Potty training hell

[laurabelle]

She is not getting it. At all. Sure, she'll go outside and potty, and then she'll come inside and 5 minutes later squat down in front of me and pee again. I've never seen a dog pee so much. She'll drop little puddles about the size of a dime several times an hour. I can't be running outside with her several times an hour. And it does no good to confine her, because she doesn't care if she lays in it. Her crate is small and it has blankets and a towel rolled up and stuffed in the back to make it even smaller. She can lay down and turn around, and that's it. And every morning I find her laying in her own pee and poop. She could care less. I'm losing my mind! She's 3.5 months old, I don't know if she just can't hold it at night yet, or what, but seriously!

[JeanieK]

Three and a half months is very very young. How long have you had her? She might have been kept in dirty conditions at the breeders so it doesn't bother her.

I would stop putting her in a crate if it isn't helping. Try something different for a while. Then maybe later try a different crate.

I know it is frustrating, but it takes time and patience and consistancy. We fall go through it. It's part of the job.

[laurabelle]

We've had her about 6 weeks. I didn't expect her to fully have it at 3.5 months, I think what is most frustrating to me is that she doesn't care if she lays in her own crap, literally, so I don't know where to really begin. The advice I hear most is confinement, confinement, confinement, and consistency of course, and it doesn't seem to be helping.

[JeanieK]

Another thing. Try feeding her on a schedule, and eliminating all food and water after 5 or 6 PM. And Walk her before you crate her for the night. That might stop the night pottying.

[JeanieK]

Originally Posted by laurabelle

We've had her about 6 weeks. I didn't expect her to fully have it at 3.5 months, I think what is most frustrating to me is that she doesn't care if she lays in her own crap, literally, so I don't know where to really begin. The advice I hear most is confinement, confinement, confinement, and consistency of course, and it doesn't seem to be helping.

I feel your frustration. Just keep trying.

[Bizzymammabee]

I would venture to say that she might have been kept in those same conditions and that is why she doens't mind it. As for the constant peeing hon she is a baby. 3.5 months old is very young and she has a very small bladder. It will be a while before she can hold it better. I have lulu and lex on a scheduled feeding and I pick up their water about an hour before it's bed time. Between picking up the water and bedtime I give them at least two more walks one which is with me in my pjs and right as I am ready to get into bed. Then I crate Lulu. So at my set time of 6 in the morning I come down and take her immediately outside and she handles her business. She doesn't have an accident in the crate. So you might want to try a schedule set up like mine. When they are young god help us it takes a lot of effort on our parts to get them housebroken. It's very frustrating at times but if you keep up with a routine they will learn faster. Be dilligent, patient and loving. She honestly doesnt' know any better.

Where did you get her from?

[laurabelle]

I definitely think I'm going to try to get her on a feeding schedule. I got her from a guy named Steve, he lived 5 hours SW of me so we split the difference in the commute and I picked her up on neutral ground, so I never saw his home. She was cheaper and ACA registered so I wouldn't be surprised if it's not the cleanliest place. Part of the reason I jumped on her was because she was so cheap, I had a feeling she wasn't being taken care of well, especially when we got her home and the vet found her double inguinal hernias poking out of her belly. Other than her hernias, she has a clean bill of health though and the vet says she looks great and should be a fine dog. I'm glad the constant peeing is because she is so small and young, the vet said that too, so I'm not worried, just extremely frustrated lol.

[laurenr]

Originally Posted by JeanieK

Another thing. Try feeding her on a schedule, and eliminating all food and water after 5 or 6 PM. And Walk her before you crate her for the night. That might stop the night pottying.

I think that is excellent advice - keeping a pup on a schedule if you can. This SO worked for our little Mango, except that I do give her water until 9PM. She eats at the same time every day and that way, I can predict with fair accuracy when she will poop. After 6 weeks at home she is almost totally potty trained, has less than one accident a week during the past two.

I should add that we live in a house with a yard and doggie run, so I know this is easier than being in an apartment style home where you might have to take the little one outside the building to go potty.

I just wanted to add that when I take her out potty, I use the same command every time and praise/kiss her when she responds by eliminating. We say, "Mango, go wee-wee"; she now will pee totally on command.

Mango turns 4 months old today. She weighs 2.2 lbs. If your baby is much smaller, perhaps it is harder to hold it in.

[Percys_mamma]

If it makes you feel any better, Percy is not doing so well either. We could start a support group. He is fine in his crate at least...but, I take him out and he just stares at me....I put him on the paper, same thing...I praise like crazy when he goes...then as soon as he is done going, it is guaranteed that he will pee a little in the house, sometimes he pees as he is walking in the house, or off the paper...no matter how hard I watch him, I always find a little puddle.

[JeanieK]

Originally Posted by laurabelle

I definitely think I'm going to try to get her on a feeding schedule. I got her from a guy named Steve, he lived 5 hours SW of me so we split the difference in the commute and I picked her up on neutral ground, so I never saw his home. She was cheaper and ACA registered so I wouldn't be surprised if it's not the cleanliest place. Part of the reason I jumped on her was because she was so cheap, I had a feeling she wasn't being taken care of well, especially when we got her home and the vet found her double inguinal hernias poking out of her belly. Other than her hernias, she has a clean bill of health though and the vet says she looks great and should be a fine dog. I'm glad the constant peeing is because she is so small and young, the vet said that too, so I'm not worried, just extremely frustrated lol.

That's a shame. But it does make sense on why she doesn't seem to mind. That is going to make it a little more difficult, but not impossible.

[Bizzymammabee]

Here is my schedule:

1) 6 am outside immediately to potty
2) come in and put down food and water while I get dressed and ready for work and dropping the girls off to school
3) walk right about 7:15 or so and pickup food
4) snack of cheerios given (my son has his as well then)
5) dogs get walked when the girls get home at 2:40 and fed as well. their food and water are left down at that point until the end of the night.
6) walked at 5:10 when I get in from work
7) 8 pm or so I pick up their food and water and put it away
8) walked several times up until I am just ready to climb into bed. At that point I give lulu and lex a handful of cheerios and then they are off to the crate...lulu is the only one that needs crating but lex they like to snuggle so I put them together.

Lulu will have had her body emptied out so she is comfy until the morning. I keep that wake up schedule of 6 no matter what day of the week it is even if I am off. During the day I do leave a pad down but I find that she might pee on there once or twice max for the day.

[SweetCuteness]

I can definitely relate. Ferdinand used to make in his crate also - and he was kept in emaculately clean conditions while with his breeder. I didn't get it. I finally stopped crating him and now he doesn't go at night at all - he holds it until the morning. But I just have him babygated in the laundry room at night with his bad, food, water, toys, and a pee pad. He's 10 months and is better with going potty in the house... but definitely not perfect.

Good luck!! It's a process with Yorkies - they can be very stubborn to train.

Does she pee a lot in the same spot? Maybe you could start putting a pee pad where she goes so it doesn't make such a mess.

[laurabelle]

I was just going to ask for someone's schedule! Thanks! This week has been off because it's been spring break so I've been home all day, but every other normal week I am up at or before 7. I could work her feeding and pottying schedule nicely into my class schedule, I bet.

[laurabelle]

It's not ever in the same spot. She dribbles all over the house, she don't care where. I've got her pooping outside mostly (or in her crate overnight *sigh*), but if she does poop in the house it's always behind our recliner or in our son's room, so I know to keep those areas closed off and if she heads that way take her outside. It's the peeing that's so unpredictable.

[Bizzymammabee]

when you are home just keep taking her out every half hour or so she she truly gets the idea that she should be adjusting to going outside. Dont' fall into the trap of not taking her out becuase it's raining or whatever. My dogs are out rain, sleet, hail or shine. Make a big deal of her going outside to go potty.

Scheduling works best for us. It should work well for you too. She knows that she is not supposed to go potty inside somewhat that is why she goes potty in a place like behind the recliner.