Hi,
I got my Yorkie about 6 wks. ago, he was 4 mos. old and he is pretty much housebroken. Plus, we had 3 weeks with that Guardia which was a mess, so he did as best as we would ever have hoped for. I took him out where I knew another dog had peed and he picked up the scent. He immediately went and he got a treat and I made it an event. I have a son at home so this dog is out every few hours. As to poop, that was a mess. For a while he was walked, did nothing and then came in and did it. I put it outside and showed him, over and over. He finally got it.
As to confining the dog, you can only put a dog in a crate for I heard, 4 hours. This dog was not confined at the breeders and the crate was out.
I used an xpen, made it very small. If I'm going to be gone more than a few hours, I do put food and water in small bowls in there. I also put his toys in there and a thick towel over the bed in case of an accident.
I do not think the patio will work too well. The dog needs to be walked, praised and pick up the scent. Maybe later.
I think if you are really consistent and get a good dog from a good breeder, this should not be a big deal. I had heard how hard it was with Yorkies, bit to be honest, it turned out much easier than I expected.
Good luck. |