[Cdnjennga]

I'm getting way ahead of myself here considering how far away I am from getting a puppy... But I thought I'd ask for any experiences house training a pup while living in a condo. I have lots of experience training pups from a house where you have easy access to the garden, but this will be my first experience training from a condo.

I'm on the 12th floor, so the ground is pretty far down. I was kind of hoping to initially train with a mix of puppy pads and outdoors. While ultimately I would prefer the dog go outside, there might be days where it will be more convenient for him/ her to use the puppy pad. Does anyone think this can work? Or should I only be focusing on outside and just get used to the fact that I'll have to get dressed and go outside every time the pup/ dog has to pee? I definitely don't want to confuse my puppy or make house training a negative experience for either of us, so I'm on the fence about this and will be interested to hear any thoughts.

 

[Cdnjennga]

I should add I pup sat my friend's 16 week old Shih Tzu pup for a week-end and we only had one accident indoors (my fault!) She used her puppy pad first thing in the morning, then for the rest of the day we would go downstairs on a schedule (about every hour). Her only accident was in the hallway while we were waiting for the elevator on the first evening, oops! That taught me that I had to carry her down rather than expecting her to understand she had to hold it until we got outside.

 

[Evik]

I'm getting way ahead of myself here considering how far away I am from getting a puppy... But I thought I'd ask for any experiences house training a pup while living in a condo. I have lots of experience training pups from a house where you have easy access to the garden, but this will be my first experience training from a condo.

I'm on the 12th floor, so the ground is pretty far down. I was kind of hoping to initially train with a mix of puppy pads and outdoors. While ultimately I would prefer the dog go outside, there might be days where it will be more convenient for him/ her to use the puppy pad. Does anyone think this can work? Or should I only be focusing on outside and just get used to the fact that I'll have to get dressed and go outside every time the pup/ dog has to pee? I definitely don't want to confuse my puppy or make house training a negative experience for either of us, so I'm on the fence about this and will be interested to hear any thoughts.

It's funny, but I'm going thru same problems. I'm also waiting for a puppy, hopefully in December. I think the pads will be a solution at least at night. The puppy will probably need to go at least once, twice and before I get dressed (very cold in Winter :smow take her outside the accident can happened and if not the little body will be frozen outside, so she won't go anyway. But how do you train her to understand, sometimes to go inside, sometimes outside :noidea:

 

[taxtell]

Honestly I don't like puppy pads, they tend to make a mess, they rip them up, and they sometimes think they can go in that spot forever. :/

When Jack (our cav) was a puppy, we lived in an upstairs apartment, and we just sucked it up. We took him outside when he had to go, all the way down stairs to the grass. Even in the middle of the night. Ok, by "we" I mean my husband, since it is technically his dog.

Just remember, house training is worth it when it's done, and done right.

On the other hand, my friend litter trained her Italian Greyhound and she is very happy with that solution, and Halo is good about keeping it in the box.

 

[Evik]

Honestly I don't like puppy pads, they tend to make a mess, they rip them up, and they sometimes think they can go in that spot forever. :/

When Jack (our cav) was a puppy, we lived in an upstairs apartment, and we just sucked it up. We took him outside when he had to go, all the way down stairs to the grass.



I don't mine to go outside, maybe I will send my husband sometimes , but what if there is not grass but snow? Will she go?

 

[Cdnjennga]

It's funny, but I'm going thru same problems. I'm also waiting for a puppy, hopefully in December. I think the pads will be a solution at least at night. The puppy will probably need to go at least once, twice and before I get dressed (very cold in Winter :smow take her outside the accident can happened and if not the little body will be frozen outside, so she won't go anyway. But how do you train her to understand, sometimes to go inside, sometimes outside :noidea:

Yep, we have an identical situation! It's so fricking freezing in Toronto in winter and it looks like I might have my pup just when there's the most snow! I was honestly thinking of cheating a little by moving back to my parents for a week or two just to get the pup started.

I probably will just suck it up and take him outside... I'm just not sure if the pee pads are going to work for me. I was thinking I might get a pair of sweatpants and a big sweater that are part of my "house training" outfit. Then I can just pull it on, no matter what time it is or how cold it is, along with a big coat and boots and we can go out. Should be an experience. Otherwise my doorman can just get used to seeing me go by in my PJs!

 

[Cdnjennga]

Hmm, I do have a couple of months to somehow track down a serious boyfriend... My criteria will be "must be willing to take small puppy outside in negative 30 degree weather in the early hours of the morning". They'll be lining up!

 

[Evik]

Should be an experience. Otherwise my doorman can just get used to seeing me go by in my PJs!

That is so funny :smile-big: at least I don't have the doorman. But to have an "emergency" cloths by the bed is great idea. We should take pictures :smile-big:

 

[Evik]

Hmm, I do have a couple of months to somehow track down a serious boyfriend... My criteria will be "must be willing to take small puppy outside in negative 30 degree weather in the early hours of the morning". They'll be lining up!

Yap, I'm sure, good luck

 

[roxy25]

I live in an apt and house trained my bf pit bull, enzo, my friends, toy poodle , and french bulldog lol

First I use crates and this is the most helpfully tool. Pups /dogs stay in crate at night. I feed my dogs on a schedule also no food laying around all day.

First thing in the am i take puppy or dog out. ( with enzo we pad trained him until he got all of his shots) I never put pads in crate because the dog needs to learn his or her crate is a den not a place to go to the bathroom. I would lay crate with newspaper instead if we had to leave pup in crate during the day. when they go to the bathroom I praise them so much ! lol

I just keep doing this until i know the dog gets it. When they make accidents in the house I correct them. Most smart breeds get it pretty fast. Jasmine my bf's pit bull came from the shelter and she was pretty much house trained in 2 weeks

 

[taxtell]

It gets pretty cold here in WI as well.
Honestly Jack 'got it' pretty quick, get out, go, and get the heck back in.

 

[bigpoodleperson]

I dont have any first hand advice as ive always lived in a house. When i get my puppy though i will most likely be in an apartment. I am reading this thread for good ideas for myself! I know there are no 16 floor apartment complexes here though!

 

[cbrand]

You have to look at it this way....

Good house training habits are a gift you give yourself that you will be enjoying for the next 12 yrs. It is worth all the work in the beginning.

I never, never, never use piddle pads. I think they confuse the issue and they keep the puppy from learning bladder control.

People who live in cold climates need to seriously consider the downside of getting a puppy in the middle of winter. It will be hard on both you and the puppy. If you can, wait and get a puppy late spring through the fall.

First thing out of the crate, you will need to carry your puppy downstairs. Don't expect the puppy to walk because it will get three feet out into the hallway and squat. If there is snow, you are going to need to carry a shovel to clear a potty path for the puppy since it is too much to ask a Mini poodle to stand in 6" of snow and go to the bathroom. (Hey! I live in Colorado.... I know all about shoveling a potty path!)

You should get an X Pen and use it to create a small space for your puppy. When you are not directly interacting with the puppy, you can either put the puppy in the X Pen or in his crate. As he gets bigger and he can hold it longer, you can use the X Pen to cordon off parts of the Condo and slowly, slowly let him have access to the whole home. In the beginning, KEEP HIM OFF OF ANY CARPETED SPACES! You are just asking for trouble.

On the up side, I think apartment and condo dogs have much better house training over all than dog who live in homes where they are just kicked out in the yard. My Sabrina was raised in a house that did not have a fenced yard so she had to be taken out on a leash every time she pottied. She learned to eliminate on command which is the greatest thing ever for dog shows and road trips.