American Eskimo – A very playful dog that weighs between 10-20 pounds. Puppies have pink skin and are born into a litter with an average of five puppies. Even though they are tiny, these dogs make great guard dogs.

Beagle – These dogs weighing 20 – 25 pounds are loving, kind, and gentle.  Beagles are fine in  apartments as long as they are given a fair amount of time outdoors.

Bichon Frise – The Bichon, weighing between 8 -  12 pounds, is a great choice for households with children.  They are fine in an apartments, but make sure to walk the Bichon daily.  These dogs can perform tricks and do well with other dogs and pets.

Chihuahua – A great companion dog, these pooches are extremely loyal to their owners.  They may not be the best breed for children and are often difficult to housebreak.  Even though they only weigh a couple pounds, they should be taken on an occasional walk.

Can you really blame them? Just like us humans, when “you gotta go, you gotta go.” If you are going to be away for more than 4-5 hours at a time you should expect that your dog is going to have to go to the bathroom. You need to have an indoor potty solution at their disposal.

But what if you have an indoor dog bathroom solution and they are still going on the carpet? Then most likely you are using a dog potty that is made out of a synthetic material. Newspapers, pee pads, litter boxes, plastic grate systems, fake grass potties… They’re all made out of synthetic materials. Your dog will use these systems and often think that it is alright to start “using” other synthetic materials throughout your home.

To prevent this from happening we always recommend training your dog to use real grass indoors. Training dogs on real grass is extremely easy and comes naturally to most dogs. It is far less confusing than a puppy potty made out of plastic or paper.

Why shouldn’t I teach my furry pal to use a pad? There are several reasons:

#1 Training Time

Unfortunately, your dog doesn’t speak English. Trying to convince him to only pee on a piece of paper is not going to be an easy operation.

#2 The “Over-The-Edge” release

The “Over-The-Edge” release is my personal favorite.  This is when the dog plants 2 front paws on the pad and releases while his or her backside is completely off the pad.   At least they tried.

#3 Stinky Trash Can

Handling and throwing out used pee pads does not rank high on the fun list.  Making maters worse, the odors will most definitely waft from your trash can throughout the rest of your home.

#4 Pee Pee Carpet

Training your pup to “go” on synthetic material (pee pads or a synthetic grass potty) in the house will surely lead to the use of other synthetic materials within your home.   It is very common for pets to start peeing on carpets, floor mats, hardwood floors, and any other synthetic surface within the home.

#5 Unsightly

Nothing is worse than inviting guests into your home and finding torn pee pads everywhere.   Well, maybe having to throw away a dripping pile of used pads in front of your guests. 

Please do not make the mistakes others before you have made.  Do not bring these nasty paper pads into your homes.  There are other options when it comes to indoor dog training.  These include crate training, litter boxes, synthetic grass toilets, grates, real grass delivery, and hiring a dog walker.

    So you’ve made the decision to get a dog potty, dog toilet, litter box, or whatever you want to call that thing.  Good move! These designer doggy waste receptacles are way cooler than pee pads and your dog is definitely worth the extra expense.

But with over 20 similar products on the market, how is one to choose the best toilet for their pup?  First, break the competition down into two groups: Synthetic Grass or Real Grass.

Synthetic Grass

     All synthetic grasses are not created equal.  The cheap stuff is known to fall apart within a couple of washes.   The best synthetic grasses last much longer and can actually feel softer than real grass.   So how can you tell what kind of grass you’re getting?  Before you make a purchase, make sure you read some of the customer reviews to see how the grass holds up over time.

The one good thing about synthetic grass is that it should last longer than real grass.  Synthetic grass does not need sun, oxygen, and water to survive.  Synthetic grass is also more tolerant to urine.   Overall cost will be minimized in the long run because it will not need to be replaced as frequently as real grass.

Real Grass

     There are many reasons to choose a real grass toilet.  For starters, real grass is much easier to train dogs on because real grass has an authentic smell that cannot be replicated.   You can put a special spray on synthetic grass that claim to attract dogs, but nothing compares to the real thing and many pooches will still refuse to use the fake stuff.

Another great selling point about real grass is that it absorbs and controls odors.  Just like a living plant cleans the air in your home, the root structure of live grass will minimize the odors that often accompany synthetic grass toilets.

Finally, training dogs on real grass will actually minimize accidents throughout the home.   Dogs trained on paper, fake grass, or any synthetic materials often feel it is acceptable to “go” on other synthetic materials in the home.  Thus, it is wise to teach a dog to only “go” on natural materials like real grass.

The Winner?

      In our opinion, real grass dog potties are a clear winner.   Who wants to risk a stain on the new carpet?   If you’re interested in testing out real grass with your dog, there is a company that specializes in delivering a disposable potty fitted with living grass.   The unit is fully disposable; therefore there is no cleaning or maintenance involved.  For more information visit www.freshpatch.com

If you can train your dog to use a synthetic grass toilet, it will save you some money in the long run.  You’ll need to ask yourself, however,  if the savings are worth the significant amount of time that must be spent on cleaning and maintaining these units.  Fake grass toilets need to be emptied, washed, and disinfected often to prevent build up of harmful bacteria.

-Real Grass Toilet-

Training dogs to go on real grass tends to be much easier than fake grass .  Real grass systems, like Fresh Patch, are also much more convenient because no cleaning or maintenance is necessary.  The entire unit is disposed of and replaced in one weeks time.  Real grass also has the ability to absorb and contain odors.  The grass used in Fresh Patch is hydroponically grown and dirt-free.

Limiting Separation Anxiety

Frequently, dogs become too reliant and dependent on their owners. As a result, they can experience separation anxiety when their owners leave home, which can cause them to act inappropriately when you’re apart. Generally, a mild case of separation anxiety can be fixed by utilizing the following simple lessons.

1. Make sure your dog is comfortable when you are away by providing plenty of fresh water, clean bedding, appealing dog toys, and some food.
2. Before leaving, be sure to give your dog plenty of exercise.
3. If you often have the radio or television on when you are home, you can leave it on while you’re away and your dog will be comforted.
4. Pay no attention to your dog when you first arrive home and when you are just about to leave. Then, when he/she is calm, initiate some contact with him/her.
5. Separate yourself from your dog when you are home. For example, keep him in the garage while you are in the house. This way he/she will learn being apart is ok.

Dog Walking

Dog walking is a crucial skill to master for both you and your dog. It is important for you to train your dog to walk correctly with a leash because they will be much safer and more manageable. Additionally, several cities have ordinances requiring dogs to be walked on leashes. To master dog walking, you must first get your dog comfortable with wearing something around his neck. This can be accomplished by the dog wearing a collar or maybe a cute bandana. Your dog will probably roll around and try to take the item off, but it is important that you do not remove it until your dog has settled down and forgotten about the item. Once your dog is comfortable wearing something around his/her neck, you can introduce the leash.Show your dog the leash before you put it on so he/she can become accustomed to it. Let him/her sniff and inspect it. Ensure your dog knows it is not a chew toy. At first your walks should be quick and short so your dog can get used to the concept. When your dog begins to strain the leash, stop immediately instead of pulling him/her back into place. When your dog is walking comfortably along a loose leash, give him plenty of praise. Eventually, you will be able to walk long distances and you and your dog will enjoy taking stress-free walks. House Training a Puppy, limiting separation anxiety, and walking your dog are just a few of the numerous lessons you will need to teach your dog.  Know that for every aspect of your training consistency and persistency are crucial.

There are only a handful of solutions available for in-home training.  Newspapers, pee pads, synthetic grass toilets all have one thing in common.  They teach a dog that it is OK to relieve themselves on a sythetic material.   Many dog owners sadly realize that dogs will often assume any synthetic material is a toilet (carpet, wood floors, etc.)

Fresh Patch is unique because puppies learn to go on grass which is a 100% natural surface.  Dogs trained on Fresh Patch learn to only go on grass, whether it is inside or outside.