# Litter Box Help



## Marti Harris (Dec 30, 2020)

Hello Everyone,

My puppy is almost 15.5 weeks now and pee pad training is going OK however she is increasingly chewing her pads and dragging them around. 

I've noticed that many of you have litter boxes and have some questions for you:

What type of box do you recommend?
What type of filler is best?
Does anyone use the artificial grass?
Does anyone use the type with a plastic grated top?

I would appreciate any advice you can share about the best type to get as well as how to best approach the training process.

Thank you!
Marti & Lucy


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

We had this one and really liked it. The pads aren't good for the environment and could smell. Our puppy was TINY (weighed 1.9 pounds when we first took her to the vet) so didn't pee a lot compared to a bigger puppy, and I never once noticed a smell. We didn't end up using the tray very long, so I don't feel like our using the pads affected the environment too terribly. When she stopped using the tray, we put it in the garage. (She prefers to potty outdoors. I think if we had to pen her for a really long time in some sort of emergency situation, we'd be able to put the tray in her pen, and she'd figure out to potty there.) This training tray prevents a dog from chewing the pee pads and dragging them around.

Others will weigh in about the pellets.

Good luck!


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## Marti Harris (Dec 30, 2020)

Thank you Shama Mama! 

We have a less than ideal outdoor set up so this is likely to be a long term potty solution. Hopefully someone will weigh in on the litter boxes. I saw a lot of those in the photos everyone so kindly shared of their ex-pens.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Marti Harris said:


> Hello Everyone,
> 
> My puppy is almost 15.5 weeks now and pee pad training is going OK however she is increasingly chewing her pads and dragging them around.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately, my favorite grated litter boxes are no longer made, so that doesn't help you much. I did recently purchase this one, just to try it our, and it does work with a thin layer of pellets:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZCS4HWX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just throw away the stupid post!!! do NOT encourage any of THAT!!! LOL!

I use pine pellets used for horse bedding. You can also use hardwood pellets used for wood stoves. I like the oine pellets, because IF the dog gets ahold of a.few and ends up swallowing them, you know it is a type of wood that won't hurt them. You don't know what wood is used in the wood stove type.

Many of us have TRIED fake grass. The problem is, after a few uses, there is NO way to get the smell out of it. And it STINKS. The nice thing about pellets is that they are completely odor free.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I can’t find any of the indoor litter boxes I’ve used on Amazon anymore. I think some of it might be related to them being manufactured overseas, and slower manufacturing and shipping times, vs. the increase in people bringing home puppies. I really like the one Karen linked, because I prefer them more flat, and it looks like the wall comes off, too.

If you’re planning to indoor potty train long term (and I think it’s great) I’d definitely consider switching to wood pellets since she’s playing with the pads. It’s nice to have a grate over the pellets, once in a while someone will mention their puppy is interested in them, but shredding pads seems to be more common. Pine pellets don’t smell, they’re easy to clean up, and they’re available locally so you could get them quickly. I learned about them from the forum! You can put them in just about any shallow container, about the size of the current pee pad, to use while you’re shopping for a litter box and waiting for it to arrive. Then you don’t have to spend a week picking up shredded puppy pads and struggling with potty training! I don’t know if the one Karen is posted is available for prime shipping, I just remember none of mine qualified and they all took a week or more to arrive, so it could help in the meantime.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> I can't find any of the indoor litter boxes I've used on Amazon anymore. I think some of it might be related to them being manufactured overseas, and slower manufacturing and shipping times, vs. the increase in people bringing home puppies. I really like the one Karen linked, because I prefer them more flat, and it looks like the wall comes off, too.


Yes, I tossed the back piece too. If I had a puppy that was THINKING about leg-lifting, I'd move it away from all walls, so there was no vertical surface to encourage that! What a TERRIBLE idea!!! LOL!



EvaE1izabeth said:


> If you're planning to indoor potty train long term (and I think it's great) I'd definitely consider switching to wood pellets since she's playing with the pads. It's nice to have a grate over the pellets, once in a while someone will mention their puppy is interested in them, but shredding pads seems to be more common. Pine pellets don't smell, they're easy to clean up, and they're available locally so you could get them quickly. I learned about them from the forum! You can put them in just about any shallow container, about the size of the current pee pad, to use while you're shopping for a litter box and waiting for it to arrive. Then you don't have to spend a week picking up shredded puppy pads and struggling with potty training! I don't know if the one Karen is posted is available for Prime shipping, I just remember none of mine qualified and they all took a week or more to arrive, so it could help in the meantime.


Can't remember how fast it came... I was just curious about it, so I wasn't counting the days. It wasn't long, though.

Wanted to add that I don't use pads for a couple of reasons. Besides the plastic waste in landfill issue, and the Havanese puppies chewing them up issue, they STINK! after just a SINGLE pee! I can't live with that smell.


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## MMoore (Aug 20, 2020)

krandall said:


> Unfortunately, my favorite grated litter boxes are no longer made, so that doesn't help you much. I did recently purchase this one, just to try it our, and it does work with a thin layer of pellets:
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZCS4HWX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> ...


We have the same box Karen gave the link for. It works pretty well, but I really wish there was more space between the bottom of the grate and the box so the pellets would fit in easier. Instead of filling it with pellets and then trying to fit the grate over them, I put the grate on first, then pour pellets over it and shake to distribute them. This works pretty well, but some of the pellets do need to be broken down smaller in order to go through the holes. If the grate shifts at all though, the pellets also shift, and then the grate won't go back down.

Karen, I'm glad to know a pine pellet ingested isn't harmful. Finley is always fascinated watching me pour the pellets in, and a few times I've had to fish one out of her mouth.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Fezzik is pooping in his litter box but he won't pee in it. He likes peeing outside but hasn't figure out how to tell me. I did wipe up a pee mess and buried the paper towel under the pellets, trying to lure him in. sigh .. it is only our third day. he is doing really well.


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## AK Havanese (Jul 9, 2020)

My pup is 15 weeks old and have had him since he was 8 weeks. Based on information I received from this forum I decided to use indoor/pellet method. I wanted a litter box with higher sides and was not able to find one with a grate, so this is what I came up with and has been working really well. I purchased a puppy litter box from Petco (the large size is 20" x 24"). I purchased an egg crate ceiling panel from Home Depot ($16 for a 2'x4' sheet which is enough for 2 or 3 boxes) for the grate which my husband cut to fit perfectly in the box. I should mention that he used a jig saw with a metal cutting blade to trim the grate to size and he just happens to be very handy. The box is deep enough that you could put as little or much as you wanted of the wood pellets. I only use about 1 inch of locally made spruce pellets.

Originally I used PVC shower floor tiles from Amazon which can be easily cut to size with scissors and they worked pretty well but there was more room in between each hole & I found myself wiping up pee each time from the tile but the poop was really easy.

I have attached links for the purchase of all 3 items if you are interested and a picture of the litter box.
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/so-phresh-dog-litter-box
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Plaskol...-Crate-Light-Ceiling-Panel-1199233A/202025149

[ame="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082VCZXLS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1"](Smabee) 9Pcs Interlocking Soft PVC Non-Slip Tile Splicing Waterproof Mat Drain Pool Shower Bath Kitchen Cushion 11.75" x 11.75" Mats Thin Type (White): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific[/ame]


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

That looks great! I also modified a litter box for my basement. I don’t know what the manufacturers model them from, but different brands seem to be similar sizes. Two of my trays are almost exactly the same size and the larger one is double. I wish I had thought of the egg crate, I noticed that in another thread.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I used hardly any wood pellets under the grate. The u-go-dog tray has enough room for a pretty thick layer, but I found it didn’t work as well, so I made layer very thin. Sometimes I could almost see the bottom of the litter box. If the pellets were thick, it was hard to see where he peed, because the pee sinks to the bottom, where it breaks down the pellets beneath, but the pellets covering that area look untouched. If the layer is thin, the pellets expand and make a little pile of sawdust that absorbs all of the pee and is easier to see and scoop out. Although now I’m wondering if that’s just because of the arid climate here! When my second potty tray came, it didn’t have as much room for the pellets. But a single layer of pellets was okay. Even if they aren’t super tight together, they do expand when they get wet.


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## Mando's Mommy (Dec 8, 2020)

AK Havanese said:


> My pup is 15 weeks old and have had him since he was 8 weeks. Based on information I received from this forum I decided to use indoor/pellet method. I wanted a litter box with higher sides and was not able to find one with a grate, so this is what I came up with and has been working really well. I purchased a puppy litter box from Petco (the large size is 20" x 24"). I purchased an egg crate ceiling panel from Home Depot ($16 for a 2'x4' sheet which is enough for 2 or 3 boxes) for the grate which my husband cut to fit perfectly in the box. I should mention that he used a jig saw with a metal cutting blade to trim the grate to size and he just happens to be very handy. The box is deep enough that you could put as little or much as you wanted of the wood pellets. I only use about 1 inch of locally made spruce pellets.
> 
> Originally I used PVC shower floor tiles from Amazon which can be easily cut to size with scissors and they worked pretty well but there was more room in between each hole & I found myself wiping up pee each time from the tile but the poop was really easy.
> 
> ...


Do you know if Home Depot or Lowe's will cut the egg crate for you? I think this looks great but am definitely not handy. I like the litter box that Karen bought out of curiosity but it sounds like you can only put a thin layer of pellets in there. I also wondered whether it was better to have slightly higher sides, too.


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## Mando's Mommy (Dec 8, 2020)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> I used hardly any wood pellets under the grate. The u-go-dog tray has enough room for a pretty thick layer, but I found it didn't work as well, so I made layer very thin. Sometimes I could almost see the bottom of the litter box. If the pellets were thick, it was hard to see where he peed, because the pee sinks to the bottom, where it breaks down the pellets beneath, but the pellets covering that area look untouched. If the layer is thin, the pellets expand and make a little pile of sawdust that absorbs all of the pee and is easier to see and scoop out. Although now I'm wondering if that's just because of the arid climate here! When my second potty tray came, it didn't have as much room for the pellets. But a single layer of pellets was okay. Even if they aren't super tight together, they do expand when they get wet.


I saw your post after I posted my question. Good to know that a thin layer sounds sufficient. I do still wonder if higher sides on the litter box, especially for a male puppy, is better though? It looks like the Kings use a litter box with higher sides and no grate. I'd personally like to use a grate to avoid the tracking of pellets or pellets getting knocked out of the box (either by the puppy or my kids). :laugh2:


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

[email protected]@nese_Mommy_Wannabe8 said:


> Do you know if Home Depot or Lowe's will cut the egg crate for you? I think this looks great but am definitely not handy. I like the litter box that Karen bought out of curiosity but it sounds like you can only put a thin layer of pellets in there. I also wondered whether it was better to have slightly higher sides, too.


I have seen people cut them without power tools, but I think it would be hard to have someone else do it if you have to cut the corners to fit in a rounded box. The first time I saw a video of it I'm pretty sure they just used wire snips. I think a decent pair of craft scissors would give clean cuts.

I have thought about using a silicone sink liner with drain holes. I can't remember if I actually tried it, I found and tried a couple of different materials that were more flexible, like embroidery mesh, and I didn't find it needs to be stiff, I just laid it on top of the layer of pellets. However, this was for my basement so it wasn't used every day, and I don't remember what materials cleaned up the best. I think he used it like 8 times when I was organizing my basement over the course of a couple of weeks. One of those roll up dish racks might work, and some of those can also be cut down. I don't think the grid or holes actually need to be really small. It just needs to not be like wire, which is uncomfortable to walk on, and provide some kind of barrier so they lose interest in the pellets. If a puppy is really determined to get in there, he probably could, but it seems like most puppies interested in the pellets lose interest if they aren't easy to access. Sundance is obsessed with anything wood, and he completely ignores all wood pellets. I think he associates them with potty now.


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## Mando's Mommy (Dec 8, 2020)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> I have seen people cut them without power tools, but I think it would be hard to have someone else do it if you have to cut the corners to fit in a rounded box. The first time I saw a video of it I'm pretty sure they just used wire snips. I think a decent pair of craft scissors would give clean cuts.
> 
> I have thought about using a silicone sink liner with drain holes. I can't remember if I actually tried it, I found and tried a couple of different materials that were more flexible, like embroidery mesh, and I didn't find it needs to be stiff, I just laid it on top of the layer of pellets. However, this was for my basement so it wasn't used every day, and I don't remember what materials cleaned up the best. I think he used it like 8 times when I was organizing my basement over the course of a couple of weeks. One of those roll up dish racks might work, and some of those can also be cut down. I don't think the grid or holes actually need to be really small. It just needs to not be like wire, which is uncomfortable to walk on, and provide some kind of barrier so they lose interest in the pellets. If a puppy is really determined to get in there, he probably could, but it seems like most puppies interested in the pellets lose interest if they aren't easy to access. Sundance is obsessed with anything wood, and he completely ignores all wood pellets. I think he associates them with potty now.


Thank you, EvaE1izabeth! You are always so helpful. Really appreciate it!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

[email protected]@nese_Mommy_Wannabe8 said:


> I saw your post after I posted my question. Good to know that a thin layer sounds sufficient. I do still wonder if higher sides on the litter box, especially for a male puppy, is better though? It looks like the Kings use a litter box with higher sides and no grate. I'd personally like to use a grate to avoid the tracking of pellets or pellets getting knocked out of the box (either by the puppy or my kids). :laugh2:


Probably personal preference. I think if the box is big enough and the potty training is started in a contained ex pen, they learn to be pretty precise. But having a mat or liner beneath it while you're learning your puppy's "pee style" is a good idea either way.

I bought a box with higher sides because I needed one upstairs and it's all carpeted. I was planning to put something beneath it just in case. As soon as I set it up he wanted to use it, and I didn't want to discourage it, so I left it on the carpet, planning to get some kind of plastic sheet at the hardware store the next time I was there. I checked with a black light every night for a couple of days, and every so often for a while longer, and he never peed outside of the box or even splashed on the walls. So I just left it the way it was. I actually think even the potty tray with the walls was overkill, now that I know my Havanese and that he is very neat in his potty habits. This was also his second potty tray so he was definitely not learning with the litter box on carpet.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Oh I completely forgot that these puppies are the Kings. I’d ask them, but I’d be really surprised if puppies trained so early to a litter box have any trouble with splashing at all. I’d get their input, and go with a litter box that works best for the room you want to keep it in long term.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Oh you also mentioned kicking the tray! My kids have totally done this, lol. It has to be kicked pretty hard though, to knock them out. The pellets are more likely to fall out when filling or emptying it. They do hurt to step on, you have kids so it’s like LEGOS. But it really wasn’t a problem for us. With some of them the tray sort of snaps down. Maybe Karen can say if this one snaps down or not!


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## Mando's Mommy (Dec 8, 2020)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> Oh you also mentioned kicking the tray! My kids have totally done this, lol. It has to be kicked pretty hard though, to knock them out. The pellets are more likely to fall out when filling or emptying it. They do hurt to step on, you have kids so it's like LEGOS. But it really wasn't a problem for us. With some of them the tray sort of snaps down. Maybe Karen can say if this one snaps down or not!


EvaE1izabeth, I definitely understand the LEGO analogy! :laugh2: My son loves LEGO and our house is filled with them...sometimes in inopportune places. I actually was talking to him last night about the need to put away some of his LEGO sets and boxes of loose pieces to puppy proof the house.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

[email protected]@nese_Mommy_Wannabe8 said:


> Do you know if Home Depot or Lowe's will cut the egg crate for you? I think this looks great but am definitely not handy. I like the litter box that Karen bought out of curiosity but it sounds like you can only put a thin layer of pellets in there. I also wondered whether it was better to have slightly higher sides, too.


I use egg crate for other things and it is dead easy to cut with a pair of wire cutters. A bit tedious, because you have to cut through each square separately. But my hands are very weak because of my Rheumatoid Arthritis. If I can do it, almost anyone can. There is no need for power tools.

I WOULD be a LITTLE concerned that the size of the holes is a little large, and could potentially catch puppy toes. I hope Tom King sees this and will weigh in. There was someone else who posted a video tutorial of something like this that went one step further, and then covered the egg crate with a layer of window screen. That seems safer to me.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

[email protected]@nese_Mommy_Wannabe8 said:


> Do you know if Home Depot or Lowe's will cut the egg crate for you? I think this looks great but am definitely not handy. I like the litter box that Karen bought out of curiosity but it sounds like you can only put a thin layer of pellets in there. I also wondered whether it was better to have slightly higher sides, too.


None of mine have ever had any trouble with them being flat, even as puppies. Size seemed more important than height of the sides. Little puppies rarely lift their legs... ESPECIALLY if you don't GIVE them something to lift their leg against.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> Oh you also mentioned kicking the tray! My kids have totally done this, lol. It has to be kicked pretty hard though, to knock them out. The pellets are more likely to fall out when filling or emptying it. They do hurt to step on, you have kids so it's like LEGOS. But it really wasn't a problem for us. With some of them the tray sort of snaps down. Maybe Karen can say if this one snaps down or not!


I just went and looked at it, and I think MAYBE, if you put a REALLY thin layer of pellets in it, it would snap in place? But I don't care. So I just pour the pellets in and toss the grid on top, and it sits there. I can see little places that LLOk like they might be supposed to clip in, though. It just doesn't matter with my dogs. They don't mess with it. But none of them are puppies.


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## AK Havanese (Jul 9, 2020)

I don't know if Home Depot or Lowes would cut the egg crate for you but I really doubt it. But sounds like others think it could be easily cut without power tools.

As for the silicone sink liner mentioned by EvaElizabeth, I think they might be similar to the PVC shower floor tiles I used which worked but had too much space in between the holes and allowed pee to stand there waiting for his little paws on the next trip.

I don't know if I really need the higher sides, just feels safer to me. All of Frankie's pee and poo has remained inside the box so far.

Karen mentioned that she thought the holes in the egg crate may be too large and catch puppy toes but this is not a problem for my pup. BUT he is not tiny. 

I should also mention that I tired hardware cloth as a grate early on and was a disaster. The pee was no problem but the poo was a mess to clean up.

Just a head up if you decide to use the egg crates, although I don't think most people would be this ignorant (my husband agrees completely!). After he cut the grate to size I thought I should stand on it in my bare feet to see if it felt comfortable enough for Frankie. Well I don't know about the comfort because I immediately heard a loud crunch with cracking and jumped off. Just thought I would turn the chore into a little more work for my husband since now he also had to use a special glue to fix the cracks:laugh2:


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## apkansas (Mar 9, 2021)

Marti Harris said:


> Hello Everyone,
> 
> My puppy is almost 15.5 weeks now and pee pad training is going OK however she is increasingly chewing her pads and dragging them around.
> 
> ...


I am trying to get my little guy 13 weeks to use a litter box - our breeder said not to get a plastic one because the puppy would chew on it. She also told us that she litter trains her puppies - not very evident by our Felix’s response to the litter pan. She sold us a used metal pan that the puppy refuses to use - he began messing around with the pine pellets and we switched to potty pads (which I also don’t like due to the environmental impact and odor). So I’m curious if you found a good litter box and if your puppy transitioned to it well? 
Trying to figure this out and looking for advice 😉
-ap


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

apkansas said:


> I am trying to get my little guy 13 weeks to use a litter box - our breeder said not to get a plastic one because the puppy would chew on it. She also told us that she litter trains her puppies - not very evident by our Felix’s response to the litter pan. She sold us a used metal pan that the puppy refuses to use - he began messing around with the pine pellets and we switched to potty pads (which I also don’t like due to the environmental impact and odor). So I’m curious if you found a good litter box and if your puppy transitioned to it well?
> Trying to figure this out and looking for advice 😉
> -ap


I’ve never heard of a puppy chewing on a plastic litter box...

All of my litter trained puppies have readily accepted anything with litter in it. I’ve told the story of going to a show and getting to the hotel and realizing I left Panda’s litter box at home. It was the middle of the winter with a slushy driveway, so no place to potty outside for my long haired white show dog. I went to the home depot across the street, bought a disposable paint roller pan for a couple of dollars, poured some pellets in it and we were all set!


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## MMoore (Aug 20, 2020)

Finley has never chewed on the litter box, but the few times we had some pee pads out when we first brought her home, she loved to tear them up. We have this one: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZCTCMH3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The grate comes down very low inside the pan, so you need to fill it when the lid is on, and then shake the pan so the pellets go down in it. If you put the pellets in first, the grate won't fit on. But you really don't need a thick layer of pellets anyway. They absorb liquid and turn to sawdust. 

Finn used the box consistently at night since she came home, so it's been great not having to get up in the middle of the night. During the day, she never really took to it - not sure why, since clearly she knew how to use it. In the past three weeks, she's started telling us when she needs to go out (or, more likely, we started figuring out her signals), and she hasn't had an accident since (hope I'm not jinxing anything!). The box has been dry for the same amount of time, so she's clearly at the point where she can hold it all night and wait for morning to go out. But as far as night time goes, it's been such a nice change from other puppies we've had!

Good luck!


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## vladamirs (7 mo ago)

If anyone knows a good kitty litter box, please recommend one.


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## kyrasubmit (7 mo ago)

I have a dog and a cat. But the dog doesn't need a litter box because it goes to empty himself outside.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

vladamirs said:


> If anyone knows a good kitty litter box, please recommend one.


Do you mean for your puppy? You don't want a kitty lite box. The box is too small and the sides are too high. You want a dog potty tray. Here is the ones I use, but there are other options available now, since I purchased these: 









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


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

kyrasubmit said:


> I have a dog and a cat. But the dog doesn't need a litter box because it goes to empty himself outside.


If you have a husky, I would never want it to eliminate indoors either! It is common to start Havanese on litter box training, even if you plan for them to only potty outdoors as adults. And many of us still use titer boxes as back-up potties for our adult dogs for inclement weather or when we are away from home for long periods of time.


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