Potty training with no backyard?

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kryslaurelle

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So my fiancé and I found a house (woohoo!), and I think the only downside to this place is that it doesn't have a backyard/patio. There's a patch of vegetation (like iceberg plant or something?) next to the walkway by the front door, though. There's also plenty of grass around the complex.

I know there are other dogs in the community and I'm worried about puppy getting something nasty like parvo. My question is once I get my puppy, where should I have him eliminate until he's fully vaccinated? I do plan on crate training him and taking him out on a regular schedule.

Any suggestions?
 
How about one of those grass pet potty thingies? Personally, I think I would litter box train. Get one of those large under-the-bed storage trays and teach pup to do business in litter. I wouldn't risk the great outdoors unless I totally knew it was a parvo-free zone which even buying a house with a yard you don't truly know. I am not a fan of public elimination spots either (worms and germs) so I would just litterbox train and stick with it.

You can do it! Congrat's on finding a house!
 
Mom2Melli said:
How about one of those grass pet potty thingies? Personally, I think I would litter box train. Get one of those large under-the-bed storage trays and teach pup to do business in litter. I wouldn't risk the great outdoors unless I totally knew it was a parvo-free zone which even buying a house with a yard you don't truly know. I am not a fan of public elimination spots either (worms and germs) so I would just litterbox train and stick with it.

You can do it! Congrat's on finding a house!
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Thanks! I'll have to look into that. I think that might be the best bet until he's fully vaccinated.

I'll ask my vet about parvo outbreaks in the area next time I talk to her. I know a couple years ago there was an outbreak in the next city south of us, about 20 miles away.

I feel like the paranoid first time mom! Lol. Better safe than sorry though.
 
I'd ask your vet about incidence of parvo in your area. My vet said he hadn't seen a real parvo case in years. Giardia, sure, but not Parvo.

Personally, with the new puppy of mine, we haven't really used the back yard. We walked in the front yard for potty breaks. Housebreaking was easy but time consuming with this puppy.

My own personal preference is to not train a dog to use indoor potty options. BUt that's an agreement regarding pets in my house-- no pets that "go" in the house. That's why I have a dog and not a cat. (or a bird, or fish, or hamster...)
 
The vets in my area really really really deal with parvo. It's in my area but not on my property, I guess. My pup made it. We did also have giardia though from his days in the orchard as a tiny one. That's mild central CA for you! I took it kind of casually at first but my vet scared me straight. In the long run, the pup was safe so it was worth it.

I DO have cats with litter boxes in the house, but the dogs it is a "religiously outside" thing. However, having been to plenty of hotels and camping in an RV with dogs, getting up and hitting the public sidewalks in a robe, or bad weather, or dark of night wouldn't be my choice either. I stayed in a hotel with my shepherd for a week while my dad was having brain surgery at Stanford. Going out for walks to potty got SO old SO fast. It was cold and wet, night, early morning, during rush hour traffic nearby, having to put on clothes and jackets in a hurry while he danced around the door. I would litter box train if I didn't have a back yard. But, I am also spoiled with a backyard so I am a fine one to talk.

Maybe you can sterilize a little bit of ground near the house (like with a mild bleach solution) and kill off the ice plant so you have a close place to go and not have to wander far in the field and such.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I can see validity in all the points you guys brought up.

What about this:
Confine puppy in the kitchen with crate and a grassy potty area until he is fully vaccinated/old enough to physically hold it for a few hours. After, remove the grassy potty area and crate train him like normal - take him out every few hours, confine to crate if he doesn't go, etc.

Would he associate grass outside with the right place to potty since he's essentially trained to potty on grass? Would that confuse him too much that it moved from being inside to going outside?
 
kryslaurelle said:
Thanks for all the suggestions. I can see validity in all the points you guys brought up.

What about this:
Confine puppy in the kitchen with crate and a grassy potty area until he is fully vaccinated/old enough to physically hold it for a few hours. After, remove the grassy potty area and crate train him like normal - take him out every few hours, confine to crate if he doesn't go, etc.

Would he associate grass outside with the right place to potty since he's essentially trained to potty on grass? Would that confuse him too much that it moved from being inside to going outside?
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan for keeping him safe medically until all vaccinations are done. When you do start the transition from inside to outside it might help to carry outside the "grassy potty area" he has been trained to use inside and set it on the ground where you want him to do his business....so he makes the connection right away. Probably doing this one time will be all you need. Shelties are smart and typically "get it" really fast.

Trini
 
Sounds like I may have found a solid 'Plan A.' I guess we'll see just how solid it is when puppy actually comes home! lol
 
I'm no expert but do wonder at how high a risk there truly is if it's a simple short walk for a quick elim. You can carry her to the grass. And obviously not let her do anything more than sniff out a spot.

I'm not a fan of indoor training...potty parks, pee pads. I think you want to train them as young as possible to go outside so that it's totally ingrained. I think they have their place for certain dogs...I.e a litter in the dead of winter.....

Indy is a camel.....he will pee outside only twice per door, and like clockwork. He doesn't even ask to go outside at bedtime. And in waking, his first interest is food!
 
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