Need to get control of this pee issue!!!
 

This is my first post although I have read a lot of advice from this site. We have two pups, a 4 month yorkie named Lucy and a 3 month yorkie/chihuahua mix named Loka. We had Lucy for about 5 weeks when we introduced Loka. Lucy was doing good with pee pad training and occasionally would poop off the pad but was consistent with pee. Once we introduced Loka, the trouble started! She was using pee pads when we got her, but she was also destroying them. We finally figured out a way to stop her from doing that, using a lift n sift cat litter box or our other set up is a plastic bin with the pee pad and a lighting grate on top. They both use the boxes without hesitation, they know what they are for. The younger one also likes to lay in the box and the accidents are increasing it seems. They were confined to the entire kitchen until today because I am sick of cleaning pee and poop from under the table. Now they have an 8x12 foot penned area. They have been in a shared crate with their bed and a pee pad when we leave. I am a stay at home mom so am around most of the day. With Christmas we were gone longer but assumed since they had their pee box in one side of the crate they would go to it. No, there was pee all over their blankets. I thought it was just the young one until today when I saw Lucy go I to her crate and pee on her bed instead of stepping in her box. Help!!!

Housebreaking issues
 

Jenners

How close is the litter box to their bed and play area? Also, how often do you clean the pad?

Assuming they don't have a bladder infection, your pups are clean dogs, and certainly don't want to lay where they tinkle or urinate on their bedding. May I suggest cleaning everything, (I am happy to send you a bio enzyme that will help if you private email me where to send it) Dogs have very sensitive noses, the urine will often remain even after you have laundered everything. This is quite common. people tell me their dogs keep urinating on a certain carpet or area even after they have cleaned it, that's because the dog can still smell the urine and returns to this location. A bio enzyme and doe essence will eliminate all odor

May I suggest moving their litter box away from their crate, use a little fenced area in front of the crate so they can freely walk outside to a confined area, keep water and chew toys in that "play" area so they don't feel it is punishment, and keep the litterbox drained. My dog won't walk on used litter or wet areas (Jaz is such a princess)

I hope this helps, while they are puppies it's so important to find a way to communicate so we can share each other's company for many happy years

Thanks, haven't tried any special cleaners, that may be part of it. I have a crate set up in our kitchen with a superyard so the crate can be far away from it. They are great in there. The crate never gets messed and there haven't been any accidents. They had free run of the entire kitchen but I think it was too big because they were having a lot of accidents an pooping under the table. Now with the pen, there is no place to hide to poop. The problem with this is my yorkie Lucy I think could scale a building if she tries. She can hop right over and then I find accidents. Our main problem is now the night time set up. Since she escapes the pen, I have them in a pack n play. She can hop right out but doesn't since it is next to our bed. There is a litter box on one side that takes up almost half of the area, then a blanket on the other side. I am considering setting up a crate like the puppy apartment in our room just for night time. My friend is puppy sitting and has let them sleep in bed with her. Shasta they have not had any accidents but every night at home one of them has pooped and peed in their box or bed. Maybe they can hold it if they have to. I still need to figure out a new pen solution too, anybody have a suggestion? The kitchen is too big to just gate off, no other room to use. Want a penned area but big enough for two dogs that they can't climb out of. Was thinking of making one out of pegboard since I can make it pretty tall and hopefully won't be able to climb since no slats.

I can't be home all day with my puppy, I work randomly each day, some days through the week I have off, and I don't have anyone to let him out, I don't work more then 6 hours, or atlas my mom is home before 5-6 hours is up to be with him, but I'm teaching him to ring bells to go out, he has rang them once on his own to go poop, but the whole pee thing he doesn't quite get it yet.. HELP.. what to do! oh I'm also going on 2 weeks of trying to get him potty trained, I adopted him from a family that tried to get him to go outside at first then switched him to puppy pads, I think he was a bit confused... but I don't want to use puppy pads!

Re-thinking puppy pads and housebreaking options
 

If your Yorkie is used to the puppy pads, this might be a comfortable option instead of going outside, especially when the weather is bad. My dog uses her indoor dog potty when I am at work, and I walk her when I get home. Jaz is not able to wait 8 hours to relieve herself, and sometimes if I get stuck even later, I know she is comfortable.

I think for many dog owners are changing the old school thought of dogs only should "go" outside. I used to have to bring my dog to the kennel when I had to leave town on business for the evening, or find a willing neighbor to walk her. Now I can leave her food, water, chew toys, and dog toilet, and she is fine for the night, and more comfortable at home. She would not eat when I took her to the kennel.

Do you think this method would work for my 6 month Yorkie? He has had accidents in the house...but not in his crate anymore...I have a bell on the door and he knows how to ring it but hasn't made the connection of ringing the bell to go outside for potty...I want him to tell me he has to go outside.

Yes, it would work, but like with the doorbell, you'll have to show him what you need. I can help with training if needed. I would set up the crate to an open but small fenced play area. In the play area put the dog toilet, chew toys, and clean water. That way its a "happy place" for your dog to be. You can attach one of those fold out fences to the front of the crate. That will create a 6 foot play area that your dog can use. After the dog is trained, you can remove the fence, it won't be needed. Your dog should learn to use the dog toilet by then. What else have you tried?

Not sure what fold out fence you are referring to...I've given him treats to ring the bell and once he got that figured out, I had him ring the bell and I would open the door before he got the treat. Now, I have him ring the bell, take him outside and as soon as he goes potty he gets the treat. You said dog toilet...do you mean a pee pad? I started him on those and I think it confused him. I would LOVE help...I've trained labs but they seem easier than my Yorkie has been. Thank you for any and all help!!

Mastered the timing - now how to get them to tell me when they need to go
 

My yorkie passed away last May so I bought two puppies this time. They are now 6 months old. As long as I crate them, they will go "potty" when I take them out on a schedule. I would like to start leaving them out, but I don't know how to train them to tell me when they need to do. I bought the bells, but they just scare them.

I am so sorry about your loss. You sound like me, and my dog is part of my family. I am happy to help with training if you like. I used to use the bell, but Jaz would ring it all day long just to run outside and chase lizards! I was up at the door constantly, I think she trained me!

Kathy

Yes, I would appreciate any help.

Hi guys, this is my first post! I have a 14 week old Yorkie pup called Bonnie, and I love her to bits!

I initially trained Bonnie to go on pee pads as she was a few weeks delayed on her vaccinations due to being ill (she had campylobacter, poor girl) but now she is able to go outside, I am training her to go outside. I have set up a little area outside the door with an x-pen. She is doing well and will happily run outside to go when the back door is open, but if it isn't open she will just wee and poo on the spot. I don't leave her unsupervised and will rush her outside when I see the signs, but sometimes it just happens super fast with no warning (because she is still so young I'm assuming!).

She has a crate which she sleeps and chills in but I haven't trained her to be shut in it yet - I am doing it very slowly and gradually but it will take a few weeks yet, so crate training isn't an option right now as I think it would traumatise her to be locked in there suddenly.

When we're at work and during the night she is confined in our small kitchen. I leave pee pads down near the back door and she will go on those, but she will also go on the floor. Until I can confine her in her crate, how can I help her learn to hold it in? I want her to eventually learn to go on the pee pads when we're not home or it's night time, but to go outside when we're home and there is no pee pad down - my last Yorkie would bark at the door to tell us she wanted to go out when we were there, but when we were out she went on newspaper. How can I help Bonnie learn this?

Thanks guys!

Did you feed her pineapple? My Daffie is a dirty girl and I just tried the prescription powder on her food and it didn't work!

Training
 

We got our Gracie at 8 weeks. At first, we had some trouble getting the idea of potty training across to her using potty pads. I had her crate pushed up against our glass patio door and I keep seeing her looking out the windows into the yard. She wanted to go outside. One day, I opened the crate door and pushed it up against the open patio door, where she could get outdoors, but not into the room. That worked like a charm. When we saw that she was going outside, we started gradually taking her out on a leash.

She goes to the door now to ask to go out, may bark to let us know...

She is 2 now and very well trained, but the only problem is that she sleeps with us and since she runs this house, she has decided she wants to go out in the middle of the night and afterwards, get a snack or early breakfast..

Initially, we had her bed in her crate and the door open so she could go to a puppy pad. We also tried a Pak N Play; neither was very successful.

Cathie

no more pee pads
 

I just got my puppy, Belle - she's 16 weeks. I tried the pee pads with my last little Yorkie & she continued to pee where the pads were originally - forever! I did everything to get her to go outside later & she was persistent about peeing where the pee pads were when she was a puppy. So this time I will not get my puppy hooked on the pads. I'm going to try all the suggestions I find here (thnx!!) & be a patient mommy. Belle (maybe the bell will work) is the 5th Yorkie I've had & the first time I've only had one - the other 4 were in pairs. I find that each dog has their own little personality & quirks (none have come from puppy mills). However, more confusing than housebreaking a Yorkie: navigating this site! :eek: but I am patient ;). Can anyone tell me what the book Housebreaking In 7 Days by Shirley Somebody is based on?

Urine stains on hardwood floor
 

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on the forum. I've been spending a lot of time here recently :D
I recently got little Milo, and he's only 11 weeks old. I haven't been very steadfast in housebreaking due to my busy schedule and schoolwork, but he's been peeing on the pee pads in his playpen consistently.
I've let him loose around the first floor of the house a couple times (oops), and he's had more than a few accidents on both hardwood and ceramic floortiles. I've learned to keep him on a leash near me now... there haven't been any accidents lately.

I was wondering if there was any solution to removing urine stains from hardwood; brand/type of spray? I wanted to buy Nature's Miracle, but they say it cannot be used on hardwood :thumbdown

Any suggestions would be great!

best indoor puppy potty
 

Hello to Bella!! Just a quick thought, even when we clean an area in our home, dogs have such sensitive noses, they can still smell the remaining urine. For the Piddle Place, we use a Enzymatic that also contains a Deo Essence. This totally eliminates the smell, breaks down the protein, so the dog will not be tempted to keep returning to a area where you don't want them to go. Have you tried this? We want Bella to be comfortable, but trained as you would have her. I am happy to send you a packet of this if you need one. I assume Bella in now living in the same home where your other Yorkie has lived?

Kathy and Jazz

removing urine
 

Hmmm, Natures Miracle used to contain enzymes, and I had not heard that it could not be used on hardwood floors, maybe they changed the formula.

An enzymatic if the best way to totally eliminate the protein in pet waste that attracts the dog back to the same area. It what we use in our product. Standard household cleaners to not have this. Can you try it on the floor in a hidden area to see what happens? Maybe there is an oil in the product that would cause concern for staining the floor? I know we use our product on wood floors, and have not had an issue. Maybe spray a small area where he has gone potty, but wipe it up rather then leave it on the floor? It just needs to stay long enough to interact with where the urine has been.

Kathy

Great information, will use it on my new baby when we get her

Will try a different type enzyme cleaner. Different house, but I think previous owner had dogs. Thanks so much!!

Thanks for the info on the book. We have read several and though the methods seem very similar, we've had very limited success. The frustration level is beginning to impact our bond and we don't want that! The book should be here by tomorrow and I'll read it thoroughly, trying hard to ignore my guilt over crating him for so much of the day.

I have been using a product called Simple Solutions Extreme Stain/Odor Remover - got it on Amazon. You spray it on the spot and it removes the urine and order. Seems to be working rather well and it got great reviews.

Pee Pad Training
 

I have 1, 3 year old Yorkie and just got another 10 week old. my 3 year old (Harlie) is trained and we have a dogie door. The 10 week old ( Moose) is to tiny to use it. We also live in Idaho and have about a foot of snow on the ground and temperatures in the teens so having him outside seems a little dangerous for his age. I bought a crate today, and have placed a pee pad and bed in it along with a chewie. My question is do you put the crate in the bedroom with you or another room. Harlie sleeps with us and I fell bad that the puppy can not. Any help with training such a tiny baby would be much appreciated.

Thanks

potty training
 

I love the name Moose for a little dog. I know he will have attitude! I see you are looking for suggestions on how to get your dog to use a puppy pad inside. Most puppy pads have a scent to attract the dog, so this should be all you need.
My only concern is placing the puppy pad in a crate. Is Moose sleeping in the crate as well? Most dogs will become stressed if they are forced to sleep and go potty in the same location. If you want to train Moose to go potty in one area, may I suggest having a crate (with his bed inside and chew toys) and have the crate door open to a play area. Make one with the baby fences you can buy at walmart. This will create a 6-8 foot play area, and in that area you can place your potty on one side, and water on the other. Moose will have an area to sleep, play and go potty. Once he is used to the area, you will no longer need the fence. It is important to keep him confined during training.crate training my yorkie.jpg
Let us know what happens.
Kathy

I'm going to have to look into this. I've had my yorkie since June and we STILL are having issues with potty pad training. Sometimes she does really well for a day or two, and then she does horrible again. This is the first yorkie I've had and I love her dearly, but between her behavior and the pottying... she is a stressful one! :)

housebreaking issues
 

I'm sure it will work, please let us know. I find that just being consistent brings a dog a sense of what is expected, and less stress. So starting with a controlled environment is critical, and more freedom as she learns what is acceptable. I know it will happen This is a smart baby.

Can this be used for my 7 week old yorkie. Help. She's so tiny l lb 5 oz) that it seems to me that her bladder is too small. I've had her for a week and I want to train her to wee wee pads. I've ordered the book ant it should be here the first part of next week.

Here is my solution, be flexible. I normally schedule a potty time for me just prior to my dogs potty time as a warm up. To keep his interest I feed him treat while sitting, I mean setting an example

I am going to try it... I'm so glad I found it. Fingers crossed it works...I have two 8 month old brothers and at first the were doing great with both the potty pad and outside,but now are both peeing everything. They both are scheduled for they're neuter on May 5th and I'm hoping it helps.