Can you housebreak a 8 week old?
 

I am getting a Yorkie on Friday :) He is 8 weeks old. I have never owned a Yorkie but my Grandmother and neighbor both have them. I was discussing housebreaking with my neighbor and she told me that her 4 year old Yorkie has never had an accident...She crate trained her, took her out every hour and she never had an accident even at 8 weeks...Is that possible? Can you train a 8 week old?

Eight wks old is very young to housetrain a yorkie. Reputable breeders usually do not place them before 12 wks of age. Yorkies are usually a hard breed to housetrain. I have heard breeders on this site say they advise ppl that the pup could still be having accidents up until 6 mo of age.

I think your grandma and mother are right though about taking a pup out frequently.

I would not put that much pressure on your little pup to aspire to never having an accident.

An 8 week old puppy should still be with their mother for at least another month, so no, you will not be able to housebreak them. However, with diligence on your part, yup can limit or prevent accidents. It is more about getting them to the pad when they need to go then actually them knowing where they are supposed to go. However, I would be more concerned about an 8 week olds health, blood sugar, etc. Then if they were housebroken.

I thought it sounding a little crazy for a puppy to never have an accident...but I guess I can always wish it will happen :)

I know alot of people recommend a pup be 12 weeks but if the pup is doing well, and the vet oked it, then I see no problem, Thank you for your concern though :)

Along w taking a pup out frequently, an 8 wk old pup is going to need to eat every 3 to 4 hrs as they are prone to hypoglycemia (I raised one from 8 wks of age). He/she will be completely dependent on you for everything.

You'll have to post some pics of your new addition when you get him/her.

You can start training at 8 weeks...and most are fairly well trained by 8mos..a few take 12 months and others are never safe on carpets/hard wood...

12 weeks is the current recommendation of the YTCA (Yorkshire Terrier Club of America). They make this recommendation based on research done over many years and have determined that 12 weeks is the optimal age to be taken from the Moms and placed in a new home.

They have documented the benefits a pup gets that stays with the Mom for 12 weeks, some of which are socialization, bite inhibition, potty training (yes, by the Mama) etc.

Not saying that a young pup even 4 or 5 weeks old can't be successfully raised by a human.... just that it is best if they stay with their Mom and littermates that extra month (compared to other breeds).

If the vet okayed it, that's fine but I don't believe he knows much about Yorkies. Yorkies younger than 12 weeks of age are prone to developing hypoglycemia, which can be fatal. Keep Nutrical on hand, and watch for the symptoms associated with it. At 12 weeks, it is less likely to occur, as the puppy is a bit older and more developed.

With Luck, you should have no problems... here's a link that tells you what to expect:

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

There are other links in our Library that may be of interest to you.... again... Best of Luck with your little one...

Thank you gidget, I have done my research on yorkies and talked to my vet all about the breed...I want to know as much as possible before getting him to make sure I am the best mommy I can be :)

@ KJC the vet has looked at the pup, my pup is 2.8lbs at 7 weeks. I have done my research about yorkies, been on almost every website :) I do want to make sure I do my best for my new yorkie. I am glad to see alot of people concerned for my new pup but I assure you I am not just a stupid person who is getting a new dog without knowing anything about the breed. I was told by my vet to use Karo syrup if I see symptoms...what is the difference between Karo and Nutrical? Thanks :)

Oh no! I don't think you are "stupid person" at all.... very glad to hear you have done some research and talked to your vet... Glad to see that you have decided to become a Yorkie Mommie! Welcome to YT!

Just some background on me...I am a retired Vet Tech (20+ years in the field) and currently a Yorkie owner (30+ years)(Not just one Yorkie, lol!).
Just wanted you to know it's not just people's concern for your pup, but a proven fact about the 12 week thing.

We are not just a Yorkie forum, as you will see once you've been here a while, we are more like an extended family. All the pups of owners on here are 'virtually owned' by all of us (lol), so if anyone sees a potential problem, rest assured someone will speak up about it. We would rather make you aware, not assuming anything about intelligence, then for us not to say something and have a lack of info cause you a problem.

Until we get to know you better, we tend to start new owners off at the very beginning, so some of the posts may seem simplistic, but they are meant with the best intentions of seeing that you and your pup will have a great, long, happy life together. If we can help you avoid any problems that we, ourselves, have made in the past... trust me, we will try.

As you are getting a pup on Friday... this link may help too, as researching the breeder is just as if not more important that researching the breed:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/pup...uy-yorkie.html

As for your question: the difference between Nutrical and Karo syrup is this:

Karo syrup is basically sugar. Fine to use but one must feed a meal shortly afterwards or the pup could get a 'sugar high' then crash again (low sugar) a while later.

Nutri-cal contains this, so for a puppy that is not eating it may be a better choice, as a meal soon after is not as critical as it is with giving Karo syrup:

(see: Nutri-Cal Puppy Product Information Navigator)
Indications:
Nutri-Cal Puppy, a veterinarian recommended high-calorie dietary supplement, provides quality nutrition in a great tasting gel. Ideal for puppies who are finicky, who are “off food”, or who require an additional source of energy.
Calorie content: 338 Cal/100 g (20 Cal/6 g).
Protein (0.7000%)

Fat (34.5000%)

Calcium (0.0026%)
Phosphorus (0.0003%)
Potassium (0.0025%)
Sodium (0.0168%)
Chloride (0.0055%)
Magnesium (0.0063%)
Iron (0.0088%)
Manganese (0.0158%)
Iodine (0.0080%)
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Pantothenic acid
Niacin
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Folic acid
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)

Also a source of linoleic, linolenic, eicosapentanoic acid, decosahexanoic acid and Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Ingredients:
Corn syrup, soybean oil, malt syrup, cod liver oil, cane molasses, methylcellulose, water, gelatin by-products, dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E), sodium benzoate (preservative), manganese sulfate, ferric ammonium citrate, thiamine HCl, niacin, calcium pantothenate (source of calcium and pantothenic acid), magnesium sulfate, pyridoxine HCl, potassium iodine (source of iodine and potassium), riboflavin 5’-phosphate sodium (source of Vitamin B2 and phosphorus), Vitamin A palmitate & D supplement, folic acid and cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12).

Normally, in an emergency situation if Nutrical is not available, Karo syrup is fine, but one needs to know to feed a meal within 15-30 minutes or so after giving it to the pup, (many people don't know this). Not saying Karo syrup is a bad choice, just saying NutriCal is a better choice....

I got my boy at about 10-weeks. I immediately put a litter box down with a peepee pad in it. I would constantly put him in it and tell him to go potty.... after everytime he ate, everytime he played, everytime he woke from a nap. He did really really well..... I told my vet I was surprised how quickly he picked it up and she told me to keep in mind that their Bladders are Not Fully Formed until they are about 16-weeks. I would just Maaajorly Praise him and give him a teeny treat anytime he was go onto the peepee pad.

Good Luck!!
:D

@kjc, Thank you for all the info. I know you weren't calling me stupid, I was just trying to say that I am not one of those people (who are stupid) that buy a dog simply because it's cute and know nothing about the breed or how to care for it. :) I am super glad I found this site so if I do have a question about my new furr baby I am able to find an answer...thanks again

Welcome to YT!!! Congrats on the soon-to-be puppy. :p

I trained Teddie pretty simply, which was surprising. Took him out every hour, especially after a nap, and he got the hang of it easily. Of course he's got three non-yorkie siblings to follow too. He has had a few accidents but it was human error on me, not him. I learned I also have to train myself. :D

Good luck!!

(Not just one Yorkie, lol!).

KJC - not sure I got it, although it may be just a slow day for me.