# pad trained to command word?



## irenesarah (Jan 7, 2013)

hi guys!

once all arrangements are finalized with my breeder we should be getting our pup in 3 weeks so i'm trying to get educated & prepared.  this is not only going to be our first maltese but our first dog!  she is 6 months old, so she'll be close to 7 when she comes home - her breeder told me that she is already pad trained which is amazing for us since we live in a highrise apartment but now that i'm thinking about it more and more i want to be prepared for anything. in case pee pads end up stinking up our place or being a lot of wastage i kind of want to have the option of having her go on the pad if we aren't home and ask to go outside (i'm thinking about putting a little grass area on our patio/balcony for her).

how do you think i should go about doing this? getting her to associate a potty word every time she goes on the pad and then eventually start taking her outside and using the same word? is that how getting her to potty on command works? lol any kind of advice would be amazing! i work from home so she really wont be alone at home very often so i'd love to train her to potty on the balcony primarily and on the pad when no ones home or when weather is bad - or do they like to pick and choose?

thanks guys!


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## Cassievt (Apr 24, 2013)

Cassie comes running when she uses her,pad.,, We give her freeze dried liver when she goes,on her pad. That was the magic,bullet,. 
Now,since I was reading this forum. Does anyone think that she is,getting, to much protein ? 


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

You really want to get her accustomed to whatever you'll use right from the start. I keep the pads in a half bath so they have access to it all day long, and I've found that one of those "timed" air fresheners that squirts every 30 minutes or so is all it takes to make everything fresh smelling. I also found that the cheaper pads really stink up the place but the ones I get from Fosters&Smith are wonderful. 

Sweetness command word is "go potty" while Tessa's is "hurry up." They will go outside but are definitely indoor trained and I'd be very reluctant to change because they are so good on the pads.


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## farmgirl (Jun 2, 2010)

You are totally on the right track. I just wrote a long post on this in Training the Older Dog to Go Potty thread (something like that). It answers most of your questions. As for the inside and outside part, since it's on your balcony anyway I'd put a pad outside too, instead of grass, so she has one less thing to think about. Good luck!


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## Cyndilou (Jan 24, 2013)

As far as the pad traing what does the breeder say is their " key " word? When we started Ace was 12-13 weeks old and they had started with pads. I just kept it up with frequent trips to the pad to see if we had to go potty and gave lots of praise. He just turned 7 months and now he just does his thing without me. If I'm right there and see him I praise him and give him lots of love. 
I made sure we had pads a comb a brush shampoo nutrical chew toys tooth brush top knot rubber bands nail clippers rubber band clippers. I can't think of anything else. I gave Ace the first day off but the next one it was straight to brushing twicing a day brushing teeth a pulling up the hair. He is really good at most off it now. He doesn't budge when I bathe him do his teeth or hair but that blow dyer forget that. He runs around like a mad man. 
I did think of one trick you could do. Get on the floor like when you child proof from a child's level. Check around for the smallest thing he would get in his mouth while he is teething.


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