A Girl and Her Dogs

INDOOR DOG POTTIES! (House Training in the House!)

Live on the thirty-eighth floor of an apartment high rise with your puppy or dog? Maybe your feeling of relief at finally finding a pet-friendly building has been replaced with a certain bitterness. You now spend a large amount of your day walking your dog and her tiny bladder to the park for a pee – and by the time the elevator returns to your floor, she’s whining to go out again.

Maybe your dog has difficulty holding it while you’re gone, or has a particular aversion to outdoor conditions - like rain, for instance. Maybe you’re not physically able to get up and take the dog out, or you work long hours and her rear legs are crossed and her eyes are floating when you finally get home.

Well, there’s good news. A variety of indoor potty options are available.

Yes, folks. You heard me. Indoor doggy potties.

Move over, kitty. You’re not the only one goin’ in here anymore.

Here are a few examples of available products:

• Puppy pads are an option for indoor housetraining. They’re scented in a manner that attracts dogs to them, and odor neutralizers help to eliminate offensive smells. Petsmart even carries a grass scented version! It’s a good idea to keep them cleaned up after use, though. Your dog may be compelled to rip them to shreds.

• Doggy litter boxes may also be used, though they tend to be messy when the dog digs in the litter or gets her feet soiled. You know that thing that they do after they poop – like they’re wiping their feet? Now imagine that in a litter box. And if you have a big dog, they most likely won’t fit and therefore won’t go in a doggie litter box.
  • The Cosmopolitan Canine is an indoor potty that employs the use of artificial turf and not only attracts pooches with a scent that encourages elimination, but contains antimicrobial agents to inhibit the growth of bacteria and control odor. The turf is washable, and a drain pan catches urine for emptying. It is quite attractive, and suitable for indoor or outdoor use. Find it at www.cosmopolitancanine.com.
  • Another option is the Pooch Potty, available at www.poochpotty.com. This product comes with turf that should be replaced once or twice per week, depending on the number of dogs using it. The boxes come in three sizes, and customers in the Los Angeles area can take advantage of optional home delivery and changing services.
  • Check out Wizdog at www.homewaresllc.com. Go there and hear Daisy the bulldog attest to this sensation. It’s a product that uses standard size newspapers in a tray, under a grate. Urine goes through the grate, away from paws, to be absorbed by the paper. Solids can easily be dumped from the removable grate.
  • Another product that employs the use of a grate is the Ugodog, at www.ugodog.net.
  • The Patio Park Dog Potty comes equipped with a white picket fence, a mock fire hydrant, plastic liners, and irrigation strips for real grass. A back wall behind the fire hydrant is great for spraying. Ideal for indoor and outdoor use, you’ll find it at www.patiopark.com.
  • The PETaPOTTY is designed to allow your pet the freedom to do his or her business whenever he or she deems necessary, and to give the pet owner the satisfaction of not dealing with unwanted carpet stains or burn marks on their lawn. You can find it here at www.petapotty.com.
  • Most dogs take to the indoor dog toilet—the Doggie Divot—right away. It is a natural place to “do their business”. Check it out at www.doggiedivot.com.
  • The PupHead Portable Dog Potty is irresistible to dogs. Pup-Head is easy to clean and weighs less than 5 lbs. It is a perfect solution for apartments, high-rise buildings, boats, or recreational vehicles or during bad weather. Perfect for pet owners with busy or unpredictable schedules or elderly and handicapped pet owners. Anyone who may be unable to take their dogs outdoors several times a day will love Pup-Head. See it at http://www.petclassics.com/Dog-Potties/pup-head-portable-dog-potty.38.html

  This list is hardly exhaustive, but may offer hope in an urban or otherwise unique situation.

  However you choose to housetrain your dog or puppy, remember to adhere to proper methods. Whether you’re opening a door to let your dog into a fenced yard, trekking out with a leash, or placing fuzzball onto her doggy pad or potty, reward her when she’s successful and offer plenty of opportunity for that success. Your carpet will thank you. And that rumor going around the building that you and your dog are homeless and live in the elevator? Debunked.

3 Responses to “INDOOR DOG POTTIES! (House Training in the House!)”

1. indoor fence Says:
   July 15th, 2008 at 9:01 am

   The indoor dog toilet—the Doggie Divot— is fantastic! My dog loves it so much.

2. potty training Says:
   July 30th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

   Thank you for the details. I did not really understand this completely and this helps.

3. dog obedience Says:
   August 12th, 2008 at 2:27 am

   Be consistent. If you let your dog sometimes “get away” with bad behavior, your best friend will sense that you are a pushover and not a leader to respect.

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