How To Choose The Right Dog Litter Box

With all the dog litter box options out there today, chances are you are going to be able to find just the right one that fits your pet and situation. And that will make training your dog to use a litter box all that much easier. Here are a few things to consider when deciding on the right system and in doing so will set you up for success in your quest to litter box train your dog.

1) The size of your dog. Some products only come in one size - like the Wizdog so you might need to buy two of those if you have a larger dog. If you have a great dane, then there are other options. Are there multiple dogs? Well a single dog litter box is not the best option.

2) What you prefer in terms of litter, pee pads or a grate/drainage system. Each has pros and cons, but the most obvious difference in the long term cost for buying litter refills or pads. There is also the issue of cleanliness, does your dog leave wet paw prints throughout the house?

3) Usage - how often do you plan on using the litter box? Is it going to be something you need while traveling or taking your dog on a boat? Is it only going to be used at night, during bad weather or is your dog have special needs and will require regular usage. Will it just be back up for when you get stuck at the office or just helping you house train your new puppy? Or do you have a dog that is already trained to go outside and therefore using something with a fake grass pad make sense?

4) Location - where will this litter box be placed - outside on a balcony, porch, in the kitchen? Again size of the litter box system is something to consider.

5) Customer Service - some of the smaller companies have superior customer service. For example, my dog chewed on her Wizdog grate, I called and they replaced it for me with no questions asked.

6) Visually appealing - now not the most important thing but let's face it, chances are you do have to spend some time looking at the thing and what do you want to use for your dog? Something plastic, something that looks like a patch of grass?

Giving your dog litter box decision a bit of thought prior to buying it will make it easier to successfully litter box train your dog - no matter what your dog situation.

Types of Dog Litter Boxes

There are a number of companies that are marketing a dog litter box. Several of the litter boxes are larger versions of a cat litter box and they works the same way. It is a container that is filled with litter. You scoop out the litter regularly and replenish it. Purina just introduced its own dog litter box product, until now most commercial dog litter box products were being produced by small companies. So it is a strong statement that Purina has now jumped into the market with this product. Surely a testament to the growing need for products that support dogs and their owners lifestyles more comfortably.

Purina SecondNature Dog Litter Pan - you can by the system which includes the pan and secondnature dog litter. This is the newest product on the market today.





However there are also a few other litter box options that don't use litter. They use absorbing pads/paper or a grate. The grate method is the only one that does not require refills, it just gets rinsed off.

The most popular gate dog litter box is the Wizdog Indoor Dog Potty System. The nice thing about this product (aside from having excellent customer service) is that you don't have to buy a litter filler. And because it uses a grate method, dogs are able to keep their paws dry - which means no wet paws through the house.

And of course there are indoor litter boxes and outdoor litter boxes, and there are even portable ones. There is even a litter box with a fake grass cover that is great for a balcony and traveling. PupGear makes one called the Pup Head Portable - Travel Pet / Dog Potty. This litter box system uses a fake grass pad on top. It looks like a little section bit of the backyard was section off just for the dog to use. Like the Wizdog, it offers immediate drainage away from the dog.

I highly recommending visiting these sites directly and reading about the benefits of each one.

And of course there are litter box systems that you can make yourself. Next post I will explore some things to consider when selecting the right dog litter box for you and your pet.

Great Book for Litter Box Training Small Dog Breeds

This is a good basic book for anyone looking for a complete method for litter box training small dog breeds. It does not cover training an older dog, larger dogs, or a dog with special needs. But with that said, if you have a small dog breed, then this book will do the trick and get you started with using a dog litter box. If you fall into one of the other categories, don't worry there are other resources out there just for you.





Here is a brief description of the book provided by the author:

"How many times have you and your three pound Chihuahua wished you could stay inside on those cold, rainy days instead of venturing outside for a potty walk? Did you know that, with the same effort it would take you to housebreak a puppy, you can effectively teach your dog to use the litter box? For the first time, a book has finally been written on the method of successfully litter box training a puppy or small breed dog. You will learn the four steps of litter box training, problem solving, and how to retrain a dog from going potty outside, on papers, or on pads. Not only will your small dog be able to use the litter box in your home, but you can also bring it on vacation, to friend’s houses, or to work, and your puppy will still use its litter box. Not only is it convenient for you, but now your dog has the freedom to go whenever it needs to instead of needing to wait for hours."

A Dog Litter Box

Well it is official, dog litter box training is a growing trend among dog owners. And fortunately there are many new products and resources available to dog owners to make litter box training easier.

It used to be that dog litter box training was done mostly with small dogs. But Yorkies and Chihuahuas are not the only ones using litter boxes these days. It has become a popular solution for owners who have long work hours and their dog is left having to hold it longer which usually results in accidents (and not much fun for the dog either). It is also a great option for older dogs that develop problems, for apartment dwelling dogs and of course it can be used to potty train puppies.

It used to be that you had to make your own dog litter box. Today there are many companies meeting this growing demand, creating products that support various dog lifestyles. You can now buy commercial quality dog litter boxes and that is good news for anyone dealing with dog potty training issues.