Hello!
I am getting a puppy in late may, but I live on the third floor of an apartment! I am worried that for house training having to run down 3 flights of stairs to show a dog where to go (especially if its in the middle of doing its business inside) could confuse the dog and possibly take longer…
I am considering getting large tray, a few inches deep and growing grass in it on my balcony, that way the dog can associate grass with the proper spot to eliminate, and I can get it outside faster.
This is not permanent, nor the only place the dog will be doing its duty. Just a few months until the dog has the idea down and can hold it long enough till I can get him down the stairs and outside reliably every time. I will also be taking him out on walks and hope he uses the grass out there as well.
Do you think this would work well for housebreaking? Or will I just teach the dog to still go on the balcony when the grass is gone?
Hey everyone!
Thanks for your tips and information!!!! My puppy is a Great Dane so I know I can’t let him use the balcony forever, he will be bigger than the tray by 6 months old most likely! I’m just hoping that this gets him through housebreaking quickly and then I can take him downstairs once I know he can hold it for the journey! 
I really appreciate all of your input!
Hi–I have a chihuahua mix (male/neutered, about 10 lbs).
We live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building, just like you. My dog does his business outside, as well as on ‘piddle pads’ in the apartment.
Many people who live in high rise apartments use litter boxes and/or ‘piddle pads’ for their dog–esp[ecially smaller dogs and they work wonderfully!
I have used them for 9 years now, and my dog has never peed/pooped off the piddle pad—never. When it rains/snows outside, he doesn’t like to go out, and the piddle pads are perfect.
I use a corner of one room, put down a plastic, waterproof rug protector. Then I have a waterproof pad, like they use in hospitals on the bed for older patients.
On top of that, I put 2 piddle pads, which I order on-line in bulk–as i use them all the time.
Initially when I got my dog as a puppy I had the same idea as you–to grow grass on our balcony and teach him to "go" outside. But we got him in winter, and he was afraid to go out in freezing weather! I was using the pads to housetrain him anyway–so I just continued with it, after my mom went to visit a friend in a New York high rise apartment. Mom told me that tons of people have dogs and live in apartments–and they use the pads for inside–and also walk their dogs, and the dogs ‘go’ outside.
I am living proof that it works.
I don’t know what size dog you have–it works perfectly with my small dog. I keep toilet paper nearby the pads, and small plastic bags–to dispose of the poop (I flush it), and the wet pads get rolled up and put in plastic bags and thrown outside–as you would a disposable diaper.
best of luck to you!
Congrats on your new little furbaby!
4 Responses
2009 Dec 27
They make "litter boxes" for people in your situation. It comes with fake grass and everything.
References :
2009 Dec 27
Hi there we have just got a Yorkie puppy and were looking for advice regarding house training. However, the house training part is basically the same for all puppies. We came across this site http://yorkiecare.homestead.com/rules.html
2009 Dec 27
Hi! Yes it will work, my aunt has a puppy on the second floor and has a few large trays of grass on her porch and the puppy will only use the grassy, she never goes on the porch, you may have to teach the puppy a few times but it should catch on quickly, depending on what breed of dog you get, you may need a larger amount of grass. You don’t even need to grow it, you can buy pieces or buy it already in the tray. Good idea! And it does work.
References :
2009 Dec 27
Hi–I have a chihuahua mix (male/neutered, about 10 lbs).
We live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building, just like you. My dog does his business outside, as well as on ‘piddle pads’ in the apartment.
Many people who live in high rise apartments use litter boxes and/or ‘piddle pads’ for their dog–esp[ecially smaller dogs and they work wonderfully!
I have used them for 9 years now, and my dog has never peed/pooped off the piddle pad—never. When it rains/snows outside, he doesn’t like to go out, and the piddle pads are perfect.
I use a corner of one room, put down a plastic, waterproof rug protector. Then I have a waterproof pad, like they use in hospitals on the bed for older patients.
On top of that, I put 2 piddle pads, which I order on-line in bulk–as i use them all the time.
Initially when I got my dog as a puppy I had the same idea as you–to grow grass on our balcony and teach him to "go" outside. But we got him in winter, and he was afraid to go out in freezing weather! I was using the pads to housetrain him anyway–so I just continued with it, after my mom went to visit a friend in a New York high rise apartment. Mom told me that tons of people have dogs and live in apartments–and they use the pads for inside–and also walk their dogs, and the dogs ‘go’ outside.
I am living proof that it works.
I don’t know what size dog you have–it works perfectly with my small dog. I keep toilet paper nearby the pads, and small plastic bags–to dispose of the poop (I flush it), and the wet pads get rolled up and put in plastic bags and thrown outside–as you would a disposable diaper.
best of luck to you!
Congrats on your new little furbaby!
References :
Dog mom for 9 years.