Best indoor dog potty choices

An indoor dog potty is a great choice for puppies or dogs who don`t have access to a safe outdoor potty spot.

They`re also excellent for balcony or patio homes, in extreme weather conditions, for very tiny breeds or for older dogs with bladder control issues.

Up until fairly recently, puppy training pads or newspaper were the only choices for dog owners in these situations, but portable dog potties have many advantages over pee pads.

Video: best indoor pet potty housebreaking made simple

The majority of these dog potties use either real or artificial grass and this is a big bonus for owners who want Fido to transition to a grassy area outdoors eventually, or who are using the indoor potty during bad weather or illness and such.

On this page I`m going to take a look at the pros and cons of some of the most popular indoor dog potties on the market and also feature the ones that I personally think are the best options.

But first I`m going to take a quick look at how potties and pads stack up against each other.

Dog Potty v Pee Pads

When it comes to training a puppy to pee or poop inside there are only two options for pet parents.

Training pads, portable potties (grass or litter-based).

Pee Pee Pads

Training pads are very popular and the most widely used indoor potty training product.

Pee pads are relatively low cost, easy to use and easy to dispose of.

Their main drawback is that puppies often see them as toys and are prone to playing with them, dragging them around or chewing them up.

Using a training pad tray can help with this to some extent.

These pages are packed full of information and tips on using pee pads properly and picking the right pad for your puppy or dog...

Indoor Dog Potties

An indoor dog potty is an altogether more durable piece of housebreaking equipment.

The benefits of using an indoor dog potty include:

  • Durability - less likely to be used as a toy or destroyed
  • Looks - more attractive than a soggy, stained pee pad
  • Absorbency - can hold more urine than a pad
  • Grass - this adds continuity between the indoor and outdoor potty spots
  • Weather resistant - can be used on balconies or patios where pads can`t

Choosing An Indoor Dog Potty

Dog potties come in a variety of different sizes, designs and materials.

Some use artificial turf, others use real grass (hydroponically grown, not just regular sod from the yard). 

There are also doggie litter boxes which use litter rather than grass, and potties which come in a variety of combinations of plastic trays, pans and absorbent materials.

Which indoor potty you choose depends on how (and for how long) you plan to use it, your puppy or dogs` size, cleaning preferences and environment.

Here are some of the best options, from each category, for you to check out....

Dog Potties With Grass

An indoor dog potty with grass, either real or artificial, is my preferred choice. 

When my son was in an apartment with his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, after a lot of research and testing, he chose the disposable Fresh Patch potties.

They were a great success and Fresh Patch Dog Potties are my #1 recommendation if you`re looking for an indoor dog potty (and these can be used outdoors too on a balcony or patio!).

Video: Best indoor puppy potty dog toilet


Fresh Patch is the original `real grass` indoor dog potty.

It uses real, hydroponically-grown grass which is clean, light and free of the dirt, bugs and other stuff which comes with `regular` turf.

Absorbent, natural, eco-friendly and comfortable for your pup/dog to stand on.

The carefully cultivated and complex root system of this natural sod makes this potty super absorbent and helps to eliminate the odors that artificial turf is prone to carry.

Most puppies and dogs are familiar with the feel and smell of real grass and have no trouble understanding that this is their potty spot!

Each disposable Fresh Patch potty measures 16" x 24" and works well for dogs up to approx. 25lbs in weight.

The potty is fully disposable, and with the reliable Fresh Patch replacement/delivery service you will always have a clean, fresh replacement potty on hand. 

At the time of writing this article the delivery service plans are priced starting at $29 per month for the small Fresh Patch and $40 per month for the grass which fits the XL tray (which needs to be purchased separately).

If you need the full 4` x 2` area grassed, it`s cheaper to buy Fresh Patch Training Sod which comes in 4` x 2` sections and fits the stainless steel tray perfectly.

So - no nasty, messy cleaning.

Just throw away the eco-friendly potty and replace it with a fresh one.

If you want a more rigid frame around the disposable container you can buy a protective Pine `sleeve` to slip the potty into.

For larger dogs, simply join two or more potties together or use the Fresh Patch Stainless Steel Tray (4` x 2`) which holds up to 4 potties securely.

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Doggie Lawn is similar to Fresh Patch.

It uses real grass, hydroponically grown, which arrives in a cardboard box, just take the lid off and you`re good to go.

Available in two sizes...

24" x 20" for dogs up to approx. 12 lbs and 24" x 48" for bigger dogs.

The larger size potty is best used with the plastic Doggie Lawn tray and you can buy the tray and grass set here.

Doggie Lawn also offer a regular replacement/delivery service and the potty is fully disposable.

At the time of writing the delivery service plans are priced at $39 per month for the small Doggie Lawn potty, and $60 per month for the larger size.

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Both Fresh Patch and Doggie Lawn indoor dog potties can also be used outdoors because they`re made from natural grass, and are perfect for patios, balconies etc.

Designed to stay fresh for a week or two, if you water them and keep them out of strong sunlight they can last longer.









Piddle Place is my #1 choice of indoor dog potties which use artificial `grass`.

It`s innovative design helps to keep the grass (and your dogs` feet) dry, reduces odors, and makes cleaning a breeze.

The molded plastic base is a fully-enclosed reservoir which catches urine and keeps it contained. Set up includes adding an odor-destroying bio-enzyme concentrate solution to this reservoir to keep any smells at bay.

The cover of this containing reservoir is grooved and has a good-sized drain to funnel urine away quickly.

On top is the layer of artificial `grass` which is short and `springy` to make scooping poop easier. 

Its` surface is also porous to allow urine to pass through it quickly while staying dry and comfortable on Fido`s feet.

The Deluxe unit comes with a cover for travel.

Cleaning is much less messy than with many other systems because the sealed reservoir is easily emptied through the built-in spout, so no chance of sloshing dog pee all over yourself.

The grass can be hosed down or washed easily too, as can whole unit.

Video: Baño Perros

Spritzing the grass regularly with Piddle Place enzyme spray, and keeping the bio-enzyme concentrate solution in the base fresh, means that odors are almost non-existent.

The Piddle Place is compact and lightweight, measuring 19" x 30", and suitable for dogs up to 28" long (and 100lbs according to the manufacturer, but I doubt any 100lb dog is shorter than 28"!!).

If the grass does get smelly, or damaged, or you simply want a new one, simply buy a replacement turf and throw out the old one :)

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The Mini Pee Wee Dog Potty was designed for tiny, toy and small breed dogs and puppies.

It`s especially good for small male dogs who life their leg or are inclined to `splash`.

Available in two sizes: Mini for toy dogs and Medium for other small breeds.

The `Mini` measures 17" x 17" (sides are 6" tall) and the `Medium` measures 22" x 17" (sides arealso 6" tall).

The solid molded plastic base unit is sturdy but lightweight, and the high sides help little dogs feel safe and secure and prevent splashing.

The front has a low opening so even tiny puppies or dogs can step right in.

A porous plastic grate fits neatly inside the base unit, and allows urine to flow through it into the collecting tray.

On top of the grating you fit the artificial grass mat. 

The grass in this unit is longer than in the Piddle Place, so it can be a little trickier to clean poop off it completely, but it is soft and comfortable.

The three piece design helps to keep the grass dry so that Fidos` paws stay dry too.

Easy to take apart for a thorough cleaning, which is a very useful.

You can buy replacement grass pads for each size: Mini and Medium

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Dog Litter Boxes

Many puppies and dogs can be trained to use litter-boxes as indoor dog potties rather than pee pads or grass potties.

Some will resist, or don`t like the feel of the litter, and a litter tray is best suited to small dogs, so this isn`t an option that works for everyone.

Litter trays don`t have the drawbacks of training pads (ie they`re not generally used as toys, but some pups will want to dig in them!) and they`re easier to keep clean and less smelly than some artificial grass potties.

They`re also a very cost-effective option :)

If this is something you want to try, here are two of the best dog litter boxes available - as well as two excellent types of litter...


The PuppyGoHere indoor litter pan has been specifically designed for dogs.

Available in two sizes: 20" x 15" x 5" & 24" x 20" x 5". The larger size will fit a puppy or dog up to 25lbs.

A sturdy, stable design which is available several different colors options.

PuppyGoHere litter pans come with a step-by-step training guide to help you get Fido using it properly right away.

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The Puppy Go Potty litter tray is designed to be big enough for dogs and puppies up to 35lbs...

... but due to the shape of it, I personally think it would be a tight fit for a dog over 25 or 30lbs.

It measures 31.75" x 22.75" and is 6.5" tall and is lightweight and easy to clean.

Designed to be used with Puppy Go Potty dog litter which treated with a natural pheromone scent-attractant.

Made from a cellulose fiber which can absorb up to 4x it`s own weight in liquid. Compostable and biodegradeable.

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Best Dog Litter Choices...

There are several different types of litter that you can use in any doggie litter box...
 

Video: Puppy Training - Best Choice Product Puppy Playpen for Housetraining Review


Second Nature dog litter is made with paper pellets, using recycled materials.

Added odor control gives it a clean, fresh scent.

Good absorbency and easy to scoop/clean.

The pellets are not tiny, so small dogs may find them a little uncomfortable to step on.

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Aspen Dog Litter is made from 100% natural, Aspen wood pellets.

Super-absorbent and will not fall apart when wet.

No chemicals or fragrance. Natural odor control. Biodegradable.

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Useful Tips For Using Indoor Dog Potties......

  • If your puppy or dog doesn`t like using the litter pellets (this doesn`t happen often, but it can) then you can always use a puppy pee pad instead.
  • You can buy dog scent-attractant to spray on litter, pads or grass mats which are not impregnated with it already. Or to `top-up` an existing pad.
  • For scooping poop a cat-litter scoop works great for litter boxes, a small pooper-scooper with `teeth` is best for the grass potties.
  • Patience is needed to help your pup/dog understand where you want him to eliminate. It might be obvious to you, but probably not to Fido!

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