Can you train a small dog to use a litter box?
By DesignDiva
@DesignDiva (379)
United States
January 21, 2007 1:56pm CST
I live in an apartment in the city and work full time. I'm dying to get a dog, but I hate the thought of leaving him in a crate all day. I've heard some people say that they've trained their small dogs to use a litter box during the day.
Have any of you done this? Any tips or tricks to get it to work? Any problems that I should be aware of before I try it?
4 responses
@delilahiris (8)
• United States
21 Jan 07
You definetly can train them to use a litter box. I would suggest using puppy training pads instead of kitty litter. They have a chemical in them that makes a dog want to use them. It's like a scent or something.
An alternative would be to hire a dog walker. Or use a doggy daycare. I worked at a daycare and can say that they are absolutoly awesome for dogs.
@DesignDiva (379)
• United States
22 Jan 07
What a great idea on nusing puppy pads rather than kitty litter! I don't exactly know what a puppy pad is, but I have heard of them.
I would absolutely love to use a dogwalker or doggie daycare, but they're so expensive! It's like $20 per hour for a dog walker or $35+ per day for doggie daycare. Is child daycare even that expensive?!
@mrstigs (63)
• United States
21 Jan 07
I tried it with an older dog that I adopted but she was too set in her ways. I plan on trying it again if I ever get a puppy. I would guess it would be much the same as paper training them.
Crate training isn't about keeping your dog confined all day. It's about keeping your dog in a safe place where they can't get into things that could hurt them. If you opt to not crate train make sure that where you leave your dog is 100% dog proofed. It would be sad to come home to a pet that got into something that killed them.
@DesignDiva (379)
• United States
22 Jan 07
That's such a good comment. Have you had experience with crate training? I've heard that some dogs like it, but it just seems like it could be so claustraphobic. I don't know much about it. I should read some books or something on it.
Then my biggest fear is that if I have to work late some night (my boss loves to throw last minute deadlines at me) that he'd have to go to the bathroom and wouldn't be able to. But having him get hurt would be so much worse!
@sanjivbiswas (334)
• India
21 Jan 07
you have to train them before they do that,you have to have patience and also they will dirty your room but they are a fun to have.
@dm74728 (159)
• United States
21 Jan 07
I'm gone a lot during the day. I just leave a puppy pad down even though he's a grown dog. They put a chemical in it that attracts the dog. If you use them and your dog goes on it, make a big fuss and tell them how good they are. The minute they realize that makes you happy they will do it again and again waiting for praise. My dog got the hang of it the second time he went.
