Train An Adult Dog To Use A Potty Patch

[CJSophie]

Can someone please help me teach my 2 year old Jack Russell to use a Potty Patch?

We travel with my boyfriend and currently, we are staying in the apartment side of a downtown hotel in a pretty big town that I am unfamiliar with. the only area where I can take my dog is 2 blocks over, in a church front lawn. however, at night, I refuse to put myself and my dog in a bad situation.

so I bought her a Potty Patch from Petco, and placed it out in the parking garage beside our vehicle and take her there to potty. but she refuses to use it. after a week, I just now taught her that she doesn't have to be scared of it so she now finally will at least sit on it. I have also bought the training spray but that just seemed to make things worse.

i've tried taking her out there, placing her on it, telling her to go potty, and since she doesn't potty, I bring her back in, place her in her crate, wait a half hour, and repeat the process and nothing!!!!! she will wait until I have to step out the door for a second or use the bathroom, or whatever, then she will go.

I am hoping someone can advise me on how to get her to use the bathroom on the Potty Patch. I tried looking it up online but it seems that most of the posts are sarcastic and hateful with no help. i'm not irresponsible pet owner, i'm an over protective doggie momma that refuses to put my dog and I in harms way. i've been told my numerous people to not go out at night alone. however, the place where I keep the potty patch, out in the parking garage is close by, well lit and camera protected.

so i'm in desperate need of some help because i'm tired of cleaning up messes and want my dog to be as comfortable as possible.

 

[Linda A]

Since going outside at night is dangerous and since she seems to wait until you are out of sight to potty, I would suggest setting the Potty Patch up indoors and put an exercise pen around it. This way you can leave her in it until she does her business. When traveling I set one up in the motel room with potty pads under it. I leave one end open and my dogs have learned that that is the place to go. I even use this set up here in the house during bad weather.

 

[blacknym]

My dog had to get used to an indoor potty as well. this is what i did.

I put the potty station in its place. no moving around.

i then used puppy pads to surround the potty station.

when Deja would go on the pads it had her scent so little by little id move them slowly on top of the potty.

once she was comfy stepping up and doing her business...i started to fold up the pads smaller and smaller. You would not beleive her aim! lol. but one day i took them away all together and she is great.

hope that made sense. lol

 

[Adrianna & Calvin]

A little gross, but you can also try catching some of her urine in a plastic container during the day and scenting the potty patch with it. Since she clearly doesn't see it as a toilet, this will let her know that this is where pee can go. My current dog will urinate where he smells other urine; my late dog wouldn't go inside the house for love or money, he was one of those rare 'ironsides' of housetraining! but most dogs are easier than he was.