# Need recommendations for "grass potty patch!"



## Monomni (Jan 26, 2015)

Help! I just started fostering an unneutered & non-housebroken male 3yo Toy Poodle, Darryl, so housebreaking is my first priority with him. 
I live in a 3rd floor apartment, and my previous dogs (and upcoming puppy) have always been trained to use the "wee-wee pads" in addition to going outside. However, Darryl is already used to eliminating on grass, so I need to get one of those artificial grass "potty patch" things to put on my balcony for faster/closer access. 

Darryl's slightly oversized, at 11" tall, like a Mini, and the pet store potty patches are ridiculously too small (like 17x27") and so fake that he doesn't even bother taking a sniff. I've already tried & returned the ones that Petco & Petsmart carry (the PoochPad & Potty Patch), so now I need recommendations for buying one online (preferably from Amazon). Eventually, I hope to train him to use pads, but for now, I need recommendations on an affordable fake grass option... 

Thanks in advance for any feedback you can provide! :act-up:


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Training-Puppies-Pads---Bundle/dp/B00P84JX5Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1429297607&sr=8-2&keywords=spray+aid+for+pee+pad+training

I don't know about potty patches but I used this to peepad train an older pup who refused to go potty outside in the bitter cold.


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## Monomni (Jan 26, 2015)

*Pads vs. grass*

Twyla - 
Yep, those are the kind of pads that I usually use, and they're great. Eventually, I want to train Darryl to use those, but for right now I need a grass type of item, because he's already familiar with using grass. 

However, instead of leashing Darryl and going outside, down two flights of stairs, and to the end of the building for grass, he needs a closer "grassy" location to potty either in my apartment or on my balcony.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I don't have any really good advice, but my puppy refuses to use pee pads and only goes in the grass. However, at 3 am one night he found the welcome mat we put by the steps of the deck to clean our feet before coming in. It had a grass-like top to it. He pooped all over it. I have been considering bringing it inside and putting on top of pee pads when the weather is bad outside. It must have seemed grass-like enough to him.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

do a search at amazon for patio potty. it will bring up a number of different options. there's even one with a pole in the middle (supposedly for male dogs). also google patio park and porch potty. there's an amazing amount of stuff out there to answer consumer demand re city dogs and/or dogs stuck indoors for whatever reason.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

it was the spray I was alluding to not the peepads themselves, to spark his interest


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Cayenne was trained for out side, and I got the artificial grass one from Pet Smart for 50.00 and an extra piece of grass for 29.00 and it works, she still will go outside when I take her, but in the house the potty patch, love it. I put the potty pads in the bottom to absorb the wee wee, and change it every 3 days.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Monomni said:


> Twyla -
> 
> Yep, those are the kind of pads that I usually use, and they're great. Eventually, I want to train Darryl to use those, but for right now I need a grass type of item, because he's already familiar with using grass.
> 
> ...


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## Monomni (Jan 26, 2015)

*real grass for now*

Well, in addition to poking around some more online, I also went over to Home Depot this weekend. Part of my concern and shopping criteria has been about size, too, because Darryl wanders/circles even while he pees. Most of the pet potty patches are too small (at least for starting off with a dog used to wandering). 

Home Depot had some big (and expensive) rolls of nice artificial turf that I considered cutting up into several chunks, but when when I checked out their real grass, I found that they had small rolls (2'x4') for just $5. Initially, the clerk said that they were dead and being thrown out before a new shipment arrived, but I found two rolls that were still in decent shape and got them at a discount for less than $4 total. Score! :act-up:

The only downside is that they're surprisingly heavy (and I'm very petite), so getting them home and up to my balcony was quite a PITA chore. Totally worth it though, if I can get a couple of weeks use out of them as a much more convenient potty location. After just a brief bit of hesitation/confusion (mostly because the balcony is new to him) Darryl successfully started using the grass. I'll probably let him get used to using the grass on the balcony for a few more days before I start trying to get him to use a pad on top of it.


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## Monomni (Jan 26, 2015)

*Glitch with grass*

Arrrgggg... First a bit of a venting update, and then I have a new question...

Just as Darryl and I were starting to get used to the fantastically handy grass area on my balcony, we've now apparently hit a snag. Darryl is now basically refusing to step/walk on the grass! :angry:
I wonder if it's because the grass is possibly dying, but I think it actually might be that he doesn't want to walk through where he's peed/pooped before. Are poodles really that picky? Although I picked up the poops, some were kind of loose and left smears/remnants behind. Ewwww! I suppose that I can get a new roll of grass and see if he'll use a new one again, but there's NO way that I'm going to buy and lug around these heavy grass rolls around every few days! :angry:

However, maybe this could be an opportunity to get Darryl to use pads faster/easier instead of the grass, so I'll try that tonight.

First though, after reading numerous recommendations to introduce pads with the dog's urine sprinkled on it, I'm wondering HOW in the world do I GET the urine collected?? :afraid:
Not only is Darryl unpredictable in deciding whether to lift, walk, or squat while he pees, even if I try to be stealthy and slide a little bowl under his squat, I'm pretty certain that he'll move, stop, etc. Especially for those that have somehow done this before, what method(s) and tips do you recommend??

Thanks!


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

that bottle of stuff that twyla recommended is supposed to work as a urine substitute. many years ago i bought such a bottle and threw it out. i couldn't stand the smell myself. but on the balcony you might not notice it much.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

PatK I to purchased that stuff years ago and also threw it out, do to the smell, that stuff is awful.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Yeah that stuff did smell but I was desperate to get my girl to use a pee pad because she just wouldn't go outside in the bitter cold


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

the worst part for me was that my dog wouldn't go near it! maybe, being more of a shy dog, he didn't see it as an invitation to pee, but more as a warning to stay away. it sure was a warning to me to stay away!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

I am no help, I just had my older girls pee on a pad once, let it dry and saved it for Timi. I had a whole stack of them waiting for her when she arrived.


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