Paper or Litter Box Training
Small dogs have small bladders so they need to go more often than their larger cousins. If you find it impossible to run in and out every couple of hours with your puppy, training it to use litter or newspaper instead of the great outdoors may be your best solution. Litter or paper training does not have to be a permanent solution, however. Some puppies can be trained later to go outside, and some can get used to both methods.
First, decide on a designated area, one with a tile or linoleum floor that can be washed frequently. Place the puppy's crate in that room with the litter box or papered area nearby. You may also use an exercise pen with the dog crate and potty area both inside it to limit the dog's access to the entire room. These foldable wire pens, called x-pens for short, come in a wide variety of sizes and are reasonably priced.
Dog litter comes in a variety of sizes and is dust-free and nontracking. Some litter-training enthusiasts prefer compressed wood pellets like those used in wood-burning stoves. At less than $3 for a forty-pound bag, they're a lot less expensive than packaged litter. Dog litter pans are also available that are lower and easier for little canines to get in and out of than large cat litter boxes.
When you are feeling frustrated by your pup's accidents during housetraining, remember that your little friend needs your help in mastering the potty process. Be realistic. The muscles that help your puppy control elimination do not begin to develop until it is at least four months old.
Litter-training proponents are quick to point out that this is the perfect solution for small-breed owners who live in a high-rise buildings or don't have a yard or for frequent travelers who stay in hotels with small dogs. Since many small dogs hate going outside in bad weather, they would probably like this solution as well.
Those who opt to paper-train often use disposable housebreaking pads along with the newspaper layers or by themselves, some made to fit inside their own plastic trays. These are highly absorbent and treated with pheromones or artificial scents that attract puppies to do their business. As the dogs get used to going on paper, some owners make the potty area smaller and smaller. Some devise their own litterbox solutions, such as placing layers of newspapers inside the removable tray from a large dog crate.
