Potty training in a two-story apartment...

[Saraswati]

Thank you so much for the replies everyone! I decided that I would go ahead and teach the pup to go outside and nix the litterbox idea in case it made it confusing for him later, but another concern came up- our apartment is situated on a very, very long concrete driveway with no grass in sight. Would it be better to teach the pup to go outside on our downstairs fenced in stone patio (it's HUGE) or try to walk him down the driveway and find some grass?? I would think if I used a leash he would understand that any time we go outside the house he should potty but I don't want him to only feel comfortable going outside in the patio. Sorry if this all sounds so confusing. I think I may take some pictures of everything so you can get a better idea :)

[doggiedad]

you could train him to use a litter box. he won't be confused
about going outside. i would be very concerned about a puppy
on a balcony.

[magicre]

Thank you so much for the replies everyone! I decided that I would go ahead and teach the pup to go outside and nix the litterbox idea in case it made it confusing for him later, but another concern came up- our apartment is situated on a very, very long concrete driveway with no grass in sight. Would it be better to teach the pup to go outside on our downstairs fenced in stone patio (it's HUGE) or try to walk him down the driveway and find some grass?? I would think if I used a leash he would understand that any time we go outside the house he should potty but I don't want him to only feel comfortable going outside in the patio. Sorry if this all sounds so confusing. I think I may take some pictures of everything so you can get a better idea :)

the leash isn't to teach him walking necessarily....it helps him to learn what you want from him...it's a ritual of sorts, i suppose...

when we first got bubba, i'd put his leash on for walking to walk and walking out back to go potty in our tiny little backyard....

it was to teach him that leash meant something important.....i know i looked kind of funny walking him around the postage stamp back yard.....and after he pottied, he got treats and such...

but he learned to potty that way...and when we went on walks which was several times a day in the beginning, it was also on a leash....and he pottied that way too.

[magicre]

you could train him to use a litter box. he won't be confused
about going outside. i would be very concerned about a puppy
on a balcony.

why?

i'm presuming they will put chicken wire or some kind of mesh screening around the lower part of the balcony rails so the puppy doesn't fall through....if not, then i'd worry too :)

[Saraswati]

the leash isn't to teach him walking necessarily....it helps him to learn what you want from him...it's a ritual of sorts, i suppose...

when we first got bubba, i'd put his leash on for walking to walk and walking out back to go potty in our tiny little backyard....

it was to teach him that leash meant something important.....i know i looked kind of funny walking him around the postage stamp back yard.....and after he pottied, he got treats and such...

but he learned to potty that way...and when we went on walks which was several times a day in the beginning, it was also on a leash....and he pottied that way too.

That makes sense. I suppose I will walk him down to our downstairs patio until he can hold it long enough to walk to the end of the driveway and use the grass. Hopefully, he won't be too confused :)

And if we did decide to use the balcony for anything, it would definitely be protected with some wire garden mesh :)