At first you can take the pee pads outside and put them on the ground, and then sit your pup on the pad and tell them to go. After a few more times, get rid of the pad, but continue to take them out and tell them to go. When they do, GO NUTS! Tell them in your most silly-excited voice, what a GOOD dog they are. Me="LOOK AT MY BABY GIZMO GOING POTTY OUTSIDE LIKE A BIG BOY!!!" Do it everytime he goes.
Take the pup outside:
1. As soon as they wake up.
2. After meals
3. After lots of running around and playing.
4. Before bed.
With Gizmo, he went from a crate to being confined to the kitchen with baby gates and potty pads. After a few weeks of going outside, we took the gates down, but left the potty pad in the kitchen, just in case. We noticed that he used the potty pads less and less, until it was every few days, so we removed the potty pad. I think that told him that he's not supposed to go there anymore, and he didn't. Then, the best part, and the part where you know you've got it down, is when the dog is able to communicate to you that it needs to go out, (sitting at the door, or barking and pacing-you'll know their body language.) It's pretty exciting when they do tell you for the first time.
We'll be working on Piper's transition to outside in about 3-4 weeks.
Good Luck.
