"Fake Pee-ing"

[bld2751]

I know this might sound weird, but Hercules seems to be fake pee-ing to get treats!

We live on the third floor of an apartment, so we put chicken wire up around the balcony and built a little box for him to go to the bathroom in. Our original intention was to get some sod to put in the box, but it's out of season. So instead we're using the pee pads. When he goes outside we then go inside and give him a treat. It's just too cold to give him the treat outside and wait for him to decide whether he's going to eat it or play with it.

So he's getting used to getting treats when he goes outside. But he hasn't completely gotten the idea that he has to go to the bathroom when he's outside too. So sometimes he'll go to the door and get me to take him outside. Then he will jump in the box and squat like he's peeing, yet nothing will come out! Believe me, I watch him like a hawk and he doesn't pee. Then he goes to the door for me to let him back inside and proceeds to go to where the treats are and jump around for a treat. My little boy fake pees on me!!!

I just had to share this story because it is so funny.

Has anyone else had an experience your yorkie tries to fool you for a treat??

[bettyeanne]

Yep!! I had forgotten ... when we were training Toto to the wee wee pad and she was getting the idea ... she would come to let us know that she had gone on the pad and there would be about a quarter sized little wet spot about every 5-10 minutes!! They are smart little characters!!

[Higgin's Mom]

The Yorkies win! Again!!!! ROFL

[Maddie-Rudy-Mom]

My first yorkie Max would do that. He would go to the back door and I would say you gotta go pee pee and he would do his little dance and away he would go. I would give him a treat when he would come in. I got worry about him going out so much, so one day I let him out and watched him, he would go down the side walk and them come back in and, he wasn't doing anything he just wanted a treat. I thought what a brat then I thought he is pertty darn smart. Max was my first yorkie that had a great life, he lived to be 17 years old, he was a smart little boy that taught me alot. Maddie and Rudy think when the other one goes out and does there bussiness they should get a treat too, they are smart little things...............Cindy

[Bentley'sMom]

Bentley has never done this, but in our puppy class they warned us never to use treats as a reward for going to the bathroom as it encourages faking or only going a little at a time.

[orinskye]

the praising doesnt seem to be working though, and the treats do........ maybe ill just keep him guessing and use both (usually praise adn once in a while a treat?????)... im glad you told me (of course we sorta noticed because he is now a treat hound as well as a food hound ..... and this was teh same dog that didnt like treats when i first got him)

[Bentley'sMom]

If you are crate training your puppy, our instructor suggested that you take the puppy out and if he doesn't go within the first couple of minutes, put the puppy in his crate for 5-10 minutes. Then take the puppy out again. Keep doing this cycle until they go to the bathroom. At that point they can come into the house and not go into their crate. With this method the reward is to be out of the crate instead of a treat. It also teaches them to go right away and not sniff around outside for a long time before going.

[orinskye]

that is a great idea ........ i should try that too, my toby is going to be on his own for the first time next tuesday (only for 3.5-4 hours, but it seems like forever to me!!!!) I'm thinking about leaving his crate open and shuting him in the hallway/bathroom section of teh apartment so that he can go pee on his own (and there isnt anything really to damage in this area).... what do you think? does that defeat the purpose of the crate? because toby can't hold it for that long, and he SCREAMS when he has to go and he is in his crate..... the whole purpose of the crate thing was to offer "security" for him, adn also to minimize the damage on the house as far as chewing, but i think locking him up in this section of the apartment offers teh best of both worldsl.......

[Bentley'sMom]

I think I would leave him in his crate if you are not going to be over 4 hours. As long as he goes right before you leave, he should be able to hold it. If his crate is small enough (just enough for him to stand up and turn around in), he shouldn't go in the crate because yorkies do not like to go to the bathroom where they sleep. Here's another reason I would use the crate instead of blocking him off in the house: When we first got Bentley I felt bad leaving him in the crate, so I blocked off the door to the kitchen with a baby gate and we left him in there with his food/water, toys and bed. Well, he hated being left alone and eventually got scared of the kitchen. He would never go in there when we were home because he was afraid of being blocked in there. This was a big problem as his food was in the kitchen and he would never go in there to eat. Since he had never had an accident while we were gone, we decided to try letting him roam the kitchen, living room, and hallway (we just shut all bedroom and bathroom doors) and he is much happier and still is able to hold it. (I don't really understand him as he has never had an accident while we are gone, but will pee right in front of us when we are home). Anyway, if you know he will have an accident if you leave him out, then I would put him in the crate because it will force him to try and hold it and that's an important part of potty training. He also probably won't cry as much because you aren't there to hear him.

[fasteddie]

Hah, that is TOO FUNNY! The little guys are just way too smart for us, sometimes, eh? We praised Yoda like CRAZY when he went pee/poo outside, but only once in a while we gave him a treat, usually we'd just play with him after or do something fun for a bit.

[SnowWa]

Dogs are definitely very smart when it comes to getting treats.

I had trouble getting my dogs to come when I called them. So I started giving them treats when they'd come back into the house.

So - you guessed it. If they want a treat, they go to the door and scratch to go outside. And, of course, I open the door and let them out - but then instead of going out, they just immediately turn around and come back in - for their treat, of course!

That's okay. I figure they've still earned it.

Carol Jean

PS: I do think pretending like they've pee'd is the smartest thing I've heard yet. Definitely give them a treat for doing this. Just how smart can a dog get!

[robandkelly13]

Our Yorkie, Krissy, did the same thing when she was being potty trained. I think it's ingenious how they figure out how to get extra treats!

[Rem&Silkmom]

They are smart little buggers. Remmy did this when he was a pup. With Chance I really did not train him with treats just lots and lots of praise.

[Kathryn_V]

And I thought I was crazy!!!

Pixie started doing this two weeks ago! Its windy and a bit nippy at night here right now and she is not a fan! So when we run outside for out night time potty breaks, she stands by the door and looks at me like I am nuts.... I teller her... Go Potty! and she gives in and runns out to the grass and squats real quick and then runs back to the door! and in we go! but then no more than three minutes later shell use her pad in the house! Little bratt! She just squatted to humor me so I would let her back in out of the cold wind!

[Ivy Lucille]

I don't normally give treats for potty time however, I applaud (not everytime) and carry on and that seems to satisfy her. Anyway, this AM I caught her squatting in my bedroom and I said "no" and picked her up to take her to the pee pad and I said "potty" . I sat down on the toilet to wait and she copped a squat on the floor. She stayed there for a few seconds but did nothing. I guess that was to make me feel better---lol or to just fake me out. I didn't say anything to her so I think she has me fooled ;P