Potty training in the snow

This post is not about the ins and outs of potty training. It is about what you can try if you are potty training in wintry, snowy weather. It adds an extra layer to potty training fun, especially if your dog prefers to avoid walking on snow.

I knew there would be a snowstorm on Dixie’s adoption day. I had never raised a puppy before, so I wondered if 6 inches of snow would impede my attempt to potty train her or if it even mattered.

Dogs can, and often do, have preferences regarding the ground they are peeing upon. It is called a substrate preference (i.e., they prefer to go to the bathroom on grass, concrete, wood, or whatever). Their bathroom selection could stem from their upbringing. Maybe they learned to pee inside on pads or a kennel floor. It is not crucial to know, but it is something to remember when you begin potty training. Switching up what they are used to might be a little scary if they have never been exposed to it before, though they will eventually adapt to wherever you teach them to go.

Remember that I still needed to meet the charming gal (Dixie), so I was curious if she would be bold or finicky in her potty preference. I did not want to make a huge issue about the snow, but at the same time, I did not want to promote peeing in the house by her refusing to go outside. I was a little concerned, so I called the trainer I had used before. She told me potty training with snow on the ground could be less effective. She validated what I thought about substrates; she said that dogs have an instinct that draws them to grass for peeing and will build a preference for the surface they want to pee on. In our case, I needed a surface I could accommodate for the long haul. I did not want Dixie to fall in love with peeing in the snow and making it her substrate of choice, though the reality of that happening is minuscule.

The dog trainer recommended that I put a tarp or something similar on a small grass area. When taking Dixie outside, I could lift the tarp and give her some grass to walk on. The tarp concept worked but was quite a pain in the rear. It also got less effective as the snow depth increased. Moving a tarp with six inches of snow on it was not easy or optimal. Even less so when carrying a puppy on icy ground, or in my case, icy steps.

All the doors leading outside require walking down steps. The more you walk, the icier they get. I wound up with a makeshift cover over the steps and a tarp on the grass at the bottom. Flipping and lifting tarps and then putting everything back in place when we finished started to border on the ridiculous, especially as the snow got heavier. I finally had to ditch the idea, hold on for dear life, make it down the stairs and put her in the snow.

It turned out that Dixie loved, loved, loved the snow! She peed, pooped, ran, rolled, and dug holes in it. Yay! Chalk one up for the home team.

So now you have a handy hint on keeping some grass available when it snows. This scenario also shows that sometimes you must adapt, even if it means not following the perfect potty training plan. It all works out in the end.