General Question Apartment Potty Training

[forriverhendrix]

So as Friday grows nearer and the research continues, I am beginning to get a little nervous in regards to potty training River in the apartment. We're on the second floor so we got a "tinkle turf" for our patio. The plan is to take her out first thing in the morning, about 15 minutes after each meal and every hour or two. I'm on call at work so thankfully I'm not scheduled much the next month BUT I could always get called in the morning of and my boyfriend works full-time so if we both end up having work she would have to spend 4 hours in her crate from 8am-12pm and 1pm-5pm that's way too long for a 10 week old, so we would definitely come home to accidents in her crate and I would hate for her to have to sit in her own mess (the crate is large so I'm sure she'd relieve herself on one side and rest on the other but still) and I would hate to have her feel guilty for something she can't control.

Will it confuse her to go from having someone taking her out constantly one day to not being taken out much the next? I mean, will that inconsistency jeopardize her ability to be potty trained in general?? I'm hoping my sister will be available to be with her on days my boyfriend and I are working but I know that wont always be the case...

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, could you hire a dog walker to take her out on the days hour sister cant do it and until she a little older and trained?
You could also try to gate her in an area and place puppy pee pads.

 

[nycbullymama]

I agree with [MENTION=6311]Vikinggirl[/MENTION] the best thing you can do is hire someone to come at least twice a day if you'll be gone for up to 8 hours.

What we did is, kept his crate in the kitchen and baby gated the entrance. We also put wee pads all over the kitchen floor and slowly removed a few pads at a time until he understood to use one pad.
We had to do this as we live on the 17th floor, so there was no way we'd ever make it down and out before he'd go.

As he gets older, he'll be able to hold it longer and then you can retrain to go outside. I know people hate to do this but sometimes there's no choice. Blue is now trained for both which I love.
Meaning, if there's no wee pad inside, he holds it until we go out.

 

[ddnene]

I agree w/both [MENTION=6311]Vikinggirl[/MENTION] and [MENTION=7457]Blueberrys Mom[/MENTION]

Just be careful because I know that my pups LOVED to eat the pee pads!!! Ugh...

 

[nycbullymama]

I agree w/both @Vikinggirl and @Blueberrys Mom

Just be careful because I know that my pups LOVED to eat the pee pads!!! Ugh...

Blue would also have his moments when he'd try to eat the pads. But he understood very quickly to pee/poo on them too.. lol..

 

[Jennifer Clark]

You could get one of those x pens that gives her play space and potty place so she wouldn't be stuck in her crate all that time and you have peace of mind she is safe

Mommy says I'm not suppose to play with her phone ha ha Mommy signed The Shelly Bean

 

[4flowers]

My thought is too also gate her off in a room, if you don't want the mess in her crate. Unfortunately some puppies will have accidents in their crates and NOT move away from it. Some puppies literally will be covered in their mess when you get home. So, I wouldn't assume just yet that she will lay away from it lol I personally have not done this myself, but the breeder I got Meatball from put litter boxes in her puppies crate with shredded news paper in it. The puppies actually used it! When I got Meatball she sent him in a crate with a litter box in it. When Meatball arrived, he used the litter box the whole travel time. He was clean!! No accidents in crate. That being said, I did not continue the litter box at home, but I know of people who swear by it when puppies are young. Just a thought good luck

 

[Samantha Orts]

We live on the 4th floor so we went through the same thing. For the first 2-3 weeks my bf was able to come home during lunch to let her out to pee and play. After that, she had an accident in her crate only 2 or 3 times before she was holding it until I got home. I'm still amazed at how quickly she adjusted and stopped having accidents. We never did the potty pad thing but I know it works for some people... others said it took longer because the potty pads confused them.

 

[nycbullymama]

We live on the 4th floor so we went through the same thing. For the first 2-3 weeks my bf was able to come home during lunch to let her out to pee and play. After that, she had an accident in her crate only 2 or 3 times before she was holding it until I got home. I'm still amazed at how quickly she adjusted and stopped having accidents. We never did the potty pad thing but I know it works for some people... others said it took longer because the potty pads confused them.

Yep it is confusing. I don't remember if I read it here or in a book, but when we started taking him out, we'd take a pee pad with us so he knew where to go. After a while, he didn't need it anymore.
But, to this day we keep one out at night because when he's on steroids for his allergies, he pees like crazy. It's so much easier than having to take him out in the middle of the night. Yeah, we're lazy!

 

[Manydogs]

When I was potty training two pups, and had to leave, I had a crate, and a pen. I set up the pen in the kitchen, with the crate in the pen, a puppy pad on the other side from the crate, and some puppy nylabone toys. That seemed to work out well. If they chew up the puppy pads-you could use those washable pads-like they have in the nursing homes.

 

[dolphin]

When I was potty training two pups, and had to leave, I had a crate, and a pen. I set up the pen in the kitchen, with the crate in the pen, a puppy pad on the other side from the crate, and some puppy nylabone toys. That seemed to work out well. If they chew up the puppy pads-you could use those washable pads-like they have in the nursing homes.

This is really great advice and I know people that use this have great success.