House training a Yorkie

[westsidemom]

KDG......I had my puppy fixed at 7mths, but to be honest it did'nt help with the house training.

Triple 6.......I initially tried tying 2 xmas bells on the end of a rope to the door knob, and showed him how to use them, but he was afraid of them. I tried it for a long time, but no succes. Mostly he is trained now, but he is not clear about letting me know that he needs to go outside. Sometimes he paces around franticly & I'll take him out. Other times, he gives me no signal at all, and he will poop inside. In the last few days he has pee-ed twice and pooped 3 times. S0000000000.....maybe I'll get a bell like yours and teach him how to use it. I'll keep the receipt (in case it doesnt work) thanks for all the feedback

I think patience and diligence is key to the situation. My little guy worried me as well..he is almost 2 years now and hasn't had an accident since last summer(that means he was still 1.5 years) His accidents were just that, accidents. After I considered him fully trained at 10 months, he went to a weekly accident, to bi weekly, and then monthly and eventually no more. You are doing a great job, and don't worry too much.

[Triple 6]

My babes are 1 and 1.5. They still have the odd accident. We are at work all day and one goes home at lunch for 1/2 an hour. The pee is never a problem (anymore) It's the turds. In fact today, recieved some goodies!

[canadianairfarce]

thanks people. ....I feel much better now. My little one is 10mths on Feb 1. But I am starting to believe that they are children in this regard with potty training. Everyone child is different and are trained at different ages. So I guess its the same with puppies. Its just that sometimes I run into people with dogs and they proudly announce that their little dog was trained at 5mths, which makes me feel like "I must be doing something wrong". Oh well, good for them. I think I will go back to listening to my own instincts, and going with the flow. I just need to be patient with this little one. Thank goodnes I don't have carpets down, or they would be ruined by now.

[tikbor]

My old Cocker initially was paper trained by the family we got her from. As we were away for a better part of the daytime back then, we installed a doggie door for her to use (when she was about four or five months). She would be outside playing, come running inside, pee on the little bit of paper that was still in the kitchen and then run outside to play some more. Eventually got it right, but man we laughed when we realized what she had figured out to do...

My two beasts now (are both around a year) were both crate trained (they will NOT go in thier bed) and that worked fine. Then they started to sleep in our room as they were making it through the night no problem (and day when we were away). IF the door to my room is open, the little one (yup, littler ones seem to have the issues more than the big ones) WILL go and whine a bit at the door. Problem is, it's not that close to the bedroom and we don't always hear her (the odd time that she does need to go in the night). So we started sleeping with the door shut, and now we hear her. AND we started only feeding them in the mornings so that they don't normally need to go during the night (only once in a while, and usually that has to do with too many treats and a little poopiness issue...)

The little one also tends to not even ask if it's darned cold outsite (or really, really raining hard) so we have to just put her out and not listen to her complain for a few minutes until she gives up, does her business and then is fine.

Last - they say take them out when they wake up, before they eat, especially after they eat, and regularly throughout the day (for us that means before we leave and as soon as we come back). I do know other 'parents' who've had problems with slow training and it's really frustrating, but I don't know of one who's pup didn't eventually outgrow it and stop messing on the floor, at least until they were seniors... : )

[CoffeeCanuck]

It's been a while since I blundered my way through toilet training a puppy. I did the 'wee pads' thing with my cocker. Never again. If I ever get another puppy, it will be crate trained with a bell hanging from the door knob.

One thing that I will point out is that it does no good to punish or chastise a dog after the fact. Dogs live in the moment, and you have to catch them actually messing in the house for any correction to be effective.

Animals are like children. There will always be an accident to clean up, whether it's pee, poo or vomit. I have hardwood and tile on my main floor with a beautiful silk area rug in the living room. Guess where one of my dogs decided to vomit? Yep, my silk area rug. *sigh* I didn't get upset as the dog could not help it and it's somthing I accept will happen from time to time. The dogs bring me so much more joy than the rug. As someone else stated, have a really good cleaner on hand.

~D

[canadianairfarce]

Hi everyone......I just started a part-time job & it takes me away from my little guy for 8hours. I can't get home at lunch to take him out. Its been interesting to see how he would handle it. The first day, I came home to 2 pees on the floor near the door, the 2nd day I took him to doggie daycare, the 3rd day I put down 2 pee pads for him, & he shredded one of them. I couldn't find any pee anywhere not even on the pads. But he may have peed on an indoor/outdoor rug with rubber backing I have inside the front door. Maybe it was dried when I got home and couldnt see it. The rug is avery dark brown/black color, so it would not show. When I am at home with him he still has accidents, when I am not looking & he knows he did wrong. But patience, patience is the game I guess. Still I wish it was all over and I could count on him. Aside from that he is very loving and cuddly & adores me which is more than I can say for ex..... thanks again for all the great feedback, now I don't feel like a bad parent.