Most training guides assume a back garden and a door the dog can be let out of. Plenty of houses here have a small courtyard, a rooftop, or nothing at all.
Approaches people use:
- Newspaper or pee pads in one fixed corner, then moving the spot outward week by week
- Taking the pup out on a schedule -- after waking, after eating, after play, and every couple of hours regardless
- A designated tray of sand or soil on the balcony
- Rooftop, which works until it rains
The part that seems to matter most is never punishing an accident that you did not catch in the act, because the pup connects the punishment to you, not to the puddle.
What did you do, how long did it take, and what would you skip if you did it again?