I love this forum
 

It is a great place. Keep posting, it's always fun to hear from others.

I'm don't think clicker training is really that successful for potty training. The clicker is an excellent tool to enable you to teach a dog a long series of steps. What it essentially does, is mark the behavior that is to be rewarded, the word, "Yes", can be used in the same way. For potty training success, most people don't give the dog a chance to have an accident. Some used crate training, and take the dog out every couple of hours and place him either outside, or on a pad, if he goes, he gets a treat, and praise, and is allowed to supervised play outside the crate for 15 or so minutes, then back in the crate. If he doesn't go, he goes back in the crate, and you try in another hour. Some people use a playpen with a pee pad, and dog seems to get this on their own. You can't put a 4-month-old dog in a large room with a pee pad, and expect him to find the pee pad when he needs to go. There are too many other things that get his attention.

He's teething now, and his mouth hurts, and has a great need to chew. I recommend Merrick Bully Sticks for this, they are 100% digestible, and will keep him satisfied for hours; I had to buy these online. Target has some excellent chew toys, a doggy teething ring that Joey loved, and may of these chewing toys are much tougher than regular dog toys, be careful with the raw hides and other chewing sticks, some are not 100% digestible and can cause an obstruction. When he bites, say, "No", place him on the floor, and give him a chewing stick or toy. Or you could say "no" and push your hand slightly further into the mouth causing a slight gag reflex. We did this once and Joey stopped biting us. Just remember that they are teething, and will outgrow the biting. One of the reasons the YTCA recommends that Yorkies stay with the mother until 12 weeks is that the final few weeks the mother teaches the inhibition of the biting reflex or how hard to bite. So hopefully your baby isn't biting too hard, as those baby teeth are really sharp and can cause some real pain.

The great thing about Yorkietalk, is if one thing doesn't work, someone else will have different tips, on what worked for their dog. Welcome to Yorkietalk!

Thanks ladies
 

No, I don't use the clicker for potty training. I use it for the sit, stay, and come commands and it really does work. The sound is unlike anything else and he immediately knows a treat is on its way. Actually, he really is pretty good with his pee pads. But, like I said, 20% + of the time, he just pees where he wants to. I am not complaining. We are really blessed as to how smart he is and that he is doing so well for being so young. I've done a lot a reading about puppies and Yorkies and know that getting him so young was good and bad. Good since we started all his training right away, and bad because he was taken away from his mom and siblings so young that he did not learn not to bite too hard. I yelp like a puppy when he does. He is getting it. I know he is teething and have lots of chew toys for him. I really have no complaints. That 's why I didn't post but enjoy reading others' experiences since I love this breed so much. I pity the poor mouse or rat that ever enters our home!!! The instructions for putting pictures or videos is really not clear to me so I haven't, though we have tons of both.

First step is uploading a picture to be used as an "avatar." This is the picture that is besides your name when you post on a thread. See the words, "User CP" on the top left hand side of the page? Click on this and you will see the words, "Edit Avatar" on the far left side of the page. Click on this and upload a small picture of your baby. If your picture isn't the right size Yorkietalk will automatically resize it, but this only works if it's a single picture, and not a series of pictures. In that case, it has to be the correct size when you upload it. There is more information on size where you upload your avatar.

You will do your "profile" picture the same way, and this is the picture that people see on your profile page. It can be bigger than the avatar picture.

Next you'll probably want to upload some pictures to a Yorkietalk album, and perhaps this thread will help you. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ake-album.html

Nancy you are an angel.
 

Thanks! You all can see my baby Zeus now. Your instructions were simple and easy to follow. I wish this site's instruction were such.

I just looked at your album and got to say I'm impressed, Zeus is a real cutie, and you show real talent as a photographer. We have a Yorkietalk Calendar, and members submit photos of their babies, for inclusion on the calendar. Last years deadline was October, you might be interested in submitting a picture when the contest begins this year.

What a coincidence about the calendar idea
 

Actually, it is my husband who took those particular pictures and he is a photographer. I'll tell him of your compliment. I'll put some of the pictures I've taken and you will really see a difference :-) I have a few that he took here at my desk at work and have had people tell me that we should make a calendar of Zeus pictures!!! I want to and give them as gifts to family and friends. Zeus is already a celebrity with them.

Lol, he probably won't be too impressed with the compliment! I hate to tell anyone about the calendar, (more competition), but I love to see great pictures of Yorkies.