Best potty training method?? Papers or Crate? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

ldw · 05-22-2007, 08:24 AM

Hi Guys,

As my new little (hopefully) angel will be joining me in the next couple of days I just wanted to ask which training method you've found most successful, paper crate or other??

I was thinking that as it is summer and I have a garden I could try the crate method or rather put her in a pen small pen with her crate food water when I'm there and only in the crate when I'm not. Any ideas?

Hickey007 · 05-23-2007, 08:42 AM

This is my method of housebreaking Reagan, keep in mind though that I'm home during the day so...

I think when she first came home I was taking her out about once an hour, it quickly went to two hours though, then eventually 4, to now whenever she needs to go. What I would do is about 15-25 minutes before she went out I would put her in her crate then pull her out at the hour or 2 hours or whatever take her potty(she goes outside) if she went I would leave her out of her crate it she didn't I would put her back in her crate and try again in 5-10 minutes. I wasn't putting her in a time out I was crating her so she didn't have run of the house or whatever part of the house she was allowed in until she went. I only took her out every hour for the first week or so mainly until I figured out how often she was going. As she got older I would increase the time between potty breaks. This way she was able to be out and by me or whatever between potty time but I would get her well before she would go and contain her until it was time. One thing you really need to watch for if you do it this way is the water. I have always left water down for her but if she went in and drank a bunch of water chances are she'd going to have to pee shortly. This is the way we did it but I'm sure others have more methods I think the best thing is to have an open mind about all of them and pick the one that you think fits your life the best, try it and if it legitimately doesn't work try another.

autumn star · 05-23-2007, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hickey007

This is my method of housebreaking Reagan, keep in mind though that I'm home during the day so...

I think when she first came home I was taking her out about once an hour, it quickly went to two hours though, then eventually 4, to now whenever she needs to go. What I would do is about 15-25 minutes before she went out I would put her in her crate then pull her out at the hour or 2 hours or whatever take her potty(she goes outside) if she went I would leave her out of her crate it she didn't I would put her back in her crate and try again in 5-10 minutes. I wasn't putting her in a time out I was crating her so she didn't have run of the house or whatever part of the house she was allowed in until she went. I only took her out every hour for the first week or so mainly until I figured out how often she was going. As she got older I would increase the time between potty breaks. This way she was able to be out and by me or whatever between potty time but I would get her well before she would go and contain her until it was time. One thing you really need to watch for if you do it this way is the water. I have always left water down for her but if she went in and drank a bunch of water chances are she'd going to have to pee shortly. This is the way we did it but I'm sure others have more methods I think the best thing is to have an open mind about all of them and pick the one that you think fits your life the best, try it and if it legitimately doesn't work try another.

Great tip!!!

ldw · 05-23-2007, 09:18 AM

Thank you so much!! I was thinking along similar lines... but that idea about putting her in the crate is fantastic. I just find the sound of strict crate training so cruel... but then like you, I am home all day and when I have to go out she can come with me to work and I'll continue the routine there... or do you think that would be too disruptive? How did you handle nights?

Hickey007 · 05-23-2007, 04:20 PM

I think as far as going to work, if while at home you are taking her out in the grass as long as there is grass for her to go on while at work with you I don't think she'll have a problem with it, or pads at home and pads at work or what not. When we got Reagan she had been using pads and wouldn't go outside well one day we were over at my MIL's and outside all day so she just had to go in the grass I praised her and let her know it was ok and then after that she started going outside at my house. So I'm guessing she figured out it was ok to go outside there so it was ok to go outside anywhere.

Well nights...I will say I'm one of those people who let their dog in the bed with them. So at night she would wake me up just moving around and we would go out, no matter what if she was up walking around on the bed, even if she was just moving a couple of feet to lay back down I got up and took her out. They can hold it longer at night but when they are little they can't hold it through the whole night, so you will need to take her out. You could put her in her crate at night though and maybe try to get up at least once(maybe twice just until you know if she's going to go that much) to let her out, eventually she will probably let you know by whining that she needs to go out (if using the crate) but in the beginning she prob won't. My husband gets up at 4:30 so it wasn't long until she was sleeping until then and he would take her out, then it wasn't too much longer after that that she would just lay there like a ragdoll when he tried to get her up, she just wanted to sleep. He then would bring her back in there and back to sleep she went. Now she sleeps til I get up. And as soon as you wake up take her out especially if she's going to be walking around, this is the one time that you KNOW she's going to have to go. I used to take Reagan out before I went potty but now she can wait until after me, I'm so one of those people who have to pee the second I get out of bed.

Good luck, just be consistent and try not to get frustrated and you'll be fine.

Hickey007 · 05-23-2007, 04:26 PM

Oh and once you get into a grove with it I would start trying to teach her to let you know when she needs out. A lot of people use bells, some dogs will pick up their own way of telling you, Reagan scratches at the door (she did this on her own) and we have a Bloodhound that will bark. Whatever you decide have her do it EACH time before you take her out, she doesn't need to be totally housebroken for this either just when you feel ready to add it to the routine. For our Bloodhound we had taught her to "sing" so before we went out we had her "sit" then "sing". It didn't take long for her to start letting us know when she needed out. With bells just hang some bells by the door and have her nose or paw them each time before she goes out, there's also a ton of good threads on bells if you like that idea. I think this will help housebreak her sooner b/c it let's her have a way of telling you when she needs out.

ldw · 05-23-2007, 09:43 PM

Hi Hicky,

Thank you so much for your insights! I tend to go to bed very late (around midnight to 1 am) so I figured if I took her out again around then that would be good and I usually wake up again at 6:30 so that would be another potty time.

I've never heard about this bell and will search more on the forum. It sounds like a fantastic idea!!

Phew.. I'm bringer her home on Friday and I am soooooo nervous!!! I feel like I'm about to take an important exam or job interview!

05-22-2007, 08:24 AM	#1
ldw Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 53	Best potty training method?? Papers or Crate? Hi Guys, As my new little (hopefully) angel will be joining me in the next couple of days I just wanted to ask which training method you've found most successful, paper crate or other?? I was thinking that as it is summer and I have a garden I could try the crate method or rather put her in a pen small pen with her crate food water when I'm there and only in the crate when I'm not. Any ideas?

05-23-2007, 08:42 AM	#2
Hickey007 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 789	This is my method of housebreaking Reagan, keep in mind though that I'm home during the day so... I think when she first came home I was taking her out about once an hour, it quickly went to two hours though, then eventually 4, to now whenever she needs to go. What I would do is about 15-25 minutes before she went out I would put her in her crate then pull her out at the hour or 2 hours or whatever take her potty(she goes outside) if she went I would leave her out of her crate it she didn't I would put her back in her crate and try again in 5-10 minutes. I wasn't putting her in a time out I was crating her so she didn't have run of the house or whatever part of the house she was allowed in until she went. I only took her out every hour for the first week or so mainly until I figured out how often she was going. As she got older I would increase the time between potty breaks. This way she was able to be out and by me or whatever between potty time but I would get her well before she would go and contain her until it was time. One thing you really need to watch for if you do it this way is the water. I have always left water down for her but if she went in and drank a bunch of water chances are she'd going to have to pee shortly. This is the way we did it but I'm sure others have more methods I think the best thing is to have an open mind about all of them and pick the one that you think fits your life the best, try it and if it legitimately doesn't work try another. __________________ Courtney

05-23-2007, 04:20 PM	#5
Hickey007 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 789	I think as far as going to work, if while at home you are taking her out in the grass as long as there is grass for her to go on while at work with you I don't think she'll have a problem with it, or pads at home and pads at work or what not. When we got Reagan she had been using pads and wouldn't go outside well one day we were over at my MIL's and outside all day so she just had to go in the grass I praised her and let her know it was ok and then after that she started going outside at my house. So I'm guessing she figured out it was ok to go outside there so it was ok to go outside anywhere. Well nights...I will say I'm one of those people who let their dog in the bed with them. So at night she would wake me up just moving around and we would go out, no matter what if she was up walking around on the bed, even if she was just moving a couple of feet to lay back down I got up and took her out. They can hold it longer at night but when they are little they can't hold it through the whole night, so you will need to take her out. You could put her in her crate at night though and maybe try to get up at least once(maybe twice just until you know if she's going to go that much) to let her out, eventually she will probably let you know by whining that she needs to go out (if using the crate) but in the beginning she prob won't. My husband gets up at 4:30 so it wasn't long until she was sleeping until then and he would take her out, then it wasn't too much longer after that that she would just lay there like a ragdoll when he tried to get her up, she just wanted to sleep. He then would bring her back in there and back to sleep she went. Now she sleeps til I get up. And as soon as you wake up take her out especially if she's going to be walking around, this is the one time that you KNOW she's going to have to go. I used to take Reagan out before I went potty but now she can wait until after me, I'm so one of those people who have to pee the second I get out of bed. Good luck, just be consistent and try not to get frustrated and you'll be fine. __________________ Courtney

05-23-2007, 04:26 PM	#6
Hickey007 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 789	Oh and once you get into a grove with it I would start trying to teach her to let you know when she needs out. A lot of people use bells, some dogs will pick up their own way of telling you, Reagan scratches at the door (she did this on her own) and we have a Bloodhound that will bark. Whatever you decide have her do it EACH time before you take her out, she doesn't need to be totally housebroken for this either just when you feel ready to add it to the routine. For our Bloodhound we had taught her to "sing" so before we went out we had her "sit" then "sing". It didn't take long for her to start letting us know when she needed out. With bells just hang some bells by the door and have her nose or paw them each time before she goes out, there's also a ton of good threads on bells if you like that idea. I think this will help housebreak her sooner b/c it let's her have a way of telling you when she needs out. __________________ Courtney

05-23-2007, 09:18 AM	#4
ldw Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 53	Thank you so much!! I was thinking along similar lines... but that idea about putting her in the crate is fantastic. I just find the sound of strict crate training so cruel... but then like you, I am home all day and when I have to go out she can come with me to work and I'll continue the routine there... or do you think that would be too disruptive? How did you handle nights?

05-23-2007, 09:43 PM	#7
ldw Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 53	Hi Hicky, Thank you so much for your insights! I tend to go to bed very late (around midnight to 1 am) so I figured if I took her out again around then that would be good and I usually wake up again at 6:30 so that would be another potty time. I've never heard about this bell and will search more on the forum. It sounds like a fantastic idea!! Phew.. I'm bringer her home on Friday and I am soooooo nervous!!! I feel like I'm about to take an important exam or job interview!