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GrayC25 · 12-19-2008, 11:30 AM

Hi everyone! We have an almost 10-month-old male yorkie, Samson. He's been doing pretty good with potty training, only have a few accidents once in a while when we're not on top of it (taking him out every hour or so).

However, I'm becoming fearful that we might have to spend the rest of Samson's life taking him out every hour. He hasn't really learned to tell us when he needs to go (or maybe the signs or so small we miss them) and if we try to go past an hour, sometimes he goes in the house. I just don't understand. We have the bells hanging from our doorknob and once I put the lease on him and walk him to the door, he will jump up and hit the bells and we treat him right away. However, if we are in the house and he needs to go to the bathroom, he will not ring the bells, and if we aren't up right then to take him out, he will just find a spot and go. So we are up pretty much every hour (less if he's just eaten or had a big drink) taking him out.

I don't understand why he's not able to hold it for longer than an hour now that he's 10 months. If we keep him on a leash or are constantly entertaining him, he seems to be okay, but I also don't want a dog that I have to keep on a leash or constantly entertain the rest of his life. I love my dog and I love spending time with him, but I can't spend all my hours at home watching him. I know that if we can't watch him 100% then he should go into his crate or on a leash, but I hate to crate him since he's crated during the day when we're at work.

I'm just wondering why this hasn't improved. How come he can't go longer than an hour before needing to pee. I thought that was supposed to improve as they got older??? I understand that he's more active at night and will need to go more often, but shouldn't he be able to hold it until we take him out or he gives us a sign?

We are in a condo without a balcony so we have to put on hats, gloves, scarves and coats and go downstairs every time. I know once we are in a house, it will be easier to just let him out the back door into a fenced yard, but right now, it's tough. We don't mind letting him out every hour for now, while he's still learning, but we really don't feel like it's working. I don't feel like he's connecting the "Ooooh, I got to pee. I should let them know and we can go outside." I feel like it's "Ooooh, I got to pee. They aren't getting up right this second so....aaaaahhhh, that feels better." I just don't get how come he's not learning/willing to hold it and give us a sign.

Am I the only one who's felt that way or am I just doing something wrong?

12-19-2008, 11:30 AM	#1
GrayC25 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2008 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 57	The rest of his life? Hi everyone! We have an almost 10-month-old male yorkie, Samson. He's been doing pretty good with potty training, only have a few accidents once in a while when we're not on top of it (taking him out every hour or so). However, I'm becoming fearful that we might have to spend the rest of Samson's life taking him out every hour. He hasn't really learned to tell us when he needs to go (or maybe the signs or so small we miss them) and if we try to go past an hour, sometimes he goes in the house. I just don't understand. We have the bells hanging from our doorknob and once I put the lease on him and walk him to the door, he will jump up and hit the bells and we treat him right away. However, if we are in the house and he needs to go to the bathroom, he will not ring the bells, and if we aren't up right then to take him out, he will just find a spot and go. So we are up pretty much every hour (less if he's just eaten or had a big drink) taking him out. I don't understand why he's not able to hold it for longer than an hour now that he's 10 months. If we keep him on a leash or are constantly entertaining him, he seems to be okay, but I also don't want a dog that I have to keep on a leash or constantly entertain the rest of his life. I love my dog and I love spending time with him, but I can't spend all my hours at home watching him. I know that if we can't watch him 100% then he should go into his crate or on a leash, but I hate to crate him since he's crated during the day when we're at work. I'm just wondering why this hasn't improved. How come he can't go longer than an hour before needing to pee. I thought that was supposed to improve as they got older??? I understand that he's more active at night and will need to go more often, but shouldn't he be able to hold it until we take him out or he gives us a sign? We are in a condo without a balcony so we have to put on hats, gloves, scarves and coats and go downstairs every time. I know once we are in a house, it will be easier to just let him out the back door into a fenced yard, but right now, it's tough. We don't mind letting him out every hour for now, while he's still learning, but we really don't feel like it's working. I don't feel like he's connecting the "Ooooh, I got to pee. I should let them know and we can go outside." I feel like it's "Ooooh, I got to pee. They aren't getting up right this second so....aaaaahhhh, that feels better." I just don't get how come he's not learning/willing to hold it and give us a sign. Am I the only one who's felt that way or am I just doing something wrong?