Fresh Patch is a real-grass indoor dog potty that offers a revolutionary alternative to crate training, according to Andrew Feld, founder of the Fresh Patch company (http://www.freshpatch.com).
Crate training is a technique that many owners of new puppies use in order to break their dogs from making bathroom mistakes in their homes. “However, crate training is not workable for all dogs and all families, says Feld, “and Fresh Patch offers a different, helpful method.”
In crate training, new puppies, and even older dogs that are not trained, are confined to crates made of plastic, metal or other material for several hours at a time over several days inside the home. Often, the dogs have their food placed in the crates with them so they begin to view their crates as happy, homey places to be—their “nest.” The basic idea behind crate training is that dogs tend to avoid soiling their sleeping and eating places. Therefore, dogs confined to crates will delay elimination until their owners take them out of their crates, immediately take them outdoors, and reward them for doing their “business” outside the house. Over time, owners enlarge their dogs’ confinement space beyond the crate—to one or more rooms of the house. If crate training is implemented correctly, dogs should slowly begin to realize that entire rooms of the house are their happy eating and sleeping places, which they should not soil, and that they therefore must go outside to meet their bathroom needs.
According to Feld, the crate training of puppies and dogs is a long-established practice; however, it is often very difficult and unpleasant to implement. For example, dog owners must be present to supervise the crate training of their pets. If dogs are left in crates unattended for more than a few hours at a time, and if owners are not present to take their dogs outside when needed, the training effort can quickly go downhill. If dogs start messing in their crates or begin to react to crate confinement as a punishment, then the training may not be effective. Feld says that many owners may also reject crate training because they feel guilty about such confinement for their dogs, and that some animal welfare groups oppose the practice entirely.
“That’s why Fresh Patch can play such an important role in training,” says Feld. “Because the Fresh Patch indoor dog potty uses real grass, it instinctively attracts dogs to use it and it is therefore a very logical means of training.” Feld says that dogs really want to do their “business” on real grass, whether it is in their Fresh Patch potty within the home, or whether they are being walked outside by their owners. “With Fresh Patch,” he says, “there is no confusion for dogs, because they naturally prefer to ‘go’ on real grass, no matter where it is located. Importantly, Fresh Patch is reliably there for a dog, whenever its owner can’t be. Plus, it is fully disposable, which makes it very convenient for dog owners.”
“Fresh Patch can be successfully used for training instead of a crate” says Feld.” According to Feld, it is best to keep the Fresh Patch in the same location within the house, often in a bathroom area or on a balcony or porch, because dogs are creatures of habit and will want to find it in the same spot. Most dogs will be attracted to Fresh Patch and use it immediately. A few may need to be encouraged to use it initially, and rewarded with a treat.” Feld says that many of his customers have had excellent results training their puppies using Fresh Patch exclusively, and have continued to use Fresh Patch regularly as their pups have moved into adulthood.
“Training a puppy or older dog to avoid messing on floors and carpets can be a challenge,” says Feld, “and dogs with different personalities may respond well or poorly to different approaches. Fresh Patch can be a useful and convenient approach for many dog owners who find traditional methods of crate training unworkable or unpleasant for them or their pets. Fresh Patch uses long-lasting hydroponic grass, and is conveniently delivered weekly or bi-weekly throughout the continental U.S.”