YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - she's scared to use potty pads :( what to do?

missmags · 08-23-2010, 06:34 PM

my yorkie Maggie is almost 3, i got her a year ago. when I got her, she was very well housetrained. in fact, i think she was rather harshly housetrained by her former owners, because whenever she has an accident (which doesn't happen often) she seems terrified - she hides and shakes and stuff.

for a long time now I have been trying to teach her to use puppy pads. sometimes because of my schedule she has to hold it for longer than i imagine would be ideal for her. i think it would be so much more comfortable for her if she could use the pads whenever she wants!

but it seems like she is scared to use them. i try praising/treating her when she sniffs the pad, touches the pad, sits on the pad, anything relating to the pad. i also take her over to the pad when she needs to go. she has gotten more comfortable with sitting on it over time, but as soon as i tell her "go potty" (this is the command she knows) she jumps off the pad like it is on fire and runs to the door.

she has gone on a pad a few times when she was desperate and i wasn't watching: once, after she had been throwing up a lot, i gave her water with chicken broth mixed in so she wouldn't get dehydrated - this is a trick i use to get her to drink if she's been sick - but it was evening, and i guess she had to pee in the night because in the morning, there was pee on the pad and she got really upset when i saw it. i tried praising her, etc, but she was having none of it.

is there anything i can do to teach her the pads are good?

08-23-2010, 06:34 PM	#1
missmags YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: VA Posts: 3	she's scared to use potty pads :( what to do? my yorkie Maggie is almost 3, i got her a year ago. when I got her, she was very well housetrained. in fact, i think she was rather harshly housetrained by her former owners, because whenever she has an accident (which doesn't happen often) she seems terrified - she hides and shakes and stuff. for a long time now I have been trying to teach her to use puppy pads. sometimes because of my schedule she has to hold it for longer than i imagine would be ideal for her. i think it would be so much more comfortable for her if she could use the pads whenever she wants! but it seems like she is scared to use them. i try praising/treating her when she sniffs the pad, touches the pad, sits on the pad, anything relating to the pad. i also take her over to the pad when she needs to go. she has gotten more comfortable with sitting on it over time, but as soon as i tell her "go potty" (this is the command she knows) she jumps off the pad like it is on fire and runs to the door. she has gone on a pad a few times when she was desperate and i wasn't watching: once, after she had been throwing up a lot, i gave her water with chicken broth mixed in so she wouldn't get dehydrated - this is a trick i use to get her to drink if she's been sick - but it was evening, and i guess she had to pee in the night because in the morning, there was pee on the pad and she got really upset when i saw it. i tried praising her, etc, but she was having none of it. is there anything i can do to teach her the pads are good? Last edited by missmags; 08-23-2010 at 06:35 PM.