Litter Box Training a Dog: Pros, Cons, and Training Tips
Is litter box training a dog a good idea?
Can You Train a Dog to Use a Litter Box?
"I'm unable to potty train outside because I'm unable to walk for a certain length of time, so I would like to litter potty train my puppy. She is 6 months old. I am interested in litter potty training, not paper. My puppy already potties on paper."—Alison
Do Litter Boxes Work for Dogs?
Hi Alison, litter box training a puppy or dog is certainly possible. We often associate litter boxes with cats, but dogs can also be successfully potty litter box trained.
The fact that your dog is still a puppy helps, considering that puppies are generally more adaptable compared to older dogs who have a history of established habits.
On top of this, the fact that your puppy is already paper-trained helps, too, since that tells us that she has already established the concept of relying on a specific spot for relieving herself.
We can certainly use this knowledge to help your dog transfer its learning to another substrate (in this case, a litter box).
The process is not without its challenges, but by anticipating potential problems and using targeted strategies, we can pave the path for a smoother transition.
Let's dig deeper into the topic of litter box training for dogs, the pros and cons of this method, and strategies to help heighten the chances of success.
How to train your dog to pee in a litter box?
What Is a Dog "Litter Box"?
Something worth mentioning is that dogs and cats are a different species, and therefore, they adhere to different habits when it comes to the "art of elimination".
Cats, as stealthy critters, tend to adhere to some rather secretive elimination habits. When nature calls, it's as if they're on a top-secret mission. They tend to execute their business with precision and then instinctively bury it immediately as if erasing any "evidence."
Dogs, on the other paw, are more like party animals who find pee and poop fascinating. They don't mind letting everyone know where they've been and what they were up to. Heck, they even assume some quite artistic dog peeing positions that add a touch of drama to their daily outings!
These guys do not need burying, as they embrace the "Hey, world, look at me!" approach.
These differences in potty habits between cats and dogs means that they have different needs when it comes to eliminating.
Cat Versus Dog Litter Box
It may be tempting to purchase our dogs a litter box model that was crafted for cats, but it's important to consider the different elimination needs between cats and dogs. For example, consider the following:
A Need For More Space
While cats like confined areas, dogs appreciate larger litter boxes so that they can comfortably maneuver and assume their favorite elimination postures.
Open-top designs are necessary for dogs so as to allow extra space without letting the dog feel restrained in their movements or confined.
Ease of Access
Because cats desire privacy, their litter boxes are often designed with higher sides and sometimes even a lid so that they can adhere to their strictly "classified potty habits."
Dogs, instead, may prefer a box that is open and easy to access, with low sides that grant easy entry and exit.
Choice of Litter
Dogs have different substrate preferences compared to cats. While cats seek materials that are easy to dig so that they may bury their waste, dogs are more attracted to surfaces that provide a comfortable surface for elimination.
The use of litter with absorbent surfaces that control odors may be important since dogs, unlike cats, won't bury their waste, making odors particularly noticeable.
In addition, in the case of puppies and dogs, extra care is needed in the choice of litter because of their explorative and playful nature. Many puppies and dogs may feel tempted to play with or ingest the litter which can lead to messes and even risks for an intestinal blockage.
Nowadays, there are a variety of choices when it comes to litter boxes for dogs and their surfaces. Common ingredients of dog litter include recycled paper and/or wood pulp.
While dogs can be trained to use litter boxes, you will need to clean up more since dogs, unlike cats, don't bury their waste.
15 Pros and Cons of Litter Boxes for Dogs
Before delving deeper into the topic of training a dog to use a litterbox, let's first take a brief look at some pros and cons of litter boxes for dogs.
Pros of Litter Boxes for Dogs
Following are several pros of litter boxes for dogs.
Ideal for Quick Relief
A litter box for dogs offers the advantage of providing an area for quick indoor relief, while minimizing the likelihood of accidents inside the home.
This makes it a suitable solution for young puppies who can't hold it for very long or live in a high rise or apartment without a garden and risk having accidents along the way from the apartment to the outside.
A Solution for Inclement Weather
A litter box for dogs may also be helpful in cases of inclement weather. Many dog owners struggle with puppies or dogs who won't go potty in cold weather or struggle to go potty when it rains. The litter box may also turn out being a lifesaver when the outdoors is scorching hot.
Flexibility for Busy Owners
A litter box may work well for busy dog owners who can't take their puppies frequently outside due to their long work schedules or busy lifestyles.
A Solution for Chewers
A litter box may be a good alternative for owners of dogs who tend to chew and destroy pee pads. Care needs to be taken in choosing a good litter that the puppy isn't tempted to chew and ingest.
Helps Reduce Messes
Litter boxes for dogs help prevent messes on the floor and can control odors to a certain extent.
Better Visual Appeal
Litter boxes are more visually appealing than newspapers placed on the floor and they are more sanitary.
For Owners with Mobility Issues
A dog litter box can also turn out to be a manageable solution for people with mobility issues who struggle taking their puppies outside.
Helpful for Dogs in Need
A litterbox for dogs may also come handy for senior dogs, dogs who are sick or have mobility problems, pet store puppies, puppy mill dogs or fearful dogs hiding under the bed.
It can also prevent the spread of infectious diseases in dogs with low immunity or puppies who haven't been fully vaccinated yet and risk being exposed to other dogs or their feces.
Cons of Litter Boxes for Dogs
While there are several advantages associated with litter box usage in dogs, there are also several drawbacks.
Challenging for Large Dogs
For a good reason you'll see dog litter boxes mostly used for small dogs. A large dog can make a mess the size of Lake Michigan and require an industrial mop for clean up. Jokes aside, the litter will absorb really fast potentially making this option quite an expensive ordeal.
Missing the Whole Concept
While the idea of a dog using a litter box may sound good, not all take to litter box training as readily as imagined. Some dogs may miss the whole concept, with puppies playing in it or using it as a bed.
It may take time, patience and lots of consistency to inculcate new potty habits, especially in adult dogs with established habits.
Struggling With Substrates
A substrate in this case, is the surface over which a puppy goes potty. According to board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall, puppies tend to develop a preferred substrate by the age of 8 and a half weeks of age.
Prior to this time, generally between the ages of 3 to 7 or 8 weeks, puppies will go potty whenever necessary without paying any attention to location.
If your puppy has developed a preferred substrate (for example grass) he or she may struggle going potty on another surface unless we take steps to introduce the new substrate in a positive and less intimidating way.
A Source of Confusion
If the ultimate goal is teaching a puppy to go potty outside, using an indoor litter box may generate some confusion in the puppy. For this reason, as dog trainers, we often suggest skipping the indoor litter box or pee pads, if possible, and going straight to teaching the puppy to potty outdoors.
Issues With Odors
Since dogs don't bury their waste as cats do, unpleasant odors may quickly build up, especially if the litter box is not routinely cleaned or products that fail to properly absorb the waste are used.
Risks for Blockages
Some types of litter can be quite dangerous for puppies and dogs. For example, ingestion of clumping litter used for cats can cause an obstruction in the dog's intestines. It's important to use litter that is safe for dogs.
Physical Strain
While a litter box can be an optimal solution for people with mobility issues, it's important to point out that some level of physical strain may be involved too. Owners may be forced to carry heavy bags of litter, bend down and scoop to clean the litter box and then carry the waste to a main trash can.
All of this can be physically demanding for some dog owners. Keeping a rolling chair nearby may be helpful. There are also self-cleaning dog litter boxes, but most of them use pads.
Use treats to reinforce going potty in the right place.
Challenges in Changing Potty Areas/Surfaces
As mentioned, the process of changing a puppy or dog's potty area is not without its challenges.
Being aware of the potential challenges is important because it helps us anticipate problems before they arise.
By taking a proactive role, we are better equipped to develop a strategic plan that addresses the various challenges.
3 Common Challenges in Generalizing Potty Behavior
Following are several potential challenges commonly encountered when changing a dog's potty area/surface.
Substrate Preference
As mentioned, puppies tend to develop a substrate preference around the age of 8 weeks and a half. This means that puppies develop an association between stepping onto a specific surface and going potty.
However, just because a puppy develops a substrate preference doesn't necessarily mean it is set in stone. Puppies are known for being adaptable.
With a proper introduction and the use of positive reinforcement training, a puppy can be persuaded to change his/her preference.
A Loss of Familiarity
Dogs are rather routine-based beings who thrive on consistency. Changes can be disruptive to their lives and this may lead to an unsettled feeling and confusion.
For example, dogs may get deeply acquainted with their potty area from an olfactory perspective. They may associate certain scents with their potty area. A lack of familiar scent can lead to a reluctance to go potty in an unfamiliar place. Similarly, dogs may be used to a certain appearance of their potty area and its location.
A loss of familiar sights, smells and locations may cause the puppy to feel lost and confused, but we can help them by strategically adding a touch of familiarity to an unfamiliar environment. The process is similar to bringing a favorite blanket to a hotel room to make it feel like home.
Problems Generalizing
Puppies and dogs are known for not being great in generalizing certain behaviors, and this includes potty training.
Generalization refers to a dog's ability to apply learned behavior across different contexts. This is something that puppies and dogs often struggle with, leading to difficulties when transitioning from one context to another.
For example, dogs can be readily taught to sit in the living room, but if you try to ask the same dog to sit at the dog park, he is likely to fail. This is because dogs have a hard time applying their learned behaviors to new environments.
In a similar fashion, dogs may struggle to go potty on a totally different surface (such as going from paper to a new litter box surface). However, if we provide them with some gentle guidance and the use of some incentives, we can help them succeed.
How Can I Train My Dog to Use a Litter Box?
Training a dog to use a litter box is possible, but as mentioned, there can be a few challenges encountered in the process. These challenges can be mitigated by leveraging the existing knowledge your puppy already has.
In a nutshell, if your puppy has already been potty trained to go on paper, then we can take advantage of this knowledge to help her generalize to the litter box. Following are several tips:
Pick a Dog-Friendly Litter Box
As mentioned, dogs have different needs than cats. You may therefore find it helpful to use a litter box with low sides and with a low entry so that your dog can sniff and easily enter it.
While some puppy owners convert a washing machine tray into a doggy litter box, some siding may turn helpful to catch any splashes when the dog urinates (especially with male dogs who raise their legs to pee).
Maintain the Same Familiar Location
You want to keep the chosen litter box in the same location to where your puppy has been going potty on paper until now. However, don't remove the paper just yet. Keep it where it has always been and place the litter box a few steps away. You want your puppy to get used to the presence of the litter box while still using the paper.
Gradually, over the course of several days, start moving the new litter box closer and closer to the paper until it's right next to it. Keep it here for a few days.
Maintain the Same Familiar Substrate
Since your puppy has been used to feeling paper under her paws, it is now time to remove the paper and start placing it inside the litter box, which will now be placed where the paper used to be.
This will help bridge the gap between the familiar and the new addition and hopefully aid in the transitioning process.
Add Some Familiar Scent
Keeping some scent familiarity may further help your puppy. If you have access to some previously soiled paper (e.g., paper soaked with your pup's urine), you can place it inside the litter box to help your puppy recognize the area as her "bathroom."
Careful Supervision
You will need to watch your puppy carefully during the litter box training process. This means active supervision at all times. It helps to keep the puppy in a small area of the house rather than giving it the full run of the house and to remove bulky items that may obstruct the view.
At the very first signs of needing to potty, entice your puppy to the litter box area (you can use a leash to help guide her to the area) or place her inside the litter box, if she's OK being picked up.
Praise and Reward
The moment your puppy goes potty on the paper inside the litter box, be ready to praise and reward your puppy.
Since you need to be ready to praise and reward quickly, always keep some tasty treats in a treat bag or pocket so that you are never caught unprepared.
Gradually Phase Out the Paper
You don't always have to be stuck with paper inside the litter box; you can gradually replace it with newspaper pellets or a paper-based litter if you wish.
If you wish to replace the paper with something else, it may help to gradually make the paper inside the litter box smaller while gradually adding more of the new substrate until it totally replaces the paper.
Surround the Litter Box With an Ex Pen
If your puppy is not as drawn to the area as you would like, you can surround the litter box with an exercise pen and place your puppy inside the pen at times you expect your puppy to potty or when you notice any pre-potty signs.
When you witness your puppy going potty, make sure to praise and reward by letting her out and feeding her a few treats so that she associates the area with doing business.
Once your puppy starts using the litter box more and more, you can gradually start removing some panels of the pen (if the pen is a free-standing, self-supporting model) until it's all totally removed.
Clean Messes Properly
When changing a puppy's potty area or surface, setbacks are always possible. If your puppy happens to have an accident outside of the litter box, make sure to clean it properly to avoid a "bathroom effect" where your puppy keeps having accidents in the same areas over and over due to residual smells.
Make sure to therefore clean messes promptly by using an enzyme-based cleaner that effectively removes any lingering smells.
Be Patient
Puppies and dogs may require some time to get used to their new potty area. It's important to be patient and calm and understand that every puppy learns at his/her own pace (just as it happens with children).
Any form of punishment in response to accidents (from scolding to pushing the puppy's nose in the mess) should be avoided, as this will only create anxiety and confusion.
Punishing a puppy for having an accident in the wrong place is one of the main causes for puppies hiding to pee or poop, which can put a big dent in the transitioning process.
Instead, if you catch your puppy in the act of peeing or pooping in the wrong spot, try to gently guide her to her litter box area so that she can go potty there or at least finish up there, and then take a proactive approach to prevent future accidents from happening (supervise more, limit access to other areas through the use of baby gates/indoor pet fences, clean up messes properly).
Infographic by Alexadry via Canva
Alternatives to Traditional Litter Boxes
Don't you have a mindset on litter boxes? There are several alternatives to dog litter boxes. These alternatives also have their pros and cons, and may come with their sets of challenges.
Turf Boxes
A type of litter box for dogs that is worth mentioning is the "grass litter box," also known as turf box, grass potty tray or grass potty patch.
The main advantage of this type of litter box is that it's filled with real or synthetic grass, which can work well for dogs who have developed a substrate preference for grass or for young puppies who are in the process of potty training and are destined for outdoor potty habits on grass.
Dogs may also be more naturally drawn to a turf box compared to a traditional litter box, especially those composed of natural sod. I am personally a big fan of Fresh Patch because it uses real grass that is grown hydroponically without using soil.
Pee Pads
Pee pads are often used for puppies and small dogs. They may be used temporarily or long-term as a management tool. There are disposable and washable pee pads for dogs.
While quite absorbent, the use of pee pads is not without challenges: there are puppies peeing off the pad, puppies shredding them to pieces and puppies requiring a pee pad weaning process if the long-term goal is getting them to potty outside. Some puppies may also confuse area rugs or bath mats for pee pads and may end up eliminating on them.
Doggy Doors
Doggy doors may be a solution for dog owners who have access to a safely fenced yard. One main advantage of a doggy door is that it takes the dog owner out of the equation, making the dog the main decision maker of when to go outside to potty.
One main challenge is dogs scared of using the doggy door, but this can be remedied with some patience and the tincture of time.
Newspapers
The use of newspapers, often referred to "paper training," has been popular for decades and it's considered a cheap potty training option, however their use is not without drawbacks. The urine will soak quickly and your puppy may spread messes as she walks around. Placing a shower curtain under can help prevent urine from soaking onto the floor.
Grate/Tray Potties
Grate/tray potties can save you from repeatedly purchasing dog litter or sod, while also preventing messes. They consist of an easy-to-clean plastic tray and a grate that is placed on top of the tray.
When the dog goes potty, the waste falls through the grate, where it can be emptied and washed. However, the downside is that they can be quite cumbersome to clean up and are not suitable for dogs weighing more than 30 pounds.
Who Benefits From Indoor Potty Training?
A. Farricelli via Canva
References
- Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats by Karen Overall Mosby
- Hard to House Train, Practical Solutions for Dog Trainers by Peggy Swager
- Housetraining For Dummies, 2nd Edition, by Susan McCullough
If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting), please consult with a dog behavior professional for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos, and general information provided online are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this service, you are waiving any liability claims or other types of claims related to any of your dogs' behaviors against you or others.
© 2024 Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST
