# potty pad question



## Peony (Feb 25, 2021)

My 4-month mini poodle has an exercise pen that contains a crate and a potty pad. She uses the pad whenever she is in the pen and also goes potty in the yard when taken outside with no issue. The problem is, when she is playing in the house (outside the pen), she doesn't seem to know to go to the pen and the pad or to the backdoor when needing to go. She would just crouch somewhere nearby and go. This happens infrequently because we often don't let her play in the house until after going outside for potty break. But if someone forgot about the rule and let her out directly from the pen, then she may have accidents. 
Any suggestions how to teach her to walk to the potty pad? Our house is pretty easy to navigate and I believe she knows her way. Many thanks!


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Peony said:


> My 4-month mini poodle has an exercise pen that contains a crate and a potty pad. She uses the pad whenever she is in the pen and also goes potty in the yard when taken outside with no issue. The problem is, when she is playing in the house (outside the pen), she doesn't seem to know to go to the pen and the pad or to the backdoor when needing to go. She would just crouch somewhere nearby and go. This happens infrequently because we often don't let her play in the house until after going outside for potty break. But if someone forgot about the rule and let her out directly from the pen, then she may have accidents.
> Any suggestions how to teach her to walk to the potty pad? Our house is pretty easy to navigate and I believe she knows her way. Many thanks!


She is still very young to have a lot of freedom, my toy girls learned from my older poodles with my boy I had to escort him on a leash to get him to learn that it was an appropriate place to potty.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

What are you doing to reinforce going to the pad or outside? If doing it in the right place means treats, praise and party time she is more likely to try to tell you, although at 4 months she will still have very little control or even awareness in advance of needing to toilet. You need to be watching her carefully for the first signs of circling or discomfort and get her to the pad or outside in time, then throw a small party. Easier said than done, I know, but the more often you succeed the sooner the connection will be made.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

At 4 months she should be watched like a hawk. She’s too young to be reliable. Give her time and make sure everyone follows the rules, as every time she has an accident, you are postponing housebreaking success.


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## Peony (Feb 25, 2021)

Thanks for the replies. We probably should be watching her more closely and reinforcing going to the pad and outside. She knew immediately to go on the pad in the pen and to go outside when we got her at 8 weeks. It all seemed too effortless until I realized that she doesn't understand that those are the ONLY options for potty. 😅


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## Michigan Gal (Jun 4, 2019)

When taking her outside, I would have her sit at the door, open the door (blocking her from exiting), then giving her a cue, like "out". and going out with her. When she squats, have a treat ready and give the treat immediately. If she goes more than once, then treat her each time.

Treat only for going outside, and always have her sit at the door before opening it. This teaches her to go to the door when she has to go potty. If you can't see her at the door, either use a different door, or get a doormat that plays music so you know she is at the door. If she is only treated for potting outside, outside will become more attractive.


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## Peony (Feb 25, 2021)

Michigan Gal said:


> When taking her outside, I would have her sit at the door, open the door (blocking her from exiting), then giving her a cue, like "out". and going out with her. When she squats, have a treat ready and give the treat immediately. If she goes more than once, then treat her each time.
> 
> Treat only for going outside, and always have her sit at the door before opening it. This teaches her to go to the door when she has to go potty. If you can't see her at the door, either use a different door, or get a doormat that plays music so you know she is at the door. If she is only treated for potting outside, outside will become more attractive.


Would the bell training work similarly to the music doormat? 
I was also thinking that perhaps we should put the pee pad outside the x-pen, so that she doesn't have free access to it.


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## Michigan Gal (Jun 4, 2019)

Bells are great, but it will take time to teach bells. The rug is immediate. But, go ahead and try bells, poodles are very trainable. It is really nice when a dog can tell you its needs, but if you can't see the door, a noise helps.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I would scrap the puppy pads unless there’s a good reason for her to be using them. They can be confused with other soft surfaces, and every time your puppy potties without you being there, you miss out on very valuable training opportunities, which will shape her housetraining skills all the way through her senior years.

Take control of her potty times by consistently following these guidelines, and you should start seeing good results:









Errorless Housetraining


Housesoiling is a spatial problem, involving perfectly normal, natural, and necessary canine behaviors (peeing and pooping) performed in inappropriate places.Housetraining is quickly and easily accomplished by praising your puppy and offering a food treat when she eliminates in an appropriate...




www.dogstardaily.com





Right now you’re teaching her _where_ to go. Once she’s got that figured out, and hasn’t had an accident in a couple of months, you can shift your focus to how you’d like her to alert you.


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## Michigan Gal (Jun 4, 2019)

Yea, but, teaching puppy to sit at the door is training her to sit properly and not scratch the door, or move between you and who ever is at the door.


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