Training to potty outside and on pads?

[Ptmac415]

Hey guys, so I'm trying to learn as much as I can before adopting a Frenchie puppy.


One kind of unique thing I couldn't find an answer to online....how exactly do you house train a Frenchie to go potty outside, but also teach them to go on pads occasionally, only whenever they're available?

Basically, the most important thing is teaching it to go outside. But, if there's ever a time where I have to be away longer than usual, or we are staying in a different place where going outside isn't quite as easy, I want to have it prepared to know how to use pee pads. I wouldn't plan to normally have pee pads out at my apartment, I'd only have them out in those circumstances.

One example: I have a friend who I recently went on a trip with, and they brought their 5 year old Frenchie. We were staying in an Air BNB, and the first night, we went out to eat and then out on the town after, so we had to leave the pup at the Air BNB...probably a total of around 6/7 hours. He's trained him to be okay with being alone occasionally like that, but since it was a longer period of time without going outside, he left out some pee pads, and the Frenchie used them as he needed while we were out. That's what I would love to teach my Frenchie how to do, so if it ever did have to be left alone longer than usual, we'd have a backup plan that it would fully know how to adjust to.

Does anyone know how to teach a Frenchie how to do both? Seems like teaching it to go outside first and then on pads would be confusing.

 

[davidh]

When you get the pup, I'm assuming it will be around 8 to 12 weeks old. They are just babies and will need to go out about every hour. As soon as they wake up, take them out. After they finish playing, take them out, before they eat and after they eat, take them out. Get the picture. LOL Plenty of praise when they go outside too. If the area you keep him/her in is large enough, you can put a potty pad in there with him/her. Sometimes pups will chewy and tear up the paper puppy pads. We use the cotton washable pads, and they don't chew them up. Also some people will say to restrick water from them at night time to help with the potty training, this is a myth and should not be done. Plenty of fresh water 24/7. I would also crate train your pup, this will become their "house" and they will go in at night once they get used to it. A crate will also keep them safe when you are gone from home. Just take an collar or harness off them when they are in the crate, as this can hang them if it gets stuck on the crate. The first week when you bring the pup home, put the crate by your bed and put your arm down so they can see it and smell you, this will help them settle down to sleep. Good luck with you pup, and send pics.

 

[Ptmac415]

When you get the pup, I'm assuming it will be around 8 to 12 weeks old. They are just babies and will need to go out about every hour. As soon as they wake up, take them out. After they finish playing, take them out, before they eat and after they eat, take them out. Get the picture. LOL Plenty of praise when they go outside too. If the area you keep him/her in is large enough, you can put a potty pad in there with him/her. Sometimes pups will chewy and tear up the paper puppy pads. We use the cotton washable pads, and they don't chew them up. Also some people will say to restrick water from them at night time to help with the potty training, this is a myth and should not be done. Plenty of fresh water 24/7. I would also crate train your pup, this will become their "house" and they will go in at night once they get used to it. A crate will also keep them safe when you are gone from home. Just take an collar or harness off them when they are in the crate, as this can hang them if it gets stuck on the crate. The first week when you bring the pup home, put the crate by your bed and put your arm down so they can see it and smell you, this will help them settle down to sleep. Good luck with you pup, and send pics.

Thank you so much for all the good advice!

So would it not slow down the house training process/confuse them if I throw pads in the mix?

 

[FroxerMom]

Sorry, I have no additional advice on this as I didn't use pee pads, just outside for elimination. Is it possible for you to get your friends with the 5 year old Frenchie to walk you through the process they used or give you a tutorial? In the meantime, maybe someone else on here who does both, will be able to chime in.

 

[Corrie]

Thank you so much for all the good advice!

So would it not slow down the house training process/confuse them if I throw pads in the mix?

I used the artificial grass with a holder for easy cleaning in the playpen. It's less expensive in the long run. The artificial grass works well because it feels like the outside grass. In the playpen was also an open crate with a bed. I took him out several times during the day but not during the night. I rewarded the pup with a little treat and a lot of praise every time he went pee or poo outside. He potty trained fast! They are food motivated. Remember their bladders can only hold it for about 1 hour for every month old he is. Everytime we had to leave the house for a while, he went in the playpen for safe keeping.

 

[Cbrugs]

I only used pee pads at night in the little confined area and that was because I didn't get up to take them out in the middle of the night. I did it this way for all 3 dogs. Then once they stopped using them or started ripping them up, no more pee pads.

 

[mattcantwin]

I may be the only person in the world doing this, I use a pad outside.

Started out doing this to help Loki make the transition to going only outside (we were using pads intside).

As he became housebroken, going out the doggie door on his own as needed, the inside pads were taken out of service.

I continue to use the outside pad to control where he goes in his "area" and avoid any lingering odors.


With previous dogs, who trained much easier, pads weren't really needed.

However, over time I found the need to treat the ground with Odor-mute.

 

[FroxerMom]

I may be the only person in the world doing this, I use a pad outside.

Started out doing this to help Loki make the transition to going only outside (we were using pads intside).

As he became housebroken, going out the doggie door on his own as needed, the inside pads were taken out of service.

I continue to use the outside pad to control where he goes in his "area" and avoid any lingering odors.


With previous dogs, who trained much easier, pads weren't really needed.

However, over time I found the need to treat the ground with Odor-mute.

That's a clever idea!

 

[mattcantwin]

That's a clever idea!

Thanks, a rock at each corner holds it down.


A bit frustrating when Loki poops on the rock!

 

[mattcantwin]

One last thing.

Somewhere along the line, I started giving Loki a piece of cookie if he pooped outside on the paper.

Today is Loki's birthday, just turned four and he still bursts through the doggie door - all excited that he just pooped outside.

He jumps all around until I follow him outside to verify he earned the piece of cookie.

We get a big kick out of this behavior.

 

[FroxerMom]

One last thing.

Somewhere along the line, I started giving Loki a piece of cookie if he pooped outside on the paper.

Today is Loki's birthday, just turned four and he still bursts through the doggie door - all excited that he just pooped outside.

He jumps all around until I follow him outside to verify he earned the piece of cookie.

We get a big kick out of this behavior.

Aw, happy belated birthday, Loki!! Hope you had a fun day