THE LITTER BOX

We are happy to tell you that we get your puppy started on litter box training. We use the UGODOG indoor dog potty to train our puppies. We have tried several different potty systems, and for our needs, the UGODOG works the best. Your eight week old puppy is young enough to be molded with any potty training plan that you would like, but we encourage you to continue with what has been started, at least until your puppy is mature enough to make it outside.

THE TRAINING

We follow a precise schedule that involves reaching certain milestones during the litter box training process. We begin with a “Beginner Setup”.

During this stage, your puppy will begin to toddle off the bed and use the litter box. He is simply following his natural instinct to not soil his “den”, and it’s so exciting to watch their first steps as they navigate over the lip of the crate .

As your puppy successfully completes each stage of the litter box training process, they are given more freedom until they are reliable in the “Advanced Setup”.

For the best results with your new puppy, we want you to duplicate the above photo in your own home. Your puppy does not have full bladder maturity, so when he feels the need to go, he needs to find a place very quickly. You may wonder if you really need to get the litter box for your puppy. At eight weeks the puppies are just to young and taking away their litter box is like trying to potty train a 1 year old to the toilet and eliminating their diaper. The one year old is just not quite ready, even if they can do it sometimes. Your puppy is the same way. You *might* notice his need, and get him outside quick enough, but why take that chance? Eight week old, small breed puppies simply aren’t ready and don’t have the physical maturity bladder-wise to hold it long enough to get outside. We recommend having a litter box in your puppy’s “puppy zone” so he doesn’t have to go very far, or wait very long to relieve himself.

THE PUPPY ZONE

Besides giving your puppy a familiar setup, the “puppy zone” that you create in your own home will be a safe space for your puppy. You will want to set up this “puppy zone” on a surface in your home that is easy to clean. We recommend a simple metal exercize pen, that will form a 4 x 4 ft area. You’ll need one that is at least 3 ft high, as the puppies, and especially the Cavachon puppies will get over a 2 ft x-pen in no time!! Your puppy will spend his time in the “puppy zone” when you are not actively interacting with him. This is his safe space, safe from items in the house that could be harmful, like chewing electric cords, and safe from having accidents on the carpet or any other place in the house that is not his designated potty spot.

In the “puppy zone”, your puppy will have everything he needs…his crate, his bed, his UGODOG, his food & water dishes, and all his wonderful toys that squeak, and bounce, and tug, and snuggle.

USE THE UGODOG FOR THE LIFE OF YOUR DOG

You may be wondering if your puppy will think going potty indoors is what he’s supposed to do. In the beginning, it will be where he does his potty business, but you can begin to transition your puppy to outdoor training around 12 weeks of age. Your puppy is maturing and from 12-16 weeks, the bladder control is really beginning to develop more fully, and you will find that your puppy is able to hold it for longer periods of time.

If you live where an outdoor dog potty is inconvenient to get to, you can train your puppy to use the UGODOG outside as well. If you purchase the double UGODOG, which is essentially two units with a clear connector, you can use one indoors and one outdoors in the early weeks of training. When your puppy is older and can go outdoors to potty, you can take him to his 2nd UGODOG outside and he will have something familiar to eliminate on. Eventually, you will simply use both units outdoors with the clear connector, creating a doggie toilet, that can be used for the life of the dog.

This is especially convenient for those living in an upstairs apartment with a small outdoor porch, or for families that simply don’t want to have to pick up dog poop in the yard. It could also be used indoors if you would like to have an indoor trained dog, in an RV, or on a boat. If you always take your puppy to the UGODOG outside, he will learn that this is his spot to potty.