# Breaking a puppy of using pee pads?



## kara_leigh (Jul 28, 2010)

Today my SIL bright me one of her 10 week old puppies. I need some advice on training it b/c I have a feeling it will be difficult. Up until now she has just used per pads. I want to train him to potty outside not on a pad. Can someone give me some tips to break him of that?

Also she says he sleeps all night long (from 8pm to 4am) so she doesn't get up to let him out at night. I find that hard to believe and I think he has been pottying in their crate b/c when I put him in ours today the FIRST thing he did was poop. I know he is young but please tell me I can break him of that? I am going by the "one hour per month of age +1" and will be taking him out every 3 hours at night and during the day. Will that be enough to break him of going potty in the crate?


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Let him settle in for a couple days then start moving the pad gradually to the door,then out on the porch, then out into the grass, then take the pad away. You'll need to spread this out over several days, maybe longer depending on the dog. I've known several people who successfully did it this way.

You can definitely break him of pooping in the crate. One of the main things is to make sure the crate is big enough for him to stand, turn around and lay down, but not big enough to get away from accidents. He will not want to potty where he sleeps, especially as he gets older. I would think once every 3 hours would be plenty at night. 

Another thing to consider is his feeding schedule. Don't let him have food all the time at this point. Feed him 3 meals a day. Put the food down, give him a limited time to eat it (10-15min) then when he walks away, put the food away. He will most likely need to poop within a few minutes - 30 minutes after he eats, so don't feed him too close to bedtime. Keep a good eye on him, and when he starts sniffing around, take him straight outside. Lots of praise!!


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## ForMyACDs (May 13, 2002)

If you start potty training just like any normal puppy then you should be fine. That means you're going to be taking the puppy out a LOT. Young puppies potty usually right after they start playing, when they wake up from a nap, after they eat or drink and about every 20-40 minutes in between. If you're not able to watch then in the crate he/she goes. Keep on top of it. It's going to be tough at first, but the fewer mistakes you allow the faster the puppy will be housebroken. Don't forget that mistakes are YOUR fault so don't punish the puppy for it.

Use a small crate....just large enough for the puppy to stretch out comfortably to sleep. Also try to make sure the puppy potties before you crate to eliminate the likelihood of the puppy going in the crate.

Eliminating the pee pads right away will stop the in-house pottying habits. Moving them gradually outside only lengthens the amount of time spent pottying indoors. You CAN put a pee pad outdoors in the beginning because it's a familiar thing but don't use it in the house.


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## lexa (Mar 30, 2012)

What breed is the puppy?
I think age +1 hour rule is applied to time spent in the crate. I woukd stick to it for the time he spends in the crate between potty breaks but if you let him run loose in the house take him out more often than that. 
To breack him from using pads, go slowly. Since he already knows to look for pads when he needs to potty, I would use a pad to teach him go outside. Take a used pad and place you puppy on it outside (preferably in small area, so he potties instead of going to explore) when he goes praise. Save the peed on pad for next time. Every couple days fold pad into halves and than quarters until he goes on the ground. In a week or so he should be familiar with the ground if he is hard headed. Most likely, he will start pottying on the ground sooner than that. You need the pad in the beginning to introduce the idea that the space you take him to is for pottying.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Put the puppy pad where you want the puppy to go. I'm guessing in a corner of the yard, maybe next to a tree or bush. Put the pad there and consistently bring the puppy to the pad. You should find that after soiling the pad a few times he starts pottying beside the pad. At this point you can try removing the pad. Don't forget that you should have a treat already in your hand and the first time he potties in the grass you have the treat at his nose the INSTANT he is done. Then, pat your leg, say "let's go", and zig zag around the yard. This teaches him that play starts after potty, that a pat on the leg means he is to follow you, and he needs to keep an eye on you because you change direction.


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## kara_leigh (Jul 28, 2010)

We got him on Friday, and already on Sunday I have completely stopped using the pads. I just put them on the ground outside where I wanted him to go, and right away he would pee next to them, and now actually searches out grass to go in (I had put the pad on a bare spot on the ground where we used to have a chicken brooder so it would lay flat). 

I've potty trained a puppy before so I know how to do it, I just didn't know how to break him of using the pads. I meant the 1 hour per month of age +1 that I mentioned for when he is in the crate overnight. We take him out frequently during the day.

He is a miniature poodle/miniature pincher mix, named Kody (short for Kodiak b/c he looked like a bear when he was born).


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## lexa (Mar 30, 2012)

Congrats on such a smart puppy!


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

That's a darling puppy!


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## longshadowfarms (Nov 27, 2002)

That is one CUTE puppy! And smart too! Congrats!


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## SageLady (Jun 10, 2008)

Very cute little guy and a fast learner too!


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