Apartment Potty Training

Hi guys,

I could use some suggestions on my corgi's potty training.

DouBao is 15 weeks old and knows go potty on command and go to the balcony herself to eliminate if she is out of the crate (I need to open the door for her since it is winter...and freezing..)

The problem is that we live in the 6th floor apartment. I could take her downstairs the first thing in the morning, at noon and back from work in the evening, and then feed her as we gets back. But she needs to go pee again before I off to work or 15 mins after meals --- I couldn't take her down again due to limited time. That's why we put the training pad on the balcony.

It made her get used to eliminate herself whenever she wants. She could hold 4 hours at least in the crate. But if she is out playing she wouldn't hold and need to go to the balcony (sitting at the balcony door and wait for it opened magically...by me...)

I walk her 1 hour at least everyday and make sure she gets enough exercise if the weather is horrible. But we cannot bring her downstairs every time she wants to eliminate.

I don't know whether I should keep the training pad or something reusable like potty patch on the balcony (it is very convenience for us...), or get ride of those things and let her only go eliminating downstairs. If I want her only go outside, how can I do it? How can I teach her to hold the bladder till I go out.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on February 29, 2012 at 7:08pm

I have trained Franklin to go on my patio and the balcony of my last apartment because it is very difficult to have to go up and down all those stairs constantly. What I did was make a "potty area" for him out of some 2x4s made into a rectangle of whatever size you want. I put some netting on the bottom and put shavings in it (the type you put in horse stalls, or rodent cages). You could probably even fill it with sand or big wood chips or something as well. This is easy to clean (I scoop it like you would a litterbox) and every couple weeks I completely empty it and bleach it and the ground under it. This has worked quite well and now I live on the bottom floor of my apartment complex but it is so easy and convenient to be able to send him out at night or on rainy days and not have to walk him. I also installed a dog door made for sliding glass doors so he can go in and out as he pleases. He is overly potty trained though and won't go out unless told to, but he likes to go out and sniff around periodically or lay in the sun. Those potty patch things that have the fake grass would also be a great choice, they are just so expensive I decided to make my own, also I don't know if Franklin would be able to distinguish astro-turf from carpet so he probably wouldn't even use it.