The Potty Patch: revolutionary product or doggone shame?

The name certainly speaks for itself -- the Potty Patch is an indoor restroom for dogs. Covered with a layer of artificial turf, the Potty Patch is designed to attract dogs because it resembles a patch of grass. Below the turf is a tray that catches urine; the tray can hold about a gallon of liquid. Potty Patches are available in two sizes: a 17-by-27-inch patch for dogs under 15 pounds (*Est. $40) and a larger 27-by-34-inch size (*Est. $80) for bigger dogs.

The Potty Patch is intended for housetraining a puppy, or for owners who are away from home often. The infomercial also suggests that this product will appeal to dogs that hate to go outside in the rain and snow.

So, does this silly-looking contraption really work? The majority of dog owners who review the Potty Patch aren't very happy with it. Two news stations put it to the test, with equally poor results. WOIO (Cleveland) tries out the Potty Patch with two 9-month-old puppies; both dogs ignore it and go to the bathroom on the floor instead. Reporter Danielle Serino concludes by deeming the Potty Patch "a bit of a pooper." WGRZ (Buffalo, N.Y.) performs a weeklong test of the Potty Patch with a four-year-old Greyhound. The owner reports that her dog "wanted nothing to do with it." 

A blogger at She Scribes describes her dog's experience with the Potty Patch. Echoing the other reviewers, she says that her dog simply ignored it. About a dozen owners review the Potty Patch at Petco.com, where it receives mixed feedback. Owners of puppies and smaller dogs are more satisfied than owners of larger dogs. Even those who like the Potty Patch complain about the turf mat, which tends to slide around or slip off entirely. A handful of owners weigh in at Amazon.com, where the Potty Patch gets uniformly panned. Either dogs refused to use it -- or they did, and owners found the scent of urine disturbing.

Quite a few owners gripe about customer service on Doggies.com. Some say it took three to four months for their orders to arrive; a few never received them. Others report they were charged for additional items that they didn't order at all. If you decide to buy a Potty Patch, you're better off making your purchase from an established retailer rather than the product's website.

Owners of  puppies or small dogs might find that the Potty Patch works for them, but since most owners are displeased, don't set your expectations too high. Considering the Potty Patch's cost, you may be better off using an ordinary potty pad, which is less expensive and often more effective.