# How Can I Teach to Potty in the Bath tub?



## new_wind (Oct 24, 2008)

I work 9 to 6 that means my girl is alone at home from 8:30 to 7:30 (yes overtime is mandatory)
Sometimes I go home at lunch time for 30 minutes and take her out for potty, but sometimes due weather, traffic or work is impossible, to make things worst from time to time she don’t want to potty in early morning walk so she has to hold it, for the entire day.
So this has caused couple of accidents in the last month, I know is not her fault but I don’t cheer if she have accidents, so she knows something is wrong as soon I get home, look and I don’t cheer. 
I have seen some of those potty trainers with synthetic grass and I have an Idea.
It occur to me that I could get one of those synthetic portable potty stuff and train my girl to potty in the bath tub so if she need to go, she can go there.

Did anybody tried this?
What would be a god “device” to use?

BTW, I bath my girl in the Bath tub and she always goes in willingly and no need to push or anything.

Thanks


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

No offense but that is pretty gross. 

You have to bathe/shower in the bathtub.

It would have to be throughly cleaned before each use.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

How about doggy training pads? Economy Puppy Training Pads - Canada - Housebreaking a Dog Much easier cleanup and they're only a few cents a day.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

I think I would hire a dog walker to come take my pup out before I would try to train to my pup to go INSIDE my house. In the long run going POTTY in the house won't be desired and then how do you plan to undo that? Someone can come and take her potty and walk her and play with her on the days that you work extra long shifts and can't get home on your lunch break. I don'y think training your pup to eliminate inside the home is a wise move. Good luck...


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

I've seen really small dogs trained to use a litter box but never a german shepherd. 

If that's your only alternative I'd use a plastic wading pool. Start with it outside and take the dog to it when he has to go. Once he understands that's his spot, bring it in the house and walk him to it when he wants to go "out". 
I'd use scoopable cat litter. (lots of it!) And hopefully, you have a corner in some out of the way place where you can put it. 

Good luck!


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## crisp (Jun 23, 2010)

I knew a guy in college who taught his boxer to go in the bathtub since he was out all times of day. It did work, but definitely not something I would recommend. You are speaking of potentially letting feces sit out in the open of your place for 8 - 9 hours. Imagine the smell, bacteria, etc. 

I'm with Renee on this, think about a dog walker. 

Also, if your dog isn't 'going' before you leave, give her a good run in the morning. Works on my dog like a cigaretter and coffee for people.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

i agree with Renee. dog walker. i have one come for our pupperino


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## new_wind (Oct 24, 2008)

Ok, I think i mention that i would like to use some potty "thing" like the next link.

PetaPotty The Pet's Place of Business

not right over the bath tub naked, and I am considering the bath tub because is easier if she "misses" to just spray antibacterial and wash throughly and not have to clean over the floor.
but you are right, I didn't consider also the smell and bacteria flying around.

I haven't found any walker who don't end up watching cable or snitching in my fridge or looking my personal stuff.

She is 2 years now and for the most time she is able to hold it, We walk every day 1 hour twice a day, I am just looking to make her life more pleasant.

Thanks a lot.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Frank,
Keep searching, how about a neighborhood friend? You can also check local pet stores for referrals for a pet walker. I would call my vets office, I bet they have a name of someone....at a really cheap price....


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Animal shelters also have volunteers- one might be willing to walk your dog


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Whiteshepherds has an interesting idea with the plastic pool. I have seen the indoor potty areas in dog catalogs (the ones with the fake grass and even a post). They do come in bigger sizes. There are also items to help with the clean up and the fake grass is treated with a anit-bacterial spray. I do understand your concern and also by providing an indoor method you wouldn't have to worry about your dog's discomfort. Even with a dog walker, youwould have a backup in case the person couldn't come that day.


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## Eva von Selah (May 7, 2010)

Man, really?? Training to go in your tub, let alone in your house? Is this your only alternative?


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

I can't imagine getting a GSD or any dog for that matter with your schedule. Dogs are social animals and need companionship. Teaching a dog to go in the house has always been ludicrous to me, but if you have no other option give it a try. I'm curious to see if these "accidents" are caused in part by your long absence and not the inability to hold it.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

People have to work. The schedule is what it is, saying she shouldn't own a dog is not helpful. 

I like the wading pool, but I would add something, I would put cedar chips in it. Teach the dog to go in the cedar chips in the pool outside. Then bring the pool in and leave the cedar chips in it with a little urine. Remove poop daily, switch chips weekly.

Put it a room with no carpeting if possible. 

Cedar chips deter bugs, and have a pleasent odor about them. Taking poop out immediatly would probably make the house not smell too bad. Also, for the most part, dogs can be trained to poop prior to you going to work. This will limit the amount of poop in the dog, and thus the amount of poop pooped during the day. 

Just thinking about smell.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

get a sitter or enroll in a day care.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I wonder how many people can afford a sitter or live in an area where there is a day care. 

I cannot and do not.


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## new_wind (Oct 24, 2008)

You know, is kind of uncomfortable when people looking for options to make our dogs life’s more comfortable receive expressions about how they deserve better and even some more.
Fact is my Girl walks two hours a day, sometimes even under light rain, 
99% of people I met everywhere walk their dogs *twice a week * if dog is lucky.
My Girl Gets socialized every weekend with people and Dogs, 
Most people I know don’t even consider socialization as something necessary for dogs.
My Girl eats the best i can Afford, Blue Buffalo, 
99% of people I know feed with *anything on sale at Wall-mart.*
My Girl goes to the vet every 6 months for checking and sooner if i notice something wrong,
99% of the people I know wait until any problem turns in something "of consideration"

And no, I don’t live in middle of the swamp, I live in the city and this is reality.

I used to Feel Guilty thinking my girl deserve better than all I can offer, until somebody show me how dogs around live, I wouldn’t say she lives better than dogs represented here at the forums, but certainly from many places I have been and for what I have seen, she is a Royal princess.

Yes I Do Work hard and as much as i can, so i can give my dog good things in life and yes, if she had end up with some of the amazing people like the super trainers with lots of time in their hands to care for the dog, I bet she would be the luckiest, but… 
She doesn’t have any pedigree, she is not German lines or came from a very well known established blood line, her parents were not OFA and everything el se certified, or agility or anything…
What were her chances?

Is it really better for her end up forgotten in a backyard or chained to a tree or euthanized than the life I offer?

I don’t think so, so in a good manner I would recommend to people thinking they are examples of dog owners, and with the right of point fingers to others, to consider beyond the magic bubble where you live, that even with our limitations, there is a lot of people like us, working hard and still willing to take care of those wonderful creatures the best as we can even when sometimes we have to work red numbers at the end of the month but the dog never get less, I know is not the ideal that everybody want to see for dogs but think before you talk there are actually worst scenarios where dogs actually suffer pain and many are just around the corner where you live.

To all of you that nicely point the good and bad things in the Idea, thank you very much.
I highly appreciate your comments.

Thanks a lot


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Do you live in a house or apartment?


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## Stogey (Jun 29, 2010)

Potty in the bath tub ??? I'm sorry that's just wrong !!!


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## crisp (Jun 23, 2010)

You make a great point. Let me apologize for the group. I doubt that anyone meant anything malitious. Sometimes our fingers just move faster than our brains. 

And to be honest I'm a little surprised she can't hold it. I work like a horse all week also. Granted, I work from home 3 days a week, but when in office on tuesdays and dropping off babies and all, I'm gone for 10 to 11 hours. My dog never has an accident. Even when I'm home and booked with meetings for 9 hours, my dog doesn't even ask to go out. I'll take her out for play breaks here and there but not everyday. 

We're very active after work so maybe thats why she is in a coma during it. Shy lays in different areas of the house and comes by once in a while to give me a nudge while she goes to get a drink or switch locations in the room. Or, maybe I'm just lucky.

It definitely helps that my dog is super regular. She always goes in the morning, but we run together, so I think that gets the bowels moving. Thats why I recommended giving her a run in the morning. If you're not a runner, get a flirt pole and make her chase for a few minutes. Should help her 'go' and be empty for the day ahead.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

selzer said:


> I like the wading pool, but I would add something, I would put cedar chips in it. Just thinking about smell.


Another thought! The cedar chips will smell good but I don't think they're absorbant like a scoopable cat litter? 

You could build something like this:

Plastic wading pool.

Cut a circle of hardware cloth (the one with the small holes, about 1/4") to fit the pool. Make two handles for it. If possible make side walls too. 

Put scoopable litter in the bottom of the pool and then put the hardware cloth on top of it.

Then add the cedar chips on top of the hardware cloth.

This way the urine will go to the bottom of the pool and be absorbed by the litter. 

The handles will make it easier to lift the section with the cedar to clean out the litter.

Again, I've never seen a large dog litter box trained but that doesn't mean it can't be done!...Any port in storm.


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

There was a member that had a nice setup with her puppy, it included a wading pool, a crate and an x-pen. But I agree with who ever was wondering about why she can't hold it while you are gone... I also have a job, and while most of the time Koda is only left to himself for 4-5 hours max, if it is just me and the BF is out of town, I will be out of the house for 8-9 hours and he is fine. he even has access to water while I am gone. 

She may just need a refresher on potty training, or she may be experiencing a very mild bladder infection. I would also make sure that where ever she is going while you are gone is very well cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner to remove all traces of urine odor.


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## new_wind (Oct 24, 2008)

Stogey:
I live in house, is a big hose divided in two and I have one side with half back yard.

crisp
No worries, life goes on.
Every Morning we walk to the park 4 blocks away, we go inside the park and we jog 2 rounds on the track, then I play fetch throwing the ball with a long launcher basically from side to side on the park, she is super agile and fast because of this continuous training, before we leave, practice some commands, recall y and walk home for breakfast.
So she have good time to potty, the 2 times she failed I am sure she didn’t potty in the morning, don’t know why.
I forget to mention, I fed her 2 times a day so her feces are small in size.

WhiteShepherds, 
Sounds like a good idea, but people mentioning that it could be a problem with the smell and bacteria just make sense to me and is scary, We live in hot Florida so all the time the AC is On, if the bacteria is inside I don’t think is healthy for my girl, no to say humans.

GSD Sunshine.
I started my message mentioning Couple of accidents, is not like is failing every day, what affect me the most is considering that she just can’t go when she need to, I know I humanize my dog, but I can’t avoid it.

Thank you all again.


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## crisp (Jun 23, 2010)

It doesn't sound like you humanize your dog. It sounds like a normal pet/human relationship. You don't make her wear sweaters and shoes and all, do you? lol

Have you tried feeding her before you take her out? If I can't take her for a walk or anything, I feed my dog first, then take her out. I don't know if that would help, just thinking out loud. If you try it, very easy on the running with a full stomach. 

Also, is it possible she is distracted when outside? It always takes my dog longer when we walk and she's sniffing around. Again, on the days when its just a potty break, I just stand in one spot and she runs around me for a while. If she gets too into a single spot, I say 'go potty' to make her move and in a few moments we're done.


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## lovemybuddy (Oct 26, 2009)

After reading all your posts, I think she's just fine. You exercise her in the morning, she rests all day, then you exercise her at night. People do have to live, earn money, and just because they are gone from the house earning that living, that doesn't mean they shouldn't own a dog. 

If anything, I would get a puppy pad, put a few together and put it by the back door. (They sell them at pet stores, supposed to have a scent on them that tells the dog they can urinate there.)

Also, does she have a command to "go"? Buddy's command is "hurry up." He'll be outside, playing and running, and as soon as I say, "hurry up", it's like a lightbulb goes off in his head, he stops what he's doing, runs to his potty area, and goes. lol! So maybe if you don't have a command, think about starting one. (Just every time she goes, say the same thing. She'll eventually connect the two.)

And I just want to reiterate what the last poster said. Don't run or exercise her on a full stomach, her stomach could twist. Walking is fine after eating. 

Good luck!! And don't feel guilty. That dog is pampered and just fine.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Although I personally don't care for the idea of teaching a dog to potty in the house, as you said, reality is reality. Of all the ideas, I think the kiddie pool is the best. Ceder chips won't be bad if used once a day or so, but if she's urinating in them regularly they are giong to smell in a matter of days. It won't last a week before it stinks.

My only concern with this idea is that she isn't going to know to use it only when you are running late, or for one midday potty break. She will likely begin using it (if you can teach her to use it at all) regularly, and you will have a real mess on your hands.

Best of luck to you.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

I might've missed it, but do you have a fenced backyard? Garage? Is a doggy door (much as I don't care for them) an option? Either into the yard, perhaps an enclosed pen off the back door so full access to teh yard isn't possible (if you are worried about that kind of thing)? Or perhaps into the garage where the mulch area or pool is contained vs in your house?


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