My little Riley is a year and 1/2 now. It took him quite a while to get trained. We bought a couple of exercise pens that double for door blockers. When we are gone for quite a while, I still put them up to block the doors in the kitchen. And while he is very good about going outside, I still put a puppy pad down when I keep him in the kitchen. A lot of times he doesn't use it, but it helps him not be anxious about having to hold it. Just remember that your little dog has a very small bladder. Puppies have to go more often than you realize. Once I read that small breeds can take up to a year (or longer) to get fully trained, I relaxed and just resolved to make it through. My little dog is such a joy, it was well worth it.
As for the barking and crying --- with Riley, I started him off in a crate every night, tried to be consistent with the time he would go into it, and I kept the crate on the floor by my side of the bed. He still sleeps in it and usually willingly goes to his crate when it is bedtime. I also found that if I covered the open grated end of the crate with a sheet, he slept better. |