How To Train Your Dog To Use A Pee Pad | Wag!

Medium difficulty iconMediumTime icon4-8 WeeksGeneral training category iconGeneral

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The Keeping a Pee Pad MethodThe Keeping a Pee Pad Method4 VotesThe Room of Pee Pads MethodThe Room of Pee Pads Method3 VotesThe Keeping Your Dog Away from Pee Pads MethodThe Keeping Your Dog Away from Pee Pads Method1 VoteIntroduction

There may be many reasons a dog needs to be trained to pee on a pee pad. Dog owners who are immobile may not be able to take their dog outside often enough for the dog to eliminate. Some owners train puppies on pee pads before training the dog to go outside. City dwellers without yards might decide to use a pee pad for their dog inside the apartment. Moreover, older dogs who might not make it outside may find their last years easier using a pee pad. Small breed dogs are often taught to use pee pads because the outdoor elements may be difficult for them to handle as the seasons change. Teaching your dog to use a pee pad could eliminate stress for you as well as your dog. He will not be left fearing punishment after having an accident, and you will not have to worry about messes to clean from carpets and floors.

TopDefining Tasks

Using a verbal command such as “potty” will help teach your dog where to go. Pee pad training your dog is not difficult, but it does require patience. To be successful, someone will have to be with your dog for long periods of time over the first few days to show him your expectations for using the pee pads. Puppies will be easier to train to use pee pads, however, adults can be trained as well. It just may take more time and patience, as you are not only teaching him a new skill but potentially changing previous habits. If you want your dog to eliminate on a pee pad always, be prepared for the materials you need and have a space partitioned off within your home to do the training. Keep the pads in the same place, because moving them may require retraining for your dog.

TopGetting Started

You will need a few items on hand before you begin to train your dog to pee on pee pads.

• Pee pads
• Treats for rewards
• Patience
• Time with the dog to encourage eliminating every hour or two

Top

The Keeping a Pee Pad Method

Most Recommended

4 Votes

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Most Recommended

4 Votes

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Location

Keep your puppy partitioned off and confined to a small area, either a room or a crate large enough for your dog to have a sleeping area separate from her potty area.

2

Set up

Cover the entire potty area with pee pads and leave your dog.

3

Introduce command

Take your dog to the potty pad often and use the “potty” command.

4

Reward

Reward good behaviors while on the pad.

5

Redirect

If your puppy begins to play or does not eliminate after a few minutes, remove him from the pad and place him back in his sleeping or playing area.

6

Repeat

Repeat these steps often, keeping in mind a puppy can typically hold his bladder one hour for every month he is old.

7

Redirect

If your dog has an accident, blot the urine onto a paper towel and place the paper towel on the pee pad to attract your dog’s sense of smell.

8

Reduce pads

Over time, as your dog learns to use the pee pad, you can decrease the number of pee pads in your dog’s space and open his space to include more of the house.

The Room of Pee Pads Method

Effective

3 Votes

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Effective

3 Votes

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Set up

Place pee pads across the entire floor of a small room. When possible, use a hard surface floor instead of carpet.

2

Introduce command

As your dog is learning to use the pee pads, place him in the room with a “potty” command or another verbal cue.

3

Get acquainted

Each time you visit the room with your pup, let him sniff around without allowing him to play.

4

Reward

Once the dog eliminates, use the command word again and offer your dog a treat.

5

Timing

While training, be sure to visit the room often. About ten minutes after eating, visit the pee pad room with your dog, repeating the steps above.

6

Monitor and reinforce

Keep a close eye on your dog as he trains to use the pee pads. Reward for positive behaviors and redirect if he has an accident elsewhere.

7

Keep it up

Keep actively training your dog until he can go into the room by himself to eliminate.

8

Reduce pee pads

As he learns what the pads are for, you can remove some pads and keep only what you need in that room instead of covering the entire floor.

The Keeping Your Dog Away from Pee Pads Method

Least Recommended

1 Vote

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Least Recommended

1 Vote

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Monitor

Keep a close eye on your dog as you bond and play together.

2

Go to pee pad

Every few minutes, leash walk your dog to a pee pad you have in a separate place within your home.

3

Introduce command

Place your dog on the pee pad and say a command such as “potty,” so he can associate the word with the action of eliminating.

4

Redirect

Only keep your dog on the pee pad for a few minutes. If he does not eliminate, do not allow him to play.

5

Leave potty area

Leash walk him back to the area where you two play and bond.

6

Repeat

Continue this process with the understanding that once he goes, he should be able to hold his bladder one hour for every month he is old.

7

Reward

Once he is successful, use the command and treat reward for praise.

8

Continue

Repeat this process until your dog begins to lead you on his leash to the puppy pad himself. Remember to reward your dog each time he uses the potty on the pee pad

9

Train with accidents

Try to catch him in an accident and take him to the pee pad with command words and a treat if he is successful.

Written by Amy Caldwell

Veterinary reviewed by:

Published: 09/27/2017, edited: 01/08/2021

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Training Questions and Answers

MareaGoldendoodleTwo YearsQuestion0 found this helpful0 found this helpful

Since Marea was a puppy, she was potty trained to go outside in the yard and she did perfect. However, Im currently living in an apartment building, that is not pet friendly. So Im trying to introduce her to pads again. But she refuses to go even after many hours of holding her pee. I dont know what to do.

Sept. 7, 2023

Marea's Owner

Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer

1128 Dog owners recommended

Hello, First, do you have a balcony or patio? If you do, start the training there since it more closely resembles being outside. I would also switch from a pee pad if that's what you have, to a disposable real grass pad. 1. First, take her potty outside to the grass as before. Tell her to "Go Potty" and give a treat when she does. Do this until she is consistently going when you say "Go Potty". This may seem counter-intuitive but you are teaching the Go Potty command to be used inside later. 2. Second, place a couple of grass pads outside in an area near grass but on something like concrete or wood. Take her there to go potty on leash, telling her to "Go Potty" and giving treats if she goes potty. Take her back inside then try again every hour if she refuses to go at first. Do this until she goes potty on the pad. This could take up to 12 hours the first time you do this. If she goes more than 12 hours, you may have to give in and take her potty elsewhere, but I would hold out until that time if she is otherwise healthy and your vet doesn't disagree with doing so. Most dogs will hold it 8-9 hours at first. 3. Continue taking her to that outside grass pad until she goes quickly and easily on it on leash when you say Go Potty. 4. Once she has learned to go potty on the grass pad, you can either move that pad back toward your apartment a couple of feet at a time, or you can try placing the grass pad on your balcony or patio and telling her Go Potty, returning to try again each hour until she goes up to 12 hours. Your option here will largely depend on whether she will go on the balcony yet. 5. By this point you with either have worked the grass pad back inside or be out on the balcony. You can either keep the grass pad potty area on the balcony in definitely if that's a good area, or wait until she is doing well pottying on the balcony and then start moving that grass pad into your house by moving the pad just one foot at a time, until it's in its long-term location inside your home. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Oct. 6, 2023

FassShih TzuFive YearsQuestion0 found this helpful0 found this helpful

I have a boy who is almost 6 years old. He always does good to poop on the pee pad while i'm not home. But he pee on the sofa and other stuffs. Do you have any tip to fix this issue or restart training him? I put him in a playpen while i'm at work with separate his bed and the pee pad, he only want to laying down and sleep on the pad. When i'm around and i tell him go to pee on the pad, he scratch the pee pad first and then pee on it. I don't want to always keep him in the playpen while i'm at work, i want to give him freedom too but he pee on stuff it's kinda frustrating.

Oct. 20, 2022

Fass's Owner

Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer

1128 Dog owners recommended

Hello, Check out the exercise pen from the article I have linked below and the Exercise Pen method, which will go over transitioning from the exercise pen to more freedom gradually, to help maintain pup going on the pee pad during the transition. Exercise pen method - although a litter box is another option, this method can also be used for pee pads or grass pads. Since your dog is older than a puppy, you can add 1-2 hours to the times listed in the article - pay attention to how long pup tends to hold it before you run the risk of any accident. https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Some dogs also will try to hold it while wearing a doggie diaper, until they have peed in it several times and become desensitized to it. Sometimes putting a doggie diaper on a dog when you first give them more freedom and taking it off during scheduled potty trips to the pee pad, can encourage a dog to hold it while on the furniture. Because of chewing, I would start with the doggie diaper on pup only when you can supervise to interrupt any chewing attempts. This solution doesn't work for all dogs. Some dogs have no issues with peeing in a diaper and you don't want to encourage that because then they will pee also when the diaper comes off, but for those who do try to hold it due to the diaper it can be a good temporary tool to build a habit of cleanliness. Make sure you clean all areas pup has peed on with a cleaner that contains enzymes. Only enzymes remove the smell fully enough for pup not to be able to smell an old accident still. Remaining accident smells tend to encourage a dog to pee there again, so removing smells is very important. Finally, some dogs associate the fabric of pee pads with other fabrics, like carpets, rugs, blankets, and furniture. When a dog struggles to tell the difference a switch to a different indoor potty could help. Check out the examples of a disposable real grass pad - the smell and feel of the grass tends to encourage pottying there, but it's different enough from anything in your home, it's not as often confused with other items. Pup will need to have a crash course in potty training for a bit again if you make the switch from pee pads to grass, but that could be beneficial for overall potty training in general. Freshpatch.com porchpotty.com Amazon also carried doggielawn and freshpatch Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Oct. 21, 2022

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