Crate training and potty training I'm going to be getting a 4 month old female yorkie and I'm wondering about crate training and potty training. She is currently in a home where her owner is able to be home with her all day and has other Yorkies. I work all day and am gone from the house by 7:45am and don't return until 6pm. I'd like to have her trained to pee outside, but since I work during the day, I'm not sure if that will work. I will have someone come in twice a day while I'm at work to let her out, feed her, walk her and play with her. So basically what I'm asking is should she be kept in her crate during the day while she is alone so that she learns to hold it until she goes outside? Or, should I keep her in an area where her crate is inside a pen and she can have water and food available to her at all times and she can pee on a pad and come and go out of her crate? No matter what, I will want her to be outside trained eventually, so I don't want to confuse her by having 2 different methods of potty training. Any suggestions?:confused: |
I think it will be hard to potty train her if you're gone all day. It's great you have someone else coming to play with her twice during the day, though. Consistency is the key in potty training. Same time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, play times, and potty breaks. Because of this, your dog will be trained faster and you'll be almost able to set your watch by her bowel movements. The best suggestion I can have is following a schedule from "How to House Train Your Dog in 7 Days." That book is every dog and dog owner's guide to happiness. I used crate training. It's the fastest and best way I know how to train a dog. |
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I would definitely leave a pad for her during the day, and then take her out when you get home. I know lots of dogs that do both successfully. |
That is too much time for any dog in a crate, even though you are having someone come in 2 times a day, where will the dog sleep at night in a crate. I will make some people mad, but why buy a dog if your going to crate her the whole time. As a breeder this is very sad, and I personally wouldn't sell to someone that crates all the time. I don't mean to sound harsh, but why have one buy a fish.:( |
Thank you all for your suggestions. I will definitely have her crate available inside a pen in the kitchen and she can come and go in the crate as she pleases. I'll put some pee pads out for her to use and twice a day someone is coming to play, walk her, etc. Don't think for a minute that she will not be well-loved and well-cared for. I know many of you are probably stay-at-home moms and possibly breeders, so it might be hard for you to understand leaving her all day. Believe me, it's going to be very hard for me too. I know there are many owners out there that crate their puppies and they turn out just fine. Once she is older she'll be able to have more space. Also, because she is a small dog I'll probably bring her to work with me a couple times a week. Thanks again and I continue to welcome any other suggestions. |
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I use the petyard set up when I am not home. It really does work well and they have room for play, potty, food/water, and I have one of those plastic crates in there. I remove the top so it's more like a bed. They love it. They know that is where they go to take a nap. First time I put them in I put pads on the whole floor, then I gradually take a pad away. Before you know it you will only need one potty pad in there and she will know right where to go:D. As far as teaching her to go outside and confusing her with pads. Mine will do both so if I am not here they use the pads. I always take them out before I leave. And take them out when I get home. Congratulations on your new baby girl!!!! Have you picked a name yet?:) |
Crate training is definitely the easiest way to house break.... I did this with my girl and she was trained in several months. I too work during the day, from 7:00 to 3:00, and while I'm gone, Harley is crated. I do not see this as being cruel. She's quite comfortable in her crate and the second I get home, she's out for the rest of the evening and now sleeps with us since she's older. If anything, I think I'm protecting her during the day by crating. When I go to work, I know she as well as the rest of my house is safe. Once she gets a little older, I plan on letting her have free roam. But for right now, the crate is her haven and she loves it. Also, puppies sleep A LOT when they're young, so letting them snuggle up in "their" safe place is not a bad thing. Thats JMO, and I know some will disagree, but crating mine is what works for us, and she doesn't miss out on any love because of it. |
Thanks for your replies. Since I'm going to be a first time owner, I'm just very nervous and want to do everything right. Her name is Abby. My daughter named her. We're both soooo excited! |
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I felt bad at first, but we both got used to it and she's quite happy in there. Crate training, imo, is essential. They can't be roaming free 24/7, and it's important to crate train them so they don't get spoiled. |
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If OP crates for 11 hours during the day and then crates at night she will be in a crate for atleast 19 hours a day.. IMO that is not right and is cruel. I set up a xpen with a crate on one side so they have a play area, potty area and food and water. You can not stick a yorkie in a crate for 11 hours without food and water at 4 months old. I give mine free run of the house for serval hours a day also because I think even in a xpen for a long period of time is cruel. Yes they have some accidents but to me I would rather clean a little poop than mine spend their days behind bars. That is why I got a Yorkie is to spoil it. Spoiling it does not make potty training any harder. I agree you shouldn't give them free roam 24/7 but a life in a crate is going to cause social issues when your talking 20 hours a day. |
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I certainly did not get a dog to feed a need to spoil something. Loving something and spoiling something are very different things. :) |
We work during the day and all worked out just fine. We did the expen with dry food, water, and pee pad during the day. we had a crate in there too - but Bailey refused the crate. Unfortunately, we didn't have help during the day. When Bailey was a puppy, she chewed up the pee pad and peed everywhere - lol. Oh well, it was all cleaned up in 5 mins or less. Lots of baths. At about 8 mos of age, she quit chewing the pads and began to hold it until we got home. We potty trained in the evenings - we were diligent about the potty training and had her trained fairly quickly. I don't believe that the expen during the day caused us any set backs. Good luck! |
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