Please help...potty training issue
 

My JoJo is 15 weeks old and I've been potty training him on pee pads. Mainly because I live on a second floor apartment and also because it's really cold outside and there's a lot of snow.

Anyhow, I got him at 8 weeks and immediately started training him to go on the pad by putting him on there and saying "go pee". He got it almost immediately! I was so proud of him. One day around 10 weeks old we were playing on the floor (to this day he is never on the floor to roam around himself unless I am right there with him because he'll get into anything!) and he started sniffing and walked right over to his pad and did it without my command. I was so proud and started praising him like crazy. Soon after, I decided to get him an X-pen so he didn't have to be cooped up in his crate all day while I was at work. I put his pad in there on one side, along with his bed, toys and food/water on the other sides.

Well, here's my problem. I know he knows what the pee pad is for because he will go on it most of the time...both pee and poop. BUT...probably about once in every three times he will pee/poop about a foot away from it right on the floor. At first I thought it was maybe that he had the right intention, as in his front paws were on the pad and he just missed, but then the other day I put him in there to play while I cleaned and I witnessed him and he just squatted and went...totally off the pad. At first I thought maybe he prefers a less-soiled pad, so I started changing it more often, but then I came home one day and he had peed on the floor and there was not a drop on the pad!

I'm so frustrated. By the way, I still take him personally to the pad throughout the day and say "go pee", and he'll go and get a treat and tons of praise. So it's not like I'm slacking on my training...at least I don't think I am! I know he's still very young, but my boyfriend is making me feel like a bad mommy telling me that I don't know how to train a dog and if he doesn't get it by 6 months he's gonna get rid of him!!! I keep trying to explain to him that it can take a year to potty train yorkies but he's stubborn and said he's had dogs all his life and they all got it right away, and yorkies are no different. Ughhhh.

Please help me. I'm getting so discouraged and incredibly sad thinking that my baby will have to leave me...it's an unbearable thought! I've only had him 7 weeks but I love him more than anything already! So please, I'll take any advice..thank you!!

I forgot to add:

In case anyone is wondering, I do clean the areas he pees on with an enzyme cleaner and make sure I even let it soak for a bit to get out the urine smell. So I know he's not going there because of the smell.

I think you better try getting a new boyfriend instead
What a terrible thing to say to you about your puppy
He's only 15 weeks
He'll get the idea .... just keep praising him everytime he gets it right
and as far as the BF goes
tell him if he brings up getting rid of the dog again
That you're gonna put an ad in the paper ...... In the PERSONALS

potty training
 

Yeah, I agree. It would be easier to get rid of the boyfriend and keep the dog.

Our dog Tico just pissed all over the couch, and he is a year old. Some yorkies learn quicker, other not so quick. Tico is getting better, but like I said, he still has accidents, and he is over a year old.

My baby is almost 3 and he still has accidents on occasion. It takes time to potty train yorkies, their bladders are tiny! Your boyfriend needs to relax, it will happen in time. My husband really doesn't like small dogs and he never thought he would love my baby as much as he does. They are inseperable! So, he may come around but if he doesn't, don't get rid of the dog!:)

It sounds like you and your baby are doing an excellent job! I have 3 and also live in an apt. and they are all pad-trained. Don't get frustrated, he is still a baby and eventually he will get it:D

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. About the comments regarding getting rid of my boyfriend...I actually told myself that if it ever actually came to him saying we have to get rid of my baby, I had decided that he can come home from work one day and find both my puppy AND me gone! I fell in love with JoJo from the moment I laid eyes on him, and everyone who knows me knows that I wanted a girl...but he stole my heart. I don't care that others think he's "just a dog". He's my baby!

My little one go on the pee pad but she will only go on it one time I have to change is once she go, she won't go on the sameone twice.

How is the pad training going?? Is your BF being a little more reasonable?? He better be!! Let me tell you, getting Snickers was my idea, and I had to convince my husband to get him (we are newly married and he thought it was too soon-it prob was but who cares!) Anyway, I think my husband loves our Snickers more than he loves me sometimes hahahaha. Without my husband's support there is no way I could do this, Snickers has had many ups and downs. So I wanted to tell you, if your BF won't support you...he's not good for you hun!!! We got Snick at 8 weeks, he is 6 months now and is regeressing in his potty training & we are starting all over and he is already doing better!!! But he is no where near begin fully trained!!

Good luck neighbor!!
-Vivian:animal-pa

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but our Yorkie is going on 7 and she still misses the peepee pad!! No rhyme nor reason to it either. It is just the nature of the "beast" with Yorkies, I'm afraid. :cool:

I've since switched from disposable potty pads to the washable ones and they are making a world of difference. For reasons unknown, he seems to be much more consistent in going on them. I have one in his x-pen and one on the floor in the living room for when he's running around. I've slowly been giving him more freedom to explore the house so that hopefully he'll eventually understand what's ok to do and what's off limits. I'm EXTREMELY proud to say that for the past week or so I've watched him sniff his way straight to his pad and pee on it! At first I was worried when I saw him sniffing pretty far away from it...and was ready to correct him if he squatted...but he found it across the room. My baby is really starting to get it!

I think I *overly* praise him when he goes in the right spot...I give him so many kisses and hugs. But hey...there's no such thing as too much lovin, right? :p

Vivian,

I'm glad to report that my BF is getting better. He's just got this old-school mentality with dogs and also he's never had a toy breed before so he doesn't understand. But he's been starting to comment on how I'm doing a great job house-breaking JoJo, and when he pees/poops in the right spot he gets really proud of him. The only time I get really concerned is when I'm gone for days at a time and my BF is alone with him. I have a part-time job locally, so those days I'm home early and can be with him the rest of the day to reinforce his training. However, my full-time job is as a flight attendant, so when I'm gone I can't be certain that my BF is training him properly. He doesn't have my level of patience, but he did say he will be as diligent as possible from now on while I'm gone.

I understand the whole situation about being newly married and getting a puppy so soon. Although we're not married, we've only been living together since July, and JoJo was my birthday present in October. My BF knew I desperately wanted a Yorkie. I actually wanted a female, but when I saw JoJo I fell in instant over-the-top love!! And boy oh boy, does he adore me lol. He never cries when my boyfriend leaves, but if I even touch my keys or put on my shoes he goes crazy. And OMG...if I even just go to the bathroom he cries like there's no tomorrow. He has officially become my shadow lol. He's a momma's boy through and through. I'm wondering if your Snickers is the same. When it gets warmer we should do puppy play dates!

:D