# pads or outdoors?



## BTK (Oct 25, 2007)

I would appreciate some feedback on whether it is easier to do the pads or outdoors, particularly when it comes to making sure my 4-month old (three-days acquired) eventually either lets me know when she wants to relieve herself outdoors or just simply walk sinto the laundry room and does it herself. I've started the outdoor method and while she goes without any problems and likes being outside she doesn't seem to want to go outside initially, especially in the rain. 

PS I'm new to the site, but could not figure out how to introduce myself so I apologize for breaking any protocols.


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## Max & Rocky (May 20, 2004)

Welcome to spoiled Maltese!

I'm a lazy poster... so I did a cut and paste from a post I did a couple of days ago, since I think it applies just as well to your question.



> I don't think it makes a lot of difference if you go the potty pad route or the outside route. It boils down to your location, yard, schedule, the typical weather you have, and even details about the flooring in your house. In general, I think it is really useful for the dogs to be able to handle both potty routines. However, where ever you live, the weather will get bad at times or you will have to be gone for an extended period and so the ability to handle a potty pad is a good skill to have. Especially if you have sizable area of tile flooring where you could set this up.
> 
> If it were me, I'd buy some scented potty pad (the kind where the scent is to attract the dog, not the perfume type for people) and find a standard place where you can set it up that she will have access to when you are gone.[/B]


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## abbey (Apr 4, 2005)

Abbey potties outside.  She doesn't like it either when it rains or when there's snow on the ground. I have to physically carry her to her spot when it's raining! :biggrin: The breeder had her going on the pads & I was planning to have her do both so on rainy days she could use the pads instead but she got too confused between the carpet & the pad. Every carpet area was a Large pee pad for her, so we went strictly to outside & I've never regretted it! Just which we lived somewhere warmer!! :thumbsup:


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Ollie has super-dog bladder and goes almost all day without going potty. So it's not an issue here. His breeder and I started him on pads and, for the first few months at my house, he did pads and outdoors. And then one day he decided that he wasn't going to go on pads anymore, only outside. Which sucks in the winter or in the rain, etc., but, like I said, it's only a few times per day. I can live with it. Not a biggie. Like someone else here said, it's whatever is convenient for you--I think for the mostpart THEY don't really care, but I will tell you, there ARE some doggies like Ollie who, once they make up their mind on outside, there's no going back. So keep that in mind. 

We went to a maltese gathering recently and there were pads all around for the dogs to go on in case they needed to and BOY DID THEY. There was poop and pee everywhere. Despite all this, Ollie held his own until we left, lol. So even though everyone else was doing it, he STILL refused!


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## BTK (Oct 25, 2007)

Thanks for your responses. For those of you who do let your dogs go outsidem I'm hoping that they let you know when they need to go to the bathroom by standing outside the doors, barking, etc. Right now I'm on a strict watch, wait and carry-out routine which does get tiring as she tends to go every 40 minutes.


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## Missy&Maggie (Jun 17, 2007)

Maggie goes in both places. She will potty outside if I take her out or she will just go to her pad inside. I love that Maggie uses both. It is really nice when it pours down rain all day which is a common occurrence in FL. It is also nice b/c if are somewhere and I don't have piddle pad, Maggie will just go on the grass. If you want do strictly outdoors, I think the bell training is a good idea. Good luck!!! :thumbsup:


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> Thanks for your responses. For those of you who do let your dogs go outsidem I'm hoping that they let you know when they need to go to the bathroom by standing outside the doors, barking, etc. Right now I'm on a strict watch, wait and carry-out routine which does get tiring as she tends to go every 40 minutes.[/B]


I trained Ollie to ring some bells at the back door when he had to go potty. He learned it very well. I remember those days going out so frequently--it's exhausting. But, like I said, Ollie doesn't even really need his bells anymore because I take him out first thing in the morning when I have to go out to the bus stop with my kids. He goes in the afternoon when I let him out back to play (I don't have to take him then) and he goes on our evening walk which we ALWAYS go on unless it's monsooning out. It's pretty easy.


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## lilguyparker (Aug 16, 2007)

Every dog is different. I would love it if I could train Parker to go on the pad when it's raining outside, but he's not consistent with the pad. Like Abbey, Parker gets confused between the pad and carpet. It's just best to take him outside. He doesn't like the rain or wind at all, so I have to hold an umbrella over him. Yeah, he's spoiled.


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Well because we live in an area of weather extremes I wish I could have trained Scooby to go on pads but right from the beginning he was totally an outside boy, he refused to use pads so I had no choice but to take him out. He never barks to go out he simply comes to me or hubby and gives us the glare, if we ask him if he needs to potty he acknowledges with a desparate pawing of our leg then heads toward the back door. Even as a tiny puppy he was very good at the glare  
Koko on the other hand is totally pad trained and won't potty outside, for which I am pleased really because when the weather is bad it means I don't have two to worry about taking him out. Koko has his potty in his e-pen where he sleeps at night, during the day we simply leave the door open and he just goes when he needs to, he always comes and tells me when he has done #2 so I can go take it out, he hates having it left in his room. We have the Wizdog Potty for him and he is fantastic with it, no matter where we are if we take that along he will use it. We recently had to stay in an hotel so we took his e-pen and potty and he was so good about using it. Scooby of course loves little hotel stays too, it means he gets to mark more on the new surroundings so we are constantly going outside for his pleasure :biggrin: 
I do wish sometimes that Scooby would use pads though as when it's either storming or snowy he hates going out, so do we actually. We have tried many times to get him to just potty on a pad in the garage but no, he doesn't get it and it's more upsetting for him really so we just grin and bear the weather and take him out.
I think in a way it's a matter of preference, some prefer outside and others inside


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