When I said using indoor grass for dogs is lazy, I learned some people are convinced fake grass for dogs is the world’s greatest invention. I disagree. I still think it’s lazy.
Here are 10 reasons not to buy fake grass for your dog. Some of the ideas came from comments on my last post. For more information, check out my post on 10 reasons to buy fake indoor grass for dogs.
1. Owners of small dogs have enough problems with housebreaking.
We all know at least one person who owns a Yorkie, Maltese, Chihuahua or Pomeranian that pees in the house. I’m not talking about old dogs that can’t hold it. I’m talking about 2-year-old dogs that still aren’t potty trained.
If the owner can’t train her dog to go to the bathroom outside (one of the easiest things to teach a dog), how will she train her dog to pee on fake grass? This will only encourage the dog to pee on carpet, rugs, couches and mattresses. I am a professional pet sitter and I see examples of this every week.
2. What about dogs that lift their legs?
Are you going to buy him a few fake trees and bushes to go along with that grass? Or maybe he’ll just pee on the wall?
3. Fake grass for dogs is not the same as a litter box.
Cats have dignity and cover up after themselves. Dogs using this product won’t be covering up anything. They’ll probably step right in it. Or maybe they’ll do that thing where they kick their back legs and fling some poop onto your carpet. My dog has an annoying habit of walking while he poops. If I bought fake grass for him, he would probably walk right off the edge!
4. Dogs are not as sanitary as cats.
Cats are naturally clean animals. Dogs are naturally filthy. They are careless, they roll in things and they eat garbage, dead animals and poop.
5. There are other options than the “Potty Patch” if you work long hours.
Dogs shouldn’t be left alone for too long. Many people who work long shifts have dogs, but they come home during their breaks, take their dogs to daycare or hire a dog walker or pet sitter. Dogs are pack animals and need interaction. Leaving a dog home for 12 hours or more several days a week is similar to leaving a dog chained in a yard.
6. Fake grass for dogs won’t take away all issues.
The average housebroken dog can go eight or nine hours without going to the bathroom. If you are leaving your dog home for shorter periods and she is having accidents, there might be a bigger issue than her not being able to hold it. She could have a bladder infection or anxiety. If you have recently moved, she might not understand where she can and can’t go to the bathroom. Purchasing indoor fake grass is unlikely to solve these problems.
7. “At least the dog has a home” is a poor excuse.
Dogs need more than food, water and a place to relieve themselves. Some of the country’s most troubled, abused dogs are the ones confined to basements, kennels and backyards. They never get walked, trained, exercised or socialized, but because these dogs live in nice homes (with fake grass!) nobody says anything.
8. Lots of dogs eat their own poop.
Let’s face it, many of them do. I think this would be too tempting for a lot of dogs. Some dogs will eat their poop and their owners won’t even know it.
9. The dog will get walked less.
Most dogs don’t get walked enough already. This product will give owners another excuse not to walk the dog. It’s bad enough that so many small dogs get nothing more than a five-minute walk to relieve themselves. Now some will be lucky if they get outside at all.
10. Training a dog to use this won’t be as easy as it sounds.
Owners who don’t have time to let their dogs out are not going to take the time to properly teach the dog how to use the indoor grass. Dogs conditioned to go outside are not going to understand the concept of peeing on fake grass in the house. They will have to be trained, and it could take a week or months for them to learn, depending on the dog and the owner. Most dogs will never fully understand the concept.
What’s your opinion on fake indoor grass for dogs?
Check back next week for 10 reasons people buy the “Potty Patch“ and other products.
Discuss this issue further at my new dog forum – Fake grass for dogs
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if its not a good idea why do dog experts like:
Victoria Stilwell,
Zack Goerge etc
use it I think that your not as clever as them so shut up you and everyone if you don’t know
There is a dog “expert” out there to recommend every product. One dog expert will recommend a shock collar while another will say it’s inhumane. One dog expert will recommend a retractable, Flexi leash while another advises against it. Every product out there will work well for some dog/owner pairs and not for others.
As I read this list, I feel like the reasons were too generalised and rather “worst case scenario”. I agree with the concept here but not the actual reasons. Mind you, this isn’t a personal attack…I just am not convinced by the reasoning here.
The thing is, small breed dogs aren’t harder to train; they just are more likely to come with bad habits. There’s nothing inherently wrong with small dogs that makes them hard to train. All problems in this field can be attributed to the humans (breeders? first owner? rescue workers?) Being consistent and very diligent in your training has nothing to do with the breed of the dog but of the work ethic and dedication of the owner.
I think Number 2 on the list is rather clever, actually. My dog has learned that he only wants to pee in ivy because at my old place, the grass was surrounded by HUGE patches of ivy. Well, I’m moving and there’s no ivy to be found in downtown. I may try and buy him some fake ivy to surround the fake grass to make him feel more at home. (He’ll be peeing at night in the parking structure because walking around at 11pm downtown by myself is like asking to be mugged.)
Yes, having fake grass is unsanitary. Yes, dogs are gross and will eat their own poo. Neither of these things are really reasons not to buy fake grass though. To me, it seems like fake grass is *infinitely* more work than just taking my dog out to pee on the corner.
The fact of the matter is, there’s always a responsible and an irresponsible way to use the tools that are out there for dog owners. You can’t blame the dog for peeing everywhere if you haven’t taught him the difference. I feel like maybe it’s the same thing for dog owners. You can’t blame them for using a product wrong when you haven’t shown them the right way to use it.
Think about fake grass this way: If you treated fake grass like it was just a piece of the outside that you’ve brought inside, then you wouldn’t really be dealing with all these problems. If you put the fake grass in an isolated area, if you put a harness/collar/leash on your dog before walking him out to the fake grass (wherever it may be), if you cleaned it immediately and frequently, you can avoid almost every reason not to buy fake grass on this list. Don’t blame the product. Blame the owner. To me, tool use is all about the PERSON making a conscious decision to use a tool in a specific way.
Well said. Thank you for your thoughtful and respectful comment.
Our next door neighbors use this..it is horrible. They have a real small porch, 4×4 or so, they throw the dog outside on that stupid fake grass & the dog barks & barks..I have never seen them clean it, gross. Worst thing is they have a huge fenced in yard! They are the epitomy of lazy..even when they walk the dog (few times a month), they immediately put it outside on that stupid fake grass & the barking commences yet again!
Unfortunately these are the types of people who are going to buy this product.
I think most people that buy the indoor potties for their dog, do so with very good reason since, if you have a yard, it is much easier to let the dog use the yard. We have purchased the Potty Park and previously used it in a condo with a doggy door out to a walled back patio. I would also like to point out that our dog gets regular walks and exercise every single day.
Now we have moved to a different condo without a yard, a doggy door or an enclosed patio. We want her to be comfortable if we’re gone for a long stretch during the day so we are currently training her to use the Potty Park indoors (she doesn’t seem to want to use it indoors though, so it will take time). We’ve put it in the shower of an extra bathroom and it’s hidden with a shower curtain so no one even has to see it.
The potty has a tray below that is very easy to remove and dump into the toilet. I did find that the urine has a strong odor in the tray so I came up with a solution. I sprinkle a bit of Smelleze in a small biodegradable tray that I place inside the Potty Park tray. It solidifies the urine and there is no longer an odor.
I don’t think buying an indoor dog potty is lazy. I think it shows a lot of love that you do what you can to make sure your dog is comfortable. Besides, indoor potty’s require regular maintenance so you can’t have one and be lazy anyway. As long as your dog is still getting plenty of exercise, an indoor dog potty can be the perfect solution for many people and many dogs.
Thanks for the great feedback, Dahlia!
Wow, lots of interesting feedback here. I think it all comes down to good owners vs. bad owners.
I have a dog that is somewhat incontinent (needs to pee every 10-20 minutes). The grass pad has made her life more pleasant and saved the floor. I work from home and she has access to real grass too. She just uses what is most convenient for her and it makes her a pretty happy pooch. And thank goodness she has never eaten her own feces, though it gets cleaned up pretty fast.
There are many people out there that should not be dog owners and use this as an excuse to leave their poor dog locked up all day, but there are also a few responsible ones out there.
Thanks for writing this post!
Thanks, Jessica!
If the fake grass works for your dog, then that’s what counts. To call someone lazy for finding a solution is really pure ignorance. I can’t believe some of the earlier posts from people. Just because it doesnt work for you, doesnt mean it’s not a good solution for someone else.
This is a post where everyone is free to share his or her own opinion.
I just got a beautiful bullgod puppy, and I am in the military. I love dogs, and I am about to get out, for the time being, we live in an apartment on the 3rd floor. Now we take him out every hour for a run, and after each time he eats, or wakes up, or after hes done playing, we take him out as well, and we have him on a good schedule, but there are times when my girlfriend and I have to be at work, and there are 3-4 hours in between where he will be alone. So I wanted to try and get the fake grass so when we leave, he knows to go out the doggy door to the porch to pee…It has been 4 days, and I trained him to bark at the door when he has to go potty, so I believe I can train him to do use this properly, just in case of emergency’s
Good luck. I hope it works well.
My wife and I recently purchased a Potty Pad (artificial turf) for our new Corgi puppy. This decision was influenced by a couple factors.
1. We live in downtown St Louis and walking a dog late at night is not safe for my wife (I do this unless I’m out of town).
2. When house-breaking and our puppy is caught in the act of eliminating inside it is easier to stop him and move him to the pad versus going down the elevator and a grassy area.
I was aprehensive about the pads but since starting ther use Louie (our pup) has started going right to the pad. He still gets walked 3-4 times a day outside for not only exercise but to reinforce outdoor training.
My hope is that once he is house broken and can hold his bladder through the night and/or more than 3 hours we can slowly remove the pad.
My only fear is that when we move to a house (within a year) will the indoor training carry over? The new location will allow us to walk and/or let outside at all hours.
Time will tell by for now it definitely has made life easier on all of us.
I am glad it is working out OK. A common problem people run into when they remove the pad is that the dog has already learned to go inside and then starts to go on the floor where the pad was or on rugs and things that look similar to the pad. But as long as you are consistent with training, I’m sure you will be fine. The problem, as you know, is that most people are not consistent.
I think your article has a lot of a very valid reasons. I spent a huge amount of time training my dog and ensuring he is 100% housetrained, and it pains me that I am considering this product at all. Unfortunatly my dog has IMHA, a very deadly immune system issue and with the drugs he is on he just cannot hold it any longer than 3 hours. We have had to resort to pee pads and potentially a litter box with fake grass, as the alternative is for him to go on the floor. So while I agree with a lot of this, please understand its not all lazy dog owners, but sometimes ill or elderly dogs that might make use of these.
I do understand. I appreciate your comment, and I am sorry your dog has an immune system issue. I hope that some sort of setup with pads or fake grass will make his life more comfortable. And less stressful for you!
We have a small dog that hates to go outside to do his business when it is wet or cold. I do not blame him, his little bottom is too close to the cold, wet area. we are looking for option for him to use when the weather is too cold or wet. are not lazy, as know that indoor options are labor intensive to keep clean. but want to have option for him to use for his comfort. We live in the mountains, and weather can be pretty cold here.
I have this for my baby in the yard b/c I have desert landscaping and it’s hard to see the poo i rocks. Also, it’s easier for her to go in one area than for me to have to go on a crap hunt. My dog doesn’t eat poo so I’m lucky that way ( heck she won’t eat a steak w/o A1 sauce) LOL. I think it depends on the puppy parent. I think absent puppy parenting is absentee puppy parenting w/ or w/o fake grass.
Oh and I clean the poo daily I have kids so I don’t want them stepping in it. I guess it depends on the person/ dog situation. Ciao good luck.
Thanks, Melanie!
The GOOD news is there are only ten generalizations in this article. The BAD news is there are ten generalizations made in this article without little consideration for particular circumstances.
Wonder what the writer of this article would recommend for a pet person who has suffered numerous sun and heat strokes and can’t go out in the high heat of summer in this area. Would the suggestion be to give up my furry friend for a cat? Thanks but NO THANKS!!
This post is rather insulting and takes a narrow view of the product. How is it lazy to provide an indoor bathroom for your dog? If the dog is going to be alone for 8 hours sure it COULD hold it but why force it? I believe your point was that indoor grass will not be right for every dog and is not a substitute for conscientious care of a pet. Branding something as lazy rather than differentiating its proper use from its misuse is lazy.
Everyone has their own methods and preferences. No one should be judging others without knowing all the facts. I for one think setting up an alternative spot for dogs that are not able to get outside freely, is providing an opportunity for a dog to not worry about having to hold it for so long. Small tiny teacup dogs pee often and it’s not “lazy” to teach them to fake grass or potty pads, it’s more practical. I wouldn’t want my teacup running around my fenced in yard and have a hawk grab it and fly away (which has happened to several tiny teacups). Also, small dogs do not need as much exercise as larger breeds so it’s not “lazy” to not take them for walks, it’s typical to have indoor play. Not to mention, for example, I live in a house that has an open basement which means my tiny dogs would be required to go downstairs and use the dogdoor to get out should I not be home. Not all small dogs can do stairs and it’s not good for their backs. So unfortunately some people make the best out of an unfortuante situation. It’s a personal option and really shouldn’t be judged.
Ok I’m sorry but after reading these 10 so called reasons I think you’re an even bigger idiot than from your last post. First off my yorkie puppy who is 4 months old LOVES the weewee patch. He’s a bashful pup and the fake grass is actually soothing him because he feels as if his business is being hidden. It took me weeks for him to understand the peepee pad. As soon as I layed the weewee pad down he ran onto it and guess what. He PEED! Yes I agree dogs are pack animals but they are also created by man! If I want my pup to pee on fake grass trust me hell learn. There are people to treat their dogs for doing housework because they simply can’t. I don’t know about you but I for one wouldn’t like going out in the freezing cold and doing my business while my owner watches anxiously waiting to shove a treat down ur throat so u can comprehend that its a positive association. Julius will go to the pad and the pad only and I repeat he is 4 months old! Granted he has accidents but he knows its wrong he just can’t hold it long enough. It todays society guess what sweetheart unless ur born into a billion dollar family, you have to get off your butt and work! That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy company and love by your pup\kitty! People have been doing it and will continue to do it. He enjoys knowing that I’m not spacing out on his poop while he’s trying to release. Yorkies love noise so the sound of the tv and my parents talking soothes him and let’s him go with no stress. So I either suggest u don’t knock something till you’ve tried it or close your blog and change professions. And an fyi, my pup is a male and yes HE LIFTS, yet he’s not a lab, his wizz won’t land on the wall! Furthest small dogs go is maybe 1 inch. You just have to guide ur dog and he will learn to aim!
I have a indoor potty for my 4 month old Pomeranian; it’s just a tray with a grate on top. I toss paper towels in the bottom and it’s very easy to clean and keeps his feet dry. I am a first time dog owner and did a lot of research before getting my dog… It seemed to me that being adamant about the dog *always* going outside is really for our own convenience, not his. It’s less messy, it’s less accident prone than if it were *never* okay to go inside, etc. But I can not accept that even the most diligent dog owners never have situations where they’re late getting home and their dog has to wait for them. Even if they never have accidents, why should he have to adhere to your schedule? I would submit that it’s because you’re too “lazy” to maintain a potty for him. If I had to wait for my spouse to come home to go to the bathroom, I would pee myself (lol). I can go potty whenever I want. My cat can go potty whenever she wants. I think my dog should have that freedom too. It can also reduce the anxiety of being left alone (which is an issue for poms and other companion dogs) if he knows he doesn’t have to wait for me to let him out.
Maybe I’m missing something, but this was my rationale for an indoor potty. It’s a lot more work than if I just took him outside, but I don’t think he should have to wait, ever. I trained him on his potty from the very beginning, and with diligence and proper confinement, it was pretty easy. When he’s too old for his exercise pen, I plan on building a bench with a doggy door to hide the potty inside, so he can have his own private bathroom.
I agree with some of the above comments that most of the arguments in the article were straw-men, assuming neglectful owners. The worst part is, they missed out on the primary reason why you shouldn’t buy grass potties: they stink. They are extremely difficult to clean, they trap urine, and provide a lovely breeding ground for bacteria. Enough said.
You are obviously a very responsible dog owner and this is working out just fine for you. We both know that is not the case with the majority of the people who buy this type of product.
My dog is a (soon to be) 3 year old Border Collie/Pit mix. She’s very active and therefore, the keeping her inside all day idea just isn’t an option. However I’m still saving up to try and get the potty patch (or one of the ones like it, not sure which at the moment) and I’ll explain why.
I don’t think the fake grass itself is actually a problem. I think it’s how it is used that causes the problems. For Brookie (my dog), this will not be a walk time replacement or something for her to use if I am gone for 12+ hours at a time. I am getting it for convenience and the following reasons:
1) I’m a college student, and sometimes, I oversleep before class. We’ve all been there. Rushing through the morning routine to try and get to class or an exam on time. On these days, Brookie is the one who suffers. She gets taken out to a small patch of mulch around a tree and if she doesn’t do her business in 5-10 minutes, she has to hold it till I get back from my up to 3 hours of class. I don’t like that, and I feel horrible about it, but the reality is I am the type to sleep through my alarm. Rather than keep feeling bad about it, I’m doing something about it. If I get a potty patch and take the time to teach her what it is for, I can put it on my balcony. On days when I’m running late, I can let her out there while I’m brushing my teeth and getting dressed. She’ll have 20 minutes or more (depending on how many times I forget something and keep running back and forth from room to room) to sniff and relieve herself without being rushed. When she’s done, I can just let her back in and scoop up her poop in a baggie before I run out the door. Then she’ll get her full walk when I get home.
2) I live in Miami, Florida. We get these wonderful hurricanes that everyone knows about. What everyone doesn’t usually know about is that we also get these really windy rainstorms that are absolutely miserable and quite dangerous to be walking around in that are sometimes called Tropical Storms, but sometimes just come on as sudden rainstorms that last anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours. Brookie didn’t get that pitty bravery that many pit mixes get. Instead, she got that Border Collie super-alertness and she pays very very close attention to any noises or movement. In a windy rainstorm, getting her to use the restroom when there’s palm fronds bouncing around and the whistling wind, she refuses to lower her head and satellite ears long enough to sniff even one inch of grass. What’s more, she’s shivering both from the cold and from anxiety from all the noise. She spends the whole time outside trying to drag me back inside, even though I know she needs to use the restroom. With one of these grass systems, I could work with her and train her to use it to do her business. If she knows what the fake grass is for, then in these storms where it is either too dangerous for her to be outside, or she is too scared to be outside, she could still use the potty.
I would never want to do something that would hurt my Brookie or deny her the basics that a dog needs, such as outdoor time, proper training, enough time to explore and relieve herself, etc, but in some situations, I can definitely see this being helpful. Especially for people in areas with hurricanes, tornadoes, and serious snow. In a snow storm, wouldn’t it be helpful if your dog could stay safely inside until the storm dies down? Visibility reaches practically zero in some of those storms. And in a tornado, when you’re all hunkered down in your shelter for who knows how long, wouldn’t it be great if your dog knew that the fake grass in the corner of the room was his/her place to go potty? Brookie would, and has in the past – we were snowed in up north once and we couldn’t leave the house, go over 24 hours without going to the bathroom. We tried putting newspaper down in the bathtub and telling her it was okay but she just wouldn’t have it. She just kept whining and there was nothing I could do to help her. The doors wouldn’t open bc of all the snow and my poor little girl didn’t want to have an accident in the house because her previous owners potty trained her to be, apparently, the most in house potty polite dog ever.
So anyway, I see why you’re concerned about the indoor grass patches, but I feel like the same as people who are concerned about pits being dangerous. It’s not the dog, it’s how the person trains them. With the potty patches, it’s not the actual device itself that is problematic. It’s the people who misuse the device and take advantage of it who are the biggest risk to the dogs.
– J
I hope it works out well for you and your dog. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Personally, I would make sure to get up earlier enough to walk my dog. I don’t think it’s fair to use the alarm clock as an excuse not to get up five minutes earlier so the dog has enough time to go to the bathroom. But that is just me, and I know everyone’s situation is different. My dog will also go to the bathroom immediately if I do sleep in and only have a minute to take him out. But not every dog is like that.
I will be taking my dog on a boat for a long cruise. I will take him ashore when I can, but need to have him go on the deck (can easily wash down) when necessarily. Your comments please.
I was actually thinking that this would be the perfect product for a cruise trip with a dog. You should train your dog to use the grass before the cruise so he knows what to do. Let me know how it goes!