Learn if you should put a pee pad in your dog’s crate or if you should avoid it! And find out what you can do instead!
Is your dog having accidents in his crate or has your dog had an accident in their crate while you were at work, at night or even during the day when you were standing right in front of them?
And now you are asking yourself this question? Should I use a pee pad in my dog’s crate?
Maybe you’ve seen where people get a bigger crate to “potty train” their dog. They put a bed on one side and a puppy pad on the other side.
You are now wondering if you should do the same and put a puppy pad in your dog’s crate to prevent accidents when you are away or at night.
Stop wondering IF you should and KNOW as I am about to answer your question, “Should I put a pee pad in my puppy’s crate?”
The answer is NO! Never put a puppy pad in your puppy’s crate. Not only does it teach your dog that it is okay to use the potty in the crate, but it is also a choking hazard!
I am going to share what you should do instead but first let’s cover a few basics…
What is the Purpose of a Dog Crate?
The purpose of a Dog crate is to give your dog a space of comfort and security. Think of your dog’s crate like a den. Have you ever noticed your dog go under the bed or table to sleep?
A dog loves going in and under places to sleep. It’s a place of rest for your puppy.
A crate is their safe space. It is used to protect your pup while you aren’t looking and to give him a place of his own to feel safe and secure.
A dog crate is also a great tool for potty training a puppy. Dogs instinctively do not pee where they sleep and it helps strengthen your puppy’s bladder muscles.
How do Pee Pads Work? The Purpose of Pee Pads…
Pee pads are used to give a puppy a certain area to go in the house while their bladder is weak.
People who want to their puppy to continue to use the puppy pad into adulthood keeps the pad in the same area for the life of the dog. Other people use them during puppy potty training and gradually move them to the door they want their puppy to go use to potty outside.
Pro Tip: If you want to train your puppy to go potty outside… Skip the pee pads altogether! Save yourself the money and stress of added work and time.
Pee Pads have an attractant on them to help attract the puppy to go potty on them. They are made to entice puppies to pee on them.
Why You Should NEVER put a Pee Pad in Your Puppy’s Crate!
Because pee pads are designed to attract puppies to pee on them, putting them inside the crate is telling your puppy that you want them to go inside their crate. This defeats the purpose of the crate and WILL cause your puppy to have repetitive accidents in their crate.
Potty pads are a choking hazard for dogs. While they are meant for your puppy to potty on, puppies see the potty pad as a toy. They love grabbing it, dragging it, and for lack of better words… ripping it up to shreds and eating it. This could cause your puppy to choke and also gives the possibility for internal blockages as well.
Related===> 6 Things to Never Put in Your Dog’s Crate and Why!
What You Should put in Your Puppy’s Crate…
A Bed… While a puppy is potty training, it is best to keep the bedding simple. By simple, I mean a simple crate mat. Don’t use a big soft, plush, fuzzy bed. A puppy might find the soft, plush bed a great place to potty. They may also find the fuzziness and plushness of the bed to be a fun toy which also poses a choking hazard.
Toys… You can also give your puppy a few durable toys to help entertain them while inside the crate. Avoid soft, stuffed, or squeaker toys.
The video below shows you just what puppies like to do with potty pads…
What you Should do Instead of Using Pee Pads in Your Puppy’s Crate…
To be truthfully honest, the best thing to do is to take your puppy out regularly. If you are going to be gone for a while have a friend or family member drop by to take your puppy out or you can hire someone.
RELATED===> How to Potty Train a Puppy FAST and EASY!
Any time you let your puppy out of the crate, he needs to go straight outside to go potty.
When your puppy eats or drinks put him in the crate and take him out within 15 minutes. Puppies also need to pee after naps and playtime.
If you must use potty pads, you can do this…
If you are going to be gone for longer periods of time and can’t get someone to come by and take your dog out or you want to train your puppy to potty indoors, you can do the following:
**I recommend using a litter box instead of pee pads. It is more cost-efficient and eco-friendly. Either way, you can use a litter box or pee pad with what I am about to share with you. If you use a potty pad, invest in a potty pad holder. This will prevent your puppy from dragging it everywhere and playing with it while you are away.**
Choose an area in your home. Dogs are social animals and love to be around their family, so choose a place where they can feel included and see their family. Attach a puppy playpen to your dog’s crate.
**Make sure your puppy’s crate is the right size. Your puppy should be able to comfortably turn around and lay down.**
Inside the crate put a crate mat and a durable and safe toy or two for your puppy to play with. Leave the door open so your dog can go outside of the crate to go potty.
In the beginning the playpen should be the size of the litter box or pee pad so that once he is done peeing he can go back into his crate. You can increase the space as long as your puppy is using the litter box or pee pad correctly with no accidents anywhere else.
Conclusion.
While pee pads are a potty training tool, it has no place inside a puppy’s crate! Putting a potty pad inside a dog’s crate sets them up for potty training failure. It teaches your puppy that it is okay to use the potty in their crate when it is isn’t. Pee pads are also a choking hazard.
The best thing to do instead of putting potty pads in a puppy’s crate is to take them out regularly. If you can not do this, you can attach a puppy playpen to your dog’s crate so your puppy can walk out of the crate to potty on a pee pad secured by a holder or a litter box.
If you have any questions or comments, drop them below. If you found this post helpful, give it a share!
Happy Training,
Lisa Marie