A lot of dog owners deal with potty training issues. Sometimes you get a dog that is already trained, sometimes you get a puppy that you have to train yourself and sometimes you have a dog that is unable to get outside in time. There are several variations and different situations for every dog owner and their pet but most would agree that there are just times in which indoor accidents seem to become a problem; not only for the dog but the families living environment as well.

The first solution in training and accidents was to pick a spot, lay down some newspaper and make sure that your dog got there in time to use it. Newspaper scraps have been used for trying to teach your dog how to recognize their own scent and to ensure that they would keep going in the same spot should they be indoors for quite some time.

The puppy pad was the next generation of potty training. You basically used the pad just like the newspaper. The pad went into a certain spot and "ta-da" your dog would eventually begin to use just the puppy pad and not the corner of the couch. The pad was versatile and a bit more convenient than newspaper because you could use it in crate training and for traveling and the added bonus was that the pad was mainly just a big square diaper that soaked up all the wetness and still left the surface that it was sitting on nice and dry. All in all, the pad was a step up from using newspaper but its major flaw was being too much like the original.

The next step was to go beyond the pad and add the crate. The thought process behind crate training is that a dog won't go potty where it sleeps. Many dog owners have been successful at crate training. In order for crate training to really work, you need to make sure that the crate size you are using is big enough for your dog to be comfortable but not big enough for them go potty and not lay in it.

All of the above methods for potty training have been used for a number of years and many people have had a good success rate with them. Again, the outcome depends on the owner, the dog and their environment. There are a few questions that come to mind that the prior methods listed don't really cover.

1.What do you do if your dog is unable due to health reasons to get outside to go potty?

2.What do you do if your dog just refuses to go potty outside?

3.What do you do, if as the owner there are times when you are unable to get your dog outside to go potty?

There's only one answer to those questions that represents an actual solution to the problem and that is by using an indoor dog potty.

These are an indoor combination of a litter box and a puppy pad; without the litter. It is a plastic container with a grate that covers the inside of the box. You place a pad in the bottom of the box, attach the grate and your dog can go potty and still be sanitary because their paws and legs won't be getting wet. Think more along the lines of the bottom of a birdcage and you'll have an idea of how it works.

Although teaching your puppy to go outside is still preferable, this could represent one solution to your dogs needs, and yours.