Don't know what to do?! Please help! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

TobysOwner · 12-20-2007, 06:22 PM

I haven't posted on here in ages. I hope all is well with everyone.
Here is my dilemma, my Morgan, a morkie, is now almost 10 months old and is still not house broken. Alot of the problem is us and not being sure what to do. Because of her size (4 #'s)I wanted to litter box train her. A friend of mine litter box trained her dog (not a yorkie) and he does fine. At first she caught on but I think we gave her too much freedom too soon and she went back to going on the floor. Right now I have her litter box and dishes in a large wire dog kennel. She has plenty of room and its not too big but she still wets out of the litter box. She dirty's in it everytime but does not pee in it everytime.
My husband says its not natural for a dog to go in a box they are meant to go outdoors. I don't know what to do. My last yorkie was bell trained and from about 4 months old went outside everytime and never went in the house over the next 9 years.
Right now I use the dog litter but I don't know whether to try using pee pads in the box instead of the litter or to ditch the litter box and to just start training her to go outside. The idea of starting over and starting to take her outside does not appeal to me but right now what I am doing isn't working either.
Right now I am not enjoying having her and have considered finding another home for her but I really don't want that.
If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate hearing them.
Thank you!!

my2boyz · 12-20-2007, 07:22 PM

The litter pan with a pad should work...that's what I use for my boyz and now my girls. You could crate train her also. Are you familiar with that method? Keep her in a crate just big enough for her to stand up and turn around, no pad and no play area. Take her out for potty time, give her praise and a treat when she goes, play for a little bit and then put her back in the crate...don't let her have unsupervised free run of your home...that will set her up to fail. Start off with her in the crate for a short time and as you see she's learning to hold it longer you can extend the time you leave her in the crate. If you want her to use a bell you might start having her hit the bell as you go out the door for potty time. You can search YT for more specific instructions on crate training. I crate trained my boyz and it only took a couple of weeks...now I leave a pad down if we're going to be gone for more than a few hours at a time. Good luck with Morgan...you'll enjoy having her around once the training is over!

BauersMommy · 12-21-2007, 11:10 AM

I would have loved to give Bauer the freedom to roam the house, but he peed on the brand new carpet. At first we trained him to go on pee pads, but when we left him alone he would drag them across the room and tare them to shreds. So, we started crate training him. He didn't like the crate a first. He cried at night for attention. He occasionally peed in his bed. But eventually he actually grew to love his crate and sometimes plays in there even when he doesn't have to. He sleeps in the crate over night and holds his bladder until I take him for a walk in the morning. When we are home he runs in circles bye the back door to let us know he has to potty. He's almost one year old now and he's such a good boy. We can open the back door, he'll go out on his own, do his business and come back to the door when he's done.

Good luck!

cashb · 12-27-2007, 10:55 AM

Crate training was best for my older dog. I got him when he was 9 weeks old, and I got him his crate his first night! When I went to work, I had a neighbor check on him the first week, and then I got a dog sitting service to take him out during the middle of the day. I tried the pee pads, but he thougt they were chew toys, so I took him outside after about a week of inside accidents.
I started out leaving him in the crate for a few hours at a time, gradually he was able to stay in longer. Now, he goes to his "room" to sleep on his own.

As far as the housebreaking, Cash & I have a schedule. Cash goes out in the morning before I go to work, at lunch, and before bed. As long as we stick to our schedule, he doesn't have accidents in the house. My philosophy is to "empty" him before he makes the mistake in the house!

HTH!

MIZBROWN · 12-27-2007, 02:57 PM

I use pee pads and I wouldnt have it any other way. Though, I think that decision is best determined by your work/daily schedule. Meka is 9mo's now and shes almost completely trained. I keep her pad in the same area (washroom) w/ bowls etc... And she rarely has accidents. You have to be consistant with them and definately patient

12-20-2007, 06:22 PM	#1
TobysOwner Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 79	Don't know what to do?! Please help! I haven't posted on here in ages. I hope all is well with everyone. Here is my dilemma, my Morgan, a morkie, is now almost 10 months old and is still not house broken. Alot of the problem is us and not being sure what to do. Because of her size (4 #'s)I wanted to litter box train her. A friend of mine litter box trained her dog (not a yorkie) and he does fine. At first she caught on but I think we gave her too much freedom too soon and she went back to going on the floor. Right now I have her litter box and dishes in a large wire dog kennel. She has plenty of room and its not too big but she still wets out of the litter box. She dirty's in it everytime but does not pee in it everytime. My husband says its not natural for a dog to go in a box they are meant to go outdoors. I don't know what to do. My last yorkie was bell trained and from about 4 months old went outside everytime and never went in the house over the next 9 years. Right now I use the dog litter but I don't know whether to try using pee pads in the box instead of the litter or to ditch the litter box and to just start training her to go outside. The idea of starting over and starting to take her outside does not appeal to me but right now what I am doing isn't working either. Right now I am not enjoying having her and have considered finding another home for her but I really don't want that. If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate hearing them. Thank you!!

12-20-2007, 07:22 PM	#2
my2boyz Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,659	The litter pan with a pad should work...that's what I use for my boyz and now my girls. You could crate train her also. Are you familiar with that method? Keep her in a crate just big enough for her to stand up and turn around, no pad and no play area. Take her out for potty time, give her praise and a treat when she goes, play for a little bit and then put her back in the crate...don't let her have unsupervised free run of your home...that will set her up to fail. Start off with her in the crate for a short time and as you see she's learning to hold it longer you can extend the time you leave her in the crate. If you want her to use a bell you might start having her hit the bell as you go out the door for potty time. You can search YT for more specific instructions on crate training. I crate trained my boyz and it only took a couple of weeks...now I leave a pad down if we're going to be gone for more than a few hours at a time. Good luck with Morgan...you'll enjoy having her around once the training is over! __________________ Buckle up...it makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!

12-21-2007, 11:10 AM	#3
BauersMommy Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: EHT, NJ Posts: 28	I would have loved to give Bauer the freedom to roam the house, but he peed on the brand new carpet. At first we trained him to go on pee pads, but when we left him alone he would drag them across the room and tare them to shreds. So, we started crate training him. He didn't like the crate a first. He cried at night for attention. He occasionally peed in his bed. But eventually he actually grew to love his crate and sometimes plays in there even when he doesn't have to. He sleeps in the crate over night and holds his bladder until I take him for a walk in the morning. When we are home he runs in circles bye the back door to let us know he has to potty. He's almost one year old now and he's such a good boy. We can open the back door, he'll go out on his own, do his business and come back to the door when he's done. Good luck! __________________ My Yorkie is not spoiled . . . he is generously compensated for being irresistible.

12-27-2007, 02:57 PM	#5
MIZBROWN Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: California Posts: 2,293	I use pee pads and I wouldnt have it any other way. Though, I think that decision is best determined by your work/daily schedule. Meka is 9mo's now and shes almost completely trained. I keep her pad in the same area (washroom) w/ bowls etc... And she rarely has accidents. You have to be consistant with them and definately patient __________________ Mommy to Meka "MeMe" Brown aka Meka the Diva Member of the Spoiled Rotten Club & CA Yorkies www.dogster.com/dogs/567943

12-27-2007, 10:55 AM	#4
cashb Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New Castle Posts: 19	Crate training was best for my older dog. I got him when he was 9 weeks old, and I got him his crate his first night! When I went to work, I had a neighbor check on him the first week, and then I got a dog sitting service to take him out during the middle of the day. I tried the pee pads, but he thougt they were chew toys, so I took him outside after about a week of inside accidents. I started out leaving him in the crate for a few hours at a time, gradually he was able to stay in longer. Now, he goes to his "room" to sleep on his own. As far as the housebreaking, Cash & I have a schedule. Cash goes out in the morning before I go to work, at lunch, and before bed. As long as we stick to our schedule, he doesn't have accidents in the house. My philosophy is to "empty" him before he makes the mistake in the house! HTH!