Tips for potty training in an apartment/townhouse (where "outside" is 5+ mins away)

[Michele Kiss]

We live in a townhouse where getting to "outside" is a walk down a hallway, an elevator ride, then half a block down the street to the nearest grass. So naturally, that won't work for a little pup to go potty - it's just too far for him. 

We got a Porch Potty which is really awesome - it has real grass on it and we're trying to train him to go there. However, we also have pee pee pads around the house because he's not quite "there yet." When he goes potty upstairs on the grass (or, outside, if we're out walking) he gets a treat. When he goes on the pee pee pads, he doesn't get anything. 

Trouble is, I think he's realising what's going on and trying to game the system! Sometimes he'll refuse to go on the grass potty. Other times, he'll go a little (enough to get a treat), then when we come downstairs he'll pee like crazy on the pee pee pads - so he obviously didn't empty his bladder where he was supposed to. 

I don't know if this is normal and just part of the process, or if there is something we should be doing better? I *don't* want him papers-trained, I want him trained to go outside/on grass. Should we not have so many papers...? (But then I figure he'll just pee on the carpet...) Or just keep doing what we're doing and slowly he'll get it? 

For context, he's crate-trained (often makes it through the night without going to the bathroom, or maybe one trip up at night) and 12 weeks old. So I'm not sure if I'm expecting too much at that age? 

[Kate, Mel, Tenley & Harper]

I live in a condo with a similar setup. We bit the bullet-- carried Tenley outside every hour for the first month or two. Then after he was reliable in the house, he started asking to go outside and we would let him walk on his own. It is a pain in the butt. But long run, easier. 

[Michele Kiss]

Thanks Katelyn. That's what we've been doing (but taking him upstairs to the porch potty) but he just doesn't quite seem to get to hold it until we take him up :-(  If he needs to go when we take him up, great. Otherwise he'll go on a pee pee pad, no biggie. I'm guessing that's why they say to crate them? 

[Kate, Mel, Tenley & Harper]

Yup, carry him outside (outside outside, not to the potty) and wait for him to go, treat. If he doesn't go all the way, put him in the crate for 15-20 minutes with just enough room to lay down. Then take him outside again, and wait for him to go. He'll catch on sooner or later.

I don't have a lot of faith in those porch potty's for house training, only because when you go to someone's house who doesn't have one you frequently run into a problem. We always carried Tenley down the hallway, into the elevator, through the lobby, to his peeing area. The same area every time. Once he was there, we'd wait for him to go, then back inside. It was hell for about 2 months. We were constantly going in and out and each "potty break" would take 5-15 minutes. But after that, he was fine and now only needs to go out every 3-4 hours, and asks every time.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

12 weeks is still very young to expect too much of him. Consistency in getting him OUT...either grass or the porch potty. Is the key. The puppy pads are sending him mixed signals AND they have an attractant in them. Dump the pads! It is yet another step you'll have to break him of...unless of course, you intend to use them always.
Yes...you may have inside accidents...but getting him out every hr, after he wakes up and after he eats will teach him where it is acceptable to potty. Right now, you are essentially telling him it is ok to pee indoors on the pad.

PS...they don't always empty their bladder in one " sitting". This means you need to stay out with him longer and he be given the chance to go a second time.

[Michele Kiss]

Thanks Rosemary! Yeah I might try picking them up & not having them available to him and see how it goes. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Good luck! No doubt, potty training is frustrating and just when you think they got it....an accident! But they will eventually catch on....like I said , consistency is the key. Keep us updated....just understand, it won't happen over night. ;)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Carry the puppy down to the potty place.  That will prevent accidents on the way and will be quicker.

[Michele Kiss]

We had quite the victory this morning! Took up all the pee pee pads yesterday and he was good - minor accident but nothing too bad. But this morning, took him up to go potty and he did, then came back downstairs where we encountered the cat and he peed a little (nervousness.) He took off up the stairs to be let out to go potty again!! 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Yay! It's those little victories that make us smile!

[Christina]

Michele, Oakley is having the same issue with peeing for treats. He is figured out that he can pee a little and get a treat and then pee a little more and get a treat so he doesn go fully. We started to limit the treats. If I notice he has a large pee he gets one and also gets one for #2 and also gets one if he goes through the doggie door in his own to go to the potty. I would say you could do the same with Fenway or if he lets you know he seems to want to go you need to treat him when he does so he knows he are happy he has communicated with you or in our case gone out without us bringing him.

Also frustrated here since Oakley has been using the doggie door and hadn't had a accident in 5 days and yesterday I found a puddle right after I watched him charge out the doggie door to go # 2 outside on his own. Of course I try to analyze why this happened.... Hummm maybe because he is a 12 week old puppy! Lol

[LarryL]

Hey Michelle,

Do you guys have a balcony where the porch potty is?

We have the same set up.

I would probably get rid of the pee pads - thats just enforcing  the notion that its ok to go inside.

What we would do it, as soon as we take him out of the crate - pick him up, put him on the grass - and say go potty.

every time he gets out of his crate, you pick him up and carry him them. place him right on the grass and say go potty.

after he drinks, eats, sleeps, or plays - you pick him up and put him on the grass.

we did this for 2-3 weeks, before we started trusting him to follow me and walk over to the balcony as soon as we open his crate in the morning.

when we did this earlier, he would pee on the floor - thats why its important to pick him up and carry him right on to it.

We also put poochie bells on the door, and everytime we would take him out, i would make him ring it with his paw.

Its amazing - took less than a week, and he figured it out.

(downside is, now he just rings the bell to hang on the balcony most of the time lol)

but thats what we did.

I was also told to spray a tiny bit of windex on the grass (like 1 or 2 mists) the amonia smells like their urine supposedly so maybe that will hlep

**ALSO, by a LOT of natures miracle, and make sure you clean up those accidents very well!**