Help!! Potty training a 16 weeks old yorkie-poo

[gio534]

Morning!!

We got out baby 6 weeks ago and since the first day we took him outside to the fenced yard to pee/poo. Since then he has had 2 poo accidents inside the house, but normally he goes poo outside and we praise him like crazy + treat. However, he still has pee accidents inside the house (usually one a day). Since two weeks ago he has been without accidents for 4 days in a row but yesterday he peed right in front of the door. is like he wants to go out but he does not know how to let me know. So, we got the "potty bell" but he is afraid of it and he refuses to even be close to it. (ideas please). We take him out every two hour (I set a clock alarm on my cellphone). He drinks 7 ounces of water during the day and no water during night time, he gets plenty of exercise during the day and he holds his pee/poo the whole night (he sleeps on his crate). What else should I do to help him to go out to pee... Sometimes, I feel like a failure
Thanks
Giomara

[Wylie's Mom]

Remember he is very, very young -- so just keep doing what you're doing and he will get it as long as you're consistent and dedicated.

[lovestiny]

ooh sounds like he is getting there! it is a process and he is getting close! good job!

[yavenay]

It sounds like you are doing the right thing. Like others have said, he will eventually get it. Limit the amount of freedom in the house until he is potty trained. Some people like to use the the tether method. They tied their puppies to them so if the see them squatting to take a pee they can quickly scoop them up and take them to where they are supposed to potty.

Others use the crate method. They keep the puppy in the crate and let them out to potty. When they are fully potty trained they get more freedom.
Both methods restrict freedom.
Duchess is potty trained and now has run of the house but when I was training her, she was only allowed a small area to roam in.

Also for letting you know, you can always use the bell method. Place a bell on the door where you take the little one out to potty. Every time you take him out to potty, hit the bell or take his paw and hit the bell and then once outside say "potty" or something similar and then give him a treat. Over time he will begin to associate the bell with potty and he will start to hit the bell every time he wants to go potty. Be warned though, if you are using the treats, he may hit the bell just to get the treats and not actually have to potty.

[matese]

16 weeks is young to be fully house broken. You are doing all the right training, keep it up, like others have said, he will get it, consistency is they key word.

[gio534]

Thanks for your help.
He does not have access to the whole house, but he is allowed in the living room and kitchen which is not a BIG area... He is doing good so far 2 days in a row without accidents and it seems like he just now is beginning to understand pee/poo is outside. I hang up the bell on the door he uses to go to the fence but he is afraid of it, he refuses to even be close to it and we ring it he hides behind my legs or underneath the couch. So we haven't done anything else because I want for him to understand the bell won't hurt him. So the bell is still there and every time he looks at it, he runs outside (scary).
I've heard tethering is great for dogs but I disagree with it, and as long as I'm supervising him I think he is Ok and when I'm doing my chores he stays on his kennel without complaining.

Love my yorkie-poo....

[canana]

Originally Posted by yavenay

...Limit the amount of freedom in the house until he is potty trained. Some people like to use the the tether method. They tied their puppies to them so if the see them squatting to take a pee they can quickly scoop them up and take them to where they are supposed to potty.

Others use the crate method. They keep the puppy in the crate and let them out to potty. When they are fully potty trained they get more freedom.
Both methods restrict freedom.

Also for letting you know, you can always use the bell method. Place a bell on the door where you take the little one out to potty. Every time you take him out to potty, hit the bell or take his paw and hit the bell and then once outside say "potty" or something similar and then give him a treat. Over time he will begin to associate the bell with potty and he will start to hit the bell every time he wants to go potty...

Like everyone else said, it sounds like you're on the right track! Sounds like Scottie when I first got him at 5months. I still remember looking at him and getting a gut feeling he needed to go, but I wanted to finish washing the one last dish in my sink, and then...he pees. He had to go and didn't know how to tell me. I kinda knew..because of the number of hours since his last pee break. Totally my fault!

But don't worry, there will be accidents. Just as long as you keep to a schedule and gradually increase the number of hours he can hold it, you'll be there in no time.

Excellent advice by yavenay. I actually used all 3 methods: limited his space, tethered him when he was home with me, crated him at night and while I was away from home. Then gradually you can give him more freedom and space as he's 'earned it' (i.e. no accidents). Worked out really well for me.

I tried the bell thing. Hung little bells at the door and consistently got him to ring it, but he never associated it with a potty break. Oh well~ Works for some, doesn't work for others. FYI, I bought little bells from the dollar store and hung it at the end of a yarn. Not sure what kind of bells you have, but maybe it's too loud and it scares him?

Don't feel like a failure though! You're doing good They'll have accidents sometimes up to 1 or 2 years. Just keep at it!

[gio534]

Thanks a lot for your suggestions, now after reading all the posts I feel better and I believe I'm on the right path. Since yesterday, I started to crate him more when I'm not able to supervise him... like you said sometimes I just need to finish washing dishes and they he walks to the living room where he is out of my sight and I thought well in two minutes he won't pee but it does. So, he is not complaining when he is on his crate which I thing is good and I always leave him there with toys; we just got a Kong and we filled up with soft treats and he can chew on it for hours. I got the bell from amazon, he has touched twice but I do not think he makes the relationship between bell=outside.
Thanks again.

[canana]

Originally Posted by gio534

...Since yesterday, I started to crate him more when I'm not able to supervise him...
...I got the bell from amazon, he has touched twice but I do not think he makes the relationship between bell=outside.
Thanks again.

Yea, accident-prevention is key I was kind of anal during his house-training period and went to great lengths to prevent accidents - I personally was just paranoid that once he started, he'd think it'd always be okay pee indoors. But when there were accidents, I made sure to clean up using the Nature's Miracle products to make sure that the pee enzymes/scent is gone.

Hmm..for us, I trained Scottie to touch the bell with treats (so he wouldn't be scared of it) before we went out. Maybe that'd help? I think it's worth trying and being persistent with. Til this day, I still get him to touch the bell before we go out, just hoping one day he'll 'get it'.