YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - New potty schedule. Any suggestions/advice?

Lilly1109 · 11-03-2010, 10:53 AM

I just joined YT and posted my introduction in the General forum a little bit ago. I wanted to jump right in and get some advice on the new potty schedule I just set up for Lilly.
First, here's a little background on her pottying history. When we first got her, I was working a job with a very irregular schedule. With how important a strict schedule is to housebreaking a Yorkie, I knew there was no way I'd be able to train her to outside with my crazy work schedule. So, we decided on puppy pads. When I was gone for work, I'd keep her gated off in the laundry room, since it had tile, with a puppy pad, her bed, and food and water. I would still take her outside when I could, but more for the purpose of getting outside for some fresh air and exercise. So, for 6 or 7 months, Lilly was trained to the puppy pad.
When I found out I was pregnant, I kept working, for another 2 or 3 months. Then I had some complications, and the doctor took me off work for a month. I was on bed rest, off bed rest, on bed rest, off bed rest, you get the picture.

They couldn't figure out what was causing my 'complications'. So I couldn't really change Lilly's schedule even though I was home more. But recently, they found out what was causing it, and it was basically, "this is still going to happen, but this is why. Just take it easy. No big worry." After that, I decided to stay home from work for the rest of the pregnancy, for sometime after the baby is born, and who knows for how long after that. Hehe.

The point is, I stay at home now, and I decided that since my schedule is much more predictable now, there's no reason I can't devote the time needed to crate train/housebreak Lilly to potty outside.
A friend of mine who has a Yorkie as well, told me that in the beginning you have to be very strict with it. They're either eating, pottying, ON YOUR LAP, or in their crate. So that's what I've been doing for a couple weeks. Lilly seems to be getting the idea that when I take her outside it's time to potty. She used to play around for a long time and sometimes not potty at all. Now, I can be standing out there with her for not even 30 seconds and she's already sniffing out a spot to go potty. So, now, I'd like to put more into her schedule. More play time in the house. I know that it's going to take some time, so she will in no way have free run of the house, so in the suggested schedule I'm about to post, when it says 'play time' she will be gated off in the living room with me. After looking into my schedule at home (taking my daughter to preschool, meeting her when she comes home on the bus, getting dinner cooked to be ready when my husband comes home from work, etc), I came up with this schedule. Please let me know of any suggestions you have on this schedule, what you think, any changes I should make, anything.

Lilly will be 1 year old on November 18th, and she weighs 3.8 lbs.

7:00am - potty
7:15 - food and water
7:30-8:30 - crate
8:30 - potty
8:45-9:30 - play time
9:30-12:00 - crate
12:00 - potty
Play time until 1:30
1:30 - potty
1:45-5:30 - crate
5:30 - food and water
5:45-6:15 - crate
6:15 - potty
6:30-7:30 - play
7:30-8:30 - crate
8:30 - water ONLY and then back in crate until 9:00.
9:00 - potty then crate for the night.

There's not really alot of room for playtime in the morning. I'm running around the house getting my daughter up and ready for school so I can't keep a constant eye on Lilly if she was out in 'play time'.
Is this schedule too complicated? Too many steps? Can it be simplified? Or is this a good schedule to stick to for awhile? My goal is to have Lilly eventually be completely housebroken and to roam wherever she wants in the house.

I know this can take a long long time. But as I change the schedule to accommodate her new learned potty behavior, what is the best way to change it? Do I increase the play times? Decrease the amount of potty times? Add an extra room on one at a time for her play times as she learns?
I know this is alot of info and alot of questions....

But I've neve had a chance to ask so many well knowledgeable people at once about this. I'm really looking forward to any and all suggestions y'all have. Whatever it takes, I want to make this work for Lilly.

Thanks!

11-03-2010, 10:53 AM	#1
Lilly1109 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 28	New potty schedule. Any suggestions/advice? I just joined YT and posted my introduction in the General forum a little bit ago. I wanted to jump right in and get some advice on the new potty schedule I just set up for Lilly. First, here's a little background on her pottying history. When we first got her, I was working a job with a very irregular schedule. With how important a strict schedule is to housebreaking a Yorkie, I knew there was no way I'd be able to train her to outside with my crazy work schedule. So, we decided on puppy pads. When I was gone for work, I'd keep her gated off in the laundry room, since it had tile, with a puppy pad, her bed, and food and water. I would still take her outside when I could, but more for the purpose of getting outside for some fresh air and exercise. So, for 6 or 7 months, Lilly was trained to the puppy pad. When I found out I was pregnant, I kept working, for another 2 or 3 months. Then I had some complications, and the doctor took me off work for a month. I was on bed rest, off bed rest, on bed rest, off bed rest, you get the picture. They couldn't figure out what was causing my 'complications'. So I couldn't really change Lilly's schedule even though I was home more. But recently, they found out what was causing it, and it was basically, "this is still going to happen, but this is why. Just take it easy. No big worry." After that, I decided to stay home from work for the rest of the pregnancy, for sometime after the baby is born, and who knows for how long after that. Hehe. The point is, I stay at home now, and I decided that since my schedule is much more predictable now, there's no reason I can't devote the time needed to crate train/housebreak Lilly to potty outside. A friend of mine who has a Yorkie as well, told me that in the beginning you have to be very strict with it. They're either eating, pottying, ON YOUR LAP, or in their crate. So that's what I've been doing for a couple weeks. Lilly seems to be getting the idea that when I take her outside it's time to potty. She used to play around for a long time and sometimes not potty at all. Now, I can be standing out there with her for not even 30 seconds and she's already sniffing out a spot to go potty. So, now, I'd like to put more into her schedule. More play time in the house. I know that it's going to take some time, so she will in no way have free run of the house, so in the suggested schedule I'm about to post, when it says 'play time' she will be gated off in the living room with me. After looking into my schedule at home (taking my daughter to preschool, meeting her when she comes home on the bus, getting dinner cooked to be ready when my husband comes home from work, etc), I came up with this schedule. Please let me know of any suggestions you have on this schedule, what you think, any changes I should make, anything. Lilly will be 1 year old on November 18th, and she weighs 3.8 lbs. 7:00am - potty 7:15 - food and water 7:30-8:30 - crate 8:30 - potty 8:45-9:30 - play time 9:30-12:00 - crate 12:00 - potty Play time until 1:30 1:30 - potty 1:45-5:30 - crate 5:30 - food and water 5:45-6:15 - crate 6:15 - potty 6:30-7:30 - play 7:30-8:30 - crate 8:30 - water ONLY and then back in crate until 9:00. 9:00 - potty then crate for the night. There's not really alot of room for playtime in the morning. I'm running around the house getting my daughter up and ready for school so I can't keep a constant eye on Lilly if she was out in 'play time'. Is this schedule too complicated? Too many steps? Can it be simplified? Or is this a good schedule to stick to for awhile? My goal is to have Lilly eventually be completely housebroken and to roam wherever she wants in the house. I know this can take a long long time. But as I change the schedule to accommodate her new learned potty behavior, what is the best way to change it? Do I increase the play times? Decrease the amount of potty times? Add an extra room on one at a time for her play times as she learns? I know this is alot of info and alot of questions.... But I've neve had a chance to ask so many well knowledgeable people at once about this. I'm really looking forward to any and all suggestions y'all have. Whatever it takes, I want to make this work for Lilly. Thanks!