Is it possible to re-train an adult dog to use a potty pad indoors when it rains

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   JayeWisdomposted 11 years ago

   Is it possible to re-train an adult dog to use a potty pad indoors when it rains? How?

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   Sarra Garrettposted 11 years ago

   Yes it is, but my first question is why?  AND don't use puppy pads as they are expensive, use adult bed pads for incontinenance.  They are larger and CHEAPER. 
   
   Why do you want to retrain your dog to pee in the house if he/she is already potty trained.  All dogs hate to go outside in the rain but it's best to have them do that instead of getting used to pottying inside the house.  Please don't take offense

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      Sarra Garrettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Got ya.  Put the pad (use the people bed pads) and put some of her feces on the pad placing it on the back porch.  Also you can put her urine on it which will help. She needs to smell where she needs to pee when it's raining out.

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   JayeWisdomposted 11 years ago

   Thanks for your comment, Sarra.  No offense. Let me explain my reason.  My eight-year-old dog practically house-trained herself as a puppy, with very few indoor accidents. She isn't incontinent (if she were, I'd put her in diapers and be done with it.) In fact, when the weather is dry or even just a mist of rain, she's very good about going potty outside.
   
   However, she HATES rain almost obsessively. As a result, she goes round and round in circles, getting muddy and drenched, but refuses to potty on the sodden ground.  I thought she was a smart dog--she seems intelligent in many other ways, but apparently her mind hasn't made the connection between speedy pottying and getting out of the rain!  Since I take her out on leash, we both get drenched, even with rain gear and umbrella.
   
   I don't want her to "go" inside the house, but it would help immensely if she would learn to use a pad on my screened-in back porch when it's storming. I live in a very rainy climate. It's currently been raining almost continuously for 2 1/2 weeks with three more days of rain forecast. It doesn't help that I'm nearly 70 and have some difficulty walking. These long sessions of trying to get her to potty in the pouring rain aren't really safe for me.
   
   I took her outside nearly an hour ago, and it took more than a half hour for her to finally urinate and defecate, after holding both for two days.  Then I had to bring her inside, put her in the shower and wash the mud off her feet and legs. Now we're both dry and she's resting wrapped in a large towel, but there has to be a better way!

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      Sarra Garrettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It will take a while to train her to go on the pad so be patient. She needs to smell her own urine in order to use the pad. Praise her when she does use it.  Bless your heart and keep me informed.

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      HLPhoenixposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh Jaye I have so much empathy for you... my dog too, will not go inside. I tried all the tricks... Snow, Sleet, Hurricane Winds, Rain... she'll only go outside. But she does go faster than yours... The back porch is a great possibility, best luck.

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      JayeWisdomposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      HLPhoenix....Thanks for the empathy. You understand! I'm trying the back porch, but finally took her outdoors in the rain...all to no avail. Forecast says sun on Friday--YAY!

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   peeplesposted 11 years ago

   Normally I would say horrible idea but after reading your issue I can understand why you may consider pads. First let me ask, do you have a neighbor (maybe a teen) who you could pay $5 to come walk the dog when raining? Have you tried maybe putting her on a leash tied to an eye hook right outside the back door (better to have to clean poop from outside the door than inside)? In a year you will easily spend $100 on pads, so have you considered maybe just paying that or a little more to have someone put a roof extension (looks like carport) off the back of your screened porch so she'll have a covered area to do her business?
   If you have exhausted all other options simply put the pads down and take her to it and say whatever your command is such as "Go potty". Try leaving her in there for a little while and come back every so often placing her on the pad and saying the command. If she goes on it praise her and give her a treat.
   On a side note, I had a friend who had a little 3lb dog they wanted to train to go in one spot in their house. They made a 4 by 4ft box 4 inches deep and bought sod for the inside of it. They actually grew grass in this little box for the dog to go on while they were at work. It worked.

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      JayeWisdomposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your response. I'm trying out the pad today. No luck so far, but I don't expect it to be easy.

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   agilitymachposted 11 years ago

   A few things:
   
   First, remember that it's very hard for dogs to truly get the idea of peeing on a pad vs. anything else in the house.  This is a recipe for possible indoor pee problems that could last the life of your dog.  My advice - don't try the indoor route, period.  Look for other options such as has been mentioned.  An outdoor kennel with a roof for rainy days is a great option.
   
   I have an outdoor patio with a large overhang that is ideal for my dogs.  It's wonderful.  An outdoor dog run with a roof is another great idea.
   
   None of my dogs like rain either, but when potty training, they don't get to come in until business is complete.  They learn quickly that if they want in, they do their stuff.  If I let them in early, then they've trained me to let them in before business is done.
   
   I strongly do not recommend ever teaching the dog that indoors is an option, but if you must, I suggest going with the doggy litterbox.  It doesn't look like newspaper on the floor, or a coat on the floor or carpet such as pads can resemble.  It is very different.  However, any invitation to pee indoors is cause for potty problems in the future.  Buyer beware!!

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      JayeWisdomposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I actually bought the largest dog litterbox I could find and line it with a puppy pad, which I have on the screened-in porch. She will step into the box, turn around and...sit!  I wiped a bit of her urine on a paper towel and placed 'neath the pad.

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