Indoor Dog Potties:Oliver Checks Out the Potty Park

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
A Little Privacy Please

Indoor dog potties are not generally a fun topic of conversation. However, with the rainy season coming, I am reminded of last Summer's whines when poor Oliver had to wait out a longer-than-usual storm. It's time to consider our options:

• Go in the rain. Oliver does not vote for this one unless he's about to bust. As an aside to this, I must tag along, as Oliver never goes outside unless on a leash. We live in an area where birds of prey are numerous, and small dogs are often a tasty payoff for a day's work. This means I must don rain gear and brave the rain with him. :(
• Giant umbrellas make Oliver feel uncomfortable, as if he's saying "Why did the sky suddenly change colors up there?" It rather defeats the purpose when he can't concentrate on the job at hand, and we end up going inside, only to turn around and do it all over again in 5 minutes when his eyeballs are floating. 
• Plans to take additional camping trips may require a backup also. The Potty Park is small and compact, making it a perfect nighttime place to go, when dark campgrounds become difficult, if not unsafe to navigate.
• Considering the possibility of a move to a condo down the road--either on a temporary or permanent basis--means coming up with new options for taking care of business. What do folks in high rises do?

Enter the Potty Park. My first impression of the whole idea was a little awkward feeling. You put this thing in your house? Really? Then I saw a picture of one and realized it simply looks like a patch of grass. Okay; now I'm willing to think about it. Let's look a little closer.

My first question was "Where does the liquid go? And what about the solids?" There has got to be a better word for this secondary bathroom purpose that isn't potty humor. Move on Carrie.

Now I'm wondering about usage and disposal. So many questions, and the answers are incredibly obvious. Solids are retrieved and disposed of as if you were at the dog park or on a walk. I recommend Flushpuppies doodie bags, so these can be flushed and handled by our sewer systems, where solids were intended to be processed. Landfills are not our best choice, even when using biodegradable bags, which vary widely in their biodegradability. But I digress. Back to the topic at hand.

I rather like the terminology that Flushpuppies has adopted--'doodie' works better for me than many of the alternatives that you hear from the average 10 year old boy. How about we demonstrate some of the Potty Park's functions and qualities with an animated video. Pictures tell the tale best sometimes, and this video is probably more palatable than if I were to videotape Oliver in action:

Oliver now has a Potty Park to check out, and we're going to see if it makes him nervous or if the grass appeals to him. I had this idea in my head that he might decide it was an imposter and snub it. 

© Carrie Boyko
First Impressions

Surprise! He climbed aboard and was more than willing to discover the embedded pheromone scent. The Potty Park also came with a pheromone booster treatment--a small amount of spray to perk up the scent and get the pup started. I could tell immediately that Oliver had no problems with the idea. And he loved the treat and the praise he got for appropriate action.


Clean up? As you saw in the video, the drawer pulls out easily to empty into a toilet. It's small and sturdy, yet large enough to hold your pup's daily liquid without overflowing. I quickly figured out that spilling was not going to be a problem. 


Another concern was placement. Obviously we didn't want this "park" in our living room or dining room. Turns out it was compact enough to fit in several out of the way locations: under an open sink/counter area (this is perfect in or near a bathroom for disposal), a bathroom or laundry room, or a porch overhang. I even located a hidden spot by a back door that was perfect for privacy. Although it can be used outdoors, this rather defeats the purpose of taking care of business without enduring the elements. In addition, a hard rain could fill up the holding drawer rather quickly, so I would recommend placing it under a covered area--carport, overhang, garage, covered patio.

© Carrie Boyko
Yup. Another Good Spot

I was impressed by the sturdy base unit and it's drainage design, and Oliver clearly saw the grass as the appropriate place for you-know-what. I didn't have to sit him down and have a potty talk with him, thank goodness. A little praise and a treat offered immediately upon action was all it required. 


You may be wondering about size. Oliver's Potty Park is a small size, but Potty Park also offers a large, which is suitable for dogs up to 200 lbs. If your bigger dog also needs a potty location that can be placed out of the elements, they've got your solution as well. This may be just the thing your senior Lab needs when the job of walking outside becomes too taxing. And I shouldn't forget to mention that their product comes with a 30 day Money Back Guarantee. If your dog is not successfully acclimated within 30 days, I would be surprised; but it's still nice to know you have that going for you.

© Carrie Boyko
It Smells Right. It Looks Right.
This Must be the Place.

Customer service is not mere lip service with Potty Park. I was incredibly impressed when I contacted the company with a couple of questions, and quickly found myself talking with a professional dog trainer who helps new Potty Park owners with training. She offered her contact information and was quick to respond to all of my queries. That was impressive. 


I'm not generally one to ask voluminous questions about training issues; we're generally well-versed on that sort of thing. But this was definitely a new concept that I did not want to botch with little Oliver. I figured out that if he had a less than ideal first experience, it might be downhill from there. Thanks to Cathy, the helpful and perky trainer at Potty Park, I was able to get going without a single hiccup. Oliver and I are now happily looking forward to Summer without the usual rainy day worries. Bring on the rain; my grass needs a drink!

© Carrie Boyko
No Problem Mom

You may be wondering where you can buy a Potty Park. This product is not offered in stores. There are impostors, or perhaps we'll call them alternate brands. Just be careful to compare quality. I checked out one at a local pet supply store and soon found that the quality of construction in one brand was not up to par with the Potty Park, which carries a 5 year warranty. The price may be enticing, but the quality--not so much. Clearly this is not an item you want to crack while housed inside your home, so quality most certainly counts.


Experience will also show you how green and Eco the Potty Park can be, when used exclusively. No more worries about  where you can allow the kids to play in your grass. With Potty Park, all potty matters can be taken care of without messing up your yard, except while away from home or out on a walk. Don't forget those poop bags!


Just to jump start this new sponsor, we're going to go the extra mile. I've got one Potty Park in the small size, just itching to find it's way into a small dog's home. Would you like to win this dandy prize? Check out giveaway post for more information on how you can enter and what's required. If you simply want to go for the sure thing, then read on. 


Ordering your Potty Park is as easy as clicking this link, or the ad below. A few quick steps and your Potty Park will be on its way. There is no assembly required. It arrives ready to go, and comes complete with an information booklet and contact information for help. You can also check out our Ask the Dog Trainer column, where one of our trainers, Terry Lynn Cuyler, has assisted a reader with her indoor potty training question. Soon you'll be pleased to enjoy indoor potty experiences when outdoor weather is inclement or you are away for the day. Happy tails!


Want more information? These training videos are very helpful:
Check out Potty Park's Training Video for new puppies
Training your adult dog to use the Potty Park
Crate training with the Potty Park


In addition to the Wednesday Pet Blogger Hop, we're linking up to the Wednesday Social Bzzz, in an effort to get a little more exposure to new readers. Feel free to pop over and see what's new there.

Full disclosure: All Things Dog Blog has not been compensated to provide this review of the Potty Park.  The Potty Park was donated for our review, but the opinions provided were our own.