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Dooley
July 3, 2009 2:05 PM
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Doggone it, that sucks.

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missdona
July 3, 2009 2:26 PM
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Hammacher Schlemmer has it. It costs more, but all their stuff is lifetime-guaranteed.

[www.hammacher.com]

In the meantime, this looks like not a very sanitary thing to do.

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2 replies
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italianscallion33
July 3, 2009 3:35 PM
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@missdona: Yeah, how do you get the pee out without spilling the tray? I remember having to defrost our freezer in our dorm before moving out for the summer, and it was impossible to get that flat tray of water out without spilling some.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with double the baby!)
July 3, 2009 2:43 PM
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@missdona: They make something sort-of like this for vet's offices (for cats, it's plastic beads instead of litter with a catch tray underneath the mesh tray holding the beads; for dogs, it's something like that only I don't think there's astroturf, but I don't have a dog so I never really paid attention) for when they want a urine sample without going in after it. I'm thinking you can get one of those cheaper (or for a comparable price) and it'll be much sturdier and much more clean-able.

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Cool story bro
July 3, 2009 2:27 PM
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This sort of business conduct makes me sick as a dog.

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militarydave
July 3, 2009 2:35 PM
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$80 plus shipping for a toilet? nah, i'd let the dog pee outside for free!


-dave

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5 replies
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Trai_Dep
July 3, 2009 3:47 PM
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@militarydave: What a rip off: you can cup your hands under your dog's private parts for free.

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dorastandpipe
July 6, 2009 4:37 AM
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@Trai_Dep: I find using an old soup ladel works well for catching the dog pee with no mess to the hands. Poop? Old cool whip container.

Yeah, I know you were being sarcastic.

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BenderRodriguez
July 3, 2009 3:57 PM
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@Trai_Dep: I dont want to spill any or get my hands all dirty. I'll use my mouth instead.

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K-Bo
July 3, 2009 3:02 PM
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@militarydave: I had a friend who got one of these because when she got divorced and moved from her house with a big fenced in yard to an apt, the dog refused to go on a leash, and she didn't want to get in trouble with the leash laws. I still think if she let him be uncomfortable long enough, he'd go on a leash, but she had so much else to worry about at the time, this was an easy fix to at least 1 worry.

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italianscallion33
July 3, 2009 3:37 PM
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@K-Bo: Also, some dogs can't make it alone all day without going, and not everyone has sliding glass doors to allow for a doggie door insert, and those with normal doors might not want to modify/replace theirs.

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H3ion
July 3, 2009 2:37 PM
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Since some credit card companies will issue a card to your dog, let your dog order it.

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Englishee Teacher
July 3, 2009 2:43 PM
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The website is currently down, so I can't see it myself to confirm, but to me, this sounds to me like an inexperienced entrepreneur trying to start up a business. It doesn't really sound like an intentional scam, it just sounds like they're in way over their heads and haven't figured out what the heck they're doing yet. They probably envisioned a slow build in demand that would allow them to use small scale production for a long time and didn't realize the jump in sales that would accompany TV advertisements.

In terms of the product itself, it's great for people who live alone and work all day and can't come home to let the dog out. That said, I certainly wouldn't want a plastic reservoir of dog urine in my apartment all day. I bet it smells lovely when you get home on a hot day.

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hills
July 3, 2009 3:13 PM
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As a condo dweller, I have one of these for my dog (not from this company!) - It is a total lifesaver! No more trips outside in my pj's in the morning... The doggy box is outside on our balcony - FYI I use mulch instead of fake grass, and my dog likes that much better.

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1 replies
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sponica
July 3, 2009 5:14 PM
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@hillsrovey: i have no shame and do the morning trip in my PJs....and since it's usually after 10 AM, I REALLY have no shame.

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Ratty
July 3, 2009 3:37 PM
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how awful. All it does is teach dogs that urinating and defecating is A-OK inside on synthetic material. And it promotes lazy pet ownership.

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3 replies
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bibliophibian
July 4, 2009 4:24 AM
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@Ratty: Or, in the case of those of us who have dogs who, for whatever reason, already believe that carpet=bathroom, it allows us to not have to choose between living in filth or taking our dog to the pound.

I've been involved with the housetraining of dogs for more than 30 years. I have NEVER encountered a dog that could not eventually be housebroken... until Honda, one of my current dogs. She's been examined by numerous vets over the last ~6 years; I've pulled out all my personal training tricks and have even taken her to professional trainers, on one occasion going so far as coordinating her training with a move to a new apartment with brand-new (no pee-signal smells) carpeting. Nothing works, and the vets have all said it's a small-dog thing that just happens sometimes, lucky me.

If I lived anywhere else, she'd be a 100% outside dog. However, I live in a desert climate where the summer temperatures are too harsh for me to feel comfortable making her a 24/7 outside dog, especially because her size makes her more vulnerable to heatstroke, etc. So for about five-six months a year, I have to deal with an untrainable damn pissing dog in the house.

The ONLY reason I won't order one of these is because I'm sure it'd go the same way as the kennels, and the diapers, and the pee-pads, and all the rest. Instead, I had ceramic tile put down in my office, and when she's inside I lock her in with me, so at least I don't have to keep replacing my carpets and living in filth and odor.

tl;dr? Summary: Don't be so quick to judge.

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hills
July 3, 2009 4:47 PM
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@Ratty: I'm not a lazy pet owner - but these things are a lifesaver when it's 3am and your dog has the runs! I can let my dog out on the balcony quickly, instead of getting dressed, putting her leash & harness on, then running down the condo hallway, getting outside, and then realizing I forgot my key to get back into my building at 3am. Lazy? No. Convenient? Yes.

If it makes you feel better, my box has mulch & is located outside, so no worries about training the dog to pee inside:)

And my dog still gets to go on nice walks etc... so it's not her sole toilet:)

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sponica
July 3, 2009 5:16 PM
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@hillsrovey: if my dog is super desperate he goes in the basement next to the cat litter...which makes him a smart dog in my mind. seriously cleaning it up off of concrete is much easier than scrubbing carpet..

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BenderRodriguez
July 3, 2009 3:39 PM
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Cats, sheesh, who'd have 'em. They lay around and do nothing all day, their poop stinks, and - worst of all, their pee will make your home stink forever.

Hi!! Billy Mays here with another fantastic product!! Do you want a high-maintainence pet , but don't want to be bothered with all that walking and exercise? Wish you could have all the pleasure of dog ownership without the inconvienence of all that responsibility? Then the Potty Patch is for you!!

(Mmmmm...that's good sarcasm.)

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1 replies
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BenderRodriguez
July 3, 2009 3:40 PM
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@BenderRodriguez: RIP Billy. You were the ultimate product hawker.

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Trai_Dep
July 3, 2009 3:46 PM
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Can I buy one and put my brother-in-law's face on their instead? Cuz his aim is quite bad sometimes and he's really lazy.
And dogs? Cuter and smarter.

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2 replies
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BenderRodriguez
July 3, 2009 3:54 PM
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@Trai_Dep: My Rottweiler is smarter than your honor student.

Best bumper sticker ever!

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Tvhargon
July 3, 2009 4:33 PM
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@BenderRodriguez: My blinky text is smarter than your rottweiler.

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MightyCow
July 3, 2009 8:10 PM
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These things are disgusting.

If you own a dog, take it outside to pee. If you can't manage that, you aren't mature or responsible enough to own a dog.

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2 replies
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Anonymous
July 21, 2009 2:30 PM
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@MightyCow: My 10-year old toy poodle was perfectly housebroken and NEVER peed in the house until last year. He ended up being diagnosed with Cushing's disease and a side effect is peeing in the house ... on my carpet and on a chair. I take him out three to four times a day. This kind of product is a godsend for me saving my carpet and upholstry. Think twice before calling someone immature or irresponsible. Of course, you'd probably be the kind of person who would just put a dog down instead of dealing with a dog that wasn't perfect.

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Kelly Lum
July 4, 2009 4:04 AM
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@MightyCow: My dog has neurological problems and is slowly becoming incontinent. She can manage to run across my apartment in time to get to the wee-wee pad, but getting her down a flight of stairs, down the hall, and out the door in time for her not to tinkle everywhere is a losing battle. And yes, I walk her regularly several times a day. Sorry if that makes me immature or irresponsible.

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David in Brasil
July 3, 2009 8:34 PM
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Man, lots of folks really have opinions on where you should let your dog take a whiz....

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Brandi Hendrix
July 3, 2009 9:18 PM
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Just get a plastic tray and a couple squares of real grass. You can make your own for under $15.

I wouldn't put it in my apartment, but I might put one on my patio for late-night potty emergencies. I'm a single female and sometimes don't feel like going outside and into the street at 3am.

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1 replies
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dow24
July 4, 2009 7:16 AM
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@Brandi Hendrix: If I didn't assume you had a dog, I'd think you were saying you'd use this yourself.

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Jarrah Gioconda
July 4, 2009 11:16 PM
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I have 2 of the small Pet-a-potty [www.petapotty.com]

I use them with my small dog who can't hold it very log but I also do a lot of fostering for a local shelter and I don't like enforcing that it's okay to \"go\" in the house and the petapotty allows me to associate potty with grass. I chose the Petapotty and not the potty patch or similar products because the grass is elevated well above the tray and unlike other products the tray can be used with litter and it works with both artificial grass and natural nsod.

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Anonymous
July 11, 2009 4:51 AM
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Hey guys...I got 2 pet iguanas that are 6 feet long each...This sounds like the ideal answer to my potty problem...How do you walk an iguana? Let me know...huh?Anyway, I've heard stories about not getting the product once you give them your credit card number. I'm more concerned about that.Anyone have any problems with the company? Let me know, so I can decide weather or not to send for one...It would sure make my day easier...Iguanas Rule...Lol

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Tracy
December 14, 2009 2:05 AM
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This is a boot tray which is available at Rona for about $17 and a piece of artificial turf with holes in it. Or if you want to get really fancy, you can get your hands on a piece of K9 grass from Forever Lawn(they usually have scrap pieces they will sell you cheap). It has mesh backing specially designed for this purpose. This is what I have been using for my dog for the last 4 and a half years. Not exactly an original idea. Mine cost me about $30 to make with K9 grass which I highly doubt this one comes with. Otherwise it is absolutely identical to this product. Just Make your own!!!

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wolfpuppy
May 9, 2010 2:18 PM
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It's good to find out about a bad company before purchasing something from them, as I was going to do. I was looking to buy one of these potty patches for one of my dogs. I do take a little exception to one of the posters saying that it encourages lazy pet ownership and if you aren't willing to take your dog outside you shouldn't have one. I have been taking dogs outside for over thirty years; however, I did not want this product to put in my house. My wife and I have moorage for our yacht at Lake Cumberland, and I want this product, or something like it, to put on the dock. It's a very long hike off the docks and up the long parking lot, which is very steep as it is a mountain lake, to the grassy area where I let Lucy do her business. Now, I don't mind a little excersize, but it would be much more convenient to have something right there on the dock by our sea locker that she can use. Odor would never be a problem as it would be outside and right by my hose, so I could hose it out and off at any time.

So, for boat owners who have dogs, I think that a product like this is just what the doctor ordered. As for the company in question, I will take the advice of the posters here and not buy from them, and thanks for the heads up. One of the posters wrote that you could make your own, and I don't see why not. In my situation, I probably wouldn't even need the rubber pan to put the artificial grass in as I am planning to set it on the dock right there by my water hose. As soon as she pees, I'd hose it clean. When she poops, no problem--toss the poop in the water and hose it off too. No problem. ( For anyone using this or a similar product indoors who might be experiencing an odor problem, I would suggest buying some Odor-ban. It is a concentrate that you mix with water and spray on the odor-producing area. Kennels use it, and I have used it for years. I don't care how well housebroken your dog is. Sooner or later, if you have pets long enough, they are going to have an accident, so this stuff is good to have around).

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shirley
May 20, 2010 6:37 PM
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Potty Patch, what a rip off. I tried it for 5 months on 6 dogs. These dogs were all ages, breeds and size.I work 8 hours a day, but come home for lunch and let the dogs outside. Yes dogs have accidents, that why I bought the big and small size of potty patch. The dogs would go near these patches. I'd like to have my $150.00 back.

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BOB WSA
April 7, 2011 9:07 AM
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I wish I had taken the time to read this before ordering this garbage. Well we did make the mistake of ordering this piece of garbage - first they sent the wrong size - we ordered a small got a small base with a large fake grass cover - we called to return the whole order - sure send it back was the response - yea send it back at your own expense. I ask to speak to a supervisor - well they don't have phone extensions - WTF. I can understand the customer being responsible for return shipping if they simply decided to return the product, but in this case the wrong product and at that a mismatched product was shipped. If you make the mistake of ordering this crap - dispute the charge on your card - ASAP.

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