3. Secrets --- Equipment

EQUIPMENT

In 2006, Singapore has over 200 pet shops selling dog-related products. Most puppies are purchased from pet shops. The first-time puppy owner gets his equipment from the pet shop operator. The variety of equipment for puppy toilet training are as follows:

1. The Playpen. Known as the Exercise Pen, this is the most common recommendation by the puppy sellers. At least 4 panels of fences are linked together to form a rectangular floor plan. This confines the puppy. Newspapers are placed either on half of the flooring or all flooring. The puppy may shred newspapers, step over the poop and dirty himself. The active puppy may push the playpen from one location to another. The floor tiles get dirtied. Some owner use card board or a plastic sheet to prevent soiling of the floor tiles. 6 to 8 panels of fences are used for bigger breeds.

2. The tall Playpen with Pee Pan. This prevents the floor tiles from being soiled, meaning less cleaning work for the owner. The Pee Pan is place under or inside the Playpen. The owner needs to carry the puppy out to clean the mess. Bigger breeds may climb out. 2 poles across the open top may prevent climbing.

3. The Playpen enclosed by the Aluminium Pee Pan. Only available from one pet shop. The Pan encloses the 4 panels of fences from collapsing onto the active puppy as it surrounds the base of the playpen. The Aluminium Pee Pan has the advantage of not being rusty.

4. The Playpen with the Pee Pan below. No door. The owner needs to carry the puppy out. Bigger breeds like the Miniature Schnauzer may climb out of the crate. 2 poles across the top may prevent climbing.

5. The Crate with the Door and the Pee Pan. There may be a door on the top of the cage to get the puppy out. It has a side door for the puppy to come out. Wire flooring keeps the puppy's feet dry as the pee drains onto the Pee Pan below. Poop is collected from the wire flooring as soon as possible. Some puppies will not dirty this Crate as they consider it as their den. Puppies have the natural instinct to keep the den clean. Such puppies do scratch the door and bark desperately in a high pitch, especially past midnight, to "ask the owner" to unlock the door so that they can go to eliminate outside. The outside toilet location may be the newspapers, puppy diapers or bathroom.

6. The Leash. To prevent the puppy soiling the whole apartment, the puppy is leashed to a spot. Newspapers are placed there. In this way, the puppy eliminates on newspapers. Small breeds may not chew the leash. Big breeds like the Siberian Husky will need a special wire-type of leash, available at some pet shops. The owner can leash the puppy to her waist so that she can do her house work and supervise the puppy. Some puppies are leashed to the leg of tables or sofa sets.

7. The Pee Pan. The puppy is confined to a playpen or small room, usually the kitchen, the bathroom or balcony. Newspapers are placed on the Pee Pan. A commercial urine spray is put on the newspapers. In theory, the puppy should pee and poop onto the Pee Pan. Some puppies just dislike the strong pungent smell of the spray. Others are toilet trained in this way.

8. Puppy Diapers, known as the Puppy Training Pads. They do have urine smell, are highly absorbent and cleaner for the puppy paws than the use of newspapers. May be changed every few days or weekly. Human ones are substitutes.

9. Puppy Diapers pinned down by the Pee Pan.

10. Newspapers. Free and easily available. Absorbent. Some puppies just shred them. Change soiled newspapers promptly. Easier said than done as the 8-12-week old puppy pees more than 10 times per day. Use the 2nd sheet of the newspapers so that the urine smell will attract the puppy to eliminate on papers.

11. Newspapers pinned down by the Pee Pan.

12. Newspapers & Others on the Pee Pan --- Floor Mat, Rug, Plastic Mat, Wood shavings on Pee Pan.

13. Crate Training. This is the use of the crate large enough for the puppy to sleep but not to eliminate. Every 2-3 hours, bring the 8-12-week old puppy to the newspapers to eliminate. Praise lavishly. Back to the crate. Repeat for 1-2 weeks. This appears to be highly successful if you or your domestic worker has the time and routine. Good method for the time-pressed mothers.

14. The Playpen surrounds the Crate.

15. Wood shavings on the Aluminum Pee Pan.