Be patient while your dog adjusts to the change
Many Pooch Potty customers call me to ask for tips on how to best prepare their dogs for moving out of a house (where the dogs are used to having a backyard) into an apartment or condo. A lifestyle change such as this one is going to affect both of you and if you are proactive about how you intend to handle the change, you should have a successful transition.
Make an immediate plan for walking and exercising your dogThe first thing is that you
must absolutely plan for walking and exercising your dog. Even though
we live in a house, I still walk my dogs twice a day - it benefits all
of us because of the exercise and fresh air.
The second thing
is that you will want to plan for is an appropriate place that will
serve as a back up potty. Some people will have a terrace or patio,
while others will only have the option of using a balcony. You should
dog proof any area where your dog could possibly get out and also make
sure you have selected an area that has protection from the rain or
snow. If you don't have a roof, you may want to do some creative
thinking to figure out a way to install a canopy or an awning.
Measure
the area to make sure the size Pooch Potty box you get is going to fit.
If you are going to have access to the new residence before you move
it, it would be ideal to have it set up ahead of moving day.
Arrange to have your dog go with a friend or with the dog walker for the day. You don't want to stress out your dog by seeing all of the movers come and start removing everything. When you are all moved in - the first thing you will want to do is to unpack the dog's things and make a little area that is dog friendly. The water bowl, his bed, his favorite toys.
The next thing you want to do is to show him his Pooch Potty - he
may not understand yet that he has your permission to use it, but at
least he knows that it exists and where it is. As stressful as it
is for you to move, it is important to assure your dog that he is safe,
that you aren't leaving him and that you are making this move together
(a good time for extra hugs and kisses).
Introducing
your dog to their new potty place should be done with gentleness and
encouragement. They will already be stressed out by the changes and you
don't want to make them afraid to go potty on the Pooch Potty box.
(believe it or not, one former customer locked her dogs outside on the
balcony overnight - her poor dogs were so traumatized that they
associated the Pooch Potty box as some sort of punishment and never
used it)
The first potty of the morning, when you first wake
up, is generally the easiest time to introduce your dogs to their Pooch
Potty box. Maybe put on their leash, hold your keys and poop bags in
hand and "walk" them out there. Gently encourage them and if they use
the box, praise them like they are the most genius dogs who have ever
walked the earth! Clap, say "good dog! good potty!" whatever you have
to do to communicate to them that you approve.
Once
your dog gets the box "started" it should be easy sailing from there on
out. If they don't use it right away, see if you can borrow a friend or
neighbor's dog to get the box started. A male dog's urine is preferable
and it could set off your own dog's instinct to cover it up with their
own urine.
If you are putting the Pooch Potty box out on a
balcony or patio where the access has a sliding glass door, check out
the easy to install dog door panels at Pet Safe Warehouse or check out your local Home Depot or Petco , they sell these as well.
It
is important to let your dogs know that in no way are you going to take
away their walks. One smart customer dog figured out that if he used
his Pooch Potty box, his owners were going to skip his morning walk.
When he suddenly stopped using his Pooch Potty, much to his owners'
chagrin, they couldn't figure out why. I suggested they add his morning
walk back into their routine again and what do you know . . . it
worked! Now their dog will use his Pooch Potty while his owners sleep
in on Sunday mornings, and he knows that he will still get his walk
later on when they get up.
Funny how much smarter our dogs are than we give them credit for!
If you are looking for a pet friendly rental in the Los Angeles or Southern California area, check out Pets and People Homefinders . I love pet friendly places! Also check out West Side Rentals
, even though they are not specifically geared towards dog friendly
places, I have found a good selection of rentals there that do allow
dogs.