[yorkiefan_]

With Cookie it was really challenging at first. She sniffed around when she had to go, but she was also constantly sniffing around both indoors and out (I know she could smell Minnie). So sniffing was almost completely out for me as a way of telling, because she did it 24/7 from age 3-4.5 months or so. She didn't circle intensely; Cookie would usually do maybe 1/2 to 1 full circle and then squat. It was too fast to stop it even with a hawkeye on her, so all I could do is give negative reinforcement (e.g., saying NOOO or BADDDD in a stern voice) and take her outside immediately. I was lucky in that my breeder (Deb Sillers) had already trained her to never go on furniture, and the only accident she ever had on furniture was from excitement (but it was tough to complete the training since Cook was used to pee pads and the doggie door when Deb raised her, and neither method was appropriate at my house). It can be an adventure training a little girl!