# Are "Pee Pads" necessary?



## stealthq

Can't help you with bladder capacity in a toy - I've got a standard 

Personal experience has been that pee pads make potty training take longer. The few times my family has had to potty train puppies started with a pee pad, it has taken much longer for puppy to understand the concept of "do NOT go inside". My current pup had real crate training problems because he didn't get the concept until all bedding (he mistook it for pee pads) was removed from his crate. We've also had the experience of a puppy started on pee pads deciding that any paper on the floor was fair game for a bathroom.

Now, I know that people have had success with pee pads and some have had no problems using them. They just haven't worked for me and I will never risk using them again. I just find super-duper diligence on my part and many middle of the night potty trips more reliable in the long run.


----------



## petitpie

My experience was with a miniature poodle puppy in an apartment. I used a 3x3 foot wire pen with no top and lined it with piddle pads. She had enough room to use a corner and stay away from the spot. I put her in the pen when I had to leave or was unable to watch her. I also walked her outside on a leash, often, and without any distractions. She slept with me at night and was calm and quiet. She had a few accidents along the way, but I was also very consistent with her routine. She never used a crate. Try what you think would work for you.


----------



## Freckles

I've never trained a toy poodle, but I do have a 4 pound Chinese Crested that I'm sure would have a similar sized bladder. I introduced potty training to her as I would a bigger dog, trips outside after she woke from a nap, or a few minutes after eating, etc. I did introduce potty pads as a second option and I'm very glad I did. 

Once we had snow that was twice as deep as she was tall and even with a path shoveled for the dogs, I felt better that she could use the pad safely and comfortably inside. It's also come in handy while traveling. We visited friends in NYC last spring and there were no grassy areas anywhere around their building, but the potty pad allowed her to go somewhere familiar. 

I should also add, I trained both dogs to potty on command. That way, if I needed to use the pad, I could be sure she was associating going potty with the pad, and not just going indoors. 

Good luck with your adorable pup!


----------



## vicky2200

This is my first small dog as a puppy. I am not resorting to using pee pads unless he is still having accidents at a year old. I don't think they are necessary. If there is snow, shovel an area for them to use.


----------



## pgr8dnlvr

vicky2200 said:


> This is my first small dog as a puppy. I am not resorting to using pee pads unless he is still having accidents at a year old. I don't think they are necessary. If there is snow, shovel an area for them to use.


So what size poodle do you have? How old is it? How long have you gone with no pee pads? Have you ever raised a small dog through puppyhood without pee pads before? I thinks accidents after a year old would be a dismal failure and incredibly distressing...

Rebecca


----------



## CraftyGirl

My male toy will be 4 months on the 26th. When we got him he was just over two months. At first we had him in an ex pen on our kitchen with pee pad, crate, a few toys, water etc. We did that for a few weeks and he was using the pee pads on and off, but still a few accidents on the floor of the ex pen. I realized after a week or two that the spots on the pee pads were getting bigger, meaning he was holding it longer and sleeping through the night more. He also was more familiar with outside by this point (at first he was scared since we brought him home to a foot of snow). This is when I decided to crate him in our bedroom so I could hear him if he needed to go out. At first he would wake me up once, maybe twice, through the night. For the last few weeks he has been fine all night (about 8 hrs). He likes his crate and knows he gets to go out first thing in the morning. Sometimes when I hear him shuffling in it I wake up early to take him out, and he looks at me like "mom, i know it's not time to come out yet, I want to relax more!" 

I think puppy pads are a great option for some people but it turned out that Geno likes to go outside better! He has about one accident a week still, but that's usually our fault and happens close to the door while we're getting his harness on.

additional info: he eats his last meal between 7:30 and 8, no water after 9, and in crate by 10 or 11. We don't stick to this exactly, he is flexible but it's generally around this times


----------

