Instructions
Place the puppy piddle pad in a spot where you want the puppy to piddle. If you plan to eventually transition the puppy to eliminate outdoors, a spot near the door where you will take him outside might be a good choice.
Feed the puppy and give him some water.
Take the puppy to the piddle pad and keep him there until he does his business. If he's not interested, take him off and then try again in a few minutes, watching him carefully for sniffing and other signs that he needs to go. If he starts to go on the floor, grab him if you can and move him to the piddle pad.
Say a word or phrase you would like your dog to associate with going to the bathroom such as "do your business" while he is piddling on the pad so that he can begin to associate that command with that action.
Praise your puppy after he's finished piddling to reinforce his good behavior. Replace the piddle pad with a clean one, but transfer a little bit of the waste from the old pad to the new pad to give your puppy a scent cue about where to eliminate.
Move the piddle pad gradually closer to the door and then outdoors, a few inches per day, once the puppy uses the pad consistently.
How to House Train Puppies With Piddle Pads
When a family adopts a puppy, one of the first tasks is to teach the puppy where it's acceptable to relieve himself. Using absorbent training pads, also known as "piddle pads," you can teach your puppy to go in a designated area. Some dog owners, especially those with small dogs or in urban settings, might allow the dog to eliminate on piddle pads forever. Others use piddle pads to transition the puppy to eliminate outdoors.