How to train your dog to poop on a pad?

When you happily welcome a cute dog into your life, its lively appearance instantly lights up the whole house. However, the problem of your dog defecating randomly may give you a headache. Don't worry, it is not difficult to train your dog to defecate on the pee pad. As long as you master the scientific method, pay patience and love, you and your dog will soon be able to live in harmony. ​

First of all, it is very important to have a deep understanding of the dog's defecation habits. Dogs usually have the need to defecate after eating, waking up, and playing for a while. They have a sense of territory, will instinctively look for a fixed place to defecate, and are very sensitive to smell. We can use these characteristics to make training more effective. Before the dog has developed a good defecation habit, observe its behavior carefully. Once you find that it has signs such as turning in circles, sniffing the ground, and squatting frequently, it is likely that it is a signal that it wants to defecate. At this time, quickly carry it to the prepared pee pad area. During this process, the movements should be gentle, and do not make the dog feel scared or nervous, because your emotions will directly affect it. ​

Next, be fully prepared for training. It is crucial to choose a suitable urine pad. A high-quality urine pad should have strong water absorption, can quickly absorb urine, prevent leakage, and have a certain thickness to make the dog feel comfortable. At the same time, choose a fixed, quiet and relatively closed space to place the urine pad, such as the corner of the bathroom or near the dog's exclusive nest. Such an environment can make the dog feel safe and help it remember this defecation location. Before starting training, make sure there are no other strong odors in this area to avoid distracting the dog's attention. ​

When everything is ready, formal training can begin. About 15 to 30 minutes after each feeding, take the dog to the area where the urine pad is located. Let it move freely on the urine pad, talk to it softly, and give it comfort and encouragement. At first, the dog may not understand your intentions and will wander around the urine pad or even leave. At this time, don't be anxious, let alone scold it. If the dog leaves the pee pad area, gently bring it back and patiently guide it again. When the dog finally defecates on the pee pad, immediately give it warm praise, such as saying "Baby, you are great" in a gentle and excited tone, and give it a small piece of its favorite snack as a reward. Dogs are very smart and can feel that they are doing the right thing from your tone and actions. This positive feedback will make it more willing to repeat the behavior of defecating on the pee pad. ​

During the training process, it is inevitable to encounter setbacks. The dog may occasionally defecate in other places. In this case, never beat or scold it. Beating and scolding will not only fail to make the dog understand your intentions, but will make it feel fearful and confused, and resist training. The correct way is to quickly clean up the excrement and use a special pet deodorant to completely remove the smell to avoid residual smell attracting the dog to defecate in the same place again. Then, take the dog to the pee pad area and repeat the previous guidance and encouragement steps. Every time the dog defecates in a place other than the pee pad, it is an opportunity to test your patience. You must believe that as long as you stick to the right method, your dog will eventually learn to defecate on the urine pad. ​

As the training progresses, gradually expand the dog's range of activities, but still make sure that the area where the urine pad is located is an easy-to-reach and conspicuous place for it. Let the dog be familiar with and find the urine pad in different scenarios. At the same time, slowly extend the time interval between taking it to the urine pad each time, and gradually let it develop the habit of going to the urine pad to defecate on its own according to the dog's adaptation. This process may take weeks or even months. Different dogs have different learning abilities and adaptation speeds, so you must be patient enough. During this time, you will witness the dog's progress bit by bit. Every time it successfully defecates on the urine pad, it is a sublimation of trust and tacit understanding between you.

Training a dog to defecate on a urine pad is not only to keep the home environment clean, but also a process of establishing a deep emotional connection between you and the dog. In this process, the patience, care and guidance you give to the dog can be truly felt by the dog. When the dog finally learns to defecate on the urine pad, it will be overjoyed because of your recognition and reward, and you will also be very proud of its growth. This experience of working together will become a warm and beautiful memory of your years together and will make your relationship even closer.