# Potty Park vs Ugodog



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

We are going on an extended trip in our travel trailer this summer, and I'm considering an indoor potty option that is lighter weight, easier to move, and less likely to spill than his litter box.

I'd love input from anyone who has had experience with both. Barring that, I'd love pros and cons of both from those who use them.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I haven't used any of them yet, but there's some chance I might be moving to a place where I'd need something. This Porch Potty has gotten some really good feedback. I'll be checking back here for feedback as well.


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

I love my piddle pad and holder. That is all I have used. Good topic!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

pjewel said:


> I haven't used any of them yet, but there's some chance I might be moving to a place where I'd need something. This Porch Potty has gotten some really good feedback. I'll be checking back here for feedback as well.


Yeah, I don't think that would work for us... liquid loose in a moving travel trailer seems WAY worse than a few wood pellets rolling around on the floor!ound:


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## evaofnc (Feb 22, 2011)

I'm not sure if they have these in the US but while I was living in Japan, this setup was VERY popular.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/soukai/4973655576816/

I wish I could find a bigger picture but I can't. Anyway the idea is that the grid keeps your dog from being able to tear up the pee pad, holds it in place, and it can last longer since you're scooping the poop from the grid rather than the pad. My friends over there with dogs swear by this system.


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

Karen, I've used the ugodog since Santos came home, and I can't say enough good things about it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

evaofnc said:


> I'm not sure if they have these in the US but while I was living in Japan, this setup was VERY popular.
> 
> http://item.rakuten.co.jp/soukai/4973655576816/
> 
> I wish I could find a bigger picture but I can't. Anyway the idea is that the grid keeps your dog from being able to tear up the pee pad, holds it in place, and it can last longer since you're scooping the poop from the grid rather than the pad. My friends over there with dogs swear by this system.


That looks similar to the Ugodog.


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## Uno10 (Jan 25, 2011)

Our Uno uses Rascal Litter Box. It comes with synthetic grass that can be thrown into a washer (we haven't tried it yet). You can place pee-pads/newspaper/whatever under the grass for easy clean up. We got the big size (10 - 30 lb dog size) for our puppy and he seems to like it.

Check it out:

http://www.rascaldoglitterbox.com/


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## LilyMyLove (Jul 11, 2009)

I have both the Ugodog and use pee pads with a tray. (Amazon.com: Iris Medium Floor Protection Tray for Pet Training Pads: Kitchen & Dining) I actually prefer the tray. The ugodog works okay as well, but cleaning the plastic grids is messy, I cant imagine cleaning one of those fake grass ones. Lily only uses the trays for peeing but when she went #2 once I was surprised how gross it was to clean it out. ALso I felt it was very overpriced for the construction. It really is three pieces of injection molded plastic for $50.

These pee pads are great though. They are made by Nature's Miracle. They soak it up super quick and Lily never has wet feet.

Amazon.com: Nature's Miracle Quick Results Training Pads 80 Count Bag: Kitchen & Dining


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

LilyMyLove said:


> I have both the Ugodog and use pee pads with a tray. (Amazon.com: Iris Medium Floor Protection Tray for Pet Training Pads: Kitchen & Dining) I actually prefer the tray. The ugodog works okay as well, but cleaning the plastic grids is messy, I cant imagine cleaning one of those fake grass ones. Lily only uses the trays for peeing but when she went #2 once I was surprised how gross it was to clean it out. ALso I felt it was very overpriced for the construction. It really is three pieces of injection molded plastic for $50.
> 
> These pee pads are great though. They are made by Nature's Miracle. They soak it up super quick and Lily never has wet feet.
> 
> Amazon.com: Nature's Miracle Quick Results Training Pads 80 Count Bag: Kitchen & Dining


A pee pad that isn't COMPLETELY protected from the dog won't work for Kodi... he'll just destroy it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Uno10 said:


> Our Uno uses Rascal Litter Box. It comes with synthetic grass that can be thrown into a washer (we haven't tried it yet). You can place pee-pads/newspaper/whatever under the grass for easy clean up. We got the big size (10 - 30 lb dog size) for our puppy and he seems to like it.
> 
> Check it out:
> 
> http://www.rascaldoglitterbox.com/


How long have you had it? I've heard that some of the grass-type potties get pretty smelly and it's hard to get the grass really clean.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

The Ugodog does look similar to that Japanese model posted above. I used the Ugodog for Augie when he was younger. Had I known about the 'grassy ones', I may have considered one of them. I liked the Ugodog a lot. I did not find it at all difficult to clean. I kept newspaper in the bottom of it to soak up the pee. And Augie's poops have always been firm, so just used Kleenex to pick them up off the top of the grate and throw them in the toilet. I put it in the bathtub to clean with bleach and hot water and used the hand-held spray shower head to spray it good. However, in a previous discussion, I recall there were some people who found the thought of washing it out in the tub totally disgusting. That is where I bathe Augie and also where I wash out bird cages, and I clean the tub afterward, and to me, it isn't a big deal. 

I have left the Ugodog out for 'just in case' during the night, should he have to go or we are gone from the house a bit longer than when we usually take him out. But he hasn't used it in well over a year. I don't know if he would, if he just couldn't hold it any longer, at this point or not. Once he learned to go outside, he just holds it until we take him outside. 

My concern, at this point, would be whether you could get a dog to switch to another system for potty, once they had become so used to using the method they are using. We'll wait for reports, Karen.


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## Uno10 (Jan 25, 2011)

LilyMyLove said:


> I have both the Ugodog and use pee pads with a tray. (Amazon.com: Iris Medium Floor Protection Tray for Pet Training Pads: Kitchen & Dining) I actually prefer the tray. The ugodog works okay as well, but cleaning the plastic grids is messy, I cant imagine cleaning one of those fake grass ones. Lily only uses the trays for peeing but when she went #2 once I was surprised how gross it was to clean it out. ALso I felt it was very overpriced for the construction. It really is three pieces of injection molded plastic for $50.
> 
> These pee pads are great though. They are made by Nature's Miracle. They soak it up super quick and Lily never has wet feet.
> 
> Amazon.com: Nature's Miracle Quick Results Training Pads 80 Count Bag: Kitchen & Dining


Honestly, I think the grass might be easier to clean. Pee goes right through it to the pee pads underneath and for potty you just need to wipe it with tissue and then some clorox disinfectant wipes. Every week or two, depending on the usage, spray water on it and throw it into the washer (grass should be in a bag, not directly in the washer) and let it dry outside. Best of all, it doesn't stink up the place.

Also, if your guy is trained to go on grass this makes potty training much easier. We didn't even train our Uno, we just encouraged him to go into the box a few times, then placed the box next to the outside door.

But again, this is the ONLY product I have used so I cannot comment on Ugo or any other product. Just my 2 cents.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

krandall said:


> A pee pad that isn't COMPLETELY protected from the dog won't work for Kodi... he'll just destroy it.


We tried pee pads in a tray when Augie was a pup as well. He totally destroyed them. And I suppose there are different sorts of pee pads, but the ones we had had a plastic-type liner on the back and I was afraid he was going to ingest that. We just ended up using newspaper on the floor until I read about the Ugodog on the forum. And it worked great and it wasn't hard to transition him to it, but he was still small then.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Uno10 said:


> Honestly, I think the grass might be easier to clean. Pee goes right through it to the pee pads underneath and for potty you just need to wipe it with tissue and then some clorox disinfectant wipes. Every week or two, depending on the usage, spray water on it and throw it into the washer (grass should be in a bag, not directly in the washer) and let it dry outside. Best of all, it doesn't stink up the place.
> 
> *Also, if your guy is trained to go on grass this makes potty training much easier. We didn't even train our Uno, we just encouraged him to go into the box a few times, then placed the box next to the outside door. *
> 
> But again, this is the ONLY product I have used so I cannot comment on Ugo or any other product. Just my 2 cents.


That is the part where I thought it might have an advantage, being more like outside grass so they may be more inclined to go on it when you were training them to use it (like for trips), or the other way around, if you were training from inside to outside to go potty.

What do you use when the 'grass' is in the washer and then outside drying and they have to 'go'? Do you have 'spare' grass?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I was one of the ones grossed out by the idea of cleaning it in the house. I wasn't SO grossed out by the idea of the tub, but our only tub is on the second floor, and has no sprayer. I was mostly grossed out by the idea of doing it in the kitchen sink.:biggrin1: But this would be for in the trailer, and we have an out door warm water shower on the trailer, so that would make clean-up very easy. (makes dog clean-up easy too!:biggrin1

I think it would probably not be that hard to switch him from litter to something else, because (even though it would be messy during the switch) I could always just put a small amount of litter on top of whatever we choose and slowly reduce the amount. I know he'll potty on a pee pad with some litter on it in an emergency, because we've done it. The problem is we can't leave an unprotected pee pad down, or he'll destroy it. ...And after what we're going through now, I wouldn't dare take a chance on him swallowing some!!!

I know that some of the grass pads can be thrown in the washing machine, which would be good (like Augie, poop isn't a problem, he almost never uses the indoor potty for poop, and when he does, it's well-formed and easy to pick up)

But one thing that concerns me about the grass ones is, how does the dog differentiate between that and carpet? I DON'T want him to get the idea that peeing on my orientals is OK!!! (I see the same problem with pee pads that are not fully protected from the dog... I know a number of people have trouble with their dogs peeing on small area rugs, and I can understand the dogs' confusion!



motherslittlehelper said:


> The Ugodog does look similar to that Japanese model posted above. I used the Ugodog for Augie when he was younger. Had I known about the 'grassy ones', I may have considered one of them. I liked the Ugodog a lot. I did not find it at all difficult to clean. I kept newspaper in the bottom of it to soak up the pee. And Augie's poops have always been firm, so just used Kleenex to pick them up off the top of the grate and throw them in the toilet. I put it in the bathtub to clean with bleach and hot water and used the hand-held spray shower head to spray it good. However, in a previous discussion, I recall there were some people who found the thought of washing it out in the tub totally disgusting. That is where I bathe Augie and also where I wash out bird cages, and I clean the tub afterward, and to me, it isn't a big deal.
> 
> I have left the Ugodog out for 'just in case' during the night, should he have to go or we are gone from the house a bit longer than when we usually take him out. But he hasn't used it in well over a year. I don't know if he would, if he just couldn't hold it any longer, at this point or not. Once he learned to go outside, he just holds it until we take him outside.
> 
> My concern, at this point, would be whether you could get a dog to switch to another system for potty, once they had become so used to using the method they are using. We'll wait for reports, Karen.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Uno10 said:


> Honestly, I think the grass might be easier to clean. Pee goes right through it to the pee pads underneath and for potty you just need to wipe it with tissue and then some clorox disinfectant wipes. Every week or two, depending on the usage, spray water on it and throw it into the washer (grass should be in a bag, not directly in the washer) and let it dry outside. Best of all, it doesn't stink up the place.
> 
> Also, if your guy is trained to go on grass this makes potty training much easier. We didn't even train our Uno, we just encouraged him to go into the box a few times, then placed the box next to the outside door.
> 
> But again, this is the ONLY product I have used so I cannot comment on Ugo or any other product. Just my 2 cents.


I like the idea of being able to clean/disinfect it in the washing machine. Potty training isn't a problem... Kodi is already there. This is for indoor use and more importantly, for when we are traveling. Sometimes it's REALLY cold (or wet!) getting up and out of the trailer. Worse, when you're in a hotel room, and have to get completely dressed in order to get the dog out to where ever the appropriate potty spot is! (I'll admit it, we don't live within sight of neighbors, and unless it's really cold, I take Kodi out in my PJ's and robe in the morning at home!:biggrin1


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

OK, I've made my decision! I just ordered two Rascal litter boxes with extra grass. It looks like you can use them in all the configurations we've talked about (pee pads, pee pads under a grate or grass over the grate) so that I can experiment and see what works best for us. They also send you a special spray to get the dog started. (I'll try that before I try putting some used litter on them)

Now I just need to poke around and see if I can find the posts people wrote about the washable pee pads for underneath. Disposables are OK for when we're traveling, but I don't like the idea of putting all those pee pads in the landfill... or the on-going expense!

I'll tell you how they work out once they arrive.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Uno10 said:


> Honestly, I think the grass might be easier to clean. Pee goes right through it to the pee pads underneath and for potty you just need to wipe it with tissue and then some clorox disinfectant wipes. Every week or two, depending on the usage, spray water on it and throw it into the washer (grass should be in a bag, not directly in the washer) and let it dry outside. Best of all, it doesn't stink up the place.
> 
> Also, if your guy is trained to go on grass this makes potty training much easier. We didn't even train our Uno, we just encouraged him to go into the box a few times, then placed the box next to the outside door.
> 
> But again, this is the ONLY product I have used so I cannot comment on Ugo or any other product. Just my 2 cents.


You have the large size one, right? Can you tell me the measurements so I can try to get washable pee pads for it? I couldn't find actual measurements on the site, only that it was for dogs up to 30 lbs.


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## Uno10 (Jan 25, 2011)

krandall said:


> You have the large size one, right? Can you tell me the measurements so I can try to get washable pee pads for it? I couldn't find actual measurements on the site, only that it was for dogs up to 30 lbs.


Hey Karen,

It measures around 22 X 22 inches.

One quick suggestion would be to spray the liquid they provide at the far end of the grass so that the little one has to go all the way in before he can sniff it.

We did 3-4 training sessions which basically consisted of us encouraging Uno to go in using his treats. The Company said that we can call them for help anytime etc etc but we never had to.

We don't have any carpet where the box is so I can't really comment on if he would get confused between grass and carpet.



> What do you use when the 'grass' is in the washer and then outside drying and they have to 'go'? Do you have 'spare' grass?


I bought two! . It cost around $12 extra but honestly I think I can survive with one. The other one is lying around somewhere just in case.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Uno10 said:


> Hey Karen,
> 
> It measures around 22 X 22 inches.
> 
> ...


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Karen, Kodi isn't a 'leg lifter' then? Sounds like you made a good choice, considering what he is used to, as the one you chose sounds very similar. Yes, please be sure to post your experiences! 

The bathtub I use for washing Ugodog and Augie is on main level, so very handy.


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## Uno10 (Jan 25, 2011)

krandall said:


> He's not a "little one" though... he's 20 months, and 16 1/2 lbs.<g> He already understands what litter boxes are for, so I'm not expecting the change to be too tough... especially with this model. It might be a bit harder with the Potty Park, where they need to climb up on it. But with this one, it's still a litter box, (and just happens to be just the same size as his) it just has different "stuff" in it.
> 
> Thanks for the input.


Cheers. Hope it works out for you and you guys have a great trip!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

motherslittlehelper said:


> Karen, Kodi isn't a 'leg lifter' then? Sounds like you made a good choice, considering what he is used to, as the one you chose sounds very similar. Yes, please be sure to post your experiences!
> 
> The bathtub I use for washing Ugodog and Augie is on main level, so very handy.


Thank heavens, no, he's never gotten into the habit of lifting his leg. I've made a concerted effort to keep him away from all vertical surfaces when we're out on walks where other dogs may have marked. I don't think he has a clue that that's what "big boys" are supposed to do. I aim to keep it that way!:biggrin1:


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

krandall said:


> Thank heavens, no, he's never gotten into the habit of lifting his leg. I've made a concerted effort to keep him away from all vertical surfaces when we're out on walks where other dogs may have marked. I don't think he has a clue that that's what "big boys" are supposed to do. I aim to keep it that way!:biggrin1:


Augie either! He has never lifted his leg - in my presence at least! ound:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

We were at a class a couple of weeks ago, and one of the dogs lifted their leg all over the door jam on the way in. I think the owner didn't notice because everyone was carrying in their crates and stuff. The instructor asked whoever's dog did it to go clean it up. It was very nice knowing that it COULDN'T have been Kodi! ... Of course, I think the target spot was over his head anyway, but...:biggrin1:


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