November 6, 2009

Can you "hold it" all day long? This is what you ask your dog to do when you cannot be there to let her out to relieve herself. Teaching your dog to use a litter box not only benefits your dog, but also helps you, too. Here's how...

Long days at the office, delays in traffic, or unexpected schedule changes can turn a routine day into stress overload for you. Your little dog becomes stressed, too, if you cannot be there to take her outside. She is at the mercy of your schedule in her need to relieve herself. Fortunately, there is a solution that will benefit both of you.

With simple litterbox-training, your dog can relieve herself when nature calls and you won’t come home to a soiled carpet or wet floors. Using praise, patience, and persistence you can successfully train your dog to use a litter box. This training will not only help your dog but it will also reward you with greater freedom in your daily schedule.

Consider these three questions: 1) Are you willing to make a reasonable time commitment to your dog's training? 2) Can you confine your dog to an uncarpeted room in the house while you are away during the training period? and 3) Will you diligently practice the "three Ps" - praise, patience, and persistence - as you train your dog? If you can answer "yes" to these questions, your dog will have a great trainer!

Even before you train your dog successfully, another important component of liberating your schedule is the kind of litter box you choose for your dog. Some dog potty systems require the owner to empty trays of standing urine, rinse grids, and clean dog waste from an artificial grass platform. These extra tasks of maintaining an indoor dog potty require more cleanup time from you, compared to a dog litter box that can be quickly and easily scooped of waste. Additionally, if you have an unneutered male dog who "lifts" instead of "squats", you will want to consider an indoor dog bathroom station with taller sides that can be used as a backsplash.

The GracieLoo addresses each of these issues.  It is not a grid-and-tray potty that must be emptied and rinsed, nor is it a modified cat litter box.  It is a superior indoor bathroom station designed exclusively for toy breeds and other small dogs that can be filled with cat litter, recycled pine pellets, compressed newspaper, or other litter of your choice.  Waste is simply scooped and discarded.  A taller back and sides provides a backsplash for males who lift instead of squat, and it also offers a privacy screen to shield the bathroom area from view.

Training your dog to use an indoor litter box is liberating, for you and also for your dog. If you cannot be there to let him out, he can relieve himself when necessary and you do not have to worry about rushing home. Your dog will become a responsible member of your household, your floors and carpets will remain unsoiled, and you will enjoy the results.



Click here to learn more about the GracieLoo Dog Litter Box.