When can my yorkie go free?

[maritoma]

Kramer is 7 mos. old, i have been crate training him since about 3 mos., he has come a long way, he does most of his stuff outside, we also got him a tell bell which he rings to go out to the bathroom, but also rings when he just wants to go out and play. Whenever i think he has been doing good let me leave him loose in the kitchen, he surprises me either with poop, or pee in his belly band. I know as soon as i walk back into the kitchen he did something, because he has a look on his face that says (i did something bad). I feel bad crating him everytime i leave the room or leave the house, i would like to be able to leave him loose, but i can't trust him. Does it every get better? Will he every be able to roam the house freely without me worrying?

[Ladylavender]

It will get better yes. Just continue to be consistent.

When you leave him in the kitchen does he have access to the door that has the bell and leads to outside? If not, you are not giving him an opportunity to demonstrate whether or not he can figure out to ask you to go out when he has to go by not making that door available to him. I would start out by x-pening him around the door with access to the bell when you leave his site and see what happens. He may just use it to notify you he has to go and you can start trusting him more out of your site.

Before you let him loose in the kitchen do you take him out and make sure his bladder is empty or that his bowels are empty? I used to do this with Millie. If I was planning on giving her some free space without my presence I made sure she had just gone out and did her business. Thereby making the odds for a better outcome.

Just some suggestions. But it does get better and by 1 year old he should have it down pat.

[krisknr]

Some dogs need there crate to feel safe. Try putting his crate in the kitchen so he can go in it if he wants.

[maritoma]

His crate is in the kitchen open all day long he never goes in it freely, but if we put him in he is ok he doesn't wine. He has access to the bell all the time, even when left alone. I forgot to mention he rings the bell when i leave the room to call me back. I take him out and make sure he doesn't need to do anything, so i know he is not ringing it because he has to go out, i have gone out with him numerous times and he does nothing, because he doesn't have to. He doesn't poop all the time, so i could wait a while longer after he pees, but doesn't mean he will poop. He only poops about 3 x a day. I would like to be able to go out run an erand and not have to put him in the crate or not have to clean up a poop. The pee goes on the bellyband so that isn't so bad. I would also like for him to have free run of the house which he is so far from getting that right now. At 7 mos. i thought he would have gotten it by now.

[MyDuke]

I've left Duke roaming in a small room for a while. He's train on the pee wee pads so he does his business ont here. I also use a gate to gate off a section of the apartment so that he won't just roam the whole place.
Try to give yours a smaller space then expand it if needed.
Good luck

[Ladylavender]

Well, I can tell you that Millie did not have free run of the house until she was almost 1 1/2 years old. She was in an x-pen while we went to the store or were at work. She started out in a crate, we worked her up to an x-pen after she was not going in the crate, when she got good about not going in the x-pen, we graduated her to one room and built her up to the whole house. Unfortunately, sometimes that is what it will take to get a fully housebroken yorkie. It is little steps one after the other. It's a process!

But if you don't rush it, take it slow, make progress, it will happen. The way I looked at it is 2 years of inconvenience for 13 years or more of a great relationship with my dog.

[Gracie2006]

Call me a bad mommy, but Gracie is almost two and she has never had free run of the house for more than 15 minutes if I am not home. It is no longer a potty training issue. When gone for long periods, she is in her ex-pen with Holly. They like their "room", they feel safe there, and I feel best knowing they are safe in there. In answer to your question, IMO, "never".

[maritoma]

No no, my intention was never to let him have free run of the house while we weren't home, no way to many things for him to get into, i would like to leave him in the kitchen without finding any surprises when i get home. When we are home though i would like to get to the point where he can go down and play with my kids and chase them around without being a nerveous reck and contantly making sure he hasn't done anything. I guess where i'm getting at is, everyone tells me these dogs are untrainable, they will always pee or poop if they have to, is this true, please say no.

[cooperk]

I think he is still too young to let him have the run of the house. A year is about the time with most dogs that they "totally get it". But, my experience has been with different (larger) breeds. My 6 mo yorkie has been the most difficult dog for me to house train. She's having "oopes" as well. My problem is that I have 3 kids who tend to "forget" that she's out (they are supposed to put her back in the crate after 15 min or so).

I was away on a 1 week trip last month and Trixie was poopin' all over the house. Order returned when I did

I love the bell idea...I've been wanting to do that too. Sounds like he's got the idea that it's a "bell to play." So cute. Just keep crating awhile longer...it takes alot with a yorkie (as I'm finding too).

[Mom to Hot Rod]

I know that some folks are against using pee pads, but maybe try having a pee pad for him to use. Hot Rod is 8 mos and I just opened up the hallway to him. First, his crate, then xpen, then family room, then kitchen, then sunroom (off familyroom), now hallway. The dining room and downstairs bedroom are still closed off to him. The office is okay if I am in there with him-I don't want to find a paperclip or something. We've had since he was 15 weeks old. It takes awhile but so far he's been really good.

Well, I was painting one of the upstairs guest bdrms and Hot Rod was in there with me. I had a pee pad in there also. Well, recently, I've been bringing him upstairs into our room when I go to take a shower. The other day I was finishing up the guest room and showed him where the pee pad was. We then went into my bedroom so I could shower and after about 1 minute he started running around like crazy so I opened the door and he zoomed to use the pee pad! I was so proud of him! It will take some time, just be patient. Set him up for success and not failure and he will learn. Good luck.

[cooperk]

My Trixie (6 mos) is also running upstairs to poop at times. My 15 yr old son has had it with her since she loves his bedroom to do this. My daughters are the culprits (not putting her back in her crate). I now have to watch the girls more when they are playing with Trixie, and then keep the doors upstairs closed (especially my son's). It's funny how puppies will get confused as to what are OK areas and what are not. Frustrating, I know!

[RONLYNN]

Teddi was in a baby playpen for about the first 7 months of her life and then she was moved into the kitchen (but only half of it) for the next 2 months and then she got the whole kitchen for the next 2 months. Then finally about 3 months ago she started getting to hang out all day uncaged! She has the living room, dining room and kitchen. She LOVES it. She plays all day with Cassie (actually I think they play for about a half an hour and then sleep the rest of the time). She has a pad in the corner of the dining room. It's so nice not to have to round her up and cage her but it take a long time to get to that point. She is 1yr and 8months.

[cooperk]

Originally Posted by RONLYNN

Teddi was in a baby playpen for about the first 7 months of her life and then she was moved into the kitchen (but only half of it) for the next 2 months and then she got the whole kitchen for the next 2 months. Then finally about 3 months ago she started getting to hang out all day uncaged! She has the living room, dining room and kitchen. She LOVES it. She plays all day with Cassie (actually I think they play for about a half an hour and then sleep the rest of the time). She has a pad in the corner of the dining room. It's so nice not to have to round her up and cage her but it take a long time to get to that point. She is 1yr and 8months.

Kind of a gradual thing, right? That's a good idea. I think I'd have to spend a fortune to gate off my house as there are many doorways. If Trixie doesn't improve soon, I may try this. At least I will try the bell at the door. I really like that idea.