Litter training a dog: New litter, new problems

Another day, another litter. As you'll recall, I'm trying to litter train Sasha, and I've yet to find a litter that works. We've tried recycled newspaper pellets (she ate and played with them, non-stop), I'm told pine disintegrates into a yucky mess, I don't want to try clumping litter because she eats everything and it could swell inside her stomach or worse, so yesterday I went for regular clay cat litter, non-clumping.

Results: Sasha did try to eat it, but since it's clay, she didn't like it. Next, the terrier in her came out and she stated digging, and digging, and digging through the litter. Litter everywhere. So I moved the tray outside, to her outdoor pee/poo area, and am continuing with the puppy pad inside. I'm going to continue with this litter outside, for a bit, and may change to clumping litter if and when it becomes clear that she doesn't risk eating it. Read More......

Litter training a dog

My sister has been quite the advocate for litter training Sasha. Sounds crazy, but from various reports, it actually works. (Sis has a friend who trained her dog to use litter.) I was somewhat skeptical as to whether it was useful to even do, but having seen Sasha in action when the temperature gets below 60F and/or it rains, she's going to need an alternative when winter comes. I can only imagine the histrionics when I try to take her out in 30 degree weather AND there's snow on the ground (or drizzle and 40F).

So, I got a good sized doggie litter box from sis's friend, and have started with puppy pads, which Sasha already knows to go on. (She's remarkably good about the puppy pads, and about going outside in general. She knows she's supposed to go outside, and tries to signal when she has to go. Only problem, she's also learned that when she signals, I take her out, so now the dog who cried wolf pretends she has to go so that I'll take her out. It's quite annoying.)

Anyway, Sasha has no problem using the puppy bad litter box outside, and inside when she simply must, she uses the puppy pad (or the puppy pad litter box combo), but she doesn't enjoy it. I think she knows she's not supposed to go inside, so she avoids it - but at least when she has to, she uses the puppy pad.

The trick now is finding the right litter. I avoided clumping litter since Sasha eats everything, including her poo. Really don't need clumping litter expanding inside her gut. I tried, instead, litter pellets made from recycled newspaper. Supposedly they're not bad for the dog if she eats them. Well, she thinks they're the best game ever - jumping in the box and throwing the pellets everywhere, then grabbing a few, walking away to a safe spot, and chewing the hell out of them. At least she doesn't seem to swallow them, but still...

So, now I'm going to try regular cat litter, unscented. My hope is that once she puts it in her mouth and see that it's not terribly tasty. My concern of course is that she jumps in the litter box and discovers that throwing cat litter everywhere is the new "best thing ever." There's also the issue of cat litter sticking to them little paws, and then traipsing it everywhere.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Bought some wheat based litter, so that it would be safe if she ate it. And boy did she eat it! I think she thought I put a huge bowl of wheat down in front of her. I had to pull her away. Trying regular, non-clumping, clay litter next. I hear the clay can be messy, but I'm concerned about her eating the litter that's made from god-knows what else. Read More......