How to train a puppy when you live in an apartment

[King]

How do you train a puppy to go outside when you live in a apartment? I take him out everytime he eats, plays and I work during the day? I take him out when I get home then we play then he sleeps I only found one accident in the apartment which I am thankful for cause I was getting worried that I haven't picked up any mess yet!!!! I am also using puppy pads I am also wondering if you train them to use puppy pads would it confuse him?

[LavenderRott]

Does he have access to your whole apartment!?!

I highly recommend crate training. It will help with housebreaking and one never knows when you will HAVE to crate your dog for some reason or another.

As young as he is, it is unreasonable to expect that he can go the whole time you are at work without having to go outside. You have a couple of options. You can find a dog walker or neighbor that you trust or you can take him to puppy daycare.

[sugarcatmom]

Or you can set up a long-term confinement area (puppy playpen), complete with turf, as described in this link: http://www.dogstardaily.com/training...-amp-doggy-den

And here's more useful info on house-training:
http://www.dogstardaily.com/training...-housetraining
http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/housesoiling

[meg4050]

Hi King,

My roomate just got a puppy that we've been training and we've done as Sugarcatmom has suggested. He has a large pen with both turf and puppy pad as well as toys, food, and a bed and he loves it!

When he's out in the apartment we leave him acess to his crate and put another pad out in the main area so he can use them should he need to but he's transitioning well to going outdoors. I think the turf played a big role in that, but before we got the turf he still transitioned well from puppy pad to outdoor grass. The breeder told her that the pads have a scent in them that is similar to grass so their instinct will be to go outdoors as well.

[Tommysmom]

We use puppy pads when we're not home, and my dog isn't confused. He knows that when he has to do his business, he goes to the door - if nobody is home to let him out, he tries to wait. If we haven't gotten home in time (my husband usually comes home for lunch, but since we both work in retail the timing isn't always consistent) and he can't hold it any more, he uses the pad. When we're home he waits at the door, and if we haven't noticed he comes to us and starts to whine so we know he needs out. Everybody told us he'd get confused with the pads vs going outside, but he's figured it out quite well and only uses the pads as a last resort.

[King]

Thank you I have a crate is it okay to have half the crate with his blanket and half the crate with a puppy pad?

[Tommysmom]

Originally Posted by King

Thank you I have a crate is it okay to have half the crate with his blanket and half the crate with a puppy pad?

This is what people say exactly NOT to do, but we did this. My poor pup simply couldn't hold it, and I had to work - I didn't want him lying in his own pee. So I put a pad, folded in half, in one half of his crate. After a few weeks he simply stopped using it in there, he basically taught himself to hold it longer, and I stopped putting one in the crate.

[LavenderRott]

While normally, one wouldn't advise it - your pup is so young that I would give it a try.

[King]

Okay I will keep that up then