Crying over Lexie

[Kinsey]

I am at my wits end. My Lexie is refusing to be house trained. My husband and I work full time. So we are trying to train Lexie on puppy pads. Here is the sticking point.... She is 15 months old. We have tried ignoring mistakes and praising her for good behavior, scolding and praising, etc. She is very stubborn. She has good stretches, but reverts with a vengeance. I am so in love with her. Other than this she is so good and she is my best buddy. Last night my husband had all he could take. He through her in the bathroom and told me that she had to stay there 24/7. I told him that what he was suggesting amounted to animal abuse and that when you have a pet you are responsible to give that pet a good life or find someone who can. He suggested animal control. I lost it, began to cry and have not been able to stop. I couldn't go to work today because of this. We lost the most loving, kind and perfect Yorkie last year. I know that all Yorkies have their own personality. This one is a pistol (I like that in her). I believe that my husband wants an exact duplicate of our dear Gizzy. This disagreement aside, I do agree with my husband that this has to stop. Is there some Yorkies that are just untrainable? Any, and all suggestions are much appreciated.

Kins

[ARCHIE]

I know it can be very frustrating but I don't believe it to be your pup's fault.
It takes time and patience to train any dog and to be honest I don't think
your giving her enough of your time. How can you train her during the day
if your not there to correct her when she goes off the pad? I think crate
training in your circumstances would be better for you. I know your hubby
is feeling frustrated but how does the dog know what to do? Yelling at her
will only scare her. You need to have a schedule of some sort. Does she
ever get walked outdoors to potty?

[Kinsey]

Thank you for your reply. I understand the daytime, but what I don't get is that she will do it during the night. I have been told to crate her at night as well, but that is where the people problems come into play. I like to have her in bed with me. We were closing the bedroom door and she was using the pad in the master bath. Everything was lovely, then 2 nights ago she decided to go by the door that leads out to the living room. Once she does it she keeps on doing it. I don't know why she gets it, then turns around just to start a new ordeal. Like I said, she has good periods. She gets sneaky too. Once in a while she will know when we aren't paying attention and sneak of to her favorite hallway.

[Patti]

I know how frustrating it is. I got Pixie at 13 months untrained. She still has way to many accidents. I know I need to be more careful as fasr as letting her roam free in the house but I hate to confine her. I have tried making sure I know where she is at all times and if we see her starting to squat tell her to potty on the paper. At night she is fine but maybe you could crate her in your room right next to the bed until she gets better. I have pretty much resigned myself that she will never be 100% potty trained.

[yorkiegirl83]

I know how hard it is to potty train. I am still working with Kenzie on it, who is 4 mos. She will just stop and pee anywhere.

What I am doing is watching when she eats and drinks, then I take her out 10 mins after drinking, 30 after eating.

I also crate whenever I cannot have my full attention on them, and now always at night. I like to have them sleep with me too, but it is better for their training to sleep in their crate. They go right in and sleep like little angels into the morning. Then in the morning, they do their business, eat breakfast.. and I go back to watching again.

If there is an accident, I say NO clap my hands.. take her out to the grass and say POTTY even if she doesn't have to go.

[FirstYorkie]

How old is Lexie and how long have you had her?

[Lorraine]

While you are at work, put her in an xpen with her wee wee pad, food water toys chews bed.
If you cant' trust her loose in the house, put a pair of bitch pants on her, that is equivalent to a belly band for males. They are available in many pet stores.
Take them off to put her out to potty or when she is in her pen with her wee wee pad.

[Kinsey]

Lexie is now 15 months. I have had her since 8 weeks. I love all of the suggestions I have been given. I never thought of the xpen, or bitch pants. I think the xpen would be more to MY liking than leaving her in the crate for 8+ hours during the week. My husband has calmed down and I am feeling much better. Right now she is sleeping next to me like a little angel. Thank you all again.

[iloveemmy]

I understand what you are going through--my Emmy is over a year and is still not completely pad or outside trained. Now we have a new little boy, Oscar. He does better with the pads than Emmy does. I am at my wits end, too. I am trying hard to work with both of them--I think we are just too inconsistent--me and the pups!

When I am gone, I leave the pups in my kitchen with all the necessities, including a potty pad. Oscar will use it, but Emmy refuses. Sometimes she will go on the rug or the floor.

Good luck!

[Patti]

I am glad you have some options. Trust me I know how difficult it is.

[judyeve]

Once the smell is in the rug, they will revert. When Max had to be retrained after he began marking, another YT member taught me this:

Leash her and keep her tethered to you all the time. When you can't, crate her. Praise her like crazy when she goes on the paper, where you take her every 2-3 hours. I did let Max know he was bad when he did sneak one in, but I don't think hitting teaches them anything. They don't connect it. She has to get crated at night, and if you have to get up in the middle to walk her to the paper, do it.

This worked and then he reverted about 2 more times. Now and then, I'll catch him peeing somewhere else. I just leash him for a couple of days and he seems to remember.

I also probably will always have to keep an eye on him unless I either move or get rid of this rug. I also remind him to pee on the paper a few times a day. I bribe him with a treat. Works like a charm.

[Bnot]

When Venus climbed out of her x-pen, I got a baby gate she couldn't climb, and kept her in the kitchen, where there is NO carpet.

After I got rid of the carpet this past spring, seemed she started peeing and pooping only on her pads, and not the carpet!

I think once that pee smell gets in carpet, they seem to go back to that same spot. And I tried several things to get rid of it, nothing worked.

[Kinsey]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the information given. Lexie is doing better. I don't want to jinx myself, but she hasn't had an accident since. I think a lot has to do with my husbands attitude adjustment. He has been very caring, kind and helpful. Like I said... she is the love of my life and after losing my precious Gizzy last year I don't think I could handle having to give Lexie away. She is a family member. I couldn't just give one of my children away (well, maybe my oldest son...LOL). Thank you all again.
Kins

[lisatodd]

ohhhh, i know the feeling. i have 4 and only one trained. my 10month old was trained then has started back. my 7 month old will do it right in front of my face. then my baby 4 months old is too young. it appears to be common with the yorkies. we see post like this all of the time. i have no advise for you but an understanding of what you are going through.