How long did it take your yorkie?
 

Ok...I'm going to appologize in advance for the negativity here, but I can't stand the constant potty training issues!!!!!! AHHHH! I guess I'm so frustrated because our chocolate lab took like TWO days to learn how to potty outside and my yorkie is only 4 months old, but I don't think I can stand it. I've been reading some posts that say up to 2 years! There's no way I can deal with it for that long. I feel like I'm a prison guard. When she's in the house, there's so much open space for her to roam and it's hard to watch her every second. So....I gate her in the laundry room because I have stuff to do and can't watch her all the time, then she whines and tries to get out. She is excellent at night, but during the day, she can go outside and come back in and pee on the floor! I'm just afraid I've gotten more than I bargained for and it makes me resent her and not even want to be around her. I feel like a new mother with post-partum, but post-puppy-partum.:confused: So will this really continue for several more months????:(

Kim, I feel your stress. I have to say that 4months old is still very young
to house break. I would think buy 6 months old she should get it if you
continue on a schedule and monitor her water. I know some can be hard
to train however I think at times owners are not consistant with the
potty training. Hang in there because I know it will get better.
Like children all are different. 4 mos old is still really young to expect
her to be fully trained. Rewards when potting outdoors is a must and
those rewards should be different than any other rewards in the house.
It has to be something like a small piece of liverwurst, peanut butter etc
something that she does not get indoors. To make you feel better
Buddy was housebroken by 5 1/2 mos. He was 4 1/2 mos when I got
him. Your patience and consistency will pay off, just hang in there.

First, I would say that you may have gotten more than you bargained for. Two days will never happen with a small puppy.

You said: "but during the day, she can go outside and come back in and pee on the floor!"

Do you go with her outside? You are going to have to go with her and (this is where patience is called for) tell her to go potty, then not go in until she has pottied. If you go back in before she has pottied, then she will certainly potty on the floor.

Are you home with her all day? If so, then she will potty train sooner.

I have found the reward system works great when potty training. I use door bells and taught her to ring the bells to go potty. Everytime we'd go out, I would ask her if she needed to potty and then I would take her little foot and hit the bells (now she uses her nose). We'd go out together and I keep telling her to potty. When she finally did, I would get really excited and say, "Good girl!" Then I would tell her good girls get cheese. Well, she soon learned that unless she pottied, she wouldn't get that little piece of cheese (it's no fat cheese by the way).

Kacee was potty trained by the time she was about 6 months old. She did have a couple of accidents when she came home after her spay, but that is to be expected. Since then, she has had no accidents - ever.

If you are not home with her during the day, it will likely take much longer.

The key to house training these little one's is lots and lots of patience (I have tons of that) and consistency.

I completely agree. We have had Jack, oh 3 weeks today, and he has had day without accidents and days with plenty of accidents. I take him out on a schedule and everytime he goes pee outside he gets a tiny piece of string cheese and when he poops he gets another tiny piece because his accidents in the house have been peeing and pooping. So far, since starting this on Monday, he was accident free yesterday and is so far today. Plus when he goes potty outside, besides just the cheese, we praise him like he just saved the world.

We work during the day - but when Bailey was a puppy potty training had our undivided attention after work. It took us two months to train Bailey. We literally put our lives on hold until potty training was completed. It took two of us (me and hubby) to get it done. I couldn't have done it without him.

We kept her in the living room (with blankets on the floor) and watched, watched, watched her - then corrected her mistakes when they happened - all the while teaching her to ring the bell.

IT WAS HARD WORK!!! But well worth the effort. There was no way I was going to tolerate accidents in the house. Slowly we gave Bailey more freedom as she earned it.

I believe if concentrated and consistent effort is given in the beginning - you will reap a lifetime of trust and love.