I've been reading thru the forums about indoor potty possibilities...The UGODOG, pup head from GW little...

Has anyone used any of these? Does the grass leave behind a smell, it it easy to clean?

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My chi isn't experienced at all with a leash and my yard isn't fenced, so she goes potty on pee-pads indoors. There's no odor and it's a super easy clean-up. I just pop one in a holder tray and she's all set for the day. I work in a pet store, and every time we sell one of those grass training things, they get returned for some reason or another. That's just my input!

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Lulu also uses a puppy pad, but it is actually a rectangle bed pad like what is used for patients that are bed-ridden. It is very easy--no smell, no mess. I change it first thing in the morning and in the evening if it needs changing. The reason I do not use true puppy pads is because I didn't like the funky odor I thought I smelled when used and in my area I found the bed pads to be cheaper if bought from Sams.

There are a few here who use them successfully. I believe that Kat (Kitty&Kahlua) uses them. You may try to PM her.

My girls rarely go outside (we live on a creek so no fence and we have tons of hawks, owls and coyotes) and like the others, I have them beautifully trained on pads so that is a TON easier than harnessing three of them up every time I think they need to potty.

My favorite part is that now any of the 3 are able to get up in the night (they sleep in bed with us), toddle down their steps, go to a potty pad and then return right away to bed.

I used potty pads in a holder but since have switched to washable hospital chair and bed pads.

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photos-Jennifer Hague, fixyourimages.com

Karen you sound just like me, but I have woods instead of a creek (I'm sure you have woods too.) Lulu never goes outside because I am afraid of hawks and other critters, and she sleeps with us and uses her stairs at night or just goes when she wants and I am not bothered with it except to change the pad. SO EASY!

Hey hey!! Yes I do use them and quite successfully lol!

The biggest misconception (and why I'm guessing most of these get returned) is because people get them and assume your dog will believe it's real grass and use it, like it does the grass outdoors.

Well, people just think their doggies are REALLY dumb because there's most definitely a difference between soft grass and synthetic plastic. =P Most dogs have no clue what they're there for.. and honestly the grass is more of a thing to appeal to the owners (as opposed to a litter box, or pee pads that look icky.) It feels weird under their paws as most have never felt anything like it; and peein' or pooin' on it is not the first thing that comes to mind LOL

So the dog definitely needs to be trained to use it; just like any other regimine. Starting over from basics; keeping a hawks eye on them and moving them there to potty each time. Or, the way that I did it which IMO was waaay easier; set up a pen like this:


Since the dog knows its bed-half is for sleeping; it's natural aversion to soiling its bed makes them move to the opposite side when they have to go. And voila; while you're gone or asleep your dog is potty training itself. It'll get used to the substrate; so that even when roaming around the house; if it can see & smell one they will know the proper place to go.

As far as cleaning, they are a PITA in winter time. We replace all our grassy parts 1once a year (we have 3 pads, but realize that our dogs go outside 80% of the time and they're only around as back-up now. Otherwise we just take them outside like, once a week and hose them off with a little dish soap.. Lay everything against the garage to dry and that's it. Some people put pee pads under one of the bottom layers to absorb, but I found it was a waste of my money if I was gonna use pads just as much too LOL. And for poop, I'd just pick it up whenever I noticed it with toilet paper and flushed it. Nothing i the pads controls odors so thats why we pick everything up right away. But, our dogs eat raw and their poop is odorless anyway, ha... its just a habit for me since I'm a neat freak.

So yeah, I love them. They're a great tool and yes they do look nicer than pads or litter boxes. Most people that visit don't really know what they are.. We have one in our bedroom; one in the main room; and another that we keep in the above pictured pen for any of the younger ones or not yet reliable ones.

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Yeah, I do not talk much about my girls not being outside much since so many here walk everyday, have outdoor play areas and such. They go in the car a lot but they are not on the ground often.

A neighbor on the other side of the creek is an avid bicyclist. He goes for marathon sunrise rides. He informed me the other day that he saw the most beautiful sight a couple of weeks ago. A coyote with his mate were crossing the creek FROM MY SIDE and the coyote had a big rabbit hanging from it's mouth. He does not know we have small dogs. He went on and on about it being so stunning.

At least one of mine looks like a rabbit so that sealed the deal for me.

On the potty pad thing, I thought "easy" was better than my saying I was lazy...haha!

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photos-Jennifer Hague, fixyourimages.com

So we have something else in common! LOL. I have watched a mother racoon and her babies come eat our cat's food off our deck more than once, and believe it or not, our cats have brought baby snakes to our back door (you know they like to bring you a treat) needless to say we watch where we step in the summer. That does not include the water moccasins we have around here. Call me paranoid or overprotective, but I know she is safe inside.