My little Tinkerbell just turned 8 months old and I can tell you to have patience it does get better. Reading your post made me remember our first couple of weeks together. The best advice I can give you about potty training is to be consistent. I took Tink out every 2 hours that she was awake for the first 2 months after she came home. She slept in her crate near my bed for the first six weeks and we got up at least 1 time every night usually 1-2 am for a potty break. I got to the point where I knew Tinks bathroom schedule. I can read her very well and I just know when she needs to go. I have never used pads, but I would think the process is the same. I gave lots of treats and praise at first and now Tink rarely has accidents, but if she does it is usually my fault.
Tink used to love chasing bare feet..LOL.. You just need to continue to be firm and say NO and give your puppy a more appropriate chew toy. Tink loves bully sticks and they saved my toes. Tink was already 13 weeks old when I brought her home so she had learned from her mom and littermates a lot about how hard to bite. This is really important. You will have to teah this as the other posters have commented. One thing I did also was to start walking Tink around the block. The walk really helps establish a relationship and is a great bonding tool. I have walked Tink almost everyday since I brought her home and I think it was a big help. Just be sure and keep your puppy away from areas where unvaccinated dogs might be running free. I have a good neighborhood for this so there was no concern on my part. Most importantly find ways to bond with your puppy. Once that bond is firmly in place I think the training comes around better. Tink is my first yorkie so this is just what has worked well for us. I am definitely not an expert, but just wanted to help with a little advice. Good Luck. |