you took such quick action and that Nugget is home safe and sound xx
Glad he is better. When I got my puppy (now just turned 2 years old) I let him go outside on the deck because it was Winter and he could not go down the deck stairs to his fenced in area --- snow and ice on both). I know this was not the best choice but the only one I could make at the time. And, yes, it took a little longer to get him used to going down the stairs and in his grassy area, but he did in time.....so do what is best for you and your puppy now knowing that it may take a bit longer for Nugget to get used to peeing and pooing where you want him to. Good luck.
