Potty area options for puppy setups

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In our Puppy Set Up, we recommend having your potty option as far from the crate/sleeping area as possible.  In thins short post, we will explain the reasons and some of the options available.

Reasons why

Potty Options

• Disposable Pee Pads
  • The Good:
    • Pee pads are easy to set up and throw away when you're done. 
    • They are inexpensive
    • Easy to find.
  • Downsides, they can get pretty messy. If you are concerned about sustainability and being eco friendly, these are not a good option. Depending on how long your pup uses pee pads, the cost can add up.
• Reusable Pee Pads
  • The good:
    • Disposable pee pads are definitely an more earth friendly option.
    • I personally find them easier to clean than leaky disposables.
      • I pick up solid waste with a poop bag and wash the pee pads in the wash. I recommend getting a few packages so you aren't having to wash one pee pad by itself.  
    • They also cover a wide area and hold a lot of liquid.
    • *These are the ones I reccommend*
  • Downsides:
    • There is often a slightly higher upfront cost. 
    • Some people get grossed out at the idea of doing pee pad laundry.
• Shallow litter box
  • Upsides:
    • Using a litter box offers a potty option with clearly defined edges- making it less confusing for pups and less likely they will pee or poo half way on the potty spot and halfway on the ground.
    • There are a number of different substrates you can use.
  • Downsides:
    • Some find it to be messy, depending on the substrate used.
    • Cleaning a littler box isn't the most fun job in the world.
  • Recommended Substrates
    • Pee Pads- disposable or reusable
    • Litter-  *Pine Litter or *Paper Litter
    • Sod/grass
    • Fake Grass- There are a number of potty stations available.  *This one looks to be a good size and I like that it has a botom tray. I will be honest that in my experience, these types of products tend to produce the most smell and are most difficult to clean.
• Grass potty options
  • Upsides:
    • Many companies will delivery to you on a regular basis.
    • Dogs get used to the same substrate they will use when they go outside.
  • Downsides:
    • These services can be very expensive.
    • DIY options can be difficult to keep clean.

Think about what will work best for you and let us know what you think about the options!