# Anyone litter box train a puppy?



## Aneeda72 (Dec 31, 2020)

I am going to litter box train my puppy.  I have read several articles on it, watched a couple of u-tube videos, and found the “right” litter for a puppy.  I have always trained dogs to go outside and got up every two hours and taken them out 24/7.

At 74, and with a very cold winter, (it’s 8 pm here and 27 degrees ), I have decided to litter train.  The u-tube video was very helpful and very enlightening.  I thought you used cat litter, nope.  You actually use pine palletized pellets that are used for horse bedding.  A 40 pound bag, at the feed store, is 5.97 so really inexpensive.

I am going to buy a puppy dog litter box instead of using a container I have since my short legged cowboy corgi will not be able to jump into the other box until older.  I have rearranged my living/dining room again to accommodate the puppy pen and puppy.  I am also going to buy a heart with heart beat to hopefully keep puppy happy and quiet  at night.

Suggestions welcome.  Puppy comes home January 15.


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## Aunt Marg (Dec 31, 2020)

I hope all goes well, Aneeda, and I hope you can share a picture with us of the little sweetie when you get him.


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## Butterfly (Jan 1, 2021)

Aneeda72 said:


> I am going to litter box train my puppy.  I have read several articles on it, watched a couple of u-tube videos, and found the “right” litter for a puppy.  I have always trained dogs to go outside and got up every two hours and taken them out 24/7.
> 
> At 74, and with a very cold winter, (it’s 8 pm here and 27 degrees ), I have decided to litter train.  The u-tube video was very helpful and very enlightening.  I thought you used cat litter, nope.  You actually use pine palletized pellets that are used for horse bedding.  A 40 pound bag, at the feed store, is 5.97 so really inexpensive.
> 
> ...



I've  never known anyone to litter box train a puppy.  I have a doggie door to the backyard and every dog I've ever had since I've put in the door has loved it, taken to it right away, and never has had an accident (unless he's ill and can't make it to the door).  I find the doggie door a great help with having a dog (especially when you want to sleep late in the morning!).


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## Rosemarie (Jan 1, 2021)

I wish you luck. We have always trained our dogs to go out into the yard, which didn't take long. The puppy was confined to the kitchen with newspapers on the floor and a baby gate across the door until it could be trusted.


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## C'est Moi (Jan 1, 2021)

Sounds like more trouble than it would be worth to me.  A puddle pad would be easier to deal with.


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## Happyflowerlady (Jan 1, 2021)

C'est Moi said:


> Sounds like more trouble than it would be worth to me.  A puddle pad would be easier to deal with.


I agree that a puppy pad is a lot simpler, and that is what I have always used.  You still have to get up in the middle of the night and take the puppy in to use the pad or litter box either one, but a pad is much easier to deal with. 
When Chipper was a puppy, he slept under my chin, and when he squeaked and wiggled at night, I took him into the bathroom where I had his puppy pad, and let him go potty, and then back to bed we went. 
The pad has a scent that attracts dogs to use it , but not anything that people can smell. 

Once Chipper was old enough to take outside in the yard, I watched him, and when he had done his chores, I patted him and told him that he was a ”Good Boy”. He soon learned what “go do your chores” meant, and then he would look at me to make sure that I was watching, and reward him with pets and praises afterward. 
Even when he was an old, old dog, he still always looked to make sure that I was paying attention, and he wanted that “good boy “ praise and a pat on the back.


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## Murrmurr (Jan 1, 2021)

I have! Well, I have _tried_. I was unsuccessful and I think it's because the people I bought her from had been taking her outside since she was about 6 weeks old and she was nearly 3 months old when I got her. We tried the box for idk, maybe 2 months and I gave up. She was pooping all over the house while I was at work.


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## Aneeda72 (Jan 1, 2021)

I don’t like puppy pads.  Only tried to use them once.  I think the litter box training will work and be easier to transition the pup to the outside.  Anyway, we shall see.  But you are correct I will still get up, as needed.  I am just avoiding going outside in the cold.


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## hollydolly (Jan 1, 2021)

Happyflowerlady said:


> I agree that a puppy pad is a lot simpler, and that is what I have always used.  You still have to get up in the middle of the night and take the puppy in to use the pad or litter box either one, but a pad is much easier to deal with.
> When Chipper was a puppy, he slept under my chin, and when he squeaked and wiggled at night, I took him into the bathroom where I had his puppy pad, and let him go potty, and then back to bed we went.
> The pad has a scent that attracts dogs to use it , but not anything that people can smell.
> 
> ...


awww sweet little gorgeous chipper... bless his little paws, I remember him well  (... Happy New Year my friend  )


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## Aneeda72 (Jan 1, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I have! Well, I have _tried_. I was unsuccessful and I think it's because the people I bought her from had been taking her outside since she was about 6 weeks old and she was nearly 3 months old when I got her. We tried the box for idk, maybe 2 months and I gave up. She was pooping all over the house while I was at work.


The puppy is in a puppy yard with mom and the other 3 puppies in the garage.  The bottom of puppy yard is the garage cement floor covered with wood shaving.  Pup is already, basically, living in a litter box  and used to potty on wood.

Remember this is only at night.  During the day he will be taken outside, but when sleeping in his puppy pen, during the day, a litter box will be available.  The box is filled with wood pellets.  At night Bella will be crated in the bedroom with me.  Every two to three hours, as needed, she will be placed in the litter box to potty, and trained to “potty on command“.

I train any dog I have, to several commands, right from the get go.  I understand corgis are hard to train cause they are stubborn.  but since it took me two years to train my son that if you put two quarters in a pop machine you will get a pop, I think I can train the pup to the litter box.

Remember this is a winter solution for me.  She will be trained to go outside.

@Murrmurr you should have used a puppy pen I can’t imagine why you did not do this.


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## Murrmurr (Jan 1, 2021)

Aneeda72 said:


> The puppy is in a puppy yard with mom and the other 3 puppies in the garage.  The bottom of puppy yard is the garage cement floor covered with wood shaving.  Pup is already, basically, living in a litter box  and used to potty on wood.
> 
> Remember this is only at night.  During the day he will be taken outside, but when sleeping in his puppy pen, during the day, a litter box will be available.  The box is filled with wood pellets.  At night Bella will be crated in the bedroom with me.  Every two to three hours, as needed, she will be placed in the litter box to potty, and trained to “potty on command“.
> 
> ...


Because I worked 10 hours a day. It wouldn't be humane to leave her in a pen that long. I shouldn't have gotten her in the first place, but my mom was living with me, and the dog was for company for her. Turned out a real mess. I found her a new home with a really nice lady who had some acreage and fell in love with her the minute he saw her. She was a black miniature schnauzer and cute as hell.


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## Happyflowerlady (Jan 1, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> awww sweet little gorgeous chipper... bless his little paws, I remember him well  (... Happy New Year my friend  )


Yes, he lives forever in my heart.  He was so much more than just a little dog, he was my Fuzzy Kid, and I miss him so much.
This is Chipper enjoying a car ride in his little doggie seat.

Happy new Year to you also, Holly ! Sending love and HUGS for the upcoming year.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jan 1, 2021)

@Aneeda72 I know of one person who trained her small dog to a box. It worked out very well but it was all the time. She took the dog for walks everyday but the dog waited to use the box in the house. She was fine with that but I'm wondering if letting the dog go outside and then expecting it to use the box at night might be confusing for the dog. Just a thought since I've never done it myself but think its a great idea.


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## Aneeda72 (Jan 1, 2021)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> @Aneeda72 I know of one person who trained her small dog to a box. It worked out very well but it was all the time. She took the dog for walks everyday but the dog waited to use the box in the house. She was fine with that but I'm wondering if letting the dog go outside and then expecting it to use the box at night might be confusing for the dog. Just a thought since I've never done it myself but think its a great idea.


You might be right, but I don’t think it will be any more confusing than puppy pads and then outdoor training.  When the puppy is older they eat the pads so not good.  Anyway we shall see what happens  and I will post about it.


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## Kathleen’s Place (Jan 1, 2021)

Oh I hope it works!!!!  How nice would THAT be?????  My friend used the heart beat thing for her puppy and it worked like a charm. Good luck, Aneeda!


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## J.B Books (Jan 10, 2021)

I have always crate trained my pups. I have had so many in my life (all dachshunds) I would have to stop and think about it.
Any way they eventually learn not to mess where they sleep and hold it until they go out. They learn they can only "go" outside.
When they mature, they let me know when they need to go out. After the training period they have the run of the house and behave well. Yes, I have to go out with them, that's part of the deal. I don't want a coyote running off with a dachshund!
I would think that if I used a litter box it would confuse them and delay the training period. If there are any Doxy owners here you know how stubborn those little clowns are. Just sharing my opinion and experience.


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## Aneeda72 (Jan 10, 2021)

J.B Books said:


> I have always crate trained my pups. I have had so many in my life (all dachshunds) I would have to stop and think about it.
> Any way they eventually learn not to mess where they sleep and hold it until they go out. They learn they can only "go" outside.
> When they mature, they let me know when they need to go out. After the training period they have the run of the house and behave well. Yes, I have to go out with them, that's part of the deal. I don't want a coyote running off with a dachshund!
> I would think that if I used a litter box it would confuse them and delay the training period. If there are any Doxy owners here you know how stubborn those little clowns are. Just sharing my opinion and experience.


Yeah, this is why I have not ever used puppy pads.  I really want to do the litter box training, but after several discussions with my husband he wants me to put puppy pads in The litter box instead of the dog litter.   Doing so defeats the purpose of litter box training.

Rather than get into a major disagreement with him, which is not worth it, I am dropping the whole ideal and will take puppy outside 24/7 as I have in the past.  I bought a snuggle puppy with heartbeat and it is supposed to enable the puppy to sleep longer at night.

We had one doxy which we rescued from a neighbor decades ago; and we had no intentions of keeping her.  The neighbor was taking her to a kill shelter as she had changed her mind about having puppies.  We kept the doxy until her puppies were born, so cute, and found everyone, including mom, a home.  She was a great mom!


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## J.B Books (Jan 10, 2021)

Aneeda72 said:


> Yeah, this is why I have not ever used puppy pads.  I really want to do the litter box training, but after several discussions with my husband he wants me to put puppy pads in The litter box instead of the dog litter.   Doing so defeats the purpose of litter box training.
> 
> Rather than get into a major disagreement with him, which is not worth it, I am dropping the whole ideal and will take puppy outside 24/7 as I have in the past.  I bought a snuggle puppy with heartbeat and it is supposed to enable the puppy to sleep longer at night.
> 
> We had one doxy which we rescued from a neighbor decades ago; and we had no intentions of keeping her.  The neighbor was taking her to a kill shelter as she had changed her mind about having puppies.  We kept the doxy until her puppies were born, so cute, and found everyone, including mom, a home.  She was a great mom!


I think you are doing the right thing. I would keep the pup in the pen/cage all night until it proves that it can make through the night. I would also keep the pup in the cage when I am not around. When I am around I keep an eye on the pup all the time so it doesn't sneak off into a corner and do it's thing. And they will. The trick is to catch them messing and reinforce that they should not do this. When they come to me to go out I praise them greatly! When they do their business outside positive reinforcement every time! Takes a while but you will have a great companion for years to come. I will never train a dog to "go" inside. I don't care if it's 20 below zero outside.


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## Aneeda72 (Jan 10, 2021)

J.B Books said:


> I think you are doing the right thing. I would keep the pup in the pen/cage all night until it proves that it can make through the night. I would also keep the pup in the cage when I am not around. When I am around I keep an eye on the pup all the time so it doesn't sneak off into a corner and do it's thing. And they will. The trick is to catch them messing and reinforce that they should not do this. When they come to me to go out I praise them greatly! When they do their business outside positive reinforcement every time! Takes a while but you will have a great companion for years to come. I will never train a dog to "go" inside. I don't care if it's 20 below zero outside.


We always crate train any dog we have.  We also use the leash around your waist while in the house, where I go, puppy goes.  Otherwise, puppy is crated.  However if it was 20 below zero I’d have to open the window and place puppy outside by his self.


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