I need advice on how to crate train...thanks

[Piper2008]

Hi everyone,
My new yorkie, Piper, is 4 months old...we just got her 2 weeks ago...and I'm having a hard time house training her...
we have a 2 year old shorkie, Rocky, he was doing pretty good with his house training...but it seems like when Piper has an accident he thinks it's OK and then he goes in the house!!
During the day when we are at work...Rocky has is allowed to roam our house...but now that we have Piper I think I want to change that...is it too late to change his routine? Is that OK to do?
For the last 2 weeks since we got Piper she has been roaming the house freely with him as well...I want to get her a crate tonight but I wonder if it's too late to put her in because she has been free for 2 weeks...she's had a lot of accidents especially at night when we are sleeping...she sleeps in our room on the floor with her blankets...I am so frustrated...I don't know what to do...buy them both a crate or just one for her? Will Rocky be OK in a crate after 2 years? Or let him be still roam?

Sorry for such a long post...but I am so confused and I want to do what's best for my cuties...
THANKS

[Brodi mom]

I would get her a crate and start all over and if he is not being bad let him do what he has been doing but if not get him a crate to.. I feel your pain i have 5 yorkies and never had a bit of problems pad traing them but last week i got a 9 week old pom baby and she is so hard headed does anyone know how to train poms.. Look for a pom talk but they dont have any like we do for yorkies.. would love input on the pom training... Good luck.

[phfgkl]

I am one that does not believe in crate training, however, I highly believe in xpens, I think they're great. You can make them any size, you can put their bed, pee pads, water, food and toys in them. She needs confined a little more. I would take her and put her on the pee pad every 2-3 hours. My little one is 5 1/2 mos(just got her last Thursday), and although she roams, she's doing pretty good at going to the pee pad(maybe 60% of the time), when she does have an accident, I put her nose down by it(not in it) and in a firm voice say no, you pee on the pee pad, and then take her to the pad. Then, I get out the natures miracle and clean the floor good. This carpet out here is already ruined by dogs peeing, and am hoping in the next few months, we can pull it all up and put laminate down. Just need to be consistent..Good luck

[AshasMom]

It is not tool late. Get a crate and if it is large, block part of it off so that your baby only has enough room to stand and turn around. If you use a crate that is too large, they will still go in the crate. But if they don't have alot of room to move, they don't want to go where they sleep. Put her in their when ever you leave home as well if it is for short periods. I wouldn't leave her in there all day. In my opinion, that's not a life for them. Don't let her roam free. Keep her in a confined area, and take her outside every hour if possible during the day and give lots of praises when she does go outside. Mine get treats when they go outside too. Yorkie Yummys are their favorite. It takes alot of time and effort. Don't give up.

[SillyStrawberry]

I like crate training in a way. I don't think it is fair to put them in there for hours and hours during the day and then again at night. Only at night, imo. And maybe an hour or two every once and a while during the day if you are just going out for a short time. I have a pen for when I am leaving Strawberry longer, but when I am home she has free run of the house. And I am lucky...she comes to work with me and has a pen in the back there. She does not have pee pads. Only business outside. I make her bark once to let me know she has to go and I take her out. It is working well so far. No accidents in a long time. Well, one this weekend when her littermate sister was over and they got too busy playing to remember the rule! Hmmm.

If your okay with Rocky's routine I would let him stick to it and separate them for the day. Just for training and when Piper's training is improved then let them both have the same schedule. If Rocky doesn't have a crate at night then make sure Piper doesn't know it if you crate her...and if you choose to start Rocky on crate at night be prepared for a loud protest!

Good luck!

[Piper2008]

to keep Piper in a crate at night without her knowing that Rocky is not in one?
They both sleep in our room...on the floor with their beds...I couldn't imaging them not sleeping in our room...
And will they be OK if they are separated during the day? (8-5)...
I would like to keep them together in the kitchen...using gates..but Rocky is so used the the whole house I wouldn't want him to think he is in trouble or that he did something wrong...
As it is know...when Rocky wants a break from the "puppy" playing...he can go upstairs and relax...because Piper is too little to use the stairs...(she is 5 lbs, and won't get much bigger! Rocky is 11.5 lbs))
Should I keep them together in the kitchen and still leave the option there for Rocky to go upstairs? That way he won't feel as if he did something wrong...
Thanks!

[SillyStrawberry]

It is a pickle. Haha. Cause' it should be fair between them in the long run. Eventually they will be on the same routine, right? So maybe you can train Piper how you trained Rocky? But if that is not going well then crating at night is a good option. Some dogs like it...some have to learn to accept it.

If you do want to crate I guess she will just have to accept that it is her bed and that is the rule. She may hate it for a while. If you are going to do it...go all the way. If you give in to crying or barking and let her out, she will get 10 x worse the next time you try putting her in a crate. Rocky will also make a fuss if you try to crate him now I am guessing. I would let him be if he is behaving and his training is to your liking and you don't mind him free at night...but then when Piper is trained she should have freedom too, with the option of the crate if she turns out liking it.I think it is nice when they can sleep in the same room as you.

My first yorkie slept in the next room so when we got up to go to the bathroom or for water, etc we didn't disturb her and let her think it was time to come out. It worked for her. She didn't mind. With Strawberry I have her in my room because that calms her. If she makes a huge fuss when she is in her crate in your room I would try Piper in the next room...so that she won't see Rocky or you guys moving and be jealous. Try a few night and if she really protests then try her in the crate in your room again. Perhaps she will like the change from being in the other room to being in the same room and she will settle in her crate. I had to be tough with Strawberry the first few nights because I needed sleep so I put her in the other room. When I brought her crate back into my room she was good as gold for the most part.

And in the day... I wouldn't let her have free run. Because she should earn that. When she is better at doing her business where you want her to, then she can be rewarded with freedom. Rocky has earned that. So let him show her and teach her when you are home and can supervise. She can have freedom at that time, but when she has an accident show her you are not pleased and put her in her pen (or a certain room that she can't get out of. Not her crate...she needs to like her crate at night). After a 15 minutes or so you can let her back out to try again. This is what I did with Strawberry and she trained so fast because she wanted the freedom so badly! Maybe it would work for you too. Hope so!

I really don't know what else to say. It is a pickle, like I said. But if you do it...go all the way or you'll confuse her! I hope this helps. Good luck!