<p>Reading the other dog thread reminded me that I could ask my cc friends for their advice on this.</p>
<p>With the upcoming empty nest, our dog will be spending longer days alone. I’ve been looking at a product called k9grass, thinking of making an indoor dog potty. (They also sell such products ready made.) </p>
<p>I wonder if anyone has experience with this product? Or, more generally, training an adult outdoor relieving dog to do his business on a balcony or indoors?</p>
<p>I’ve seen products like you are describing at Petsmart. However, our neighbor is a cat-lady, with one dog… That dog (small-med in size) uses the cat litter box.</p>
<p>What about wee-wee pads?</p>
<p>I’ve heard that gunpowder residue can cause a nasty bout of flatulence.</p>
<p>oh, no, too funny - that was meant for another thread :o</p>
<p>…but good advice, nonetheless, ChiSquare, especially given the topic. :D</p>
<p>… and my first use of the embarrassment sticky …</p>
<p>(see JUST SAYING HELLO FROM A NEW PARENT if anyone needs the context)</p>
<p>Using a frisbee or something catch some of your dog’s urine / and maybe some poo and put some where you want the dog to go. Give the dog a treat when they use the right spot.
That product looks good but might feel weird to them under foot. Wonder if it’s big enough too?</p>
<p>Regarding having an indoor potty for your dog, I have an older dog, and he, on rare occasions, he forgets to finish his business outside. A dog’s urine smell is very strong, but nothing compared to the other. If it’s possible to train an older dog to go on a pad, I would really recommend the balcony (unless you have close neighbors) and not an indoor room. Unless the pad has some sort of super absorbent strong odor busting chemicals, I would think your house would be smell rather rank at the end of the day.</p>
<p>What?! You guys can train the dog to **** on a frisbee?</p>
<p>sax, I don’t know which website you were looking at, but there are multiple versions. You can buy pre-built potties, and some vendors offer multiple sizes. But you can also just by the k9grass, by the yard, and make your own. I was thinking of the latter. It’s supposed to feel like real grass under their feet.</p>
<p>coronax2, the product claims to be embedded with chemicals that cut down on the odor. I was thinking of putting it in the shower where it would be easy to wash down every day.</p>
<p>hahahah ellenmope. Absolutely…in the air too! A master of disguise…I slip in from the back while the dirty deed is being done… A pro due to numerous “bring us a clean sample” requests</p>
<p>At least in the bathroom you can run the fan all day. </p>
<p>I was thinking of the one that has the catch basin underneath but the grass looked like plastic. I have not looked on line. Just seen them in ads.</p>
<p>^Oh, sax…I’ll never look at a dog frisbee the same again…</p>
<p>…who said anything about a “dog” frisbee? ;)</p>
<p>^^Note to self: wear gloves when throwing frisbee at Sax’s home…</p>
<p>My little guy (puggle 22 lbs.) will use the pee pad in the corner if I am gone too long. I go through a pack of 10 every 1 1/2 months or so. So only for accidents, it’s very convenient. They were introduced when he was a puppy & he’s 2 1/2 now. The grass thing sounds like it’s yukky to clean? No muss no fuss with the pee pads.</p>
<p>I know a number of NYC dwellers who have their dogs “paper trained” I have found that older dogs only need 2-3 outings a day to do their business, and I just don’t like the idea of open waste out there. I even hate litter boxes, and used to have ours out on the garage.</p>
<p>Keeping the pad in the bathroom may help since the toilet is right there for easy disposal of the waste. One thing I would do before starting the training (and this is gross) would be to bring some fresh waste inside on one of those pads to see if the odor is all that bad. My dog weighs 35 lbs, and is on 3/4 dry food mixed with 1/4 wet food because of his age. I’m sure his canned food, even though it’s high quality, doesn’t help matters. A small dog with 100% dry food may not put off as much offensive odor, especially if those embedded chemicals work. Now, if you say you have a Mastiff, all bets are off. lol</p>
<p>Indoor dog potty? Frisbees? Ewwww… Sorry, no help from me. I’m fed up with the catbox, and I just can’t imagine having to clean up after a 100-lb shepherd who used to be a cuddly 10-lb fluffball. And what about dogs who pee with their hind leg up?</p>