How to Teach Your Puppy to Use Pee Pads

If we decide to adopt a puppy just a few months old, we need to be aware they won't be able to control their bladder and bowels. In other words, they're bound to end up relieving themselves inside the house.

That's why it's a good idea to prepare a spot where they can do it so it's easy for us to clean up. Newspaper used to be used for this, but nowadays we have more convenient options, such as pee pads. Below we look at how to use them.

The Puppy Pees Inside the House

When born, puppies need their mother's help to relieve themselves, stimulating the genital area with her tongue. Once they start moving around and walking on their own, they also manage to relieve themselves with no help. Even so, just like human babies, they don't have enough physiological maturity to control their bladder and bowels.

This means that, during their first months of life, they won't be able to hold it for long. So they're not weeing at home to annoy us, but because it's entirely impossible for them to control it. Obviously, they should never be punished for it. Not only does it not help at all, but it also does a great deal of harm to the bond they need to build with us.

We also need to bear in mind that until they've finished their vaccination schedule, they can't go out just anywhere. So while they grow enough to stop peeing at home, we can steer them to relieve themselves in a specific spot we mark out for them. This way we don't need to clean up around the whole house, and we start their basic training.

The Right Spot to Pee

We can set up a marked-out area at home for the puppy to go to when they feel like peeing or pooing. It needs to always be available so they can access it day and night. There's no point setting it up in the yard if, for example, the door will be shut at night.

On another note, it should be close enough to where the dog spends most of their time, but at the same time, away from their bed and their food and water bowls. One option, for example, is putting each thing at opposite ends of the kitchen. Of course, it will depend on the layout and space we have at home.

The idea is that at first the dog moves around a couple of rooms and doesn't have so much space that they can't reach the pad. We mention the kitchen because of the flooring. Just like in the bathroom or on the terrace, we're more likely to have a surface that's easy to disinfect, non-porous and non-absorbent. And it won't be ruined by any accidents.

Training Them to Pee on the Pad

Whether we choose a pee pad, traditional newspaper or a litter tray, the steps for teaching the puppy to relieve themselves on them will be the same. To start, we can pay attention to when the little one pees. It will usually be in the morning, after a good nap, or after eating or drinking.

So we can get ahead of it and put the puppy on the chosen spot at those times. If they pee or poo, we'll praise them enthusiastically right when they finish, with an edible treat they especially like, along with strokes and words of affection. We can also dampen a piece of paper with urine they've done elsewhere and put it in the right spot.

Dogs tend to look for a spot to pee that smells of pee, which is another way of drawing the puppy towards the chosen spot, since they'll be able to follow the scent trail. On another note, it's normal for them not to always get it right, or for it to take a few days for them to understand. Never scold them — just clean up without saying anything, and praise and reward them when they use the pad.

Tips for the Pee Pad

To maximise success in getting our puppy to use the pee pad at home, we can start by choosing a large one, or setting out several, marking out a wide area. This way, it's easier for them to get it right, which means more rewards for them and, as a result, more encouragement to repeat the behaviour we want.

In other words, they'll learn faster. Gradually we can start using a smaller pad, or removing pads from the area to end up with a smaller spot. Even so, we need to bear in mind that some puppies may tear up the pad as a game. Don't scold them for it. Give them toys and more physical activity.

It also matters that, if they pee outside the pad, we clean the area thoroughly. If we dry it completely and clean it with a product that neutralises the smell, we remove the trail and encourage the puppy to go to the pad.

Pros of Disposable Pee Pads for Dogs

We've said that to teach the dog to pee inside the house, setting up an area with newspaper or a pee pad works. Using a pee pad does have some advantages, though. It offers great absorbency, making it more hygienic and reducing the smell. It also has a waterproof side that stops the floor being affected by the urine.