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07-24-2013, 10:19 AM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Nebraska, USA
Posts: 49
| Silky-Poo Training! Hello everyone! OK so I know this is a Yorkie forum, but I'm hoping it's ok I joined even though my new pup is a Silky-Poo?! I'm just looking for some general advice/training tips for when I bring my new puppy home at the beginning of August. He was born on June 1st so I can't bring him home quite yet. The main concern I have right now is housebreaking. I've heard Yorkies can be hard to housebreak, and I'm guessing Silkies are the same in that way?! The dog I grew up with is a Papillon so we had it SO easy when it came to the training! He came to us from a breeder at 2 months and was mostly housebroken already! I have a feeling housebreaking my Silky-Poo is gonna be a bit more of a challenge. I want to be as prepared as possible by next week! I live in a house alone so I will be doing 100% of the training. I'm sort of in between 2 different jobs at the moment so right now my shifts are mostly only 3 hours, and then I'm able to do the rest from home. I leave around 8:45 am and come home around 12:15 at the latest. Usually I'm home even earlier. I feel like that's still gonna be too long for this little guy to hold it in a crate- so I was thinking I would get a 30" tall exercise pen (Amazon.com: Midwest Black E-Coat Exercise Pen, 24... ) for when I'm gonna be gone more than a couple hours. I was planning on putting a scrap piece of vinyl flooring underneath the play pen in my living room so my laminate floors don't get ruined! I'm going to try to stay away from puppy pads if possible because ideally in the future I would like my dog to pee/poop outside only. I also want to buy him a crate so I can do crate training when I'm gone 2 hours or less (or maybe a little longer once he gets a little older). One question I have is- what size of crate should I get? His parents are 5-6 lbs. and 7-8 lbs. apparently. They almost looked even smaller than that to me when I met them. I can't picture him getting any larger than 7 pounds- his parents just look so tiny! Would a size small - 13"L x 19.5"W x 10.25"H crate be too small?! I know they say they supposed to be pretty small but I don't want him to be uncomfortable! That might be cutting it close depending on how big he gets? So what I'm trying to figure out is- how do I potty train using the exercise pen and the crate? Should I limit the crate time to 2 hours initially? Or even less? Do I just let him pee wherever he wants in the exercise pen when I'm gone for 2+ hours? Or would that start bad habits? Right now I have short shifts but after a couple week of having him I will probably be working longer shifts- but I'm planning on coming home during my lunch break. And they still won't be 9 hours days for a few months. Actually I had a schedule pretty well figured out but some things about my next job are a little up in the air now so I'm just having to play it by ear! I just really want him to get a good head start with potty training and don't want to slow the process down by letting him pee in the play pen- I just don't see any other options when he's still so little! So any potty training tips would be great! And any other tips, too, actually! Like crate training, getting him to sleep through the night, etc. Sorry this post is so long I just have so many questions! |
Welcome Guest! | |
07-25-2013, 12:43 PM | #2 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Nebraska, USA
Posts: 49
| Please help! So many questions! |
07-25-2013, 01:24 PM | #3 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: South Holland, IL
Posts: 241
| I didn't crate train so I can't offer any advice. Just wanted to say that they're not all difficult to potty train. I was able to stay home for Lexi's first 2 weeks and I'm sure that's what helped her train so quickly. By the time I returned to work she was potty trained. I know it isn't always possible with work schedules, but if you can, it really helps to be there for a couple of weeks to get them on the right track. There's also helpful information in the General Training Questions forum for potty training. I'm sure others will be along shortly to help.
__________________ Jan Lexi's Mommy |
07-25-2013, 01:30 PM | #4 | |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Nebraska, USA
Posts: 49
| Quote:
It turns out I may be able to take my puppy to work soon. I work outdoors, though. So it won't be until it really cools down cuz he is just too small to handle any heat! | |
07-25-2013, 06:24 PM | #5 |
Action Jackson ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Maryland
Posts: 17,814
| Potty training Jax did not take terribly long either for me but like poster above, I was lucky to be off on winter break from college so had a good 4 weeks to get him on a schedule. It was really hard work at first. But it paid off in the long run. He was about 95% reliable by 6 months. He is almost 5 and hasn't had an accident in... forever *knock on wood* The only times I remember in the past few years were during bad rain storms, etc, I would sometimes find poop off in the living room. But that hasn't happened in probably 2 years. I did do the crate training at first but it honestly did not last long. The first night I let him sleep in my bed was the first night he slept thru the night. The rest, as they say, is history... but I do not think 3-4 hours is bad at all to be left in a crate. 4 hrs is probably the max I would do at THAT age, but it should be fine. Personally, I think potty pads and outdoor training can be confusing. It CAN be done for sure, but I think sometimes it just confuses the dog. You are saying it's okay to pee in the house, but only in one spot, and potty pad trained dogs often mistake rugs for pads. I don't think it will cause any harm though to have a pad and an ex-pen set up initially. That way at least you are giving the option if you think one day he will be left for long hours. Basically it boils down to your wants, and your lifestyle. Jackson is free roam in the house, I always knew he would be and that was the ultimate goal. Luckily he always proved to be reliable when I was not home so it wasn't an issue. Some dogs will always have to be crated or in an expen, it really just depends. I also knew I wanted him to be able to sleep in because, well, I like to sleep in when I can... so as a puppy (since I was off), I would get up with him around 7am, potty, we would play for 20 mins or so, and then I would bring him back into bed. At first I would just put him back in the crate ON my bed with me, so he got that I was going back to bed for a bit. Now he will gladly sleep in with me until 10 or 11 lol. But yeah again that was something I wanted my dog to get used to. So I think you just learn what you want, and what you find acceptable, and you will get into a rhythm and groove.
__________________ ~ Brit & Lights! Camera! Jackson! CGC ETD TKP ~ Follow Jackson on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacksontheterrier |
07-25-2013, 07:23 PM | #6 | |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Nebraska, USA
Posts: 49
| Quote:
My goal is to give him free roam of the house, too, eventually! I'm mainly using the exercise pen for his safety I guess. I will be way less paranoid when I'm gone that way! He is just so little! You don't think he would get his head stuck in the pen and hurt himself do you?! I'm not sure how close together the wires are. I plan on taking his collar off when he's in there. I know I'm gonna feel SO bad while I'm crate training him, but I think it's probably the best option for potty training. So when I'm gone for longer than I feel comfortable leaving him in his crate for- could I just let him pee in the ex pen area and not have pee pads? I mean- if he's little and can't help it what can I do?! Without reenforcing bad habits?! I think that's the part I'm confused about. I know how crate training works but incorporating the exercise pen is confusing to me. Also it's so funny your dog is named Jackson- my mom thought that would be a good name for my pup but I know a guy named Jackson so I thought it would just be weird?! haha | |
07-25-2013, 07:27 PM | #7 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Nebraska, USA
Posts: 49
| OH and FYI- my little guy does have some Yorkie in him after all- his mama is a Yorkie-Poo, not a Toy Poodle like I had assumed! Dad is a Silky Terrier. |
08-03-2013, 11:57 PM | #8 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Georgia
Posts: 4,566
| Yes, he has Yorkie on both sides, but that doesn't matter here. Everyone is welcome!
__________________ Prince, rest in peace. We miss you and love you so much. |
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housebreaking, potty training, silkypoo, training |
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