# Puppy box options: pine pellets, pads, grass



## Festivusforme (5 mo ago)

Hi there! I'm picking up my first Havanese at the end of the month. This will be my first puppy in years. I'm trying to decide what to try first for potty training. While I live in a house, we only have a fenced deck, not a fenced yard. Although I'm considering getting a grass patch and placing it in an x pen on the deck under a covered area, I'm wondering if it makes more sense to just stick to indoor potty training. I live in the rainy pacific northwest.

I've purchased a puppy potty pan and am not sure what would be the best option to put inside. The puppy will have exposure to pee pads with the breeder, but I'm not sure if those will make the most sense as the puppy grows. I am also researching pine pellets, grass patches, and the bark potty (placed inside the potty pan).

Does anyone have experience with these options and want to share their thoughts?

Considerations:
Smell
Ease of cleanup
Likelihood for success 
Cost (although this is least important to me)


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## Kay251 (Jun 17, 2021)

Voting for pine pellets in a tray if you don't have issues with the puppy eating them. Inexpensive if you have a tractor supply near you, maybe better for the environment, covers any smells, easy cleanup (scoop and replace). Nikko tried to eat the pellets so it didn't work for me. 

Pads - these we something Nikko loves to tear up so I use washable pee pads. They work but you have to be careful that this doesn't lead to a small rugs = pee pad issue.

Artificial grass pads - they smell and the clean-up isn't nice, also a bit pricey.


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## Hsin (8 mo ago)

I use a doggielawn both on our deck and inside. I change it every two weeks and compost the old patches. Works great so far. And doesn’t smell. My pup ate all the pellet types I tried…


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

There is no reason for a puppy to have access to pellets to use a litter box. Just use one with a grid! This is the one I use:









Amazon.com: Pet Awesome Dog Potty Tray / Puppy Pee Pad Holder 25”x20” Indoor Wee Training for Small and Medium Dogs : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com: Pet Awesome Dog Potty Tray / Puppy Pee Pad Holder 25”x20” Indoor Wee Training for Small and Medium Dogs : Pet Supplies



smile.amazon.com














I find fake grass objectionably smelly. There is no way to clean it well enough that I can’t smell it.

Pee pads are a huge amount of non-biodegradable waste. Plus many if not most Havanese puppies will destroy them, they are expensive, and many puppies will only use them once, then do not want to use a soiled pad.

Washable pee pads encourage puppies to potty on ANY cloth item left on the floor. From a scatter rug to an unintentionally dropped towel. And why not? You have taught them to potty on cloth on the floor! I have yet to hear of a person who has used washable pee pads and has NOT had this problem later.

Real, replaceable grass (sod) - seems to work well, but it’s quite expensive. I have not used it.


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## Festivusforme (5 mo ago)

Kay251 said:


> Voting for pine pellets in a tray if you don't have issues with the puppy eating them. Inexpensive if you have a tractor supply near you, maybe better for the environment, covers any smells, easy cleanup (scoop and replace). Nikko tried to eat the pellets so it didn't work for me.
> 
> Pads - these we something Nikko loves to tear up so I use washable pee pads. They work but you have to be careful that this doesn't lead to a small rugs = pee pad issue.
> 
> Artificial grass pads - they smell and the clean-up isn't nice, also a bit pricey.


I'm glad to hear that pellets can work well if they don't get eaten. I'll have to see what puppy's appetite is!


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## Festivusforme (5 mo ago)

Hsin said:


> I use a doggielawn both on our deck and inside. I change it every two weeks and compost the old patches. Works great so far. And doesn’t smell. My pup ate all the pellet types I tried…





krandall said:


> There is no reason for a puppy to have access to pellets to use a litter box. Just use one with a grid! This is the one I use:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Krandall:
Thanks so much for your thoughts! I think putting pellets underneath a grate could work really well if my puppy ends up wanting to eat them. I think I may give that a try first. How often do you clean the grate? Does it smell from residual urine? 

And the photo of your setup is super helpful. I've been eyeing that pen on Amazon!

Hsin:
The real grass sounds like it is far superior to artificial as long as I don't mind paying the cost. It's good to have options!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Uncovered wood pellets work great for puppies started on them at 3 weeks old, in the progression we use, and one will only very rarely want to eat them. When introduced later, it is something new to curious, and rambunctious puppies, and not something they instinctively know what it's for. Sometimes it doesn't work at all when started after they leave their breeder.

Early potty training is all about developing a habit. It has little to nothing to do with reasoning on the puppy's part.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> Uncovered wood pellets work great for puppies started on them at 3 weeks old, in the progression we use, and one will only very rarely want to eat them. When introduced later, it is something new to curious, and rambunctious puppies, and not something they instinctively know what it's for. Sometimes it doesn't work at all when started after they leave their breeder.
> 
> Early potty training is all about developing a habit. It has little to nothing to do with reasoning on the puppy's part.


This is SOOOO important, and so misunderstood. ALL of it!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Festivusforme said:


> Krandall:
> Thanks so much for your thoughts! I think putting pellets underneath a grate could work really well if my puppy ends up wanting to eat them. I think I may give that a try first. How often do you clean the grate? Does it smell from residual urine?
> 
> And the photo of your setup is super helpful. I've been eyeing that pen on Amazon!
> ...


The grate would have to be left pretty groos for a really long time to start to smell. Mine has NEVER smelled. I wipe the top of it with a paper towel and kitchen spray (I use Method) every couple of days, and if someone has a mess poop (VERY unusual) I take it outside and hose it.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I think indoor potty is really helpful for living in a climate with rain or snow! For indoors I like pellets a lot better than pads. Our breeder paper trained and I didn’t have any problem switching to pellets. Since a real grass patch will last a long time in your climate, and combined with indoor potty it probably won’t get burned or smelly too fast, I might add a square on your deck if you think you will play outside there a lot. I’d just get a piece of sod locally at a nursery because it’s a lot less expensive than the delivery subscriptions and I don’t think it would need to be replaced as often as they send them since the puppy will primarily use the indoor potty. If you think you’re more likely to get outside time at a park or somewhere else then it’s probably not worth it. Moving a potty tray around the house isn’t a big deal when it’s needed, I just wouldn’t want to bother taking it in and outside every single day and they don’t do well in the rain


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## Boomer's mom (Apr 18, 2020)

Festivusforme said:


> Hi there! I'm picking up my first Havanese at the end of the month. This will be my first puppy in years. I'm trying to decide what to try first for potty training. While I live in a house, we only have a fenced deck, not a fenced yard. Although I'm considering getting a grass patch and placing it in an x pen on the deck under a covered area, I'm wondering if it makes more sense to just stick to indoor potty training. I live in the rainy pacific northwest.
> 
> I've purchased a puppy potty pan and am not sure what would be the best option to put inside. The puppy will have exposure to pee pads with the breeder, but I'm not sure if those will make the most sense as the puppy grows. I am also researching pine pellets, grass patches, and the bark potty (placed inside the potty pan).
> 
> ...


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## Boomer's mom (Apr 18, 2020)

Unfortunately my boy ate the pine pellets when he was a puppy. We went to a potty pad with grid (we used the Richell brand). It has worked out great. We travel a lot by car and we just take one with us. When we stop for a potty break, he immediately goes on his pad. We no longer use them in the house as we have transitioned to one on our porch and one in the garage. They are a life saver for us since our boy has long hair. Rainy days and wet grass dont go well with full coats!


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