# Ugodog, pee pads, and all things potty!



## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

I've spent the past months searching threads on here for potty training advice, there's so much useful information :hello1:

I've finally got my head round the idea of using a very small crate for when my puppy can't be supervised. I really hated the idea at first, but I can see the sense of it and I know I'm going to be thanking you for it later!

I will be using an indoor toilet system of some sort, please help me choose what would be best!

My longterm goal is to use the indoor toilet first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and the dog can go outdoors during the day also e.g. when we're out on a walk.

I'm going to have ONE indoor toilet area, which I'll take the puppy to the same as I used to take previous pups out to the garden. Lots of patience, treats, happy dances etc. *Question 1:* Do I still praise her when she goes outside, or do I just act neutral? I don't want her to start ONLY going outside, so I'm thinking I should keep the praise for the indoor potty? Kind of like "it's fine if you want to go outside but it's GREAT when you go in the right place inside".

*Question 2:* My flat is carpeted. The toilet will be in the uncarpeted bathroom. I don't like the idea of having to wash the grate part of the Ugodog system, but I do like the idea of the puppy not being directly on the pad. I'm thinking it might lessen the chance of her peeing on my carpets? I.e. she won't associate the feel of something soft with having a wee. My other idea was to put the wee pad inside a litter box so that there is clearly defined area for pottying - this is the option I like most, but it does mean she'd be directly on the pad. What do you think would be best? I know some of you use Ugodog, please tell me the pros and cons!

*Question 3:* What size pad/area is needed? I know dogs like to sniff around before they go, but obviously I'd like to keep the toilet area as small as possible. What size pads/toilet system do you use? And does it work with an adult chi? Does the pad actually hold all the wee or is it really gross?

I've never had a problem with toilet training, but this is my first time with a toy breed and my first time with an indoor toilet. I know there'll be mistakes, but I'd like to set the puppy up for success, so the more I get right from the start the better for her. So please throw it at me!

Sorry this is so long, thanks if you have read it


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

I'm not sure about the answer to Question 1. My dogs will pee outside when I take them out, but they are pad trained and use those 99% of the time. I think they might become confused if you were trying to train them to signal to go out during the day, but then use the pads the rest of the time. But if pottying outside is just something they might do while they're out there, fine. 

Question #2. I can only refer to my own experience. I don't have a Ugodog system. I have a pad set up in the tiled bathroom. While my dogs experience some confusion if there's a mat or throw rug down anywhere (they think that's a pad too) they've never confused the large expanse of carpet in the sitting room for a pad. They HAVE peed on a mat in the sitting room (a small decorative one I had i front of the step down into the room) but that's just because they think any soft thing on the floor is a pee pad....even things like a pant leg hanging out of a laundry basket. 

Recently, I've started putting a pee pad down in the sitting room, and they have NO trouble differentiating between that, and the carpet. They stay on the pad to pee and have never had an accident on the carpet, except as noted above.

I've tried a litter box bottom to put the pee pad in, because both mine like to travel when they poop, and often travel right OFF the pad, whereas they NEVER travel when they're peeing. Just circle unendingly, then suddenly stop and pee. The litter box didn't stop either of them from traveling, they just traveled right out of it. My own experience tells me that they won't be confused by the feel of something soft under their feet, once they're trained to use the pee pad. 

The pads I use aren't the oversized, extra large ones. They seem to basically come in three sizes, puppy size (which seem a tad smaller) regular sized and oversized ones. The regular sized ones run about 22 inches x 22 inches, to give you some comparison. And really, it's not so much the dimensions that you should pay attention to, it's more the thickness. Some of the economy priced pads are so thin that one pee spreads out all over that sucker! Whereas the more expensive ones will contain the pee better in a smaller area. Both my adult dogs are under 4 pounds, so they obviously are not going to produce as much pee as a chi on the larger side. Chis really do come in all shapes and sizes, from some tiny little 2 pounders to dogs upwards of 10 pounds and more. Honestly, I don't take a pee pad up every time my dogs pee on it. I use very absorbent pads, so there can be a number of pee spots on it with no worries. The dogs certainly don't mind, and it saves me money to only change the pad out once a day rather than every time they pee.

As far as their poop goes, if you're feeding them superior food, their poop will be very firm and formed, and their won't be a lot of it. And it's easy to pick up off the pad with no residue, which is what I do. They poop, I pick it up and flush it, and that same pad's still available to them for a while longer. That's one of the side bennies of feeding superior quality food by the way.....they USE far more of what they ingest, with little waste, and what comes out is formed and virtually odorless, rather than soft, sloppy and stinky.

Hope that helps.


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## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

Ronni that is super helpful, thanks! 

Yes, I'm thinking that pads will be the main potty idea. It wouldn't bother me to take her out during the day just to potty, but I figure that would confuse her, so I'm planning to stick with the pads as my system that will get her praise and if she wants to pee when we're out for a walk, then obviously she can do that too.

It's encouraging to know you've trained yours to recognise the difference between a pee pad and carpet! I was a bit scared about that from some of the stories I read.

I hadn't even considered the thickness/quality of the pad, that's a brilliant help!

I was hoping to do what you said about picking up the poo and flushing it, so it's great to know that's a possible method. And I've read all the threads here about food too, so I'm definitely planning to feed a good one. (I'll probably be asking questions about that too.)

Thank you so much


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

Well, Tink said it all and I agree.

Mine are still puppies so we still have an occasional accident. For instance, our shower bath mat is also rectangle and Ruby has pottied on it a couple of times. Also, I had a cozy crate mat with some blankets in their room with their bed and water and Hope was pottying on the crate mat and blankets. I was confusing her.

So now, their room is toys, water bowl, bed (I got a second and then they were sleeping in one and going potty in the new one so out it came) and their mat. 

We consistently call it "mat". We point to the mat, give treats for going potty on the "mat". We must say the word mat 100 times a day! Well, they got it. 

Now that we can pick up potty, I agree and let them pee on it a couple of times before I change it.

Hope came from her breeder knowing about a mat and using it. Ruby was 14 weeks when we got her and had no knowledge of the pad and was completely on them in 2 weeks.

Hope's breeder had these little "frames" (like this one) that kept them from dragging it off or ripping it up. I'd suggest that you get something like that.
Walmart.com: OUT Puppy Pad Holder: Dogs

She also said that she had tried dozens of types of pads and really recommended these:
Advance Advance Housebreaking Pads with Wet Check Dog Pee Pee Pads

One of my girls holds her pee and then we say that she pees a gallon and these hold perfectly. I have never had a leak through. I do have to fold them a bit to fit the holder we have.


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

I totally agree with Ronnie`s comment to your thread..
Mine are pee pad trained, they have theirs in the bathroom as its not carpeted and if they did miss its obviously easier to clean up.
Mine both know its good when they do their buisness outside when were on a walk but in the flat its the pad, they have never been confused by this.
I will suggest if you have any rugs/bathmats/clothes or anything on your floor be prepared for it to be peed on!! I have gone through 2/3 rugs, had accidents on clothes if ive left them on the floor and the bathmat always has to be up else the girls WILL pee on it!!! but they never pee on the carpet! funny things 
As Karen said above she associates the pad with mat.. We also did this too but now they know where to go without being told so this is good when training.
Good luck with it and let us know how it goes


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## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

Thanks Karen and Amy, this is all very helpful! I'm feeling more confident about it now that I can properly imagine what it will be like. I've actually got a puppy pad that a friend gave me, so I've checked out where I can fit it etc. Ronnie, the pad I've got is 22x22 so I'm really grateful for your measurement.

I keep my bathmat hanging on the bath so that's okay, but I do have snuggle blankets on the floor by the armchairs - I guess I'll be lifting those up before the puppy comes home 

Karen, I was wondering about those frames. Thanks for the recommendation, I will get one. Those Advance pads look wonderful, but I don't think they're available in the UK?

Does anyone in the UK recommend a particular brand of pad please?

What would be a good bedding for her nightime crate? I want her to be comfortable but not confused! 

Thank you all so much.


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

I put the piddle pad in a plastic litter box. Rico uses the Four Paws wee-wee pads--they are sort of quilted and seem to hold the liquid nicely.

Usually it is in hallway sort of room between the back door and the kitchen door...so he is still going "out" to piddle. He is a leg lifter so I do have to clean up the floor sometimes. Your girl won't be doing that silly-ness.

I'd get some enzyme cleaner to clean up any "accidents" so she doesn't smell it again and want to mark it some more 

Rico goes outside as well. I would recomend mastering the indoor training first then work on outside. Rico for a while would only go on a wee wee pad..even outside. Now he goes right out every morning and wee in three places in the garden....


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## KayC (May 3, 2005)

You have gotten some really good advive.
Zoey is trained to go both outside on a leash/harness and inside. She is all white and squats really low when she pees so her bum was getting yellow stains on it. I started using the Ugodog system and I love it. She is not squatting in her pee when she goes and does not have to walk thru it. And no more stains. I give her treats weather she goes inside or when she goes out side. She prefers to poo outside and she does once a day at 5pm when my DH gets home and takes her out and she gets a treat when she comes back in. She did pee on all my rugs when she was a puppy but I just took them all up for a few months and has not peed on them since.


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## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

Oh gosh, that's a couple of good points there Kay. I hadn't thought about her walking through it, I suppose it depends how much wee there is too. 

What do you do about keeping the Ugodog grate clean - rinse it under the shower head maybe?


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## KayC (May 3, 2005)

I just rinse them in the laundry sink. Don't need to do it to often though.


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

ive never seen one of these ugodog potty things!! do u put a pad inside it or something? They look amazing!! not sure if my girls would use one of them now, after peeing on pads for so long!!


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

UGODOG is amazing, I absolutly love it, im surprised more people with chi's that use pads don't use it. We have been using it for 3 yrs now.
Rocky took to it straightaway. 
It is so clean, no mess with it at all, no wet paws yipee and no puppy pad shredding!
It also looks better that having a puppy pad on the floor if you have visitors over. I just line it with a puppy pad and change its once a day, (you can also use a newspaper as well, they fit in it perfectly), I wipe the grids over with a baby wipe and every other day i pop it into the shower and wash it with hot soapy water.
The grid come in two pieces so when we visit my fiances mums, we take over one of the grids and a puppy pad and just pop it on the floor, it saves any accidents and he uses it perfectly in their house.
I couldnt recommend it more and couldn't live without it, I think its a must have!!

Rocky goes outside and uses the ugodog but when he was a puppy we 100% trained him to use it so he go used to using it then gradually got him going outside more and on walks etc. He is now back to using it all the time at the mo because we moved house in Oct and have a garden but its all wet and muddy, we need to plant grass in the spring and the Rocky will have a garden again but we continue to use the ugodog as well.

I use the simple solutions pee pads from pets at home, they do the job just fine.


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## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

Thanks Lynda, I was hoping you'd chime in! (Having seen in older threads that you had the Ugodog system. Yep, I was a spy in my former life LOL)

I'm getting sold on the idea of Ugodog with pads. I totally LOVE the idea of taking one piece of crate with me when visiting my parents, that's great for eliminating the wet paw yukkiness.

I'd have to wash it in my bath which I'm not crazy about, but I'd probably get used to it in like 2 days  Kay you're so lucky to have a laundry area!

Amy, I bet you could convert your girls if you wanted. 
I'm off to re-measure the available space here!

ETA: I can just about fit it in (under my sink)...might have to stand on it myself to use the sink


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

Hahaha you wee spy! Awwww I absolutely love it, I wash it in the shower and its fine just with really hot soapy water, it really doesn't get dirty. I love the fact that he doesn't step in the pee, I could rave about it forever lol!!

Rocky stays at my MIL's anytime we go away and she doesn't have grass in the garden so its great for taking over there.

Ohh BTW your username I what my dad called me when I was a kid hahaha!


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## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

I can't even remember exactly how I chose that username, it was so long ago and I use it on most of my internet stuff. Oh gosh, I think it's because I got confused with Loobyloo - do you remember the character from the t.v. prog years ago? Was it Andy Pandy? Actually, you look waaaaaay too young to know what I'm talking about, never mind 

Anyways, I do like it, it's cute, so my apologies for stealing your name!

ETA: Sorry for going off topic, please delete if need be *blush*


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## KayC (May 3, 2005)

When I transitioned Zoey over, I started out by putting the pee pads on top of the Ugodog so she would get the feal of the grates. Only did that for a couple of days.


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

do your chi`s poo on them aswell? i think im gunna convert the ugodog!!!


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## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

I was thinking that might be a good way for Amy to condition her dogs to the change if she wanted to!


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

amyalina25 said:


> do your chi`s poo on them aswell? i think im gunna convert the ugodog!!!


Yup Rocky poos on top of the grates no problem and then I flush it down the toilet  UGODOG rules :coolwink:


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## KayC (May 3, 2005)

Zoey prefers to poo outside and she has always been scared of her poo so as soon as it starts coming out she takes off running so she tries to go on the Ugodog but only part of it usuall gets there. That is why DH takes her out to poo now.


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

got a bid on a ugodog on ebay.. whoop!! cant wait 2 get one now!! lol!


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

Zoey's Mom said:


> Zoey prefers to poo outside and she has always been scared of her poo so as soon as it starts coming out she takes off running so she tries to go on the Ugodog but only part of it usuall gets there. That is why DH takes her out to poo now.


wish Lola was scared of her poo, she the total opposite and eats it :O


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

amyalina25 said:


> wish Lola was scared of her poo, she the total opposite and eats it :O


Woo hoo on the ebay bid  Lola now poo is not for eating, lol! Rocky is a little bit scared of his poo too!


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

rocky scotland said:


> Woo hoo on the ebay bid  Lola now poo is not for eating, lol! Rocky is a little bit scared of his poo too!


LOL ive tryed everything to get her out this habbit!! shes very sneaky and does it when im not around or when im not looking! really is horrible!!! doesnt make me love her any less tho! <3


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## Lindilou (Mar 6, 2011)

Amy, I have a silent bid on ebay for a Ugodog. I hope we're not bidding against each other.


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## joeandruth (Aug 11, 2012)

We have thought about the pads, but for the time being are not willing to try. Our Simcha is a 1 1/2 year old rescue dog, and we've had him about two months. He appears to be well housebroken from the moment we took him home, and has only had a couple of accidents. Both times were more our fault, as he had been holding his water overnight, and we were slow in getting him out the door in the morning after the long overnight stretch (always accident free).

Our concern is that we started with him in late June, the longest days of the year. He does not enjoy walking outdoors after dark, and does not seem to take care of business quite as effectively and efficiently as during daylight hours. He also doesn't like walking in the rain. It would be nice if he could use a pad as an emergency backup, but we are afraid of fixing something that isn't necessarily broken. Also, he does lift his leg rather high, and the 'splatter point' is well off to the side; I can see him meaning well and missing the pad entirely. Has anyone here had success in introducing the pads as an emergency measure while keeping 90+ percent of their dog's elimination in the conventional outdoor manner?


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I have heard of putting a tiny fire hydrant in the middle of a pad for male dogs. Don't know where they are sold, but I'm sure a pet shop might have them. I've seen them in the fish section too.


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Gosh this is an old post 2011


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