I have already given you 10 reasons not to buy fake indoor grass for dogs. But even though indoor grass for dogs is lazy, enough people gave reasons why it works for some dogs.
Here’s why people will buy an indoor dog potty:
1. Indoor grass is an option for dogs with bladder control issues.
Some older dogs that were once able to hold it for seven or eight hours can’t wait that long anymore. Even young dogs have medical issues and can’t hold it.
2. A “Potty Patch” is an option for dogs that can’t move around easily.
If a dog is having trouble walking or getting up, then it’s nice to have a more convenient place for him to go to the bathroom. I understand what this problem is like, because during my golden retriever’s last days she could not walk. We had to carry our 65-pound girl outside and hold her up.
3. Fake indoor grass for dogs is convenient for people living in city apartments.
I’m spoiled. I open my back door and Ace has a field to run in. Other people have to walk 10 minutes just to find a patch of grass.
4. Using a “Potty Patch” is safer than taking your dog out after dark.
Again, it’s easy for me to overlook this one, but some people live in areas where it’s risky to walk your dog after dark.
5. Some dogs are allergic to grass.
So, they pee on fake indoor grass instead!
6. Using fake indoor grass is better than the dog having accidents in the house.
Tons of people leave their dogs home all day without hiring a dog walker or coming home to check on the dog during a break. At least if the person has indoor grass, the dog will not have to hold it for so long.
7. “Potty Patches” allows more people to have dogs.
People tolerate a lot just to have a pet. Training a dog to pee indoors and then cleaning up after it is worth it for many people.
8. Some people put the fake grass outside on their balconies.
That way people who live in an apartment can let their dogs outside for quick bathroom breaks rather than traveling 15 stories down and all the way back up.
9. Some dogs are stubborn and won’t go out in the rain or snow.
You can train any dog to go to the bathroom outside, but some people just aren’t willing to do that. Some dogs get cold very easily and don’t want to be out for even 30 seconds, so their owners give in and let the dogs pee indoors.
10. Some people really are that lazy.
There’s no hiding it. Having an indoor bathroom for you dog is a very convenient excuse not to take him for a walk.
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Yeah, number 9 fits Gus. You would think that with his thick and oily fur he wouldn’t care. We make him go out regardless. It isn’t like we have severe thunderstorms or blizzards here!
ARRR! I thought I was going to get to see 10 pictures of the aftermath of your blizzard!
Living in a city apartment, 8 stories above ground and NO grass in sight, I still have to say, though, it’s not that hard to get your dog out a few times a day for a little walking/bonding/potty.
Um, yeah – you are so right Biggie – why have a dog if you don’t have time for them? Urgh! I won’t get on my soapbox about that one…
Haha, I really will have to take some more snow pictures!
I didn’t realize you lived on the eighth floor, Biggie. I’m glad your owners are so dedicated to you.
How does that work for male dogs? My little Timmy lifts his leg so high you would think he would fall over backward. But he needs to pee higher than the big dogs, I guess.
Lindsay, we have an elevator, which is sort of fun. Lots of smells and people to meet and “work” leading to treats when I am polite to strangers there. Potty training was so much fun, especially when I was growing at the rate of 3 pounds every 2 days and my humans were still carrying me to make sure I didn’t pee in the elevator!
Jan, Biggie sometimes squats and sometimes lifts his leg. We met some NYC dog owners who had their pups neutered early so they never started lifting their legs. Not that I am advocating early spay/neuter. I think dogs, especially big breeds, need to grow for a while before they get the snip.
My mutt squats like a girl every time he pees. I have seen him lift his leg one time! He wasn’t neutered until he was a year old so I don’t know what his deal is. Guess it’s cuz he’s submissive and has no interest in marking.
Ace has never ridden in an elevator!
Ha! Gus is too lazy to lift his leg to pee also! The funniest is when he leans it up against a tree to go!
He rode in an elevator since I brought him to the office once and he wasn’t very happy about it. Going up was a bit scary for the big guy. Poor Gussie!
Hmm, an option I guess! I would consider a big litter box first, I think. Though like other comments, training the boys to aim right would be hard!
Na, just too weird a concept for me. What will they think of next?
Well, the idea here seems to be that any dog can be made to go outside. If this is true, can someone please tell me how to get my beagle to do it? I have tried everything, I have bought every book I can find on the matter. I have spent hundreds of dollars on professional training. I have spent nearly as much on training aids. There is nothing medically wrong with my dog, she just doesn’t like to potty outside. I have literally stood outside with her for hours, and the second we come back in she runs to find somewhere to squat. I don’t want to spend more money on something that seems so unsanitary as a doggy litter box, but I also don’t want to have to choose between my carpet and my dog. I can’t leave her outside, either. I live in Iowa and the winters are too cold for a small dog (she’s an 18 lb. runt) to survive. Anybody have any advice? Am I stuck with a indoor doggy bathroom? Thanks!
Does your dog go to the bathroom in her kennel? If not, I would go back to kenneling her whenever she can’t be supervised. Then, whenever you are home, keep her on a leash near you at all times so you can catch her “in the act” and get her outside right away. Kenneling a dog for six months or a year is worth it if that means the dog gets full freedom once she learns the rules.
I would think that if you walked her outside long enough, she would eventually go just because she has to. But that doesn’t seem to be the case with your dog. Make sure you are taking her out right away in the morning, and just keep walking until she goes. Then use lots of praise – food or affection, whatever works best for her. Also, make sure to get her out whenever you know she has to go, like shortly after she eats or right after you come home.
The kennel is your greatest tool. I’m assuming you’ve tried it already. What did not work about it? Does she go to the bathroom in her kennel?
I hope you’ll check out my post on housebreaking a dog: http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/08/25/dog-housetraining/
Dear Blogger.
Your column is 100% negative! Not everyone is as fortunate as you to have a backyard! Times have changed and pets ARE more adaptable to the lifestyles of today. I work a lot and when I am not at work I spend all the time possible with my pet. I agree that pets need attention most importantly but can adapt if their is plenty of love and nurturing in the home. If people take the time to listen to their pets then that is where the relationship and trust build from!
Perhaps you didn’t actually read the post. It’s called “10 reasons TO BUY fake indoor grass for your dog.”
I think I should get some of this! My 2 original dogs are perfectly house trained, but the new dog Ginger, a 15-year-old rescued cocker spaniel who’s been here for about 3 months, has some serious incontinence issues and the Proin medicine isn’t helping. I bet if I had some of this she would go on it, as she isn’t impressed by using potty pads in the least. Sure, outside elimination is ideal, but for a dog like Ginge with incontinence and heart disease, sometimes you just gotta do what works best. I’ll have to look and see how much this stuff costs!
It isn’t cheap, but might be worth it in her case.
I have a dog that is a service dog. This dog needs to be able to know how to go inside and out. When I travel I need her to be able to potty on a 4×4 section of grass.
Now that is a great reason to use the indoor grass! Thanks for your comment!
I know this topic is old, but I want to add my 2c:
For Gus, you could try moving the patch of indoor grass (or pee-soaked carpet) closer and closer to the door, and then out the door… if she smells her own pee on it, her doggy instinct should tell her to pee there again.
I will never forget housesitting for an entire MONTH for a horrid little Yorkie who peed on pads. “Oh, he doesn’t need to be walked, he’s like a cat,” his owners said. And I, being naive and knowing almost nothing about dogs, actually believed them. The dog wasn’t even really “trained” to go on the pads, the owners would just spread them around in the areas he liked to mark. They had a huge gorgeous house full of beautiful Modern furniture, and the whole house was just one big potty for their dog. He wasn’t even neutered.
The ironic part was that both owners were cognitive behaviorists. I remember being surprised when I came to the house and saw the huge package of paper towels they’d left for me in the middle of the kitchen table!
See, that’s my problem with potty pads, dog litter boxes, fake grass, etc. The dogs are rarely actually trained to use them! People who buy these products do not know how to housetrain a dog, and they don’t know how to teach the dog to use the pad. I do a lot of pet sitting, and I totally understand where you’re coming from with that Yorkie!
One other thing:
Dogs can be trained to go on pavement. When I first got her, my dog would squat right in the middle of crowded sidewalks… I had to train her to go next to the trees instead.
Good point. I know some dogs who are trained to go on rocks in the yard instead of the grass.
Is there any good way to train the dog to go on the fake grass? She is a well -trained dog who goes potty outside. We do not have the luxury of a backyard anymore and I work long hours now. I want to buy fake grass for inside and balcony use. Any advice would be great.
Train the same way you would train a dog to go outside. Bring her to that spot every time. Reward her with a treat. Repeat. Put her there right when she wakes up and right after she eats. Use your usual phrase you might say like “go potty” or “hurry up.”
[...] 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. [...]
For health reasons I have fake grass on my balcony, with a doggy door. Both dogs go outside to use it, but one dog often poops (not pees) elsewhere on the balcony. I’ve tried blocking it off with an xpen/fence and then slowly moving it over. Now I’ve put food dishes all over the concrete area, thinking she won’t poop where she eats. If I take up a plate so there’s a 2-ft space, she’ll poop in between them (she’s only 7 pounds.) I’ve poured solution on the balcony to kill any odor. What next???
I said on the other post that all I can come up with is keeping her on a leash so you can always guide her to where she needs to go. Do that for a few weeks and give her a treat for going in the correct place. Keep your dogs on a feeding schedule where they eat twice per day rather than free feed (not sure what you are doing now), and that way you will have a better idea of when she needs to poop. That’s my suggestion. Good luck! Maybe someone else will have additional ideas.
Here’s another reason. I will be adopting a dog, yet I live in a place where it is extremely dangerous to walk outside, even in the broad daylight. I plan to get a small dog and exercise her as much as possible inside our relatively large condo, and when I do take her for walks, I will have to drive about 10 miles to a place that is safe enough. I am so glad to know that there are devices like this – otherwise in my situation I couldn’t have a dog. And if you say that I shouldn’t have a dog, then you might want to know that I am rescuing a dog that was being abused in the streets, so it beats the alternative.
I trust that you are doing the right thing for your situation.