2. Porch Potty
  3. Premium

Porch Potty Premium User manual

  • Hello! I am an AI chatbot trained to assist you with the Porch Potty Premium User manual. I’ve already reviewed the document and can help you find the information you need or explain it in simple terms. Just ask your questions, and providing more details will help me assist you more effectively!
Welcome
You have purchased the Porch Potty. The most convenient and versatile dog potty you will ever own. The Porch
Potty makes house breaking your puppy easy and stress free for both you and your dog. Simply put, it gives your
dog a place to potty as close as possible, without the mess and odor of piddle pads. The relationship between you
and your dog is important. By making potty time easy and convenient for your dog not only makes him happy, it
is less of a chore for you, giving you more time to focus on the fun times you will have with your dog. After some
basic training, you and your pup will have years of stress free potty habits in no time.
Which Porch Potty do you have?
Depending on your needs the Porch Potty can be configured in two variations.
Porch Potty – Standard
The Porch Potty Standard can be drained into the included container by placing the container under the Porch
Potty. You can also choose to use the included 14 foot drain hose. The drain hose will automatically drain the
Porch Potty using gravity. To use the drain hose, simply connect the drain hose to the center drain hole and direct
the hose to a nearby drainage location like a floor drain, or rain gutter. If you choose to use the catch basin under
the Porch Potty, do not use the 14 foot drain hose. Use one or the other.
Porch Potty – Premium
The Porch Potty Premium includes a patented sprinkler system to connect to a nearby garden hose. The
sprinklers pop up and spray down the entire grass area for you. If you also have the hose timer, you will be able
to set how often the sprinklers turn on. It is important that the sprinklers only run for 1 minute or less. Be sure
to set the timer for 1 minute duration. It is also important that the Porch Potty Premium be used outdoors only,
using the drain hose instead of the Catch Basin below it. Do not use the Porch Potty Catch Basin when using the
sprinkler system. The container may overflow.
Getting Started
To get started quickly, follow the steps below.
Find a location that meets the following criteria.
• Awayfromthefoodandwaterdish.Dogsdonotliketopottyneartheirfood.
• Awayfromtheirbed.Dogsdonotliketopottywheretheysleep.
• Within14feetofadrainagelocation(ifyouwillbeusingthedrainhose).
• Thepathofthedrainhosemustremainatgroundlevelorbelowforgravitytoworkatmovingthewater
through the drain hose.
• Withinreachofyourgardenhose(ifyouwillbeusingthesprinklerfeature).
• Asafeplacewhereyourdogwillnotaccidentlyfallfromahighlevelormaybeharmedifunsupervised.
• Outdoorsisrecommended,butnotnecessary.Ifindoors,thetrainingsodmaynotstaygreen,ormayeven
attract nats. It may also cause an odor without proper ventilation.
Assembly of the Drain Hose
Remove the nut from the drain elbow and insert it through the drain hole in the center of the Porch Potty shell.
Tighten the nut on the other side. After placing the Porch Potty in its final location, run the drain hose through any
of the hand hold slots located on the sides of the shell. Be sure the entire length of drain hose is at ground level
or below. This ensures water will flow using gravity.
Assembly of the Sprinklers
My sprinklers are already attached.
If your Porch Potty arrived assembled, your sprinklers have been installed. Depending on which direction your
garden hose is coming from, you can tighten or loosen the elbow to change its direction. Attach your garden hose
to the green fitting and tighten. Tighten by twisting the green collar, do not turn or twist the hose to tighten.
My sprinklers were purchased separately.
If you purchased the Porch Potty Premium from a retail store, you will need to attach both sides of the tee
connection before moving to the next step. Next, loosen and remove the large nut from each sprinkler. Place the
tee in the proper location and slide the large nut over the end of the black hoses. These will be tightened to the
sprinklers later. Now insert the sprinkler bodies through the Porch Potty shell, and twist each sprinkler onto the
threaded elbows and tighten. THEN, slide the large nut back up to the sprinkler body and tighten. It is important
to tighten the large sprinkler nuts last.
Training Sod and Synthetic Grass
Each Porch Potty comes with synthetic grass, but most customers like to start out with Training Sod for the
rstmonth.WerecommendstartingwithTrainingSodtohelpmaketrainingyourdogeasier.Thesmellofreal
grass attracts dogs to it, and they instinctively potty on the real grass. You can always get Training Sod at www.
PorchPotty.com. Training Sod is delivered one time, or monthly if you desire. The Training Sod from PorchPotty.
com is unique in that it is exactly 4’x2’ and has no dirt or soil in the roots. This prevents any dirt and mud from
clogging the drain hose and also makes it less messy to deal with while installing it. Simply place the sod in the
Porch Potty and unroll it. The Training Sod will last between 1 – 4 months depending on frequency of use, and
weather conditions.
Watering the grass (real or fake grass)
You will water both Training Sod and Synthetic Grass with either the sprinkler system or manually using a
wateringcan(asyouwouldwateraowerpot).Wateringthegrasshastwopurposes:
• Itrinsestheurineoutofthegrassanddownthedrainhose
• Itkeepstherealsodlivinglongerandstayinggreen.
How often to water:
Plan on watering the grass 2-3 times per week.(1minuteusingsprinklers,or2gallonsusingawateringcan)
• Watermore often if warm weather or windy conditions begins to dry out the edges of the Training Sod.
• Watermoreoftenifstrongodorbeginstobeaproblem.(someodorisgood–seetrainingtipsbelow)
• Waterless often if you see the grass getting muddy or soggy.
• Neverexceed1minutewhenusingthesprinklers.
Freezing cold weather:
Ifyouliveinaclimatethatgetsbelow32degrees,turnoffthesprinklersduringthosetimesoftheyear.Water
remains inside the sprinkler and may crack the sprinkler body. However, go ahead and continue pouring water
over the grass. The drain hose will not freeze or crack. Some urine and water may freeze to the grass, but will not
cause any problems. If snow covers the Porch Potty, simply shake off the synthetic grass and replace.
Using a Hose Timer with the sprinklers:
Fortrueconvenience,youcanturnthesprinklersonandoffwiththeHoseTimer.Whensettingthetimer,startoff
with 1 minute duration every 72 hours. Never exceed 1 minute duration; however you may adjust the frequency
ifnecessary.WhenconnectingtheHoseTimer,itisbestifyouattachthetimertoendofthehosebibofyour
house instead of the end connecting to the Porch Potty. This prevents pressure from building up on the hose, and
potentially bursting over time. If too much water causes the Porch Potty to overflow during 1 minute, adjust the
pop-up sprinkler head.
Adjusting the Sprinkler Heads:
Depending on your home’s water pressure, you may need to adjust the sprinkler heads. If you notice too much
water causes over-spray, or overflowing, turn the water on and use a flat head screwdriver to turn the screw
totheleft.Whilethesprinklerisrunning,turnthescrewtotheleftuntilover-sprayiseliminated,orthelevelof
water comes just below the edge of the Porch Potty without overflowing.
Potty Training with the Porch Potty
It doesn’t matter if your canine friend is a puppy or an older dog, training your dog to use the Porch Potty is easy
ifyoufollowafewguidelines.Whatyou’llneed
• Boxoftreatskeptnearby.
• Acrateforcratetraining
• Somechickenbroth
• Anoldrag
• Loveandplentyofpatience
Methods of Potty Training
Thereareanumberofmethodsforhousebreakingyourdog.Wehavefoundthemostcommonandmostsuccessful
to be “Crate Training”. Crate Training is effective because it gives the owner more opportunity to praise the dog
when correct action is taken. Since a dog does not like to potty where they sleep, a crate allows the dog to “hold it”
untilyoulethimorherouttopotty.OncetheyusethePorchPotty,itisyourjobtopraise,praise,praise.Themore
opportunity you have to praise your dog for correct action, the more they associate using the Porch Potty as “doing
good”.Andafterall,isn’tthatwhattheywant:tomaketheirownerhappy?Dogsaregreataren’tthey!
Acrate(usuallyfoundatanypetstore)ismadeofeitherwire,orplastic.Youshouldkeepyoupuppyinthecrate
during the nights, and while they are unsupervised. The goal is forecast the timing of when the dog needs to potty,
so you can let him out at just the right time and take him to the Porch Potty. These times are typically right after they
eat,sleep,orplay.Puthimonaleash,leadhimtothePorchPotty,andsaythecommand,“GoPotty”(orwhatever
commandyoumightliketouse).Bepatient,itmighttakeafewminutes.WhenyourpuppypottiesonthePorch
Potty,giveLOTSOFPRAISE,andmaybeasmalltreat.Sinceyouwillbedoingthismanytimesaday,itishelpfulto
keep a small bag of treats nearby, but out of reach of the dog. The quicker you are with praising your dog, the better.
This is also a good time for a few minutes of play, if you have the time. It also reinforces the good behavior.
Toreviewthesteps:
• Keepyourpuppyinthecratewhileunsupervised.Thisisnotcruel;infacttheytypicallyenjoythesafetyand
security it provides. It is in their deep rooted history to seek out secure dens.
• Doyourbesttopredictwhentheyneedtogopotty.Watchforsigns,andsetaschedulerelativetotheireating,
playing, and sleeping patterns.
• Whenyouletthemout,putaleashonyourdog,andleadthemontothePorchPotty.
• Givethecommand,“GoPotty”.
• WhenheorsheusesthePorchPottycorrectly,immediatelypraise,praise,praiseandofferasmalltreatyou
have nearby.
• Thenleadyourpuppybackintothecrate,ortakeafewminutestoplay.
• BesuretocleanupanypoopthatmayhavebeenleftonthePorchPotty.Dogsliketohaveacleansurfacefor
next time. You can use disposable ‘Poop Bags’, or simply tissue paper if you want to flush it down the toilet.
What if she has an accident in the house?
Ifyourpuppyhasanaccident(theyalldo),nobigdeal.It’spartoftheprocess.Thetrickistocatchherinthe
act. If you catch her having an accident in the house, quickly clap loud, yell no, and pick her up. Then place her
onthePorchPottytonish.WhenshenishesonthePorchPotty,praise,praise,treat.Itisyourintentiontoget
her attention with clapping, and loud noises. There is no reason to hit or spank your dog. This is especially true,
if you found the accident without catching them in the act. As hard is it may seem, your puppy will not associate
your hitting them after the fact with the accident they made earlier. Be sure to clean up the mess to remove the
scent from the spot. If you leave the scent in the carpet, she may be attracted to going there again. Use an odor
neutralizer spray.
Tricks and Tips
There are a few tricks we have found help make training your dog faster and easier. You can use some or all of
these tips. If you have any tips of your own, please let all the other Porch Potty customers know by visiting the
forums at www.PorchPotty.com
Using a scent attractant
Thesmellofthegrasshasabigimpactonwhetheryourdogwantstouseitasapottyplaceornot.Wehave
already mentioned that using Training Sod gives the Porch Potty the scent of real grass, because it IS real grass.
But there are also other tricks that might work for you as well.
• Usingyourdog’sownurine–Usinganoldrag,orwadofpapertowelsyoumayhaveusedtocleanupan
accident, you can either wipe the scent on the grass or place the rag under the synthetic grass or sod. This
isthemostinexpensivewaytoscentthePorchPotty.OnceyourdogbeginstousethePorchPotty,having
a slight urine smell is not a bad thing. But continue rinsing the Porch Potty with water to prevent it being a
problem for you.
• UsingourFireHydrantwithAttractant–weofferasmallplasticrehydrantthathasanattractantinside
dogs like to cover with their own scent. It also acts as a “target” for male dogs who like to aim at something.
You can even wipe some of your dogs urine on the hydrant to increase the scent. Get the hydrant at www.
PorchPotty.com
• Scentsprays–wehavehadmixedresultswiththenumberofscentspraysonthemarket.Somework,some
don’t. Different dogs act differently. Give it try if you feel you want to go that route. Any pet store carries them.
Chicken broth in the water trick
If you are having problems timing your potty breaks with your puppy, try this trick. Put a ½ cup of chicken broth
in a full bowl of water for your dog. Most dogs drink it all down quickly because they love the taste. Now with a
full bladder, set a timer for 20 – 40 minutes depending on bladder size, and wait. Make sure your dog is in the
cratewhilesheholdsit,whenthetimergoesoff,it’sPOTTYTIME.LeadthedogtothePorchPottyandyouhave
guaranteed potty. Now praise, praise, praise…treat.
Do not do this more than a few times per week, as too much sodium from the broth may not be healthy in large
quantities. So use sparingly.
Typical Puppy Training Schedule
The first few weeks, or even months can be very challenging, especially with young puppies. Don’t give up. It
will all be worth it in the end. All dogs are trainable, even your stubborn rascal. Here is a schedule some use for
young puppies with small bladders. Use it as a guideline, and watch for any signs your puppy may give along the
way. You may keep this schedule for a just a few weeks, or even months. But keep at it. Pretty soon, you and your
puppy will have a great understanding of each other, and a wonderful relationship for years to come.
6:30a.m. takepuppyouttoPorchPotty
6:45 feedpuppybreakfast
7:15 beforeleavingforwork,takepuppyouttoPorchPotty
7:30 putpuppyinhercrateorgatedarea,thengotowork
11:30 takepuppyouttoPorchPottyassoonasyougethomeforlunch
11:45 feedpuppylunch(ifsheeatsthreemealsaday)
12 p.m. take puppy out to Porch Potty before going back to work
12:15 putpuppybackincrate
Midafternoonbreak gohomeforapottybreak(forrstfewweeks)
5:15 arrivehomefromwork,takepuppytopotty,rstthing.
5:30 feedpuppysupper
5:45 Pottytime!
Midevening takepuppyonashortwalk,meetsomenewneighbors(makesureshepottiesbeforegoing
backinside)
8:00 removewaterbowlaboutanhourbeforebedtime
9:00 lastchancetopotty!
9:30 putpuppyinhercrateforbedtime
Middle of the night if necessary, take puppy out to Porch Potty.
Other Accessories to Consider
Depending on your situation, you may have a porch or patio that easily adapts to using the Porch Potty. Some
liketheideaoftheirdoglettingthemselvesout(dogdoor),orringingabellhangingfromthedoorknob.These
areallgreattoolstouse.Justbesureyourporchorbalconyissafeforyourdogiftheyareunsupervised.We
recommend using Plexiglas or a wire fence around the balcony if you feel your dog might slip through or under
the railing.
Training Sod Special - $15 / mo
WithyourpurchaseofthisPorchPotty,youqualifyforgettingTrainingSoddeliveredtoyourdooreachmonthfor
only$15permonth.Justregisterwithwww.PorchPotty.comandrelaxknowingthateachmonth,aboxoffresh
Training Sod will be there each month. Shipping costs vary, so register to find out total cost of delivery.
Simply roll up the old grass and put it in the included trash bag. Remove the new grass, place it on the Porch
Pottyandunrollit.FreshGrass!!Putthebagofoldgrassintheboxfordisposal.Done!
Itistheeasiestwayofkeepingfreshgrassforyourpooch.Ifyoucanafford$15permonth,yourdogwilllove
you for it. You can cancel any time.
Learn More at PorchPotty.com
Thanks for purchasing the Porch Potty. You can learn more tips and discuss ideas with other Porch Potty users.
If you are someone who knows many other dog owners, you can become a Porch Potty affiliate by signing up
online to earn commissions. Remember to give your dog a hug for us. www.PorchPotty.com
/