HELP: Potty Training 10 wk old, 2# Puppy in 0-15 degree temps

[motinot]

Thanks for all the wonderful potty training advice..I love Yorkietalk...Teddi is using her pee pad perfectly and has never had an accident (so far)....When the weather warms up i intend to start with outdoor training..my hubby has built her a large box with sides and drainage holes....plenty of grit...soil and a grassy surface...im hoping this will become her toilet...Motinot Teddi's carer

[karen24]

Originally Posted by motinot

Thanks for all the wonderful potty training advice..I love Yorkietalk...Teddi is using her pee pad perfectly and has never had an accident (so far)....When the weather warms up i intend to start with outdoor training..my hubby has built her a large box with sides and drainage holes....plenty of grit...soil and a grassy surface...im hoping this will become her toilet...Motinot Teddi's carer

I have seen those Potty Patches online. I am curious to hear how it turns out for you! Do post again after you've got it up and working.

[karen24]

Originally Posted by kreuer

You seem to be on the right track! Some people like to say some yorkies are impossible to train, but if you start right away and are consistent like it sounds like you are it will happen in no time. My yorkie was my first dog ever, and I was lucky enough to have her trained in 2 weeks (keep in mind she was already 13 weeks when I got her). It can happen, but some do take a little longer than others. Keep up what you are doing, and you will have a happy, potty trained dog!

Well my little Jack is 11 weeks old today. He (or I) did so well for so many days then today a piddle on the carpet not 15 min after I brought him in from going. Ugh! What can you do! Just pooh, poohed him and cleaned it up, rolling my eyes to he heavens remembering he's still building those muscles! BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS EMPTY!! lol So my goodness if he could be 99% trained in a month or two, I would be thrilled!! I do have to say that I am sooo happy he is little! His accidents are also little, so all and all its not so bad. And he is rarely on the real wall to wall carpet! We have an area rugs over the carpet as added protection during this phase.

[karen24]

OK, now a new twist has set in!! Jack is running from me when I try to pick him up to go out to potty, also other times as well. He sits with me, he isn't afraid of me...I'm Mom afterall. It is cold outside even though he is only going to the attached garage to potty. I think that is it, that and some puppy playfulness. So what to do? This started a couple days ago and has become a problem. I will not chase him around the house! That doesn't seem to be a good idea to decrease this behavior. Today I did not put his kibble in a dish for him, but rather called him to me to get each piece. I walked around calling him to different areas spots. When he wouldn't come after a few calls I set the kibble aside and went about my chores. Then in a few minutes tried again. When he comes to get the kibble I try to pet him and he ducks and runs. Which again indicates to me he doesn't want to be picked up. Am I on the right track with this, or does anyone have a better idea to curb this behavior before it becomes more pronounced?

[adamsrose]

Hi Karen! I thought the same as you...I'm picking up my baby this weekend and the temp has been steadily dropping. I am very fortunate to have a small room just for my baby. While she will spend most of her time in my arms, for those times when she wants rest or potty when I have to leave for short spells, she'll have her room. A baby gate is the only door, so she won't feel isolated. Inside is a large, cozy den with plenty of toys, as well as a Potty Patch that I picked up at PetSmart. As she gets older, I will start moving the Potty Patch closer to the front door, until we are eventually all the way outside to potty. This isn't a full-time solution, but will work well during freezing temps or rain. I've used this method for housebreaking a pup before and had great success with it. Enjoy your baby! Sounds like you've prepared well!

[karen24]

Originally Posted by adamsrose

Hi Karen! I thought the same as you...I'm picking up my baby this weekend and the temp has been steadily dropping. I am very fortunate to have a small room just for my baby. While she will spend most of her time in my arms, for those times when she wants rest or potty when I have to leave for short spells, she'll have her room. A baby gate is the only door, so she won't feel isolated. Inside is a large, cozy den with plenty of toys, as well as a Potty Patch that I picked up at PetSmart. As she gets older, I will start moving the Potty Patch closer to the front door, until we are eventually all the way outside to potty. This isn't a full-time solution, but will work well during freezing temps or rain. I've used this method for housebreaking a pup before and had great success with it. Enjoy your baby! Sounds like you've prepared well!

Hello! Sounds like you have a nice setup for your little one. So one thing I am particularly curious about, your other pup who you housebroke in the same way, did you get him/her during the winter months? Was he/she a yorkie? How long did it take to transition to outside, I mean at what age was the other dog reliably going outside without having indoor accidents? I'm just so curious as to about how long until my little guy is reliable - I know no one can tell me that, but I am curious about others experiences. Good Luck with your new babe! It is so exciting to have a little one in the house!!

[diva_vida]

Karen, if you eventually want your puppy to go to the potty outside and the pad is out in the garage, maybe you should start leashing him to take him out to the pad. I know my puppy loves the run from mommy around the house game lol. When I get his leash out he sits down and waits for me to put it on. You puppy might just see this as a game and would rather be chased instead of picked up lol.

[dawn27]

You are so very welcome !!


Looks like your little one is getting the best of you and the training continues.

Originally Posted by karen24

Well my little Jack is 11 weeks old today. He (or I) did so well for so many days then today a piddle on the carpet not 15 min after I brought him in from going. Ugh! What can you do! Just pooh, poohed him and cleaned it up, rolling my eyes to he heavens remembering he's still building those muscles! BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS EMPTY!! lol So my goodness if he could be 99% trained in a month or two, I would be thrilled!! I do have to say that I am sooo happy he is little! His accidents are also little, so all and all its not so bad. And he is rarely on the real wall to wall carpet! We have an area rugs over the carpet as added protection during this phase.

The shortest time I ever had one of my babies potty trained was within 5 months of bringing them home. Each pup is different and each has their own little quirks that you have to deal with. Its all about finding what works for you. You pup might benefit from some leash training in order to get that run and hide/play thing under control. Look up umbilical cord training or look on my site for some helpful tips with this. Especially the part about teaching the "come" command, that should help.

Originally Posted by karen24

OK, now a new twist has set in!! Jack is running from me when I try to pick him up to go out to potty, also other times as well. He sits with me, he isn't afraid of me...I'm Mom afterall. It is cold outside even though he is only going to the attached garage to potty. I think that is it, that and some puppy playfulness. So what to do? This started a couple days ago and has become a problem. I will not chase him around the house! That doesn't seem to be a good idea to decrease this behavior. Today I did not put his kibble in a dish for him, but rather called him to me to get each piece. I walked around calling him to different areas spots. When he wouldn't come after a few calls I set the kibble aside and went about my chores. Then in a few minutes tried again. When he comes to get the kibble I try to pet him and he ducks and runs. Which again indicates to me he doesn't want to be picked up. Am I on the right track with this, or does anyone have a better idea to curb this behavior before it becomes more pronounced?

You doing fine. keep it up!


Make him come to you . . never ever give chase. You are on the right track. That behavior normally indicates he is in a playful mood and wants to play. Maybe in addition to the kibble keep one of his favorite toys, a clicker or a squeaky toy on hand to get his attention. If he want to play, let him but remember to take him our right after. Playing seems to stir up the urge to potty.


I also agree with taking him out to potty with a leash on. That gives you control. I would suggest putting the leash on, carry him out to potty but that let him walk back to the house.

[adamsrose]

Originally Posted by karen24

Hello! Sounds like you have a nice setup for your little one. So one thing I am particularly curious about, your other pup who you housebroke in the same way, did you get him/her during the winter months? Was he/she a yorkie? How long did it take to transition to outside, I mean at what age was the other dog reliably going outside without having indoor accidents? I'm just so curious as to about how long until my little guy is reliable - I know no one can tell me that, but I am curious about others experiences. Good Luck with your new babe! It is so exciting to have a little one in the house!!

Hi Karen! I trained two other puppies this way. They grew up to be large dogs, but were small when they were young. No, it wasn't winter...and I lived in Las Vegas at the time. The reason I choose this method of potty training is because I was incapacitated at the time. I had had unexpected surgery and didn't want that to prevent the puppies from doing their business when necessary. I was also fortunate that my pups took to it quickly and also transitioned to the outdoors within about three weeks. We had a large, fenced in backyard and as soon as my son came home, he'd open the patio doors and out they'd run! They learned very quickly how to let us know it was that time. For the most part, they were indoor dogs, primarily because of the heat, but we took them often to the dog park so they could burn up energy and strut their stuff. They LOVED being able to roam freely and it was the perfect place to socialize and train them.

[karen24]

Originally Posted by diva_vida

Karen, if you eventually want your puppy to go to the potty outside and the pad is out in the garage, maybe you should start leashing him to take him out to the pad. I know my puppy loves the run from mommy around the house game lol. When I get his leash out he sits down and waits for me to put it on. You puppy might just see this as a game and would rather be chased instead of picked up lol.

Originally Posted by dawn27

I also agree with taking him out to potty with a leash on. That gives you control. I would suggest putting the leash on, carry him out to potty but that let him walk back to the house.

Thank you both! Using a leash now is something that I hadn't really thought about as being important to my ultimate goal of pottying outside. Much thanks for this and all your advise and support. Now another issue I have had is finding an easy on harness, which I think I will quick make one similar to a buddy belt which I have been intending to do. Thank you again!

[karen24]

The little sneak pooped in the house TWICE today! His name has been changed to "the little sh!t"! Not really, but, twice!!!

I do notice that I am not as vigilant on the weekends; there is more going on and I miss cues. So again, my own fault, and I have given him the privilege of moving around just alittle less supervised and that needs to stop, so HE'S TETHERED TO ME! Oh, God this little stinker is giving me a run for my money!

I think he is rather dismayed at the leash, but he will get used to it. Also, I was not happy with any of the three harnesses I bought and so I am working on making one that is tailored to him. He has worn 3 proto-types. Each time I put it on him, I see how it fits, how he acts. After he's enjoyed some "freedom" and play, he goes back into the crate, and I modify the harness. He seems to be able to pull the harness and twist it, particularly when he is pulling and playing, chewing on the leash. So I have one of the leashes drying right now that I sprayed with bitter spray. I imagine as he gets used to the harness being on and the leash hooked to it, it will be less inviting to play with.

I keep telling myself that I managed to raise a human child, keep him safe, potty train him, and he is an adult I can be proud of. But this little cutie puppy is turning into a challenge!! LOL

[dawn27]

Originally Posted by karen24

Thank you both! Using a leash now is something that I hadn't really thought about as being important to my ultimate goal of pottying outside. Much thanks for this and all your advise and support. Now another issue I have had is finding an easy on harness, which I think I will quick make one similar to a buddy belt which I have been intending to do. Thank you again!

I think your idea of making one if you have the know how it the best way to get the perfect one.

Originally Posted by karen24

The little sneak pooped in the house TWICE today! His name has been changed to "the little sh!t"! Not really, but, twice!!!

I do notice that I am not as vigilant on the weekends; there is more going on and I miss cues. So again, my own fault, and I have given him the privilege of moving around just alittle less supervised and that needs to stop, so HE'S TETHERED TO ME! Oh, God this little stinker is giving me a run for my money!

I think he is rather dismayed at the leash, but he will get used to it. Also, I was not happy with any of the three harnesses I bought and so I am working on making one that is tailored to him. He has worn 3 proto-types. Each time I put it on him, I see how it fits, how he acts. After he's enjoyed some "freedom" and play, he goes back into the crate, and I modify the harness. He seems to be able to pull the harness and twist it, particularly when he is pulling and playing, chewing on the leash. So I have one of the leashes drying right now that I sprayed with bitter spray. I imagine as he gets used to the harness being on and the leash hooked to it, it will be less inviting to play with.

I keep telling myself that I managed to raise a human child, keep him safe, potty train him, and he is an adult I can be proud of. But this little cutie puppy is turning into a challenge!! LOL

Lol his new nickname . . fits him perfectly just like the harness will. I think you are on the right track and yes these little ones are just like having a child but you forgot to mention to teach them right from wrong . . Tethering him is the best way to keep his little butt out of trouble.

[KazzyK810]

Being under a major snow storm warning overnight, I'm betting you're glad you've got the potty pads to go to in the garage, and arent having to shovel a potty area outside!

[kreuer]

Originally Posted by KazzyK810

Being under a major snow storm warning overnight, I'm betting you're glad you've got the potty pads to go to in the garage, and arent having to shovel a potty area outside!

I live in Wisconsin and we have a big snow storm still coming through. Somewhere between 6-10 inches. I have had to shovel out their potty area in the back at least 6 times today. It's days like this i wish they were pad trained!

[karen24]

Originally Posted by KazzyK810

Being under a major snow storm warning overnight, I'm betting you're glad you've got the potty pads to go to in the garage, and arent having to shovel a potty area outside!

Originally Posted by kreuer

I live in Wisconsin and we have a big snow storm still coming through. Somewhere between 6-10 inches. I have had to shovel out their potty area in the back at least 6 times today. It's days like this i wish they were pad trained!

We cleared the driveway twice and it is full again tonight. Yes! And not only am I glad that I have the garage option, but I may have to keep an emergency potty spot for bad weather, but I will be happy to have him take him business outside when weather permits!!

I have been taking him out to the garage potty on this leash too.

BTW, I think I have the perfect step in harness figured out for him. The last proto-type was very good, so I will make him one now that is lined and hemmed with some nice fabric now. I had been using some denim from the rag bag for the proto-types. Tomorrow I will go through my stash and find a fitting print.