# Outdoor potty training and bad weather



## nekkidfish (Aug 25, 2009)

Hi guys!!

Poppy is coming home a week early!! Sarah feels that he is one of the smartest boys she has ever had and feels he is ready to start house training. So, we will be getting him Saturday, just 2 days shy of his 11 week birthday.

Of course, we have had sunny and pretty warm weather for this whole month, and now they are calling for lots of rain and temps in the 50's next week.

Poppy hasn't been outside. Sarah has the puppies use potty pads.

I have a pen set up outside, so I can run him out there and put him down in his kennel to do his business.

My question is, am I going to freak him out, by taking him out in the rain?

Or, should I put the pen under the patio (on concrete) and start him out this way .... to keep him out of the rain, but yet still be training him that he goes potty outside and not inside?

Or, should I treat him just like my big dogs in the past, and put him out, rain or no rain?

I want Poppy to be outside potty trained, but at the same time I don't want to torture him since he's never been exposed to grass, let alone being out in the rain.

Thanks bunches!!! Jules


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Roo was walked outside on leash in any weather. I just got a big umbrella and off we went. 

If you want to use pee pads then the pen outside under the patio would be perfect!


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## Dora's Mom (Nov 7, 2009)

I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to do the pee pads and pen outside thing, especially if you think it would be more beneficial to ease him in to the whole thing.  I never gave it a second thought with Dora. If it's raining, then we both suffer until she's done.  Might be a rough first few weeks but once he gets the idea of potty training he should get that if he doesn't like getting wet he better hurry up and go!...or maybe he won't mind getting wet and want to stay out longer (guess who does that?)  Either way, it's not like he's going to melt.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I trained mine at 3 mos to go outside in a cold, harsh New England winter (December). 

It all depends on your objective long term. If as an adult you want him to go outside and do his thing, then get him used to the elements now--or else you could have probs later.


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## elly (Sep 11, 2006)

My boy's go out on leash, Mercedes has a pen on the patio with pee pads, she is almost full coat so I really do not want to take her out in the rain.


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## nekkidfish (Aug 25, 2009)

QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 14 2010, 11:06 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873583


> Roo was walked outside on leash in any weather. I just got a big umbrella and off we went.
> 
> If you want to use pee pads then the pen outside under the patio would be perfect![/B]


Sarah just put a harness on him for the first time yesterday, so he hasn't even been on a leash yet. She said he is fearless, so hopefully I'll get him on the leash soon!


QUOTE (Dora's Mom @ Jan 14 2010, 11:13 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873585


> I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to do the pee pads and pen outside thing, especially if you think it would be more beneficial to ease him in to the whole thing.  I never gave it a second thought with Dora. If it's raining, then we both suffer until she's done.  Might be a rough first few weeks but once he gets the idea of potty training he should get that if he doesn't like getting wet he better hurry up and go!...or maybe he won't mind getting wet and want to stay out longer (guess who does that?)  Either way, it's not like he's going to melt. [/B]


Yeah, I guess he won't melt. :biggrin: The little guy only weighs 2.25 pounds, so I just hope the grass isn't taller than him. LOL

QUOTE (camfan @ Jan 14 2010, 12:12 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873600


> I trained mine at 3 mos to go outside in a cold, harsh New England winter (December).
> 
> It all depends on your objective long term. If as an adult you want him to go outside and do his thing, then get him used to the elements now--or else you could have probs later.[/B]


I hadn't thought about that! I do not want to do the potty pad thing, so I guess out in the rain on the grass it will be!!!

Thanks everyone!!! :wub: 

Big HUGz! Jules


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

I carry Perri under an umbrella to underneath the deck when it rains. I would not want to deal with washing wet legs several times a day if raining. 
If it were me I'd get a roll of artificial turf, or put pine needles down, or something on the patio and teach him he can go both there and the yard so you'll have a place for when it rains.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

QUOTE (camfan @ Jan 14 2010, 03:12 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873600


> I trained mine at 3 mos to go outside in a cold, harsh New England winter (December).
> 
> It all depends on your objective long term. If as an adult you want him to go outside and do his thing, then get him used to the elements now--or else you could have probs later.[/B]


Same here! I got Grace 11 years ago next week, the coldest time of year in New England, and she survived it. Even though I have a fenced dog yard I always leash walk my dogs to where I want them to eliminate. By keeping them on a leash they learn how to walk on a leash, where to potty, and that it's potty first and play later. If it was snowing or raining I still walked them but carried an umbrella. 

MaryH


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (MaryH @ Jan 14 2010, 10:52 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873740


> QUOTE (camfan @ Jan 14 2010, 03:12 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873600





> I trained mine at 3 mos to go outside in a cold, harsh New England winter (December).
> 
> It all depends on your objective long term. If as an adult you want him to go outside and do his thing, then get him used to the elements now--or else you could have probs later.[/B]


Same here! I got Grace 11 years ago next week, the coldest time of year in New England, and she survived it. Even though I have a fenced dog yard I always leash walk my dogs to where I want them to eliminate. By keeping them on a leash they learn how to walk on a leash, where to potty, and that it's potty first and play later. If it was snowing or raining I still walked them but carried an umbrella. 

MaryH
[/B][/QUOTE]

I did that too for a long time with Ollie. When he got older we got a doggie door and now in the winter/cold he runs out, goes, runs back in. In the warm months he'll stay out and hang out--but only when we're home and can keep an eye on them.


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## nekkidfish (Aug 25, 2009)

Wonder where I could find artificial turf? Now they're calling for up to 15" of rain. Yikes!

HUGz! Jules


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

QUOTE (NekkidFish @ Jan 15 2010, 12:14 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873856


> Wonder where I could find artificial turf? Now they're calling for up to 15" of rain. Yikes!
> 
> HUGz! Jules[/B]


Here is what we use on our decks (we have two, and no yard): Petapotty Petite . With one dog, the real sod should last you quite awhile. In fact, with both of mine I only replace it once a month but can stretch it out to 3 months if necessary. I took the tray out that collects the pee, the sod soaks up maltese pee fine and I just hose down underneath once a week.

I didn't care for the fake grass, couldn't imagine having to clean it, lol.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Since you are wanting to have Poppy outdoor trained, I would definitely have him suck it up and take him out to potty rain or shine! I always think it's best to start from day 1 with the method you want to stick with, and if he experiences huge rain drops at an early age he will probably accept it right away.  You can always buy a little jacket for him if you don't want him to get soaking wet, though! I love getting jackets at Walmart because they are less than $10 and are great for a GROWING puppy! lol


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## bellapuppy (Dec 1, 2008)

All of mine go out with my supervision. No one wants to go out in the rain though. They will jump around and want to go, run to the door, look out and freeze. Trixie is out door potty trained. Maggie is trained to go outside but does have her potty box as a back up. I have a pee pad in it with a piece of fake grass. That is how her breeder had trained her. She uses both. Trixie peed in the potty box only once and that was to "mark" where Maggie had gone when I didn't get her outside fast enough. Because of the big rain we are supposed to get this week, I put down a large pee pee pad with a large piece of fake grass in the patio room. I know Maggie will have no problem. I am hoping I can get Trixie to use it. Pico is a male and only goes outside. Personally I like Jules' under the patio solution. That is a great idea. My patio cover is not solid though.  All of mine do have raincoats as well. Good luck. I am sure he will do just fine. He is a Maltese, afterall!


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (NekkidFish @ Jan 15 2010, 03:14 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873856


> Wonder where I could find artificial turf? Now they're calling for up to 15" of rain. Yikes!
> 
> HUGz! Jules[/B]


Wow--are you sure about 15" of rain--I think that would be all all-time record!!


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## Kutsmail1 (Dec 26, 2007)

I prefer the outdoor method, so I have never even started any of mine with the indoor pads regardless of age or size. Like JMM, we grab the umbrella and off we go. We rinse off little furry feet when we come in. Also, I have noticed wth Zippy's coat that the rain is really good for it. If it is raining hard, I do put a raincoat on her. She seems less offended without it hitting her all over. (Not a hooded one...they hate that)


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## almitra (Apr 24, 2009)

Yup, grab an umbrella and hit the door. That's what we do and it works, even if it's a cold rain (which it certainly IS this time of year)....hey, incentive to do their business with all dispatch.


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

We brought Hunter home in a snow storm (literally) and he has been doing outside ever since. He doesn't like rain (which is how we trained him to bathroom on command).


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