# moving indoor potty to a new location



## lolo1 (Jul 24, 2018)

I have learned a lot reading all the extremely informative posts as I am preparing for our new Havanese puppy to come home in a few weeks. I am working out where to set up an ex pen with a crate, water and potty area as many have described in the forum. My question is would it be possible (or a good decision) to set up the puppy pen with the potty area, and after the pup is older/trained and has more freedom, move the litter box to a new location like a bathroom? My first thought was to use the bathroom as the puppy area, but i don't think that would work for us. However, it would be possible to put it close to it. We plan to indoor train and then add outdoor eventually as we live in New England and like the dual option. Also, how did you decide where to put your puppy area/ex pen? Thank you for your advice!!


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

Shama's 2x6-foot ex pen is tucked under our kitchen island, so she's right next to our dining room table. We've been so happy with that location, because we have an open floor plan, so she can retreat to her pen and still monitor us while we're at the table or in the living room watching TV. She really seems to love her pen, because she goes in it frequently when she could still be out with us. Sometimes it's for an afternoon nap, but more often it's when she's winding down in the evening. She's great about going into her pen after her last trip to the back yard before bedtime. At the beginning, we had a crate at one end of the pen and a training tray at the other end. We got her in mid-August and returned to work (we are both teachers) at the end of August. When we're at work, a dog walker takes her out and plays with her in the middle of the day. It eventually became clear to us that she was no longer using the training tray, so we replaced it with a fluffy bed. When she got spayed, she spent a lot more time in her fluffy bed than in her crate, and now it seems that she only rarely sleeps in her crate. We love our Pupperton pen and take it with us whenever we travel. To answer your question, I think you would be able to start with the training tray in the pen then relocate it to a bathroom later. I feel fairly certain, however, that if Shama still had access to her training tray in the house, her preference would still be to go outside to potty. Here's a link to a thread showing her ex pen. (She still lies in her alley!)

https://www.havaneseforum.com/8-puppy-area/122313-baby-loves-her-ex-pen.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MGTQS7W/ref=twister_B011PN9Y70?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

The Best Wooden Dog Crates | Pupperton - Home


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## Henry&Kate (Mar 29, 2017)

Henry's ex pen is in the kitchen as well because it's more or less the center of the house and especially when he was little he could be safely tucked into his pen while I did other things and yet he was still with me. He sleeps in my room in a crate though.

But he isn't using his indoor option at all anymore He _really_ wants to go outside. I'm not sure if I were gone for maybe 5 hours if he would use it. Maybe.


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## lolo1 (Jul 24, 2018)

So it seems as if it is best to put the ex pen where you spend the most time which makes a lot of sense as a priority. So I'm thinking kitchen/family room, and not stressing over the potty part. Thank you!!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Once the puppy graduates from the expen, the box needs to be moved to some other location in small increases of distance. No puppy will be able to go from using a box close by, and then go to solving a multi step problem-like going down a hall, and into another room.


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## lolo1 (Jul 24, 2018)

that's what i was concerned about initially. I haven't trained a puppy in a while, but I thought I remembered that it would be better if the spot was where it needed to be from the start. I can put it close and then move it in small increments when it's time, and work from there 🐶


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lolo1 said:


> that's what i was concerned about initially. I haven't trained a puppy in a while, but I thought I remembered that it would be better if the spot was where it needed to be from the start. I can put it close and then move it in small increments when it's time, and work from there &#128054;


When I wanted my dogs to use alitter box in a new location, I put the new one where I wanted it, but didn't remove the old one until I was POSITIVE that they knew where the new one was, and that they were using it successfully for several months before removing the old one.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

krandall said:


> When I wanted my dogs to use alitter box in a new location, I put the new one where I wanted it, but didn't remove the old one until I was POSITIVE that they knew where the new one was, and that they were using it successfully for several months before removing the old one.


My pup is 5 months old and although I can't trust her 100%, I placed two other Paw Trax pads around the house, in addition to the one in her ex-pen. I did that when she was 4 months.

We're currently in an 1,110 sq ft vacation townhome. I have closed off rooms to limit her roaming space. Initially, she only used the ex-pen pad. One day I noticed she started using a second one.

It's hysterical to see. I have a third pad upstairs but when she feels the urge instead of using the pad upstairs she makes a mad running dash downstairs to her ex-pen. She sniffs around the pad upstairs but I haven't been able to talk her into using it.

Eventually, I want her to use the third one upstairs and eliminate the other two. And ... hope she prefers to go outside but I will always need an indoor potty for inconvenient times.

I'm testing Krandall's Equine Pine Pellet potty source instead of using disposable pads with the Paw Trax pads. I purchased an expensive small 5lb bag from Amazon as a test. The pellets do fit under the Paw Trax pads with some finagling. They don't smell like the disposable pads, which I like. I'm not sure how much trouble it's going to be in switching out the pellets compared to the pads. Just started it a couple of days ago. Patti had no issue and used the pellets as readily as the pads.


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## lolo1 (Jul 24, 2018)

Mikki said:


> My pup is 5 months old and although I can't trust her 100%, I placed two other Paw Trax pads around the house, in addition to the one in her ex-pen. I did that when she was 4 months.
> 
> We're currently in an 1,110 sq ft vacation townhome. I have closed off rooms to limit her roaming space. Initially, she only used the ex-pen pad. One day I noticed she started using a second one.
> 
> ...


That's the cutest thing - her running downstairs! Please let me know how the equine pellets work out for you, and if your pup uses the upstairs box.

I am also planning on taking Krandall's advice and I am starting out with the Equine pellets, but its good to know that the paw trax pads don't smell if the pellets don't work out. I like that the pellets are environmentally friendly while also controlling odor. My puppy will be used to paper, so my plan is put paper on top of the grates, pellets underneath, and eventually eliminate the paper altogether (all in his ex pen).

I am going to place the ex-pen near where I want the box to be permanently, and when he is fully trained, and out of the ex-pen, move the box by inches as Tom King suggested, but that is farrrrrr offffff in the future and plans are just plans! 3 weeks until we bring our puppy home &#128149;


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

lolo1 said:


> That's the cutest thing - her running downstairs! Please let me know how the equine pellets work out for you, and if your pup uses the upstairs box.
> 
> I am also planning on taking Krandall's advice and I am starting out with the Equine pellets, but its good to know that *the paw trax pads don't smell* if the pellets don't work out. I like that the pellets are environmentally friendly while also controlling odor. My puppy will be used to paper, so my plan is put paper on top of the grates, pellets underneath, and eventually eliminate the paper altogether (all in his ex pen).
> 
> I am going to place the ex-pen near where I want the box to be permanently, and when he is fully trained, and out of the ex-pen, move the box by inches as Tom King suggested, but that is farrrrrr offffff in the future and plans are just plans! 3 weeks until we bring our puppy home &#128149;


The paper pads used with Paw Trax DO have an odor. That's why I'm interested in the Pellets. I need to change the paper pad once to twice a day, while a pain is easy and quick. I, also, don't like the way the pee pee spots look on the paper pads. They're not as notice or orderous with the pellets.

I don't know how often I will need to change out the pellets. I think, I maybe able do this every other day. I can remove only the wet Pellet spots and replace those pellets. At this time ... I'm not sure how this is going to work. Paw Trax and UgoDog are NOT set up for the Pellets ... BUT ... it may work.

Regarding Paw Trax and paper pads. If there's is a large amount of pee in one area, the dog's feet can get damp and track a small amount using Paw Trax with pads. Yuck!!

I don't know if the UgoDog mat is better than Paw Trax used with pellets. Someone said the Paw Trax is deeper? I haven't been able to look at the UgoDog mat to compare.

Maybe a box would work best if the dog goes to it. I brought my puppy home at 8 weeks and placed a grass turf pad in her ex-pen ... located in our family room kitchen area. She instinctively went to the grass turf. The grass turf is gross and a month later and I switched to Paw Trax. I now have invested a fortune in these different indoor potty pads. :crying:

I like the convenience of a dog learning to go indoors ...but plan on Patti using a doggie door at our primary home and going outside ... most of the time. Fingers Crossed...


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## lolo1 (Jul 24, 2018)

Mikki said:


> The paper pads used with Paw Trax DO have an odor. That's why I'm interested in the Pellets. I need to change the paper pad once to twice a day, while a pain is easy and quick. I, also, don't like the way the pee pee spots look on the paper pads. They're not as notice or orderous with the pellets.
> 
> I don't know how often I will need to change out the pellets. I think, I maybe able do this every other day. I can remove only the wet Pellet spots and replace those pellets. At this time ... I'm not sure how this is going to work. Paw Trax and UgoDog are NOT set up for the Pellets ... BUT ... it may work.
> 
> ...


Ohhhhh thank you for explaining, and for sharing your other experiences. I too am trying to avoid spending a fortune on things that aren't going to work out. I'm timing my purchases to stay within the amazon 30 day return window for most things, but obviously these potty methods are an exception. I think I am going to try the UgoDog (i think it might be slightly larger - slightly), the equine pellets, rewards/positive reinforcement, and hope this works out as it has for others. I'm not quite sure why they don't make these grated indoor boxes a little deeper. It seems like a no brainer.


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## pting619 (Jul 18, 2018)

I’m a new Hanvanese puppy owner (10 weeks old). The breeder from whom we purchased her, uses Pish Pads....she gave us 2 pads (cut them off a roll). One side absorbs the pee, the other keeps it from soaking through. She immediately used them. The breeder told us they are washable, but hang to dry. Haven’t washed them yet, but if they really are reusable, it will be a great savings! She also goes outdoor on an area covered with artificial grass...our ground cover is river stones.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

pting619 said:


> I'm a new Hanvanese puppy owner (10 weeks old). The breeder from whom we purchased her, uses Pish Pads....she gave us 2 pads (cut them off a roll). One side absorbs the pee, the other keeps it from soaking through. She immediately used them. The breeder told us they are washable, but hang to dry. Haven't washed them yet, but if they really are reusable, it will be a great savings! She also goes outdoor on an area covered with artificial grass...our ground cover is river stones.


I haven't tried Pish Pads, but didn't like the reusable pads you wash that comes with grass turf indoor potty trays. A big problem with pads, some puppies will play with and chew up the pads if they're not enclosed. I'm sure mine would be one of those.

I started out with grass turf trays and reusable pads. There was an odor on both after washing. Yuck! I then purchased Paw Trax Mesh Training trays which has a locked grate on top used with disposal paper pads underneath. The grate keeps the paws dry UNLESS they pee a lot in one spot - then their paws can get damp and track.

The paper pads don't leak and has have a gel filling for odor control. The pads after use does have an odor unless it's a tiny amount. At four months of age, I found I needed to switch out the paper pads once to twice a day. I, also, hated the way the pee pads looked.

Krandall uses UgoDog training trays and uses Equine Pine Pellets instead of paper pads. The Pine Pellets don't have an odor and are ecologically friendly. The pellets absorb the pee and expand. I tried that with Paw Trax trays and found it difficult to use with the pellets because of the way the top snaps down.

I'm now testing Equine Pine Large Shavings instead of pellets. These work with the Paw Trax trays. There is no odor and I can go a couple of days without changing the pine shavings. I, also, like the look of the large shavings better than the pellets.

I may eventually get a UgoDog tray. The lid fits differently allowing the use of pellets or shavings and it looks like there's more room between the top of the grate and bottom tray. However, I'm invested heavily in Paw Trax trays and will see how things go.

Eventually, I plan on Patti using a doggie door and doing her job outside most of the time when home. During the summer months, we are in a townhome without a yard or a good place to walk a dog. The convenience of indoor potty trays makes it possible to own a dog.


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