To Poop or not to Poop - YorkieTalk.com Forums

stivCoffee · 03-15-2007, 11:53 PM

hi friends,

i've been training Coffee to poop on the pad. I follow the instructions on letting them go poop after meal. But he just won't go. Not even after a few hours! Sometimes I just give up and let him back inside because I can't supervise him constantly while I work. Then he would sneak by me and poop on the floor. But I correct him instantly. Bringing him to the pad and tell him he's a good boy. But now, he just seems to hold the poop and wait till the middle of the night to poop. My confusion is greater because he pee's perfectly well. Right after a meal and when he wakes up from his naps. But the poop...What should I do?

ruby ambra · 03-16-2007, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stivCoffee

hi friends,

i've been training Coffee to poop on the pad. I follow the instructions on letting them go poop after meal. But he just won't go. Not even after a few hours! Sometimes I just give up and let him back inside because I can't supervise him constantly while I work. Then he would sneak by me and poop on the floor. But I correct him instantly. Bringing him to the pad and tell him he's a good boy. But now, he just seems to hold the poop and wait till the middle of the night to poop. My confusion is greater because he pee's perfectly well. Right after a meal and when he wakes up from his naps. But the poop...What should I do?

Hi we have the same problem. Our Ruby Ambra is great with her pees on the pads but she won't poop on the pad. we do not have a clue why she will not go on the pad. I hope you get an answer because we could use some advise also. GOOD LUCK , AMBRAS MOM

Sweetums · 03-16-2007, 07:28 PM

We had the same problem when we first started potty training with the potty pad. But eventually our Pookie caught on and started going on the pad. I think this was the result of her going on the pad sporadically, for which we gave her tons of praise and her favorite treat each time. The only thing was she would never go when we were watching. It's odd, but many Yorkies seem to do this. They only go poo when you're not watching. I don't know what the answer is exactly altho my guess is that they are of higher intelligence than most dogs who have the intelligence of approx. a two year old child, so they are more aware of going poo than other dogs are.

The other night, Pookie wandered off while I was watching t.v. and apparently was going to the potty pad. I didn't realize what she was doing. I thought she had gone down to the spare bedroom where my husband was on the computer. I walked out to the kitchen where her bpad was, and switched on the light, and there she was in the midst of squatting about to go. The minute I switched on the light and she was "caught" about to go poo, she immediately stopped and walked away. And she didn't go back to it again for several hours. I don't get it, but it seems like she wants privacy to go.

So now, we have decided to move the potty pad outside to our deck, and Pookie doesn't get it anymore. According to my husband who is home all day (I still work and he is retired), she does go pee outside on the pad, but she is still trying to go poo on the old potty pad spot inside. So it feels like we are starting over, and she still won't go poo in front of us, so we can't take her out to her pad to go poo. This is going to be a whole new challenge.

lizziepooh_1 · 03-17-2007, 10:08 AM

Hmmm...would you believe I logged on here today to ask the same question? At 4 months, Tia will pee on her pad about 80-90% of the time....but poop? No way! Any where but where we want her to go, and always in the split second I don't have my eyes on her! I don't even go to the bathroom myself if I have to go and know that she still needs to poop!

Your observations seem right on the money though.....Tia always runs off to some "private" place to poop (and it's not always the same place). When I catch her squatting, I pick her up, bring her to the pad and say "you poo!", and only give her a treat if she actually does it on the pad. Unfortunately, it's hard to be consistent, because my husband isn't as diligent about this as I am, and I miss it often too, and she only poos about 3 times a day, so opportunity is slim. It's going to be a loooong process. I'll take any help I can get!

If anyone else has a solution to share, we'd love to hear it!

FirstYorkie · 03-17-2007, 11:30 AM

Here are two things to try:

First, dogs often stimulate themselves to "poop" by smelling old feces. Pick up a piece of feces with the pad you want him to use, discard the feces, and use the pad. A bit of the smell will remain and will remind him "this is the place for poop".

Along the same lines, be sure that you are using a special enzymatic cleaner for accidents. Otherwise, the smell remains which says to the dog "poop here!".

Second, you've already worked out that reprimanding a dog for pooping in the wrong place doesn't work. It leads to a dog who decides that it isn't safe to poop when you are around. If you find an accident after the fact, sigh heavily, say nothing, and vow to watch them closer in the future.

If you catch them in the act of pooping in the wrong place, don't yell, just say "no", pluck them up and carry them to the appropriate place. If they finish in the right place (or you catch them going in the right place) - throw a party! Lots of high-pitched, excited praise and yummy treats. Dogs learn much faster when you teach them what you want (you get rewards if you do this) than if you try to teach them what you don't want (you get in trouble if you do that).

Good luck!

lizziepooh_1 · 03-18-2007, 08:38 AM

After puppy kindergarten last night I bumped into a nice couple who own a yorkie, and their suggestion was to get either a cat litter tray, or the carton tray that comes with a case of pop. Line it withthe usual pee pad. The next time your pup poops in the wrong place, pick up the poop and smear a small amount of it directly onto the carton or tray, then cover with the pee pad. Then bring your pup over to smell. The thing is, there are a lot of products out there that "smell" like pee....but next to nothing that smells like poop...so we have to improvise!

Was watching a dog training show on TV this morning, and their advice was to feed twice a day only, for 10 minutes only. If they don't eat, then they miss it and they'll eat next time (just keep some nutrical handy!) The idea is to get them to eat on a schedule...so that they will poop more or less on a schedule. They had a formula...a puppy can "hold it" for 1 hour for each month of it's age, plus 1. And if you don't want to spend money on an enzymatic cleaner, just a pray bottle filled with white vinegar will do the trick. Spray until the surface is wet, then mop up with a paper towel.

stivCoffee · 03-18-2007, 05:43 PM

sounds like a plan. i'll give that a try. thanks,.

03-15-2007, 11:53 PM	#1
stivCoffee Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Taipei Posts: 48	To Poop or not to Poop hi friends, i've been training Coffee to poop on the pad. I follow the instructions on letting them go poop after meal. But he just won't go. Not even after a few hours! Sometimes I just give up and let him back inside because I can't supervise him constantly while I work. Then he would sneak by me and poop on the floor. But I correct him instantly. Bringing him to the pad and tell him he's a good boy. But now, he just seems to hold the poop and wait till the middle of the night to poop. My confusion is greater because he pee's perfectly well. Right after a meal and when he wakes up from his naps. But the poop...What should I do?

03-16-2007, 07:28 PM	#3
Sweetums Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Kirkland WA Posts: 431	We had the same problem when we first started potty training with the potty pad. But eventually our Pookie caught on and started going on the pad. I think this was the result of her going on the pad sporadically, for which we gave her tons of praise and her favorite treat each time. The only thing was she would never go when we were watching. It's odd, but many Yorkies seem to do this. They only go poo when you're not watching. I don't know what the answer is exactly altho my guess is that they are of higher intelligence than most dogs who have the intelligence of approx. a two year old child, so they are more aware of going poo than other dogs are. The other night, Pookie wandered off while I was watching t.v. and apparently was going to the potty pad. I didn't realize what she was doing. I thought she had gone down to the spare bedroom where my husband was on the computer. I walked out to the kitchen where her bpad was, and switched on the light, and there she was in the midst of squatting about to go. The minute I switched on the light and she was "caught" about to go poo, she immediately stopped and walked away. And she didn't go back to it again for several hours. I don't get it, but it seems like she wants privacy to go. So now, we have decided to move the potty pad outside to our deck, and Pookie doesn't get it anymore. According to my husband who is home all day (I still work and he is retired), she does go pee outside on the pad, but she is still trying to go poo on the old potty pad spot inside. So it feels like we are starting over, and she still won't go poo in front of us, so we can't take her out to her pad to go poo. This is going to be a whole new challenge. Last edited by Sweetums; 03-16-2007 at 07:32 PM.

03-17-2007, 11:30 AM	#5
FirstYorkie YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: American in London Posts: 1,739	Here are two things to try: First, dogs often stimulate themselves to "poop" by smelling old feces. Pick up a piece of feces with the pad you want him to use, discard the feces, and use the pad. A bit of the smell will remain and will remind him "this is the place for poop". Along the same lines, be sure that you are using a special enzymatic cleaner for accidents. Otherwise, the smell remains which says to the dog "poop here!". Second, you've already worked out that reprimanding a dog for pooping in the wrong place doesn't work. It leads to a dog who decides that it isn't safe to poop when you are around. If you find an accident after the fact, sigh heavily, say nothing, and vow to watch them closer in the future. If you catch them in the act of pooping in the wrong place, don't yell, just say "no", pluck them up and carry them to the appropriate place. If they finish in the right place (or you catch them going in the right place) - throw a party! Lots of high-pitched, excited praise and yummy treats. Dogs learn much faster when you teach them what you want (you get rewards if you do this) than if you try to teach them what you don't want (you get in trouble if you do that). Good luck! __________________ FirstYorkie We Love Clicker-Training!

03-17-2007, 10:08 AM	#4
lizziepooh_1 YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 361	Hmmm...would you believe I logged on here today to ask the same question? At 4 months, Tia will pee on her pad about 80-90% of the time....but poop? No way! Any where but where we want her to go, and always in the split second I don't have my eyes on her! I don't even go to the bathroom myself if I have to go and know that she still needs to poop! Your observations seem right on the money though.....Tia always runs off to some "private" place to poop (and it's not always the same place). When I catch her squatting, I pick her up, bring her to the pad and say "you poo!", and only give her a treat if she actually does it on the pad. Unfortunately, it's hard to be consistent, because my husband isn't as diligent about this as I am, and I miss it often too, and she only poos about 3 times a day, so opportunity is slim. It's going to be a loooong process. I'll take any help I can get! If anyone else has a solution to share, we'd love to hear it!

03-18-2007, 08:38 AM	#6
lizziepooh_1 YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 361	After puppy kindergarten last night I bumped into a nice couple who own a yorkie, and their suggestion was to get either a cat litter tray, or the carton tray that comes with a case of pop. Line it withthe usual pee pad. The next time your pup poops in the wrong place, pick up the poop and smear a small amount of it directly onto the carton or tray, then cover with the pee pad. Then bring your pup over to smell. The thing is, there are a lot of products out there that "smell" like pee....but next to nothing that smells like poop...so we have to improvise! Was watching a dog training show on TV this morning, and their advice was to feed twice a day only, for 10 minutes only. If they don't eat, then they miss it and they'll eat next time (just keep some nutrical handy!) The idea is to get them to eat on a schedule...so that they will poop more or less on a schedule. They had a formula...a puppy can "hold it" for 1 hour for each month of it's age, plus 1. And if you don't want to spend money on an enzymatic cleaner, just a pray bottle filled with white vinegar will do the trick. Spray until the surface is wet, then mop up with a paper towel.

03-18-2007, 05:43 PM	#7
stivCoffee Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Taipei Posts: 48	sounds like a plan. i'll give that a try. thanks,.