How long should you use puppy pads? A Complete Guide

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For all the joy and excitement of bringing home a new puppy, potty training can be enough to make you wonder what you were thinking. In fact, one of the most popular questions on The AKC GoodDog! Helpline is how to potty train a puppy. The goal of potty training is simple, but the details can be confusing, like whether to use puppy pads or even an indoor doggy bathroom.

Having your dog go outside is the ideal solution, but potty pads can sometimes play a role in successful potty training. For example, with very young puppies it’s necessary to make frequent trips outside. That might be too challenging for elderly owners or apartment dwellers. Or if you don’t have a backyard and your dog’s toilet area is a public place, you might want to limit your puppy’s exposure until he’s fully vaccinated. So, if you want to include potty pads or indoor potties in your puppy’s housetraining routine, read on for tips on how to potty train a puppy on pads.

It’s easy to get frustrated with your new puppy when potty training is taking longer than you expected. But it’s essential to be patient during this process. Remember, potty training takes time. Don’t expect more from your puppy than he is able to deliver. The following points will help you keep your cool:

Decide if you will be using disposable or reusable puppy pads

Consider an indoor “litterbox-type” dog bathroom

A puppy can’t control his bladder until he is 16 weeks old. So as much as you might like him to wait, he simply can’t.

A puppy can only hold his bladder as long as his age in months plus one hour. So, a four-month-old puppy can only hold it for five hours. That includes during the night as well.

Every breed is different. For example, a toy breed might need more frequent potty breaks due to a fast metabolism and tiny bladder.

Every puppy is different, even within breeds. Your first puppy might have been potty trained in a few weeks, but your next one might need months.

It’s important to watch your puppy at all times for safety, but this is also the key to successful potty training. You can’t prevent accidents if you don’t have your eyes on the dog. Here are some tips to help with supervision:

Take your puppy to the potty pad or indoor bathroom frequently. How often will depend on his age and bladder strength. For very young puppies, it could be as often as every 15 minutes. Better a wasted trip than an accident.

Set a timer if you’re having trouble remembering when to take your puppy to his pad.

Watch your puppy for telltale signs he has to go such as sniffing the ground, circling, or whining. When you see those signs, take him straight to the potty pad.

Use a long leash if you are having trouble keeping your puppy in sight. Tie the leash to heavy furniture or around your waist to limit your puppy’s movements.

Put your puppy in a crate or a safe area whenever you can’t supervise him.

A crate is an important potty training tool because dogs don’t like to soil where they sleep. Plus, a strong denning instinct means that if you introduce a crate properly, your puppy will see it as his safe space rather than a punishment. Keep the following in mind when introducing a crate to your puppy:

Choose an appropriately sized crate. Your puppy should be able to lie down and turn around but with no extra room. If the crate is too large, your puppy can use one end as a toilet which will delay potty training.

Use dividers with a larger crate. If you buy a crate for your dog’s adult size, dividers can help the crate “grow” with your puppy.

Associate the crate with wonderful things. If you put treats in the crate, feed your puppy at the back of the crate, and leave food-stuffed chew toys in the crate, your puppy will learn to love it.

Reward your puppy for going in his crate. He will be happy to go inside if it’s a rewarding place to be. Although a crate is great for a quiet time out, don’t use it for punishment.

Take your puppy straight to his potty pad whenever you let him out of his crate.

When thinking about how to potty train a puppy, don’t underestimate routine and consistency. Setting a schedule and sticking to it will help prevent accidents and ensure you give your puppy every chance to go in the right location. These tips will help you stay consistent:

Know when your puppy has to go. Most puppies need the bathroom when they wake up in the morning, after eating, after playing, and after napping. So, take your puppy to the potty pad every time one of these events occurs.

Take your puppy to the potty pad anytime they haven’t been for an hour or two.

Bring your puppy to the potty pad whenever you suspect it’s time. But if he doesn’t go, don’t let him run around and play. Instead, put him back in his crate for 10-15 minutes, then immediately try again. Repeat until he does his business.

Feed your puppy on a schedule. If you control when your puppy eats, you can better predict when he’ll have to go to the bathroom. Don’t free feed.

Choose an appropriate place for the potty pad. Try not to move it while your puppy is still learning. If you confuse your puppy, he will have more accidents and take longer to train.

Dogs repeat behaviors that are rewarding and doing their business in the right spot is no different. If you reward your puppy with praise and treats whenever he uses his potty pad, he will be more likely to use it again in the future. Keep the following in mind when rewarding your puppy:

Reward your puppy immediately after he does his business. Don’t wait to get the treats out of the cupboard. Have them ready to go in the moment.

Keep a bowl or bag of treats beside the potty area so you are always prepared.

Use a leash if your puppy is easily distracted. Walk him to the potty pad on a leash and only unclip him after he’s done his business. The freedom to play will be a bonus reward.

Signs It’s Time To Take Away The Puppy Pads

If there’s no pad available, your puppy will wait for you to put one down.

You take your puppy outside, but she waits until she’s inside to relieve herself. This means she’s already gotten the idea that inside=bathroom, but she has bladder control, so she’s ready to be retaught.

Your puppy goes through a full night (8 hours) without going potty.

You come home from work (or errands, or any time you leave your puppy alone) to a dry pad.

Your puppy is showing a preference for going outside.

You can put your puppy near the pad and say “go potties” and she will potty on command.

Step 1: Move the Pad Closer to the Door

The goal here is to move your dog’s potty closer to outside. Don’t rush this process. You’re going to have to move the pad slowly until you get to the door. This process could take up to two weeks, depending on where you usually keep the pee pad. If you try to move it too quickly, you increase the chance of accidents.

Another tip: Every time you move your puppy’s pad, let him watch. Then, once your puppy uses the pad in its new spot, offer lots of praise. Praise works wonders because your furbaby thrives when he pleases you.

TRUTH ABOUT POTTY PADS How to potty train indoors, FAST

Throughout my years of potty training dogs, I’ve used pee pads a few times. But, I must admit, I wouldn’t use them again. Sure, they’re beneficial at times. They’re great for unvaccinated puppies living in busy apartment complexes, small breeds during harsh winter months, and elderly/disabled pooches who have trouble walking. However, for the average dog mom, I’m not a believer in training pee pads. Think about it – pee pads teach your furbaby that it’s okay to go to the bathroom in the house. That’s the total opposite of what you are trying to teach them. So, unless you plan to use pee pads for the rest of your dog’s life then they’re simply adding an extra step to the training process.

If your furbaby is already trained to pee pads when you bring him home, and you intend on moving his potty to the backyard, your job is to re-train.

At first, your puppy isn’t going to understand why you’re moving his bathroom from the pee pad to outside. Think of it from his point of view. When your pooch is used to going on a pee pad in the house, he never has to exert any real control. He gets the urge to go, walks over to the pad, and relieves himself. So now, not only do you want to change where he goes, you also want him to hold his urges until you get him there.

You can’t just take the pee pad away or else your furbaby will likely just run to that same spot and tinkle on the floor. With that in mind, the pee pad will become your best training tool.