Are you a homeowner looking for a simple yet effective dog potty solution that canines of all ages can use indoors and out? You may already know about Porch Potty, but you may think the original grass dog potty is only for small spaces like apartments.
Although many apartment dwellers rely on Porch Potty, that doesn't mean homeowners can't be part of our family! We met with a home-owning family who wanted to share their puppy's Porch Potty journey and tell us how our dog potty benefits their puppy, life, and house.
Meet the Holstens
Say hello to the new members of our Porch Potty family, Steve and Tami Holsten! Let’s see what they had to say about how it’s changed the game for them as a family with a dog.
The Holstens live in Northern Virginia, where they've resided for over 20 years. Steve and Tami have three adult kids and one teenager, Caroline, who joined us for this interview to discuss how she found the Porch Potty while looking for dog potty solutions.
“We got our little miniature Australian labradoodle, Archer. He is the littermate of our oldest daughter, Julia, and her fiance's puppy. They made a strong emotional appeal for us to please get this little brother of their puppies,” Tami said.
“And so it was not exactly something we had planned. We have not had a dog in our home for all the time the kids are growing up. So now we have this adorable little puppy, and that's where Porch Potty comes in.”
Steve and Tami grew up with dogs in their families, but they had never had a dog in their Northern Virginia home until Archer.
"Steve and I both grew up with dogs. He grew up in Minnesota, and I grew up in Pennsylvania. We had dogs that were largely outside dogs and the areas that we lived in were more rural. And so we haven't had a dog in this home before," she said.
HOA vs Puppy Potty Training
The family began the usual puppy potty routine of getting the collar and leash, and then layering up for the cold weather or preparing to brave the summer heat. They went outside at all hours of the day and night to bring Archer out to go potty. Because the family lives in a neighborhood with HOA restrictions, fences between homes aren't allowed.
Porch Potty made potty breaks safer and easier for Archer and the whole family.
So, even though they have their own backyard and outdoor space, the family still had to put Archer on a leash and take him outside. Of course, every dog needs that time outdoors in nature, but when it's multiple times during the day and night, convenience becomes a huge factor.
"We also have a nice walk out deck from our kitchen, but it's two stories above our backyard. So, even though we have two and a half acres, we have to literally put Archer on a leash and walk him out, take him all the way down, walk him out the front door, or take him through the garage to go outside," Tami said.
Not to mention when the weather outside could be better. Whether it's pouring rain, snowing, or you have a thunderstorm rolling through, you don't want your dog trapped inside. But you also don't want to send them out during inclement weather.
“For me, when it's cold or raining or you've got your pajamas on, you would pay just about anything not to have to put on a leash and go walking around outside. Anyhow, for me, that's the most important convenience,” Steve said.
Porch Potty keeps Archer safe from night time critters
Before the Porch Potty, Archer's potty routine gave him little independence being entirely reliant on someone having to take him outside every time. The Holstens also have a concern about wild animals in the area that lurk at nighttime, so having the Porch Potty conveniently on their porch has given them peace of mind.
“The Porch Potty has been just an absolutely phenomenal solution for us. We have it right outside our kitchen on our deck, which gives him some privacy, but also it's kind of lit up, and it's safe and it's totally secure for him, and we can just look outside. It's incredibly convenient,” Tami said.
When asked how she found out about the Porch Potty, Caroline, while holding Archer, happily shared the story.
“I really just had seen it, when I was over at my brother's apartment and they're a pretty dog friendly area,” Caroline said.
“And so then when we were talking about what a struggle it was having to take Archer outside with the collar and leash on each time, literally, we were trying to think about how could we make our kind of deck more of an apartment style balcony.”
What made Porch Potty stand out to the Holstens?
Caroline said she started looking online for dog potties, but the first results she received were for cardboard dog potties. These potties only offered a small patch of grass and a box, making the family unsure of its durability and effectiveness.
Once Caroline found Porch Potty, she immediately told Steve and Tami that they had to get a Porch Potty due to its durable construction, stylish design, and drainage system. They ordered the Premium model and haven't looked back since! The family plans to get a Small model to give Archer a potty spot in an upstairs room.
“We thought that it looked really high quality and nice enough to actually have as a part of our home and not just a temporary solution, but actually something that looked nice out there. It's elegant, it's stylish. Great reviews,” Tami said.
“For me, the price point was important. I actually preferred that it was a little higher on the range of options, so I had more confidence that it was going to be high-quality. And it is like the option to have both a synthetic turf and then also have natural grass when the season is right for us.”
Was it hard to get Archer to use Porch Potty?
When it came to Archer using the Porch Potty, Tami said he quickly caught onto it as his new potty spot.
“Archer loved it right away. Within the second day, he started to use it. It gives him some freedom, which we really like a little independence. He can come in and out, and I feel like it's good for his emotional health,” she said.
On the first day of having the Porch Potty outside their sliding door, the Holstens noticed how Archer sniffed around it and stood on the potty platform. After a short period of pondering it, he used it without a fuss. Going on the Porch Potty was second nature to him by the second day.
With Porch Potty, the Holstens got precisely what they wanted in a dog potty.
To them, it's an upgrade compared to the many other dog potties on the market. Instead of solely seeing their Porch Potty as a potty spot for Archer, the family said it blends in nicely as a piece of outdoor wicker furniture.
“The elements of the porch party that are important to me were the really elegant, stylish design that, to me, fits in an upscale home. I mean, it fits the ambience of our deck. We have a nice deck. This just blends in, and it looks like it was meant to be there. It provides a clean and easy space for the dog. We've made our entire deck pet-friendly now, so the whole thing just works as a system for us,” Tami said.
The Holstens are happy with their Porch Potty and said that the price point was the leading indicator that it was a trustworthy purchase that would deliver results. In addition, it gave the family a convenient and safe place for Archer to potty, complete with its own drainage system, something other dog potties can't offer.
They love the switch from taking Archer outside on the leash every time he needs to go potty to simply opening their sliding door and letting him do his business.
Whether you have leash laws in your area, the inability to have a fence, wild animals to watch out for, or other reasons like inclement weather, the Porch Potty keeps dogs safe.
Most importantly, it gave Archer something that Porch Potty strives for: potty independence for every dog!