Too Smart for His Own Good? Training Troubles...
 

Hi All- This is my first time posting!

We're working on potty training for our 3 month old yorkie, Bear. During the day (except for a lunchtime visit for play & potty), he's kept in a pen with blankets, toys, water and newspaper for potty. There is no floor exposed, and he almost always uses the paper in his pen.

Whenever we take him out, we take him right to his papers (the one in the living room with us, which is where he lives (supervised) when we're home, and where we plan to keep a pee-pad long term as we live in the city.) When we take him to the paper, we us the 'go potty' command. Usually, after a few minutes or so, we have (minor) success.

THIS is where he is too smart for his own good! He potties a tiny amount, just enough for praise and a treat, and once he has his treat, he then continues to empty his bladder wherever he wishes.

For the record, we are using the potty training spray on his papers to help encourage him, and we wash our floors with the enzyme cleaner so they don't smell like urine.

Suggestions? Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Hi there,

Can't help with the potty training, but would like to welcome you to YorkieTalk. I am new, too, and have learned so much.

He is too smart for his own good and Ill be reading the responses because your problem stumps me. Welcome by the way

Thanks guys! I've definitely learned a lot by reading all the posts, but we've been quite stumped with this one!

I have a little smarty pants like that too!!
 

Annie did the same thing, even though I am home all day with her. Now that it is warm, she barks to go out...sometimes she will ask 3 or 4 times in a row. I know it is for the treat, as she will run to the yard, squat and then right back into the house for her treat. Don't know how to break her of this as if we don't get up and let her out every time; even when it is 4 times with 15 minutes, she will go and pee in the house!!!!! Have tried switching to just praise, but she still has us up and down all evening. Not an infection and she can hold it all night..10 hours without a problem.

This is actually pretty common. Once my yorkie figured out he would get a treat for pottying, he started going up to two dozen times per day. And that's not even counting the poops.

In terms of preventing your pooch from going other places in the house: He has learned the first half of the equation, where to go. Now you need to teach him the second half, where not to go. Unfortunately, this is the harder part of the process.

You must WATCH him, with both eyes. You must catch him every time before he goes. Clap your hands, say NO, and then take him over to his pad. Yorkies can pee like lightning, so be prepared to do nothing else for a few weeks. You can also restrict him even when he's outside his pen. Let him have access to one room until he's shown he won't potty there for a few days. Then give him access to another, etc.

In terms of going outside... this one is harder. Generally they will lay off of the behavior as they get more used to the system. Once you are really confident that she's trained, you can stop treating her every time. Start treating her only the first time she goes. Be prepared for some inconsistency as the rewards become more erratic. Eventually, she should decide it's only worth it to go outside when she needs to go.

Mine will still occasionally do some extra potties if he's hungry, because hey, you never know.