I look on pee pads as an option you should take only when immediate training is impossible. Think about it. Unless you want them to pee in the house forever, you'll have to house-train them twice. Better they should understand outside is for potty young and not associate the house for elimination.

I've never used pee pads and I think it just teaches them to pee on some thing in the house. When I got my last pup the breeder said they were trained not to go toilet on the concrete (and go on the grass instead), it's true she doesn't go on concrete, but instead of peeing on the concrete floor in the back room which could easily be cleaned up, she would rather pee on the carpet! lol, but at least the concrete was safe. I don't think a dog could tell the difference between a pee pad or some clothing left on the floor, so really it's not an advantage and they need to be housetrained to go outside anyway.

Some breeders use them because it is difficult to take a litter outside in various weather conditions. You could take a pad, keep it by the door (not for pup to use) -- you carefully watch pup, when they go near pad sniffing, take pup out. They quickly get the idea.

Thanks y'all. So it's probably not a dealbreaker to get a dog that is "pee pad trained"?

It just sounds like such a bad idea! But I guess if they can be retrained it wouldn't be insurmountable.

It really makes me wonder why people would advertise that as a good feature, but I won't worry about it. :)

No pee pad training is surely not a deal-breaker, and it does have its benefits in certain situations. Like you, however, I wouldn't consider it something to advertise and brag about. A lady who lived next door to my parents was in ill health, and couldn't get outside herself, let alone take her two dogs out, so it was a way she could continue to keep them and care for them. But, potty time is a time a dog can get outside (and that shouldn't be the only time) and I believe it would be very tempting, if one had a little dog on pee pads, to just skip the walks and exercise knowing that they're not going to soil floors or carpets.

I can't even imagine a large dog using them and some pups can put out a huge amount of urine. You can add to that I am a recycler and tree hugger. I don't even like disposible diapers, let alone putting a gazillion dogs on throw-away, consumables.

I have had a dog that was trained to use these pads as a puppy and it was awful trying to retrain her to go outside. She just would not go when outdoors. Then as soon as she came back indoors she would use the pad. Or once the pads were removed, she would use the carpet.

I also, currently have an older dog (9 1/2 years old when I adopted her from a rescue organization) that will use a throw rug if one is available, particularly if it is light colored. I really suspect she was also trained on the potty pads.

I would never, ever train a puppy this way.