Training to use wee wee pads

Question
I have a 1 and a half year old shih tzu - spayed female.  I adopted her from a shelter who got her from a puppy mill. I have had her for 1 week.  She is very happy using her crate and even when I am home and the crate is open she spends most of her time in the crate.  Except for the first morning when she had an accident (poop and pee) she has been going outside on our walks - usually I walk her 3 times a day.  I would like to train her to use the wee wee pads as sometimes the weather is very bad.  And sometimes I have to be away for a few hours or even for an evening but she is used to going outside.  Do you have any suggestions.

Answer
Hi Judy.  Do you have a place in mind that you'll have the pads accessible to her?  I've had clients use an extra bathroom shower or an area of the laundry room.   Use a baby gate or an exercise pen to confine her to that area along with her crate.  Put the pads at the furthest point away from the crate, but within the confined area.  Keep the crate door open so she can come and go.  The pads you buy will probably have some sort of attractant smell that should encourage her to use them.  Leave her in this area whenever you have to go out or even when you have to be in another part of the house and can't monitor her.

I've also had clients have success with the grass potty mats that replicate the feel of grass under the dog's feet.  You might check those out, too.

Be very happy that she's not soiling her crate!  Many puppy mill rescues have no concept about keeping their den area clean.  They simply had no choice but to soil it and many times continue to do so once they get into a home.

Let me know if this answers your question.  Good luck!
Barb