I’ve had great results coaching puppy guardians on using real or artificial grass pads for house training.
The greatest house training benefit of a patio or balcony potty is proximity to an exit. Puppies need instantaneous reinforcement for learning, and they need the environment to be calm to avoid being distracted.
Location Matters
Dogs have a natural instinct to *not* eliminate at the entrance to their “den” (door to the house).
Pen and grass pad placement makes a difference in a puppy’s understanding of what you want them to do in there. If they have to travel more than 10 feet from the house to the outdoor pen it will slow their understanding, and they’re likely to become distracted along the way.
The best location is close enough to the house door so puppy can follow you into the pen without a leash.
Walk directly from the house to inside the pen without facing puppy. Avoid talking to them. They have a natural instinct to follow you without asking them to. Let that work for you.
If your puppy doesn’t automatically follow, start by tossing high-value treats near the pen gate. After several of those are successful, toss a few just inside the pen. Repeat this at least 5 times.
Next, toss treats further into the pen so all 4 puppy legs have to go in to retrieve the treat. Allow your puppy to exit after grabbing the treat if they want to. Repeat at least 5 times before throwing a handful of treats (jackpot) near the back of the pen then silently close the pen gate behind your puppy. Toss another jackpot inside once you close the gate.
Once puppy is inside the pen with the gate closed, your job is to watch for elimination out of the corner of your eye, while not engaging puppy or making eye contact. You don’t have to remain in the pen, but you do have to remain nearby for at least the first week or two of using an outdoor pen.
The treats you use make a huge difference. Use single-ingredient, protein-based treats for maximum effect in guiding your puppy onto the grass pad.
Allow your puppy to walk away from the pad after retrieving the treat, if they choose to do so. Throw another treat onto the grass pad to get them to return. Repeat in rapid succession 5 times.
Repeat this behavior sequence for 1 week. It only takes a few days for most puppies to understand they should go onto the grass pad, when they exit the house. You want to continue to reward this behavior with high-value treats for a few days after they automatically go to the pad to ensure the lesson sticks.
Once puppy’s eliminated, their reward is access to the yard or balcony (open pen gate) for playtime or return indoors for playtime.
In my professional experience verbal praise takes puppy’s attention away from the business at hand. It takes longer for puppies to learn anything when humans shower them with excitement the minute they succeed at something. I recommend no verbal praise for house training.
Dee Green has been a professional dog trainer and canine behavior consultant for more than 20 years. She specializes in puppies up to 18 months, and fearful, anxious and reactive dogs of all ages.
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