Extreme measures needed? Help!!!

[Frick n Frack]

Hello,

My wife and I have tried everything possible to try and potty train these little guys. As a recap, we tried the indoor potty pad thing for about 5 months, and I've been trying to do the outside training/crate training/schedule thing since March because they were terrible at the pad and our carpet is ruined. They are now almost 11 months. Little progress has been made and I'm wondering if there is something I'm missing. Here is the schedule I've been following:

5:45am - outside
6am - feed them
7am - outside and then leave for work (dogs in crate)
11am - outside during my lunch break
11:30am - back in crate go back to work
3:30pm - come home, dogs outside
5pm - dinner and go outside
then every hour/hour and a half take them outside till 10pm (bed)

Now generally, in the evenings they can roam the living room and play while we watch tv and be trusted about 45 minutes (but only with one eye on the tv and the other on them). But after that, they don't signal and just go on the floor. They rarely have accidents anymore because I don't trust them very much and so I preemptively take them outside or crate them until the 60 minutes is up. But we don't want to spend the rest of our life counting down 60 minutes and watching them all the time, so how do we instill in them the will to hold it till we let them out every hour so they can roam the house?

I'm not even sure two dogs can be trained at once, because my little girl jumps up on the door when I take her over to it to go out, but the boy just hangs back a few feet on the leash. I've tried to bell train a little bit, but both are scared of it, and only one can do it at a time, the other doesn't learn by watching.

I'm getting very seriously upset at the lack of house breaking, and most of the times I just want to smack them with some newspaper or squirt them with water, because the whole positive reinforcement with "go potty" "good potty" treat is not working.

[lisatodd]

join the club. yorkies are very difficult to train. if you look at the training forum at other post. you will see someone everyday asks for help on this issue. i am sorry i don't have any answers for you. i am still trying to train my 8month old and my 5 month old. my 2 year old got it when she was about 8 months.
good luck to you.

many people will disagree with this method of training but this is what my father did and many other old timers.
when my father saw muffie pee, he rubbed her nose in it and patted her firmly on the bottom saying "NO" and placed her outside....placing her bottom on the grass. she NEVER had an accident after that.

my friends husband was visiting and he saw kirby (4 months) pee, he did the same as my father. kirby never had an accident after that.

i know people disagree with this method but it seems to work

now i am too nervous to do this to my two other dogs but if i have to, i will get my father over here to do it again. i cannot seem to do it.

[Donna Jean]

I am a breeder, and yorkies are the hardest of the breed's to potty train, you have to be very paitent, and never, never, never hit a yorkie.

I suggest you get the book the the Dog Whisper Wrote, Called Cesar's Way, it is a great book and will give you great insite on how to train your dogs, remember Yorkies have very small bladders and have to go ofter, I suggest they have a place that they can go inside, that is apporiate for you, and outside.

Good luck, and also know you can rent viedo's from the library, that the Dog Whisper does. He is great and your dogs will be potty trained if you follow his instructions.

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by lisatodd

join the club. yorkies are very difficult to train. if you look at the training forum at other post. you will see someone everyday asks for help on this issue. i am sorry i don't have any answers for you. i am still trying to train my 8month old and my 5 month old. my 2 year old got it when she was about 8 months.
good luck to you.

many people will disagree with this method of training but this is what my father did and many other old timers.
when my father saw muffie pee, he rubbed her nose in it and patted her firmly on the bottom saying "NO" and placed her outside....placing her bottom on the grass. she NEVER had an accident after that.

my friends husband was visiting and he saw kirby (4 months) pee, he did the same as my father. kirby never had an accident after that.

i know people disagree with this method but it seems to work

now i am too nervous to do this to my two other dogs but if i have to, i will get my father over here to do it again. i cannot seem to do it.

I'm having potty training issues as well, but I don't agree with that method. I would never do something to make one of my dogs fear me, and that is what I see happening w/that method. They don't potty in the house because they're terrified that will happen again, and to me that isn't acceptable. I like to PRAISE my dogs for every little thing they do right and reward them by giving them affection/treats instead of scaring or punishing them to do what I want. Even if it takes months and months until they get it, I'd rather do it w/positive reinforcement than with fear or punishment.

To the OP.. I just wanted to say that I know it is a REAL challenge to potty train. I have 4 puppies 1 year and under and only one is 100% reliable at this time. But my little girl Lula that was terrible at potty training and refused to go outside is now GETTING IT and after 4 months that is a huge accomplishment for my fiancee and I. Sure, she still makes mistakes, but they're a lot less frequent now.

Try to think of it as a learning process and think about how excited you will be when it clicks for them and they finally get it !

[lisatodd]

Originally Posted by yorkiegirl83

I'm having potty training issues as well, but I don't agree with that method. I would never do something to make one of my dogs fear me, and that is what I see happening w/that method. They don't potty in the house because they're terrified that will happen again, and to me that isn't acceptable. I like to PRAISE my dogs for every little thing they do right and reward them by giving them affection/treats instead of scaring or punishing them to do what I want. Even if it takes months and months until they get it, I'd rather do it w/positive reinforcement than with fear or punishment.

To the OP.. I just wanted to say that I know it is a REAL challenge to potty train. I have 4 puppies 1 year and under and only one is 100% reliable at this time. But my little girl Lula that was terrible at potty training and refused to go outside is now GETTING IT and after 4 months that is a huge accomplishment for my fiancee and I. Sure, she still makes mistakes, but they're a lot less frequent now.

Try to think of it as a learning process and think about how excited you will be when it clicks for them and they finally get it !

the dogs don't fear you at all. I HAVE NEVER DONE IT. my muffie loves my daddy more than our family. it took one time and that was it. believe me, my father is one of the biggest dog lovers i know. he grew up with his sister breeding them. he was always around them and other animals. my aunt had 4 monkeys, 15 chickens, 1 posseum, 15 cats, and 30 dogs. no, she was not running a puppy mill. most of these dogs were fixed. but if she saw a stray, she would take it in. she worked in the coal mines and died in the coal mines. she was one of the 1st women coal miners and the first woman to ever die in the coal mines. the people talked about her keeping dog food in the back of her car so that when she passed a dog on the side of the road she would feed them. she would bring cheese to the coal mines to feed the rats (YUK).

Kat Counts
01/24/1932 - 6/21/1983

Born January 24 1932, Mary K. "KAT" Counts was just like any other person in Dickenson County. Her family consisted of her mother, father and 5 siblings. Times were hard back then, so when she was old enough, she went to work in the coal mines. A very prevalent job during that era, Kat enjoyed success at her job. During her life, she worked at 3 different coal mines, including working at Open Fork, Splashdam, and finally, at a mines in McClure.


It was at the McClure mines one sunny summer day when tragedy struck. What Kat didn't know that morning when she woke up, was that her fate, along with 7 other hard working miners, was already sealed. Sometime during her shift, a gas explosion ripped though the mines. The explosion claimed 7 lives that day. Unfortunately, it gave Kat the unwilling fame as being know as Virginia's first woman to die in the coal mines.
The 7 brave miners who lost their lives that day were Kat Counts, Covey J. French, Dale Stamper, Jr, Forest Carter "F. C." Riner, Jr, Ernest A. Hall, Luther J. McCoy and Eugene W. Meade.


we called her KAT due to the animals she had.

this is where my father learned to love animals.
soon their may be a movie about her.
a writer is gathering information about her now.

believe me, i grew up with this method and i can never do it. but back in the day, this is what you did. times have changed and praise is the way to go.

i don't know why i am babbling on, i guess i just wanted you to know we love our babies and would never never do anything to hurt them.

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by lisatodd

the dogs don't fear you at all. I HAVE NEVER DONE IT. my muffie loves my daddy more than our family. it took one time and that was it. believe me, my father is one of the biggest dog lovers i know. he grew up with his sister breeding them. he was always around them and other animals. my aunt had 4 monkeys, 15 chickens, 1 posseum, 15 cats, and 30 dogs. no, she was not running a puppy mill. most of these dogs were fixed. but if she saw a stray, she would take it in. she worked in the coal mines and died in the coal mines. she was one of the 1st women coal miners and the first woman to ever die in the coal mines. the people talked about her keeping dog food in the back of her car so that when she passed a dog on the side of the road she would feed them. she would bring cheese to the coal mines to feed the rats (YUK).

Kat Counts
01/24/1932 - 6/21/1983

Born January 24 1932, Mary K. "KAT" Counts was just like any other person in Dickenson County. Her family consisted of her mother, father and 5 siblings. Times were hard back then, so when she was old enough, she went to work in the coal mines. A very prevalent job during that era, Kat enjoyed success at her job. During her life, she worked at 3 different coal mines, including working at Open Fork, Splashdam, and finally, at a mines in McClure.


It was at the McClure mines one sunny summer day when tragedy struck. What Kat didn't know that morning when she woke up, was that her fate, along with 7 other hard working miners, was already sealed. Sometime during her shift, a gas explosion ripped though the mines. The explosion claimed 7 lives that day. Unfortunately, it gave Kat the unwilling fame as being know as Virginia's first woman to die in the coal mines.
The 7 brave miners who lost their lives that day were Kat Counts, Covey J. French, Dale Stamper, Jr, Forest Carter "F. C." Riner, Jr, Ernest A. Hall, Luther J. McCoy and Eugene W. Meade.


we called her KAT due to the animals she had.

this is where my father learned to love animals.
soon their may be a movie about her.
a writer is gathering information about her now.

believe me, i grew up with this method and i can never do it. but back in the day, this is what you did. times have changed and praise is the way to go.

i don't know why i am babbling on, i guess i just wanted you to know we love our babies and would never never do anything to hurt them.

I don't doubt you love your babies at all, from all of your posts I can 100% tell that you do!

I know that even my fiancee has told me to use that method and I told him if he ever tries it, he needs to find a new place to live, LOL.

[JCarlson2004]

Originally Posted by yorkiegirl83

I'm having potty training issues as well, but I don't agree with that method. I would never do something to make one of my dogs fear me, and that is what I see happening w/that method. They don't potty in the house because they're terrified that will happen again, and to me that isn't acceptable. I like to PRAISE my dogs for every little thing they do right and reward them by giving them affection/treats instead of scaring or punishing them to do what I want. Even if it takes months and months until they get it, I'd rather do it w/positive reinforcement than with fear or punishment.

To the OP.. I just wanted to say that I know it is a REAL challenge to potty train. I have 4 puppies 1 year and under and only one is 100% reliable at this time. But my little girl Lula that was terrible at potty training and refused to go outside is now GETTING IT and after 4 months that is a huge accomplishment for my fiancee and I. Sure, she still makes mistakes, but they're a lot less frequent now.

Try to think of it as a learning process and think about how excited you will be when it clicks for them and they finally get it !

Good post. I agree. It's SOOOO incredibly difficult to potty train these little goobers. It takes A LOT of patience. Patience is really key because you may a few weeks where you think, "Hey, the finally got it!!" and then they'll go and pee on the carpet LOL Everything will eventually work out and you'll be so happy. Trust me, these little ones are totally worth all the hassle.

[Ladylavender]

Originally Posted by Frick n Frack

Here is the schedule I've been following:

5:45am - outside
6am - feed them
7am - outside and then leave for work (dogs in crate)
11am - outside during my lunch break
11:30am - back in crate go back to work
3:30pm - come home, dogs outside
5pm - dinner and go outside
then every hour/hour and a half take them outside till 10pm (bed)

Now generally, in the evenings they can roam the living room and play while we watch tv and be trusted about 45 minutes (but only with one eye on the tv and the other on them). But after that, they don't signal and just go on the floor. They rarely have accidents anymore because I don't trust them very much and so I preemptively take them outside or crate them until the 60 minutes is up.

This is exactly what you need to be doing along with the praise and treats. The fact that you are eliminating the chance of mistakes, is excellent!

However, you must keep this regiment up until it does click for them (and it will). It took Millie almost 6 and 1/2 months for it to click with her and she finally got that no potty in the house. This is going to be a chore and it's going to be a great challenge, because you are tired after working all day and you just want to lay around and relax. (you will eventually, but just not now).

So I don't know how long you have been doing the crate training routine thing, but expect it to take at least 1/2 a year or (6 mos). (It can be shorter if you are lucky, or longer if you are not).

So there is light at the end of the tunnel, it's just a long tunnel!

[SJK1113]

I haven't had any potty training issues with Jake (I'm lucky), and I've used positive reinforcement, praise and treats and it does work. It's just something you need to be consistent with every single day, and you do have to watch them very closely when you give them the run of the house. I think consistency is the key, and everyone in your household has to use the same method. For example, I am home all day then I go to work in the evening and my hubby has Jake. If we weren't both completely consistent, I'm sure he would get confused.

Try not to get too frustrated because I think that dogs can sense that, and it may upset their concentration. They're trying to figure out what it is you keep rewarding them for.....and they WILL figure it out. Jake is pad trained, but now that the weather is better, he will also go outside. I think the pads are great until they learn how to let you know they have to go out....or, they're even good to use all the time, whatever your preference is. That depends on the kind of lifestyle you have, how much you're home with them, etc.

Remember, they're just babies who are learning. I don't believe in hitting any dog, especially one as small as a yorkie, and I never even raise my voice to Jake. You can still get them to learn by being calm and patient.

As for rubbing a dog's nose in his/her pee like someone else suggested, I don't believe in that either. All it does is humiliate the dog and make them fear you. They aren't learning anything positive from that at all.

Good luck to you!

[yesenia83]

this may sound i guess nasty or unacceptable to some but since we live in an apartment and dont have a backyard. when we cant walk the baibes, they have accident ok places. my bathroom tub and the kitchen if some is in the bathroom. they used pee pads but when we left they would tear it up even with the pee pad holder. but its just me and my husband here so we are ok with mopping pee. I know it sounds gross but its better than some of the scenes that ive come home too. shredded pee pads and poop being dragged about isnt fun to clean .

[SJK1113]

Originally Posted by yesenia83

this may sound i guess nasty or unacceptable to some but since we live in an apartment and dont have a backyard. when we cant walk the baibes, they have accident ok places. my bathroom tub and the kitchen if some is in the bathroom. they used pee pads but when we left they would tear it up even with the pee pad holder. but its just me and my husband here so we are ok with mopping pee. I know it sounds gross but its better than some of the scenes that ive come home too. shredded pee pads and poop being dragged about isnt fun to clean .

Are you saying you keep your babies in the bathroom tub when you're gone? Sorry for the question, I'm just not clear what you meant.

[iloveemmy]

Emmy is over a year old and is still having "accidents"! We can never get the potty time "together". She will always go when I take her outside, but will also just squat and pee in the house--sometimes on the potty pad and other times not! We just keep praising, feeding treats, and hoping!!!!!

[oktech05]

Originally Posted by JCarlson2004

Good post. I agree. It's SOOOO incredibly difficult to potty train these little goobers. It takes A LOT of patience. Patience is really key because you may a few weeks where you think, "Hey, the finally got it!!" and then they'll go and pee on the carpet LOL Everything will eventually work out and you'll be so happy. Trust me, these little ones are totally worth all the hassle.

I'm so glad to hear that Dax is not the only one... Just when I think he's doning good and can be trusted with the run of the house he pottys on the carpet. He is doing good with the pee pads but I am having trouble moving them to just one area. He uses the spot where the pad used to be lol.

[Tulip]

Hello:

Sounds, like you have your hands full, you cannot possibly go wrong with all this information.

I have only had my dog for a week, and the breeder provided me with the exact schedule, which she uses at her kennel.

I noticed that you said, you let them out at 5:45 and 6:00 am you feed them, I find this particular schedule too close. I understand every dog is different, but most dogs would not urinate within 5 minutes into their walk.

Just maybe you could expand their time a little bit, as far as walking and feeding goes.

I have my dog in a crate, walk time starts at 5:45 to 6:15 am within half an hours that is ample time for the dog to take care of business. by 6:25 the dog is back in the crate

[paulapoo]

Just a suggestion, not sure if it will help the training part but it would save the carpets. If you have boys, you could try belly bands for "in between" potty times. I babysit a friends dog quite often and whenever he comes over he immediately tries to start marking. His feet don't hit my floor before he has a belly band on with a poise pad. They definately help with marking. Good luck to you, sorry I couldn't be of more help.