Doggie door and 'litter' box

[Kipawa]

When we get our basenji, I would like to incorporate a dog door and was wondering if anyone has put one in that leads from the house to the garage where a doggie 'litter' box would be. Our dog would have free access at any time to the box.

Has anyone had good success with a doggie door used for this purpose? Has anyone had good luck with the doggie litter box? What's the best filler for the box? Has anyone used clumpable cat litter? Or is that too fine a product. Thanks!

[Tayda_Lenny]

I have Tayda trained to use a litter box when I am not home - since she has Fanconi and has to go very often. I put a thin layer of "Equine Pine," the stuff used for horse stalls in a large ~2ft x 3.5ft shallow tupperware. It took her just a day or two to learn to use it and no problems since then. She does not use it when I am home though….

[renaultf1]

My puppy was litter trained. I had an xpen set up in my bedroom with her crate and a litter box for when I was at work. Worked like a charm. She never went to the bathroom in her crate and when good weather came I had no problem transitioning her to completely using the outdoors. Like Tayda's mom, I too used Equine Pine (you can get it cheap in big bags at Tractor Supply - much cheaper than the similar Feline Pine).

With the doggie door and your b going out on its own to use the litter box, I would say that might be a stretch - especially if it is a puppy. I know my pup was never trusted to go on her own without me outside watching her. She would have been too distracted in the yard (she's a busy girl :D) and if I didn't watch her I know she would have come back in and pee'd. Many threads on here of new pup owners that have that happen, so instead of leaving it to chance, I just made sure to see her go to the bathroom.

[thunderbird8588]

A thought for the future, i agree that you need to be out with the pup to make sure it goes. However we successfully used an existing Cat door with our adult Basenji, ours led into the garden but the theory is the same. He used to go in and our whenever.

[tanza]

I have a doggy door for my kids.. that said with baby puppies, took a bit of training till they used the door to go out… Problem with puppies is that they have to "go NOW"... to late for them to remember a doggy door is available. But they catch on pretty quickly

[Kipawa]

Thunderbird, what size (inches) is your cat door, because we currently have one on the door that leads to our garage - I just thought it looked a bit small for a basenji.

[thunderbird8588]

@Kipawa:

Thunderbird, what size (inches) is your cat door, because we currently have one on the door that leads to our garage - I just thought it looked a bit small for a basenji.

Our Door is 7" high by 6" wide it was already in for the cats and Benji used it, in fact he charged through it with a tremendous clatter. Idealy it could have done to be bigger but he was quite a small male.

[Kipawa]

That's what our cat door is. I guess I can use it so long as it doesn't become too much of a squeeze for my future B.