Training help please!!!!

[RockysMommy08]

My husband & I are new to dogs & have never trained a puppy before. Can anyone give us step-by-step on how to crate train? We have a few questions & concerns.

First, some background information. Our puppy, Rocky, is a Yorkshire Terrier...he is 10 weeks old & weighs 2lbs. We have had him for two weeks now.

We are using wee-wee pads...they seem to work ok during the day, except he won't poop on them....he will pee on them when we're there, but at night, he goes wherever he feels like going. He has his bed in our room which he sleeps in for most of the night except for when he needs to go to the bathroom.

We have tried tethering, but it doesn't seem to be working.

Also, my husband & I work a 9-5, so while we are there, Rocky has a gated off section in our house with his bed, toys, food & water, & wee pads....we leave the radio on for him so he doesn't feel so alone. We haev no choice, we both need to work & we don't have anyone we can leave him with while we are gone. We do keep a close watch on him through our webcam from work.....he seems like he is ok, mostly sleeping while we're gone.

We pretty much don't know what to do. Everyone is suggesting crate training, so we figured we'll give it a try.

How do we go about doing so?
How long do we leave him in his crate when beginning?
Do we give him a treat or his toys while he is in there?
What about at night....is he supposed to stay in his crate all night until we get up in the morning, then feed him & see if he'll use the wee pads?
Any info will be greatly appreciated...thank you all so much in advance!

[Erin]

Hi!

To start with, Rocky is very young. Just keep in mind that he has very little bladder control right now. What you need to do at this point is just be consistent so that day (a few weeks or months from now) when he figures out his body is telling him he needs to go, he will know where to go! We took our dogs outside on a schedule for months before they learned to ask, but then once they got enough notice they started asking to go outside because they knew that was the right thing to do!

As far as crate training, I like crate training and I used it for both of mine. The general gist of it is - a short time in the crate (30 minutes tops at that age) then a trip outside (or to the pad) and if they potty then they get some free time (say 15 minutes) and then back in the crate. A more practical use of the crate is to use it when you can't watch him. If you are cooking dinner or taking a shower you don't want him to have free roam in the house. Basically you want to prevent accidents. Get him on a schedule when you are home (it will take longer since you are gone all day) and praise him and give him a treat when he goes on the pad. I had a sling that I would carry Sam in sometimes because she would SCREAM in her crate at first. You can also put a leash on him to keep him near you so he doesn't sneak off and have an accident.

So, basically at this age your primary goal is to prevent accidents and set him up for success. He will still have accidents and it's not his fault, he's like an infant. He might not be reliably trained until he is anywhere from 6-12 months old, but if you start now he will have a much better shot of becoming 100% trained. Mine are both completely housetrained to go outside (they ring a bell) so it is possible with small dogs!!!

Does that help? If you have specific questions let me know! Also, you might look into hiring a pet sitter. A lot of them are professionals with insurance, business licenses, etc. (and references) and they can come and re-fill his water play with him for a little while each day. Around here they charge about $15 for 30 minutes and they are in in every area. That might help break up the day for him! Also, no food/water in the crate but it's good to give him a treat for going in there. Mine get a treat for going to their crate (used to be separate wire crates with pads, now they have a HUGE fabric crate with fluffy pillows we call their dorm room) and they RACE to their crate when I say "crate!" Even though they are house trained it's still helpful for when the UPS man comes!

[RockysMommy08]

This was very helpful!
Thank you so much! I am going to share this with my husband.
The only thing is...what do I do with Rocky while we're sleeping?

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by RockysMommy08

This was very helpful!
Thank you so much! I am going to share this with my husband.
The only thing is...what do I do with Rocky while we're sleeping?

Crate training is most effective overnight, and many dogs you can train in a very short time by placing them in a crate overnight and placing them either on a pad in the morning or outside, and praising them after they go. With a puppy, you usually have to get up at least once in the night, and place on a pad or outside, I kept Joey in a crate next to the bed. You can't expect a puppy to hold it all night. The site has excellant step by step instructions for either indoor or outdoor training: Housebreaking vs Paper Training and Other Indoor Potty Training Methods.

I just noticed he's only 10 weeks old, please be patient, 6 months is average, and many dogs don't like to poop and pee on the same pad, so using two pads sometimes works.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by RockysMommy08

This was very helpful!
Thank you so much! I am going to share this with my husband.
The only thing is...what do I do with Rocky while we're sleeping?

Loki slept in a crate in our room until we were confident enough he would wake us up when he needed to go outside in the middle of the night. When in the crate he would wake up around 2-3am and need to go out to pee and he would cry and paw at the door to the crate and I would go take him outside and then typically he would then sleep with us the rest of the night. At some point (around 6 months old) he learned to either paw at me or sit next to me and whine (he's 4 and he still sits next to me and stares at me until I open my eyes, like a kid on Christmas morning). We would close the bedroom door and we put a bell by it so he would ring the bell when he wanted to go downstairs and go out. Typically I would wake up when he did, or at least when he jumped off the bed.

We got Sammy when she was 10 months old. She slept with us from day 1 because even though she wasn't housetrained, she was old enough at that point so sleep through the night. I still close the door and they find ways to wake me up (usually around 7:30 if we don't get up earlier) They are very creative! Standing on me, laying on my pillow, barking... You'll know when Rocky can communicate with you well enough to be able to do that. Your experience might be different with pads since he really doesn't need your help with those.

Oh I forgot to mention - when you take him out of the crate CARRY him ( don't let him walk) to the crate or he will pee on the way there Plus, first thing in the morning is your BEST shot for a reward because you totally know he has to go. So go straight to to pad before breakfast.

I realize you guys are working all day and have limited options, but I just want you to be aware that with the pads it does teach them that it's OK to go in the house. They begin to mistake rugs, bath mats, etc. as pads. But on the other hand Yorkies really can't hold it for 8 hours during the day. My guys are never left for more than 4-5 hours without a potty break and when we are home during the day they ask to go out anywhere from every 45 minutes to 2 hours. So, you might want to consider putting the pads only in one spot away from other rooms (like the laundry room) so he doesn't think it's OK to pee in the living room. Does that make sense?

[Britster]

crate training is definitely the way to go, in my opinion! and they like it - it's sort of a safe haven to them.

i've had jackson for 6 days now and he's been doing so great & impressing me! i've been impressing myself as well, haha... i've never been so into training a dog and it seems to be working, whatever i'm doing. luckily, i'm out of college until the end of january to work with this little guy, but anyways

i've got him on a pretty set schedule so far... he wakes up around 7-7:30am, i pick him right up out of the crate and put his collar/leash on him and bring him directly outside, through the same door, around the same spot outside. so far, he has peed every morning! sometimes more than once. and he pooped three times outside. and every time, i bring a little doggie treat and praise him a TON and them let him have about 20 minutes of playtime inside with me in my room which is gated off. he usually eats & drinks during this time too. then i'll usually put him back in his crate and go back to sleep for another hour. he whines at first but quickly goes to sleep.

then we get up again, this time around 8:30 - 9am, i again take him directly outside to go potty and bring treats and praise. and then he gets more playtime where i watch him for about an hour and let him run in his little gated room.

this continues for the rest of the day where i'm constantly letting him outside, giving him playtime, back in the crate, etc. and whenever i leave the house, he stays in his crate obviously. crate training really seems to be the way to go! he doesn't go when he's in the crate because they naturally don't like to sleep where they go to the bathroom. i would never trust jackson locked up in my room while i was gone, no way! lol. even though he's been doing great... that's too much freedom for such a young puppy with such a small bladder.

he definitely constantly needs to be near me though. if you put him in the crate, he barks obnoxiously for about 20 minutes before stopping and it's quieter and more of a whine if i'm near him while he's in the crate, but he eventually will fall asleep. he constantly just has to see me and know i'm there. you probably have to deal with this with rocky as well... and you just have to ignore it, as hard as that may be. they learn that they are not going to get your attention by barking like that.

and yesterday he had NO accidents in the house. he peed and pooped first thing this morning, and did both again at lunch time. and dinner, and before bed, etc. today has been a great day as well. he pooped twice this morning outside and peed twice outside! and he's had his breakfast & lunch & naptimes. today, he peed SO quickly and i caught him but i didn't want to really yell because he actually went on the potty pad which he always seems to do when he has his 'accidents' so that's fine with me if he can be potty pad trained and go outside. i'm not sure what to do about that... because i don't want him to think it's ok to go in the house though. so i simply picked him up and set him outside and said "You go potty outside!"

so i am a true believer in crate training! and would highly recommend it, as long as you're not OVER-doing it. leaving them in it while you're at work is totally fine, but it would definitely help if someone could come home at lunch to let him out. and at nighttime, it's a good thing too since you can't keep your eye on him. my personal advice is to get him on a strict schedule and get him used to it... schedule is key in my opinion. and not too much freedom!


sorry for the longgg post!

[RockysMommy08]

Thanks everyone! We will definitely try crate training.

[RockysMommy08]

Oh, I forgot...can we put a blanket in there for him or his bed to sleep on, so he doesn't have to sleep on the floor while in the crate?

[Erin]

You can. Loki figured out how to pee on his bed/blanket and shove it to the side, but he's a little smarty pants. Sammy never had an accident in her crate. Just make sure it's washable

They sell these little crate pads at Petsmart for like $10. They are cheap enough that you can wash them every day and throw them away after a couple months and who really cares. We had 2 so we always had one ready to go. Or you could just fold up a fleece blanket.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by RockysMommy08

Oh, I forgot...can we put a blanket in there for him or his bed to sleep on, so he doesn't have to sleep on the floor while in the crate?

Oh yes, I had a nice cushion and blanket, if the crate is small enough, they will not pee in it, and that's the whole idea of crate training. The crate should be just big enough to stand up in and turn around in. Some people make them smaller with wire petitions and others use boxes. If your dog pees on the blanket, use an enzyme cleaner to get all the urine smell out. Otherwise, it will think it's ok to pee on the blanket and be attracted to it.

[Britster]

Yep, definitely. i've got blankets in the crate for him and a chewy toy as well if he gets bored while i'm gone!

[RockysMommy08]

Thanks everyone...my husband & I will be heading to the petstore tonight after work to get Rocky a crate....I know he will be screaming his head off in it tonight, but I guess with time he will get used to it....also, we are going to set an alarm to go off every 2 hours tonight to make sure he goes pee. I have a feeling that Rocky will be waking us though, LOL...

[JoeyP]

Hehe ...

I have two about the same age
They don't know what you're asking of them
and it's going to take a good long time to sink in
right now peeing and pooping isn't that much under their control and if they are not in the vicinity of a pee pad
they're going to go where they are

as a small puppy it's best to kept them corralled unless they are under direct supervision
My boys sometimes get it right
and we celebrate
and then a few hours later we have a mistep
remember that its a work in progress
and they will get it


ooner or later

[Ashley V]

Rule of thumb... for length of time he should be in a crate is about 1 hour for every month old he is.

This is what I would do.

Crate him at night and anytime you cannot watch him at home. As SOON as you take him out, take him to the pee pad and not let him leave until he does his business. Tell him to "Potty" until he does, then reward him and praise him like crazy when he does. I had to block Chip on it when he was little. I put it between the bathroom sink and the toilet and had to block the back of the toilet with the toilet brush holder because he liked to try and sneak off. If you catch him going to the bathroom while you are watching him, tell him "No" then take him to the pee pad and say "This is where you POTTY" and emphasize "potty" because you want him to learn that word.

If you can't come home every few hours to give him a potty break, I would still continue to leave him in a blocked off room. where a pad is available.

Also, you want him to feel comfortable in his crate, so I would coax him in with a treat while saying a word that means to go in his crate (example: when my dogs hear us say IN they know that means to go in the crate), then reward him with treat and praise when he goes in. You can also hid some treats in his crate for him to randomly find it. This way he'll learn that his crate is a fun place for him to be. Also, I would buy him a kong and some of that puppy paste or treats to fill it. It will keep him distracted when you leave. Also give him some toys to keep him entertained. Never give him bones or anything to chew on though and don't leave a harness or collar on him while in his crate because he could hurt himself.

[AvyQuinn]

I dont know if this will help, but I made a thread a little while back...

Originally Posted by AvyQuinn

So I'm crate training Hiro now. I have been doing so for 24 days.
I got a book and did some reading/research.
Hiro is 7 months old. I don't work and am at home with him all day.

The crate is just big enough for him to turn in and lay down. I have a fleece blanket, a couple safe toys and something to chew on in there. I clean it out regularly with pet deodorant spray, etc. He loves his crate and goes in willingly. Sometimes he doesn't even want to come out. lol

I have us on a strict schedule.

Noon -- Get up, take Hiro out - he'll pee and maybe poo.
12:15 -- Feed him outside his crate. I am in the kitchen the whole time.
12:30 -- Out again - he will poo and pee.
12:30 to 1:30 -- He gets to run around free in the kitchen.
1:30 -- Walk after hubby leaves for work.
2:00 to 5:30 -- Into the crate for the afternoon.
5:30 -- Out for a pee.
5:30 to 8:30 -- Into the crate.
8:30 -- Out for a pee then Hiro gets supper.
9:00 -- Outside again for a pee and a poo.
9:00 to 10:00 -- Playtime in the kitchen until the hubby gets home from work.
10:00 to 1:00am -- Into the crate.
1:00 am -- Out for a pee.
1:00am to 4:00am -- Into the crate.
4:00 am -- Out for the last pee and poo of the night.

While in the carrier Hiro doesn't typically fuss and sleeps soundly all night in it.

So... into the issue at hand.

Now tonight immediately after he was finished supper, and I was doing dishes, Hiro (without a sign or sound that I noticed) peed on the kitchen floor. I scooped him up and took him outside to go pee while I wiped up the kitchen.

When I take him outside to pee and poo I praise him WHILE he is doing the deed. I hadn't been doing that before, but quickly remedied that situation. I was also giving him a treat when he went, but I stopped when I read that sometimes they just want the treat and don't pee. lol

So.. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, if I AM doing anything wrong, or if it was just a lapse. He typically won't EVER pee or poo in the middle of the night or make *any* noise whatsoever after the hubby and I have gone to bed. This leads me to believe that he can hold it sufficiently. Should I not worry about this little slip or should I be trying a different technique?

Guess I just need a little advice/guidance or some encouragement that I'm doing it right if I am!

I'm a schedule/list oriented type person, so if you are too, this might be helpful. I saw that you work and such, my day is VERY different but you might find some of it may apply! Good luck! There will definitely be days where you just wanna throw in the towel, but it WILL get better! I promise! Just BE CONSISTENT! =)


Oh... and I regretted not crate training him from the VERY beginning! At first I tried to just let him use pads and such while free in the kitchen. Didn't work well for me.

OH YEAH! AND post pics! Hee hee ^^;