# Inside-outside toilet training



## Brooksie (Jan 23, 2012)

HI....I'm new to the forum. I am anxiously awaiting an 8 week old male havanese in about 3 weeks  I plan on having a play pen that will have his crate within it. I've been reading all types of tips, mainly on potty training. Should we start by teaching the dog on the pee pad that would be within the pen? I understand the concept of teaching him to go on that as his "indoor toilet", but it seems counterproductive if you're trying to simultaneously teaching him to go outdoors. Can you/Should you use both at the same time? And if so, how do you get away from the pee pads altogether? What is a realistic timeline to be completely trained to the outside? Thanks


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I did this, mainly because I knew I would be traveling quite a bit with Gucci and wanted her to be able to use the pee pad at hotels or places where she wasn't familiar on how to notify me to go outside. I think it makes housebreaking harder. If you don't have to do both, stick with the outside unless you are leaving them at home without anyone to let them out for more than a few hours.

Gucci goes outside 99% of the time, unless it is raining at night, she'll go on the pad in our bathroom. I have to leave it out, because she thinks that small bath rugs or small rugs are fair game to pee on (no joke) so if I don't put the pad in the bathroom, she'd just pee on the rugs. She is 5 and still thinks they are just plush, fluffy, soft colored pee pads. lol

Kara


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Brooksie said:


> HI....I'm new to the forum. I am anxiously awaiting an 8 week old male havanese in about 3 weeks  I plan on having a play pen that will have his crate within it. I've been reading all types of tips, mainly on potty training. Should we start by teaching the dog on the pee pad that would be within the pen? I understand the concept of teaching him to go on that as his "indoor toilet", but it seems counterproductive if you're trying to simultaneously teaching him to go outdoors. Can you/Should you use both at the same time? And if so, how do you get away from the pee pads altogether? What is a realistic timeline to be completely trained to the outside? Thanks


Kodi was already pretty well trained to use a litterbox when I got him. We continued to reinforce the use of the litter box. Our experience was that he trained himself to "go outside" for the most part. Obviously, we praised him HUGELY when he went outside, but we really didn't need to specifically teach it. Before long, he showed a clear preference for pooping ouside, and now, he'd rather potty both ways outside if he has the option. But we still keep the litter box because it is so much easier when traveling and in bad weather.


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

We had exactly the same experience as Karen did with Kodi except using a pad instead of a litter box. Because we're an older couple and this is a small dog, it is wonderful to have Keeper trained to the pad. He trained himself to the outside which didn't occur until about two months after he was using the pad. He clearly prefers outside and trained himself to it, BUT, in very bad weather and some kind of 'emergency' need, he uses the pad beautifully. I am very glad we did this and the breeder began the pad training early.

Keeper's Mom


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

Hi Brooksie,
I have a 13 week old. I was intending on pad training him through the winter and transition him to go outside once the weather improved, however, we've had such a mild winter so far I started taking Timmy outside and he really prefers to go outside. He has started to scratch at the door, which might mean he has to go, so I take him out and he does his business pretty quickly. We got some snow over the weekend and I still took him out, as much as I dislike it, and he wasn't even fazed. I do make him use the pad to pee after he wakes up from a nap, but that's about the only time he uses it. My advice would be to have a plan but be prepared to tweak it as needed. Good luck!!!


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

We just got out second pup right after christmas. Our first, we trained him to use the pee pad and go outside at the same time. The pee pad is not to use at all times, but mostly when we are not home or during the night, so we took him out constrantly during the day until he got a hang of it. The only downside with the pad is that he used to rip it in a million pieces and then the pee would go everywhere.

Our second pup is being trained with the litter box and outside. He is still getting a hang of it, but doing much better now. What I love about the litter box (we use wood pellets, the ones you can purchase to burn on a pellet stove) is that it NEVER smells like pee, never! the pee turns the pellets into sawdust and you just scoop it up and put some more. Is awesome. 

I think is great to teach them to go outside from an early age, if you have the option. Indoor potty I see it more as an emergency or night use.


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## rlewis (Sep 20, 2011)

I have an 8 month old and I trained him only outside. I was the same way, figured it might be counter-productive. He rings a bell to go out and was pretty easy to train.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

Thumper said:


> I did this, mainly because I knew I would be traveling quite a bit with Gucci and wanted her to be able to use the pee pad at hotels or places where she wasn't familiar on how to notify me to go outside. I think it makes housebreaking harder. If you don't have to do both, stick with the outside unless you are leaving them at home without anyone to let them out for more than a few hours.
> 
> Gucci goes outside 99% of the time, unless it is raining at night, she'll go on the pad in our bathroom. I have to leave it out, because she *thinks that small bath rugs or small rugs are fair game to pee on (no joke) so if I don't put the pad in the bathroom, she'd just pee on the rugs. She is 5 and still thinks they are just plush, fluffy, soft colored pee pads*. lol
> 
> Kara


Henry is the exact same.


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## Chocomoto (Jan 1, 2012)

For those of you who only trained outside, what did you do at night for the first few months? I can't imagine getting up every few hours during the night...but if I have to, I will.

I'm new here. We'll be picking up Geoffrey the end of February and he will be 8 weeks.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

If you only want to train for outdoors, then you have to be willing to get up with the puppy at night, as often as necessary for as long as necessary.

Why would you not want to also have an indoor option for your pup?


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## Chocomoto (Jan 1, 2012)

An indoor option would be ok for the first 6-8 months, but once he is trained I would prefer that he go outside. I guess I'm concerned that by offering the indoor option in the beginning, it would be hard to remove it later.
As far as training goes, it would be a lot easier to be able to leave him in an ex-pen at night with an indoor option. During the day I'll be taking him out every hour.


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## Clair&Bear (Nov 24, 2011)

Brooksie said:


> I understand the concept of teaching him to go on that as his "indoor toilet", but it seems counterproductive if you're trying to simultaneously teaching him to go outdoors. Can you/Should you use both at the same time? And if so, how do you get away from the pee pads altogether? What is a realistic timeline to be completely trained to the outside? Thanks


I trained Bear to potty inside and outside and I don't think it has taken any longer than usual. She has just turned 4 months old and is pretty reliable. It helps that she absolutely loves the outdoors and chooses to be out there most of the time! She is sometimes lazy and pees right outside the door, but at least it's on the outside and not inside!



krandall said:


> Kodi was already pretty well trained to use a litterbox when I got him. We continued to reinforce the use of the litter box. Our experience was that he trained himself to "go outside" for the most part. Obviously, we praised him HUGELY when he went outside, but we really didn't need to specifically teach it. Before long, he showed a clear preference for pooping ouside, and now, he'd rather potty both ways outside if he has the option. But we still keep the litter box because it is so much easier when traveling and in bad weather.


Ditto. Except I use a litter box with a piece of turf on top because Bear loves grass. She definitely prefers to potty outside but the turf is an inside option when I'm out of the house. She usually holds it until I come home though, which is good. I agree with the travelling thing, I just visited my mum for 2 weeks and brought Bear's whole set up (bed, xpen, litter box) and she hardly made any accidents inside because she knew where the turf was.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Thumper said:


> I did this, mainly because I knew I would be traveling quite a bit with Gucci and wanted her to be able to use the pee pad at hotels or places where she wasn't familiar on how to notify me to go outside. I think it makes housebreaking harder. If you don't have to do both, stick with the outside unless you are leaving them at home without anyone to let them out for more than a few hours.
> 
> Gucci goes outside 99% of the time, unless it is raining at night, she'll go on the pad in our bathroom. I have to leave it out, because she thinks that small bath rugs or small rugs are fair game to pee on (no joke) so if I don't put the pad in the bathroom, she'd just pee on the rugs. She is 5 and still thinks they are just plush, fluffy, soft colored pee pads. lol
> 
> Kara


I could have written this exactly. We trained ours to go inside and outside. Kodi goes out 99% of the time and Shelby is probably about 80% of the time.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Chocomoto said:


> An indoor option would be ok for the first 6-8 months, but once he is trained I would prefer that he go outside. I guess I'm concerned that by offering the indoor option in the beginning, it would be hard to remove it later.
> As far as training goes, it would be a lot easier to be able to leave him in an ex-pen at night with an indoor option. During the day I'll be taking him out every hour.


Most people find that they really PREFER to go outside when they get older. Kodi only uses his indoor litter box when the weather is REALLY bad outside, and we won't take him out. Then we have to tell him, "Use your box!" He'll huff and puff around for a while, but eventually cave and use it, when he sees we are serious about not taking him out!:biggrin1:


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