It's winter here - so I'm using the potty pads and taking him outside.
One thing I like about my Yorkie pup is that he is very small, and I can have him with me most of the time. I carry him around a lot and generally have my eye on him most of the time. Plus he still sleeps a lot --- which is great because I can get him on his pad the first thing when he wakes up - and he usually goes then for sure.
Also, I take him to his pad often and he does use it more than half the time I put him there. I probably put him on his pad every hour or so ---more often if he hasn't gone for a while.
I just make sure that he has a lot of opportunities to use the puppy pad.
And, of course I praise him when he uses it. I'm not sure he pays much attention to my praising him because I'm already doing that 24/7 for everything else he does. He is so cute and playful! But at least when he uses the pad - he doesn't get the frantic "NO NO NO" he gets when he tries to go some place else.
I don't want him to get too puppy-pad trained and then not go outside, so I take him out every night for a while. He usually goes at least once when we are outside and I praise him for doing that.
He's on his own when I work - but kept in the kitchen with his food, bed, toys, and puppy pad --- He forgets once in a while, but is using the pad on his own often. (I work four days a week and am gone for about six hours.)
Like another person said - I think being consistent and steadfast is the key. I am sure if I let up - he'd love to pee any place he wants and we'd be back to square one.
I feel good about the success I am having so far - and think he's going to be fairly easy to train. I sure hope so.
All of you - wish all of us puppy potty trainers good luck. I'm sure we'll need it.
Carol Jean |