By Alison Preiss

In a perfect world, we would all be home to let our dogs out to do their business whenever they pleased. In a perfect world, apartment and condo dwellers would be able to take their dogs out for long walks four to six times a day. The reality is that we need a little help.

As an apartment dweller with older, accident-prone dogs, the idea of an indoor potty station was a revelation. After all, my cat has a litter box, it’s about time dogs got in on that idea! A place indoors where your dog can relieve himself will never be a proper substitute for a good long walk, but it will allow you to occasionally work a little later guilt-free, and sleep through the night without waking up to a mess.

Disposable pads

Disposable pads are useful for puppy training (a less-messy upgrade from paper training). You can pick up packs of them in most pet-supply stores.

If you’re looking for something more permanent, consider an indoor system such as the Potty Park™, which has a layer of pheromone-enhanced faux grass that lets your dog know where to go. The pee drains through a perforated layer into the reservoir (which holds up to a gallon of liquid). Cleanup is a breeze – you just pour clean water over the grass, then take out the reservoir and empty it into the toilet.

The Potty Patch™ works in a similar way, only the three layers are more condensed, making it easier for older or injured dogs to access. Though cleanup is not as easy (you have to pick up the whole unit to drain it) the Potty Patch advertises that is keeps odours contained.

The folks at Potty Patch sent me one to try out. I like the condensed set-up – it looks more like a grassy doormat than an indoor potty area. It also assembles in seconds.

Training is moving slowly; my dog has successfully used it only once. But since the Potty Patch arrived, her indoor accidents have almost stopped – weird!