Dog using a litter tray?

[PedanticPanda]

I have cats so I have a couple of litter trays in my house, my puppy has started copying the cats and now uses the trays to go to the toilet. I have put the trays right out of the way so she has to go to a separate room right at the back of the house to use them rather than needing to go and it's the closest thing IYSWIM, but it's not discouraged her and she now goes to the trays when she needs the toilet.

She's small just now obviously because she's just a little pup, but she's a gsd so won't stay that small for long, will she still be squatting over a small litter tray when she's big?

Should I just leave her to it or should I try and discourage this, and if so how?

[EasyToEatTiger]

If you let her carry on, she won't go to the loo outside and your house will smell of poo and wee. I would strongly discourage it and take the pup outside. You can train her to do her business in the same place outside. When she's bigger she may not just use the litter tray. Nip it in the bud!

[outmonday]

What a clever little pup! You want her going outside and surely she will when she outgrows the cat's tray but meantime it's handy when she's in a hurry or it's raining.

[RedwingWinter]

How are the cats reacting to this? I don't think they will like it and before long they will start leaving unwanted presents in other parts of the house. Cats can be very fussy about their litter trays.

Another reason to discourage it is that you don't want the pup to get the idea of going in the house, as it will become a habit. Don't shout at her if you catch her at it, but try and take her outside more often so that she is always going outside. If you see her headed in the direction of the litter trays, just quietly take her outside and then praise her like crazy when she goes.

[PedanticPanda]

They're surprisingly ok, they all share litter trays so I think that's why they've not kicked off and pee'd all over the house.

I could always keep a baby bath filled with cat litter handy for rainy days when she's bigger :o