Night Time Potty Puppy
 

I have a small difficulty with my 9 week old puppy Raggs.

He is a night time "Potty Puppy" and no matter what we do we are unable to stop him although it is early days yet.

We take his food away at around 6 pm and he gets put to bed about 10.30 pm in an open crate with my other 12 week old puppy Ruby.

Before they go to bed we walk them around the yard saying silly things like "be quick" and or "Go wee wee's" depending on what it is we want them to do.

Often Raggs will oblige and drop a package for us to collect and dispose of but then we wake of a morning about 5 am only to find that during the night, he dropped another on the carpet.

I recently lost a Spaniel who was also a "Night Potty Dog" and we had a very difficult time getting him out of it but as he got much older he stopped.

With my two Yorkies I have now set up the crates I used for my Spaniels so that when they are put to bed they can not get out on the carpet but I am not sure if I am doing the right thing with them.

I get up at 5am every morning, collect the package then put them outside where they do all the right things then return to the open crate.

I love my puppies so much I am prepared to live with this problem but if any of you experts can tell me if I am on the right path or not I would appreciate it.

In the photographs you see the red soft crate as their sleeping quarters and the metal cage as the free space.
One important question I need an answer to is this......do I leave a bowl of water in the free space cage or not ???

Any advice would be most welcome.

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9 weeks is very young- a puppy that young will likely not be able to hold it through the night for awhile still.

So when he goes potty at night, is it on the pad since he has access to it? If so, that's correct. He's WAY to young to expect him to "hold it" all night long and I think you have a great set-up there:). Alot of people have to get up in the middle of the night to let their puppy that young go potty, so I'd keep it the way it is, that's great. My bother and sister-in-law's Shih Tzu pooped IN their bed once when he was that young:p After that she took my advise and crated him over night lol.

Once he's older (maybe around five months or so) try closing that area to the pad off for one night and see how he does. They usually just get to a point naturally by about 4 or 5 months old where they'll sleep all night and not even get up to go.

Oops, the water question - I wouldn't, it's likely to just get spilled and they'll be fine till morning.

Thank you for the advice on this I do value it as I know so little about Yorkies.


Last night was the first night they had been locked in the cage and
I can report a successful night as I got up this morning to a clean crate nothing even on the pad. Now I know this may just be a one off but it is encouraging I think.
I went to the crate expecting to see them bounce out to greet me but no....they just lay there snuggled up and I had to dig them out to go potty in the yard then they went back to bed and so did I........:D

Aww, I wish mine would go back to sleep after morning potty lol. I can barely keep my eyes open right now drinking coffee and Alice is bowncing around the house like she's sleept for weeks LOL

How strange these little "furbutts" can be and how different they all are.

We started to take them into our bed of a morning where we thought they would like to play with us by jumping all over the bed. No such luck, the little "rug Rats" just curled up and went to sleep so we leave them in their crate now.:(.

I am able to report another successful night neither of them pooped in the cage but as expected one had a pee on the pad so little Raggs get the blame for that.

Now I can not understand why Raggs will poop on the carpet at night when the cage is open but now we close it he has gone two nights without.

If this continues then I may have stumbled upon a solution.

This morning we put them both straight out into the "Puppy Rest Room" where they did what they had to do in quick time then asked to come out with a little yap.

Don't ya just love puppy training....lol

Because he can poop on the carpet and then move to a different area- where if he poops in his crate he has to sleep with it- even if it is technically a little further away in the crate. Most dogs (aside from puppy mill dogs and other dogs whose circumstances lead to it) prefer NOT to use the restroom too close to where they sleep. That is why crating works so well- because the dogs will try to hold it while they are in their "den".

I think 11 hours is too long for puppies that young to go without food and water. Too long without can cause them to vomit bile in the morning for lack of something in their tummies, and Yorkies under 12 weeks of age are prone to having hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Treats during the day will help to prevent hypoglycemia.

Take 8 hours of sleep(for you) per day subtracted from 24 hours in a day leaves 16 divided by 4 feedings per day equals feed time of every 4 hours. At 12 weeks they can eat every 6 hours 3 times per day, and a snack at bedtime (or 30 minutes before) to hold them over till breakfast.

See: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/pup...w-parents.html

When they go to 2 feedings per day, a small snack before bedtime will help prevent the bile thing in the morning.

Puppies cannot be expected to 'hold it' more than an hour for each month of age (basic guidelines). To expect more is unfair to them, although you may get lucky and have puppies that can do more than the average pup is expected to due to their age and level of developement.

Time your pups to see how long after they eat they feel the need to eliminate. Base your training around those times... usually 15-30 minutes after they eat.

I can put my hand on my heart and say that I never fail to learn on this forum. I thank you all who have contributed teaching me some new things and benefiting my puppies.

I will heed you advice and report back as to how things are going. :animal36

These articles may be of interest to you also:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/pup...nt-stages.html

and

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/pup...rt-thread.html


May help you to know what to expect as they grow up. Many 'new' Yorkie owners get very frustrated with their babies, as they are very intelligent even as puppies, and will give you a 'run for your money'. My four are all smarter than me, I'm always trying to keep up with them! If they didn't love me so much I would really be in trouble! Lol...

One quick tip (or two): Not that you would, but a Yorkie should never be 'hit' or 'spanked' as a correction. Most totally will not understand this and will become fearful of the owner.

Best way to train a Yorkie is to lie in wait for them to do what you want, then praise the heck out of them and give them treats as a reward. (Positive reinforcement) So for say, potty training, take them to where you want them 'to go' and wait till they go, as they're 'going', repeat the command name (whatever you decide to call it... your choice: just be consistant) and when they finish, go crazy with the praise (clap hands, do a dance, say \'Good dog\' with exuberance, and give them a treat.

What to watch out for: Once they learn this, many will feign having to go potty and get let out, and will squat like they\'re doing the deed, just to get a treat! Or they will come get you after having learned, so you can watch them \'go\' and treat and praise them afterwards. Lol!

Ignore accidents... if they learn to get attention from the wrong behavior, you will begin to see more wrong behaviors.

Thank you KJC, you have given me more confidence in what I am actually doing with my puppies.

When they wake we place then in the "rest Room"

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ml#post3542003

We stand with them saying either "be quick" for the poop or "go wee wee\'s" and it is starting to work with Ruby who now asks to go out but she is 14 weeks while Raggs is still very much in the learning stage.

We are trying to work out what we can give them as a treat when they do good.
They don\'t like Doggie Chocs and whilst they will eat cheese they are not really fussed on it.
We need to experiment with whatever we can find.

You have given me so much to read now so I will print it all off and settle down for a learning session.

My main problem is that I am used to training Spaniels by using a whistle and that is a very different technique but also one I do not wish to use on my little puppies.

As far as physical violent is concerned you are correct, I would never dream of hitting an animal at all no matter what animal it is or what they do.......... they do not deserve human violence as all they ask for us love and food and I have plenty of both.

Our Norman enjoys veggies as a reward. Sweet potatotes, broccoli, etc...
He is crated overnight and is totally fine from 10 - 10.30pm until about 6am, which is when he \'asks\' to go outside...he then likes to come into our bed and will \'take over\' my pillow!

Weren\'t sure if you were \'Old School\' or not, Lol! Glad to hear \'not\'.

For treats I use Gerber\'s Graduate Puffs. There\'s about 400 in each container and only cost $2.00. Little cracker like things. Don\'t know if you can get them across the pond though. Plus they\'re low fat, low calorie, low everything come to think of it, so very good for lots of training without filling them up. Maybe you can find something similar in human baby/toddler foods over there. Plus they make many flavors or the pups don\'t get bored. Mine are partial to blueberry, peach, sweet potato, and apple flavors. Natural flavors.

Most dog treats I find here are so expensive, or give my dogs diarrhea, way high in fat and protein, so after 2-3 treats they walk away. I stay away from high sugar, fat, and sodium content, but no sugar free stuff, artificial sweetners are not good for dogs, or humans for that matter.

Oh and I did see your Yorkie Restroom.... excellent idea and very creative! Love your sense of humor... lol.:D

Some folks are \'clicker\' training their dogs with great success... I just use a well timed \'Good dog\'... I think it does the same thing. Trainers: Correct me if I am wrong.