Peeing or pooping is natural, but training your dog to go to the bathroom isn’t as easy as many assume. But this can be seamless if you provide your puppy with the right accessories and offer adequate training. One of the ideal tools you’ll need is a dog pad, and you should choose the best.
What are dog pads?
A dog pad is a small mat you can place on the floor for your dog to eliminate. The aim is to train the dog to use the bathroom in the designated spot to avoid damaging the floor. Most Dog Pads are regular paper and water-resistant products, and you can also get reusable pads. Your task will be to train your puppy to use the pads.
How to teach your puppy to use a pad
- Introduce your puppy to the pad
Introducing your dog to their bathroom is the first step. Familiarize your puppy to see it and know it’s a safe spot.
Start placing the pads on the floor in the designated area and placing the dog on them. Allow the puppy to sniff around it and explore it but don’t let them start chewing it.
Avoid moving the pads around during training, as it might confuse your dog. So be consistent will the bathroom spot until you finish training.
- Select a potty area
After acquiring a crate for your dog, please choose where you want them to potty and lay down the pads in the area. A good spot would be where the dog has ever peed in the house. If you go outside, take the pad and encourage your puppy to use it.
- Watch your puppy
Watching your dog throughout the training session is essential. It will help you identify the progress, make necessary adjustments, and prevent accidents. If you can’t watch your puppy, you can put them in a crate. Use the right size crate and train your dog to see it as a safe space.
You can keep the dog in a small area even when they’re outdoors. Install a gate or boundaries to close off your house to prevent your puppy from wandering into trouble or using the bathroom in a place you can’t see.
If you’re outside, watch for signs that your puppy needs to go to the bathroom. Observe the characters, pick up your dog, and place them in the designated spot as soon as you see them. Try to keep the dog on the pad until they eliminate.
- Praise and reward
If your puppy pees or poops on the pads, praise and reward them. Show them how happy and proud you are by giving them their favorite treat. Your dog will learn that going to the bathroom on that spot makes you happy, and they’ll keep doing it. So keep the goodies on hand during training and ensure you’re watching for the moment.
Conclusion
Investing in puppy pads is ideally beneficial. It encourages your dog to go potty in a designated spot to avoid messes, damage, and unpleasant smell. But before that, you need to teach your dog how to use the pad. The above guide will help you to train your puppy to use dog pads effectively.