[saintschamp10]

hi, i was just wondering what's better to use the potty pads or a litter box? i already have a litter box for my cat so could they use the same one?

 

[OzzyAndLilysMom]

no dogs have to have a different litter i think ?

I have always used the pads so can only vouch for them :wave:

 

[ngtah00]

I think I read somewhere where a chi would go into the litter box and get some kitty "chocolate" and eat it.

In my opinion, I would limit the chi's access to the litter box.

 

[Cooper]

Your cat won't poop in the box if your dog poops in there, anyway.

I have to ask ... why aren't you training the dog to go outdoors? From my experience, using the potty pads were easy and they were also easy when it came time for the transition outside.

I wouldn't use the litter, especially since you have a cat. They use two different litters, so you'd have two boxes and probably end up confusing both of them. Most importantly, the dog wouldn't understand why he/she isn't allowed in the cat box to dig for poops, but you will let him/her in his box ... even I am a little confused just by talking about it. :?

 

[saintschamp10]

well we have an automatic cleaning litter box so when the cat gets out it puts the poop and pee in a container thing so he can't get to it

 

[chimom]

I am not a fan of litter boxes for puppies - just my personal preference. I used the potty pads, and found it easy to transition Jazzy to the outside. I just moved the pad closer and closer to the door, and eventually took a pad she had used outside and put it down on the grass a few times, then discontinued taking the pad out and she picked up on going outside quickly. I still use the pads at night and when I will be gone for more than a couple of hours.

 

[ZimaBadBaby]

My Chi's use a litter box!

 

[sandmama]

Hi!
If you decided to litter box train, when I tried the cat litter it got stuck between my little ones toes and just made a big mess. They do make doggie litter but it is very round and mine wouldn't walk on it. Eventually I used a big rubbermaid tub that I cut out one side so he could step into it easily and used a potty pad in the bottom. If you use a littler box the size of a cat, chances are your Chi will potty in it but not poo. They do not like to poo in the same place they potty. They also need to have enough room to turn their bodies all the way around and be able to pick their corner. That is why I used a rubbermaid tub. The potty pads will have to be replaced every few times and can get expensive. Eventually we put in a doggie door and he uses that and not his box anymore!
Good Luck :wave:

 

[Mimi]

sandmama

That is a great ideal,can you tell me alittle bit more about how you made that and how you trained him to use it??Thanks.

 

[czarina]

I wouldn't use the litter, especially since you have a cat. They use two different litters, so you'd have two boxes and probably end up confusing both of them. Most importantly, the dog wouldn't understand why he/she isn't allowed in the cat box to dig for poops, but you will let him/her in his box ... even I am a little confused just by talking about it. :?

Well, judging by the fact it says she is from New York, probably because of the terrible weather during the winter, snow, cold, etc. I live not too far from New York, and trust me, you would not want your chi going out it weather like that. It is lot different from Texas.

 

[Cooper]

Well, judging by the fact it says she is from New York, probably because of the terrible weather during the winter, snow, cold, etc. I live not too far from New York, and trust me, you would not want your chi going out it weather like that. It is lot different from Texas.

Hey now... don't be dissin' Texas! :lol: We actually get some pretty cold weather, granted, it's nothing like the weather up north. And, just for the record, Cooper does go out in snow to do his bid'ness though - I just slap a coat on him and send him on his way.

I was just saying ... I would think two different litter boxes would cause a problem between cat & dog, especially with dogs' love for kitty poops. Two boxes, which to the chi and cat would look the same, could get confusing. Heck, I'd be confused. I also have a prejudice against dog litterboxes... I just think they're silly. They may work for other people but I can't get over how ridiculous it sounds. :lol:

 

[saintschamp10]

well my dad just had his thyroid removed because he had cancer and he missed a lot of work and my mom has back surgery today and she's missed a lot of work so we're kind of tight on money so how expensive would the puppy pads get.

 

[chimommy]

I have always used pads for Angel. While I had her pretty well trained to go outside in Oklahoma, I went back to the pads due to the long move to NY and since the weather gets so cold and snowy here by Lake Ontario, I figured I might as well just keep up with the pads. I thought about trying a litter box but I think Angel would just eat the litter and not use it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Right?

I use both disposable and washable pads. The washable ones are great but don't work for everyone and the initial purchase is pretty expensive. For a pkg of 2 small pads (17"x23") I paid $25. Ow!! The disposable ones we use (and Angel gets picky about different brands) are $8 for a bag of 32. With Angel, I can change the pad maybe 10 times a day. Again, she gets picky about it. She could make a small wet spot on it and not use it again unless I change it.

It is all a matter of personal preference and what you are willing to invest. I hope you find the best solution for you.

 

[foxywench]

i got lucky and found a plastic "tupperware type' tub the exact size of the pads we use, i cut a hole in the front of the tub and placed the pad inside and put it in the same spot we have the pads. vixie knew sstragith away that it was to be used the same way as always.

see with the pads i found though she'll poop dead center she always pees on the very edge. once i put it in the box she cant pee off the edge so no pee on the floor, it also looks tidier and without the litter the dog and cat dont get confused. pads are cheaper than litter (and chis tiny paws dont like dog litter and the cat litter gets stuck between their toes... ) you also dont want to teach your chi to use an automatic litterbox because 1 it will clog it (dog poop different teture to cat poop) and 2 dogs dont move like cats and can get their legs caught in the cleaning mechanism i know of 4 chis with broken legs from those damned litterboxes!

vixie uses a box (as will our new boy) for a few reasons...1 new england winters...vixie wont step on the snow...i tried, belive me and instead she sat on my foot... shell pee outside only if shes absolutly desperate, but she refuses to poop anywhere BUT her mat/box. the other reason is because the dogs go to the sailboat on the weekends, and theres certainly no place for them to poop and pee while at see...
i also would eventually like to live on a house boat. so they have a box on the boat and no more problems. also vixie had no potty trainging before we got her at 6mths old, i brought her home by day 2 she was reliably using her box/pads, shell get off the bed in the night go to her box and come back to bed...no night time acidents! no accidents when were out, no accidents in the entire 6months ive had her.
for some people boxes are just more compatible with the lifestyle (like apartment living with no yard...3am comes around dog is desperate, it cant pee on the fire escape...lol.

to each his own. the spaniel goes outside, vixie uses her box...its whatever works for each of them.

 

[NaliaLee]

I live way up north in canada and my chi is going pee outside in the winter wether he likes it or not. Ill dig him a path! HAHA
I would think that someone who is using a litter box may possibly live in a high rise apartment.

 

[czarina]

I live way up north in canada and my chi is going pee outside in the winter wether he likes it or not. Ill dig him a path! HAHA
I would think that someone who is using a litter box may possibly live in a high rise apartment.

Oh man, I don't know how your chi does it. Mine won't even move an inch if she is put outside in 10*C weather. :roll:

 

[Yoshismom]

all three methods

I use all three methods. Yoshi has a litterbox and peepad in his play pen and it is very convenient to have a litterbox in the car at this time because he hasnt had all series of shots yet and I wont put him on the ground anywhere but at my house. He goes outside to potty when we are here and he uses his pee pads and litterbox when we are not. He usually will not pee and poop in the same place so he pees on his pad and poops in his litter box. Unless we are traveling and then he will do both in the litter box as long as I clean it quite frequently. I have cats to but they use their on litter boxes and they wont mess with one that is not theres I also just use a real cheap brand of cat litter that has no odor to it and no dust :wave:

 

[chimom]

Hey now... don't be dissin' Texas! :lol:

Right on - dem's fightin' words pardner!! :lol:

Texas does get some really cold weather. When I was there last year in January/February we had snow twice. Just a trace the first time, but the second time the ground was covered almost 2 days and the roads were iced over. It was beautiful. My great-niece and I made a snowman - first time I've been able to do that since I was a kid.

I didn't have Jasmine then - I had Tia, my chi that went to the bridge last year. She had never seen snow before, and when I put her down in the snow she just stood there like she was paralyzed. When I said "go potty", she looked at me with this weird look, like "you have got to be kidding me!" It was hilarious. :lol:

 

[amykate]

I was wondering the same thing before I went to pick up Josie. A lot of people recommended puppy pads to me over litter boxes. I hadn't thought about the pups playing in the litter and tossing it everywhere (and shredding it and flipping over the box and so on). I've used puppy pads from day one and Josie is doing wonderfully with her housetraining right now.

If you do go with puppy pads (which, I would suggest ), invest in one of those puppy pad holders. Mine was about $15 from PetsMart and well worth every cent! Josie doesn't even try to bite, shred, or scratch the pad with that on it. What little time it's off (during changes), well, that's another story!