Welcome to you and Ranger. Nice that you can outdoor train him in the summer. I would expect you get a good deal of snow in Canada and you probably can have him trained before winter. Many of us raise and / or train dogs, so you will get plenty of good advice. I like the Monks method and I think it is the fastest way to train older dogs. (Especially one who already potties in their crate) You can not really crate train them because they have been forced to pottie where they eat and sleep. Instead use a 5 or 6 foot leash and harness to tether them to yourself. They will go every where with you. Set a schedule of about every 2 to 3 hours to take them to their preselected pottie spot. When they pottie there praise and treat. I work with rescues and have found Shih-tzu are smart and not too difficult to housebreak as a general rule. I think Yorkies are harder, but this method usually works in about 10 days. God Bless You. |