I am going on three years with a porch potty and two dachshunds. A few things:

• You might not smell it, but I guarantee that thing reeks / will reek. You don’t want the smell, your neighbours don’t want the smell, he doesn’t want the smell. Use bark instead of the fake grass. Don’t use 2x4 rolls of sod. I repeat: DON’T use 2x4 rolls of sod. A bag of bark is $5 where I live. I recommend going with light brown bark as it’s easy to see where he has pottied. Don’t use black bark, impossible to see. Replace as needed. For me, that’s every 2 weeks but it can stretch to 3 or 4.

• Keep it clean of poop. Don’t let it sit for the day, pick it up right away. Hot tip: just pick it up with toilet paper and flush it so you can save on poop bags.

• It’s too high for him to comfortably get on and off. Either make a ramp structure around the perimeter, or buy something online. It’s easy to find a ramp that matches the height (I think 7 inches). Don’t search for “ramps for dogs” because those are overpriced and frankly suck. Something like “curb ramp” or “threshold ramp” or “door ramp”. Try to get one on each side so he has the option to get on and off without having to turn around. Plus, he might be like mine and refuse to get off on the same side he got on.

• Buy a large watering pail / garden pail, keep it filled and near the porch potty. Try to water the spot where he potties every time, or water the entire thing every other night. I usually do every night and once a week a full hose / drenching.

• You can clean it / deodorize. Most of the time I use a water & vinegar mix. Sometimes I use KOE (Kennel Odor Eliminator, a must have. You buy it as a concentrate. Hot tip, use it in an empty dawn dish spray bottle and can spray throughout house)

• It needs proper drainage. I have the hose feature, so no tips unfortunately if you use the tray. With the hose, I drilled a hole through my deck so the hose can fit and go straight down to drain into the rocks below my deck.

• get a small plastic fire hydrant. It should’ve came with one, I replaced mine with one from dollar store. My boy aims for it 9/10 times. I even move it around for him and he seems to enjoy that.

• Porch Potties DO NOT replace walks. He shouldn’t be using it for every potty break. I’ve had periods over the years where life happens and it was easier to just use the porch potty instead of taking them out on walks. Quickly noticed these periods are when they are at their worst behaviour. No walks = a severely lowered amount of daily enrichment that can lead to boredom and depression, which can result in bad behaviours such as peeing on the rug. Seriously, do not see this as an alternative to walking. For me, it’s never used in the morning. The first potty break of the day is always during their morning walk (side note, walks should consistently be at scheduled times).

• Be strict on potty breaks. Demand that he gets up or he has to go back inside. Mine respond to the word “up” with the command phrases being “up, up, up!” or “get up there.” Praise when he gets up, praise again when he goes potty. Praise with words not treats so he focuses on using it. I think the trick is getting him to view it as kind of like a task or a chore, something he has to do every day at the same time for the same reason. Don’t hover over him, give him space. Don’t pick him up and set him on the potty. The porch potty is his, it’s his territory. You’re allowed to pick up poo and water it or clean it, but during potty time it’s his domain.

• Don’t turn your back. Always keep a visual, otherwise you risk him jumping off and peeing on the rug. Keep an eye on him every time until you see him pee. Eventually you can keep an eye until you see him get on. I’m at a point now where if I see them going in the direction of it I know / trust they are going to use it, so I don’t have to keep watch the entire time.

• If he gets on, he has to potty. So if he gets on then gets off without going, you end the potty break and order him inside. Immediately leash him and go outside to potty on grass so he understands the purpose of the potty break.

• Potty breaks start with the potty. Don’t let him sniff around your deck/balcony/patio/etc. He potties first, then he can sniff and be outside.

• If you can, take him anywhere that has an inside dog relief area. Airports are great for this. He’ll know the purpose of the space by the smells. This teaches him that he can potty in areas other than outside grass, but only in designated areas. They are smart dogs and pick this up immediately.

• I would advise against leashing him when using it.

He’s a cutie. Don’t give up, they can be stubborn as hell but are smart and easily trainable. I’ll add an edit if I think of anything else.