We bought a puppy recently and just like having a baby there are various bits and pieces that you definitely need to buy (like the bed, food bowls, toys etc) and other things that you think “Oh that might be a good idea!” and before you know it you have spent a fortune. Well the Puppy Pee Post was one of those items we thought might be a good idea but not necessarily a necessity. We had seen it on a website and like the idea of what it aimed to do but weren’t really sure if it was worth the money. Our breeder very kindly took us to a cash and carry to get the dog things for cheaper and we couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the pee post reduced to only 50p – well for 50p it was worth a try!

What is it?
===============

It is basically a yellow post, roughly 8 inches high and is tapered at one end and has a round smooth cap like surface at the top, looks like a kind of toadstool. It is made of plastic and has been treated with pheromones to attract dogs to it.

What does it do?
==================

The product claims to make housetraining easier, teaches your pet where to go and keeps your lawn looking greener. It is designed to encourage your dog to urinate in the area where the post is situated thereby protecting the rest of your lawn as dog pee kills off the grass.

How do you use it?
=====================

Firstly you have to remove the Pee Post from the packet, you instantly smell a musky smell, this is the pheromones. It does smell strongly for the first day but then you can’t smell anything but the manufacturers say the dog can still smell it.

Next choose where you want your dog to pee, choose an area which is on grass and away from your dogs food and water if you have these bowls outside. You then have to put the Pee Post roughly 4-5 inches into the ground so about halfway. They suggest hammering it into the grass but to do this when the dog isn’t there so he doesn’t associate the loud noise with the Pee Post. We found that hammering wasn’t very successful but if you push it into the ground then use your foot to push it further in it worked quite well.

Now you want to get your dog (best to do this after he has eaten or had a drink as he will then be needing the toilet) and bring him to the Pee Post and allow him to sniff it. Then if you have a specific command to get your dog to pee use it (We use “Be Quick!”). If the dog pees then give him lots of praise, if he doesn’t then you don’t say anything but keep bringing your dog back to the Pee Post every time you think he might need to go again.

Sounds easy and straightforward, well read on to see if it is!



How long will it take to work?
================================

The manufacturers are reluctant to be pinned down on a time frame as these things vary from dog to dog. They say that dogs who have not established their toileting patterns are the easiest to train, i.e. young puppies. They say that male dogs are the easiest to train as they will instinctively mark the area. Female dogs and older dogs can be trained to use the pee post but will take a bit more time and encouragement to use it.


Will the dog eat it?
=======================

Our puppy did have a little attempt to chew it but then just seemed to ignore it. It obviously didn’t attract him as much as the manufacturers suggested it would. The manufacturers advise you to discourage your dog from eating or chewing the Pee Post or any other plastic material. They say that it is unusual for a pet to mouth the area where they toilet (however this would only work if the dog had started to use the Pee Post to do the toilet), but the Pee Post is non-toxic anyway.

What does it cost?
====================

It costs around £5.99 and can be purchased at most large pet shops and online retailers.

How long does it last?
========================

Well there are two answers to this question

Firstly the manufacturers say that the Pee Post will actually last up to a year once it starts to be used. This is because the pheromones are impregnated into the plastic therefore don’t just wash off with the rain.

However the manufacturer failed to take my husband into account and in my case it lasts until your husband is busy mowing the lawn and then forgets about the post and pushes the lawn mower right on top of the post until it becomes jammed in the blade and cutting the post in half. I was left with the post in two pieces with rough edges so had to bin them!

Does it work and is it worth buying?
======================================


To be honest I would have to say no to both of those questions in my case. Every time we took our puppy out to the garden to do the toilet we would put him down near the Pee Post. Fairly often if he was desperate to go he would pee near the post, however this was more to do with where we had put him down than the attraction to the Pee Post. If he was in another bit of the garden then he just peed wherever he was and he didn’t get attracted to the Pee Post. We now have lots of lovely brown circles all over the garden where he has peed not helped by the hot dry summer we have been having.

I liked the idea of the Pee Post and I think it might work with some dogs and if it does then great. However for us it hasn’t been a success. The manufacturers do offer a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the results but for 50p its not worth the cost of the stamp!

For me the most important thing is that we have near enough house trained him except for the occasional accident (always pee never poo, thank goodness), and I am not too concerned whether he pees all over the lawn or not. My grass wasn’t in very good condition before we got him so I am not too worried. I think for us training him to pee in one area might be easier once he grows up a bit as being a male dog he will begin to cock his leg and will prefer to pee against the tree or fence rather than in the middle of the garden.

So in my opinion the Pee Post is a novel idea but just not as effective as I would like so if my husband hadn’t broken it in two it probably would have ended up in the bin anyway!