New Pup - housebreaking in cold/wet weather - YorkieTalk.com Forums

bendog2000 · 10-09-2012, 03:47 AM

Hi,

First post here - and first time with a pup for many years. I am trying to get Ben house trained and have hit a hurdle and now I'm scared that I am taking him backwards. Is there someone here that can help with some practical advice?

Here's the problem... Ben was/is paper trained - his breeder kept him in a large crate with his brother and sister. So, he has a preference for newspaper. Which is good. I suspect some sort of scolding may have been used as he is a little shy about his toilet habits but we've been relaxed about it and he doesn't seem to be hiding anything. We collected him at 9 weeks.

He's been with us for a week and has a small crate (probably too large but so far he has not soiled it) and a larger den area that the small crate is left in when we cannot be with him for extended periods (overnight and when we have to leave the house for work). When in the larger areas the ideas is that he sleeps in his crate and has a safe place to toilet in his living area.

When we can give full attention he is supervised in the room we are in.
When we are partially attentive we let him sleep/play in his crate with us and let him out if we can see he wants to be active - we try to move our priorities around to supervise him. If we are not able to make sure he is safe them we either lock him in the crate or in his crate/den area.

There are puppy pads in both rooms and he uses these most often for wee. For wee & poo he's been able to go outside which was fantastic. However he likes to go poo in the mornings and evenings and he hates the cold/dark/wet grass. He'll let me know he's thinking of a poo or a wee and get excited at the door. When he gets out he panics and forgets what he wants to do. Once he shot off and poo'd on the concrete (which is fine) but mostly he will return to the house or if he is on leash spend the time crying and shivering in the cold until we give in and take him inside - probably 10 minutes with him pulling on his leash for most of those sessions.

So, I am minded to let him relax on the cold thing and rely on the daytime sessions to make the point. When he is older I hope to be able to teach him that outside is fun, even when wet. In the meantime I am thinking that extra special treating and praise when outside and lighter praise when inside on the pads, no praise when off pad might help? I'm worried that his paper preference has already regressed to wooden floor for poo - is my passion to get him to go outside forcing him to unlearn his paper preference?

Any shared experience that can help me make sense of this? I don't want to let him down.

jeane · 10-09-2012, 07:00 AM

morgan is 18 months old and he absolutely hates the cold wet grass and he wont wear the booties so we have 1 puppy pad down so he can go to the bathroom

bendog2000 · 10-13-2012, 03:09 AM

Well it seems now that its the dark he doesn't like - even if I put the floodlights on he's still scared to go out. If I have the lights already on then he can be persuaded out. Most annoying now is that he runs in from the garden to do a poo - or waits until I open the door after being in the freezing cold for 15 mins.

I guess I have to get my timings better so he can't wait to go - we've had a couple of accidents where I missed him squatting. Oh well - he'll get it - I hope

Micah my love · 10-13-2012, 03:33 AM

My babies are trained to go on pads inside...I would never put a ten week baby out in the cold/wet...they can easily get sick at that age...I might try outside training in the warm months....congrats and good luck

gracielove · 10-15-2012, 06:15 AM

Yorkies tend to have thin coats. They do not have an undercoat like most dogs do. They get cold very easily.....especially puppies. You are dealing with a baby. Most owners would love to have a puppy that would just go on a puppy pad at this stage! You are doing pretty well actually.

My Gracie was pad trained first. When she got older and the weather was nice I started taking her out for walks which she loves. The scents of other animals always make her want to potty outside.

As I said you are dealing with a baby. If you push this puppy too much he could go off training and start pottying any where. My advice would be to continue to reinforce the pad training and keep him inside until the weather is nice. It is usually more difficult to train a dog to potty outside by just letting them outside. Taking the dog for a walk gets the body functions moving and things happen much more quickly. I don't think a puppy as young as yours is ready to go for walks though. Maybe walk him around the yard if it is nice out. These dogs are not like a bigger or a dog with a warm coat. They do tend to be a bit more delicate than most dogs.

bendog2000 · 10-15-2012, 09:59 AM

Thanks for the advice. Now I have a dilemma as I certainly don't want to put him at risk. I think he was mostly afraid of the dark rather than the cold. He has made a lot of progress since my last update and now seems to get the cue words and has linked his business to the treat that comes after it. So we can get the visit over and done with in just a couple of minutes - if it takes any long or looks unhappy I ask him to come back inside with me. I even think he's fetching me to open the door - not sure. Seems a bit unlikely for his age but he does seem to. We've have a few poops around the house when I've not been good enough to read his signals but retrospectively I realise he was signalling I just didn't get it quick enough. I am definitely going to have to make sure he doesn't get too cold.

He's too young to go walking yet - we are restricted to playing in the garden and the house in the day. He likes to chase me and I like that game too. He's learnt that there's a shortcut path and he cuts through to head me off.

I wondered about getting one of those doggy toilet pads that look like grass and teaching him to use that in the house. Has anyone tried those?

Thanks for your advice.

Jensy · 10-18-2012, 06:24 AM

I have been having problems with potty training too since the weather has changed. The fall has brought wet damp grass and cold temperatures. It sounds like a lot of work but I leash Benny and take him out myself. He learned pretty quick that we weren't going in until he went and it seems to be working. Don't know if that helps, but worth a try. I'm dreading the snow though, won't want to go out with him then!

avemike · 10-18-2012, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendog2000

Hi,

First post here - and first time with a pup for many years. I am trying to get Ben house trained and have hit a hurdle and now I'm scared that I am taking him backwards. Is there someone here that can help with some practical advice?

Here's the problem... Ben was/is paper trained - his breeder kept him in a large crate with his brother and sister. So, he has a preference for newspaper. Which is good. I suspect some sort of scolding may have been used as he is a little shy about his toilet habits but we've been relaxed about it and he doesn't seem to be hiding anything. We collected him at 9 weeks.

He's been with us for a week and has a small crate (probably too large but so far he has not soiled it) and a larger den area that the small crate is left in when we cannot be with him for extended periods (overnight and when we have to leave the house for work). When in the larger areas the ideas is that he sleeps in his crate and has a safe place to toilet in his living area.

When we can give full attention he is supervised in the room we are in.
When we are partially attentive we let him sleep/play in his crate with us and let him out if we can see he wants to be active - we try to move our priorities around to supervise him. If we are not able to make sure he is safe them we either lock him in the crate or in his crate/den area.

There are puppy pads in both rooms and he uses these most often for wee. For wee & poo he's been able to go outside which was fantastic. However he likes to go poo in the mornings and evenings and he hates the cold/dark/wet grass. He'll let me know he's thinking of a poo or a wee and get excited at the door. When he gets out he panics and forgets what he wants to do. Once he shot off and poo'd on the concrete (which is fine) but mostly he will return to the house or if he is on leash spend the time crying and shivering in the cold until we give in and take him inside - probably 10 minutes with him pulling on his leash for most of those sessions.

So, I am minded to let him relax on the cold thing and rely on the daytime sessions to make the point. When he is older I hope to be able to teach him that outside is fun, even when wet. In the meantime I am thinking that extra special treating and praise when outside and lighter praise when inside on the pads, no praise when off pad might help? I'm worried that his paper preference has already regressed to wooden floor for poo - is my passion to get him to go outside forcing him to unlearn his paper preference?

Any shared experience that can help me make sense of this? I don't want to let him down.

Hi I have a new pup as well after many years. My older dogs passed away from old age. My puppy is 12wks old and I am training her inside on puppy pads. I had newspaper down but she often chewed it and I was worried about her choking so have taken it all up. I take her regularly outside for her toilet training but don't push it if its cold and wet. Then I just encourage her to her pappy pads. I don't allow her outside without me so although she is being trained to go on the grass she can't get there without me allowing her. I think on the whole they catch on to where you have taught them. There is the danger of raptures, crown eagles etc that can take your dog in one sweep, so these tiny dogs need protecting.
I think lots of praise when you see it happening where you have shown him & a stern word of No if you catch him where he shouldn't, but No hitting..it doesn't help and only scares them. I wish you lots of luck & congratulations on your new baby Ax

jeane · 10-18-2012, 04:35 PM

congrats on your new baby// Morgan hates getting his feet cold and he will not wear the boots so he has a puppy pad that he uses/ of course in Montana we get alot of snow

bendog2000 · 10-19-2012, 05:30 AM

I backed off on him for a bit - we go out in the daytime when it's warmer and in the night/early morning he can make his own choice :-) I'd rather he went outside but if he hits his pad then I'll settle for that. I can see he's smart so know that he'll learn the rules in good time. He's got the peeing on command thing down but I haven't managed to make the poo thing work for him - most likely because he doesn't get that much warning himself. I have to work harder to be getting him in the right place before he has to go.

Biggest problem with the pads is that most time he uses them - except when he doesn't. No rhyme or reason to that for me to follow - just doggy logic. Perhaps he's testing out the "treat on pad, nothing on floor" rules.

Just as an aside - that thing he does when he is trying to remember what a command means and then suddenly it comes to him - really comic to watch. Like a cartoon lightbulb.

gracielove · 10-19-2012, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendog2000

I backed off on him for a bit - we go out in the daytime when it's warmer and in the night/early morning he can make his own choice :-) I'd rather he went outside but if he hits his pad then I'll settle for that. I can see he's smart so know that he'll learn the rules in good time. He's got the peeing on command thing down but I haven't managed to make the poo thing work for him - most likely because he doesn't get that much warning himself. I have to work harder to be getting him in the right place before he has to go.

Biggest problem with the pads is that most time he uses them - except when he doesn't. No rhyme or reason to that for me to follow - just doggy logic. Perhaps he's testing out the "treat on pad, nothing on floor" rules.

Just as an aside - that thing he does when he is trying to remember what a command means and then suddenly it comes to him - really comic to watch. Like a cartoon lightbulb.

I think your right that he doesn't get that much warning. They have little bladders and fluid and food goes through them kind of quickly. You might need to try keeping him near the pad as much as possible. I kept 2 different pad areas when Gracie was a puppy just to make sure she could get to it in time. Keep watching for his signals. You may want to try one of the commercial liquid house training aids available and put it on the pad. It may help to attract him to pee on the pad quicker. The pads are supposed to have the attractant on it but it's hard to say how effective they actually are.
Some people who take their dogs out to potty take them to the same spot each time and have a potty word they use so the dog knows what you expect of them when you take him to that spot. The dog gets a treat as soon as he potties where he is supposed to. Sounds like your little guy is doing good.
I had a Shih Tzu before Gracie. He had a thick coat and went outside all year round. I did have to shovel snow to make a potty area for him. Gracie has a nice coat but it's not nearly as thick as my other dog's. She tends to get cold and seek heat quite a bit. She loves to go out but I don't take her out on cold wet days.

AngelFae · 10-24-2012, 06:29 AM

I've found that taking the pup out to play in the "cold/wet" grass helps them get used to it so that they aren't "scared" to go out and do their business on it.
When I got Blazer this summer it rained almost the entire first week but we were outside constantly so that he got used to the weather conditions as well as the need to do his business out there. I look at the puppy training just like child training- they are learning so much at a time that you just need to make it routine and fun for them. You can't make excuses for them and just have to let them know what you expect of them- but try to keep it fun. Does that make sense?
This sounds great, of course, but we'll have to wait and see how it works out for me once it snows here pretty soon! LOL! Best of luck to you!

10-09-2012, 03:47 AM	#1
bendog2000 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: UK Posts: 15	New Pup - housebreaking in cold/wet weather Hi, First post here - and first time with a pup for many years. I am trying to get Ben house trained and have hit a hurdle and now I'm scared that I am taking him backwards. Is there someone here that can help with some practical advice? Here's the problem... Ben was/is paper trained - his breeder kept him in a large crate with his brother and sister. So, he has a preference for newspaper. Which is good. I suspect some sort of scolding may have been used as he is a little shy about his toilet habits but we've been relaxed about it and he doesn't seem to be hiding anything. We collected him at 9 weeks. He's been with us for a week and has a small crate (probably too large but so far he has not soiled it) and a larger den area that the small crate is left in when we cannot be with him for extended periods (overnight and when we have to leave the house for work). When in the larger areas the ideas is that he sleeps in his crate and has a safe place to toilet in his living area. When we can give full attention he is supervised in the room we are in. When we are partially attentive we let him sleep/play in his crate with us and let him out if we can see he wants to be active - we try to move our priorities around to supervise him. If we are not able to make sure he is safe them we either lock him in the crate or in his crate/den area. There are puppy pads in both rooms and he uses these most often for wee. For wee & poo he's been able to go outside which was fantastic. However he likes to go poo in the mornings and evenings and he hates the cold/dark/wet grass. He'll let me know he's thinking of a poo or a wee and get excited at the door. When he gets out he panics and forgets what he wants to do. Once he shot off and poo'd on the concrete (which is fine) but mostly he will return to the house or if he is on leash spend the time crying and shivering in the cold until we give in and take him inside - probably 10 minutes with him pulling on his leash for most of those sessions. So, I am minded to let him relax on the cold thing and rely on the daytime sessions to make the point. When he is older I hope to be able to teach him that outside is fun, even when wet. In the meantime I am thinking that extra special treating and praise when outside and lighter praise when inside on the pads, no praise when off pad might help? I'm worried that his paper preference has already regressed to wooden floor for poo - is my passion to get him to go outside forcing him to unlearn his paper preference? Any shared experience that can help me make sense of this? I don't want to let him down.

10-13-2012, 03:33 AM	#4
Micah my love Donating YT 100K Club Member & Top YorkieTalk Poster! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: western KY Posts: 108,935	My babies are trained to go on pads inside...I would never put a ten week baby out in the cold/wet...they can easily get sick at that age...I might try outside training in the warm months....congrats and good luck __________________ Betty & Micah my love + Yogi

10-18-2012, 06:24 AM	#7
Jensy Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Minneapolis, MN USA Posts: 65	I have been having problems with potty training too since the weather has changed. The fall has brought wet damp grass and cold temperatures. It sounds like a lot of work but I leash Benny and take him out myself. He learned pretty quick that we weren't going in until he went and it seems to be working. Don't know if that helps, but worth a try. I'm dreading the snow though, won't want to go out with him then! __________________ Jen Momma to Bentley

10-09-2012, 07:00 AM	#2
jeane Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: montana Posts: 2,945	morgan is 18 months old and he absolutely hates the cold wet grass and he wont wear the booties so we have 1 puppy pad down so he can go to the bathroom

10-13-2012, 03:09 AM	#3
bendog2000 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: UK Posts: 15	Well it seems now that its the dark he doesn't like - even if I put the floodlights on he's still scared to go out. If I have the lights already on then he can be persuaded out. Most annoying now is that he runs in from the garden to do a poo - or waits until I open the door after being in the freezing cold for 15 mins. I guess I have to get my timings better so he can't wait to go - we've had a couple of accidents where I missed him squatting. Oh well - he'll get it - I hope

10-15-2012, 06:15 AM	#5
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	Yorkies tend to have thin coats. They do not have an undercoat like most dogs do. They get cold very easily.....especially puppies. You are dealing with a baby. Most owners would love to have a puppy that would just go on a puppy pad at this stage! You are doing pretty well actually. My Gracie was pad trained first. When she got older and the weather was nice I started taking her out for walks which she loves. The scents of other animals always make her want to potty outside. As I said you are dealing with a baby. If you push this puppy too much he could go off training and start pottying any where. My advice would be to continue to reinforce the pad training and keep him inside until the weather is nice. It is usually more difficult to train a dog to potty outside by just letting them outside. Taking the dog for a walk gets the body functions moving and things happen much more quickly. I don't think a puppy as young as yours is ready to go for walks though. Maybe walk him around the yard if it is nice out. These dogs are not like a bigger or a dog with a warm coat. They do tend to be a bit more delicate than most dogs.

10-15-2012, 09:59 AM	#6
bendog2000 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: UK Posts: 15	Thanks for the advice. Now I have a dilemma as I certainly don't want to put him at risk. I think he was mostly afraid of the dark rather than the cold. He has made a lot of progress since my last update and now seems to get the cue words and has linked his business to the treat that comes after it. So we can get the visit over and done with in just a couple of minutes - if it takes any long or looks unhappy I ask him to come back inside with me. I even think he's fetching me to open the door - not sure. Seems a bit unlikely for his age but he does seem to. We've have a few poops around the house when I've not been good enough to read his signals but retrospectively I realise he was signalling I just didn't get it quick enough. I am definitely going to have to make sure he doesn't get too cold. He's too young to go walking yet - we are restricted to playing in the garden and the house in the day. He likes to chase me and I like that game too. He's learnt that there's a shortcut path and he cuts through to head me off. I wondered about getting one of those doggy toilet pads that look like grass and teaching him to use that in the house. Has anyone tried those? Thanks for your advice.

10-18-2012, 04:35 PM	#9
jeane Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: montana Posts: 2,945	congrats on your new baby// Morgan hates getting his feet cold and he will not wear the boots so he has a puppy pad that he uses/ of course in Montana we get alot of snow

10-19-2012, 05:30 AM	#10
bendog2000 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: UK Posts: 15	I backed off on him for a bit - we go out in the daytime when it's warmer and in the night/early morning he can make his own choice :-) I'd rather he went outside but if he hits his pad then I'll settle for that. I can see he's smart so know that he'll learn the rules in good time. He's got the peeing on command thing down but I haven't managed to make the poo thing work for him - most likely because he doesn't get that much warning himself. I have to work harder to be getting him in the right place before he has to go. Biggest problem with the pads is that most time he uses them - except when he doesn't. No rhyme or reason to that for me to follow - just doggy logic. Perhaps he's testing out the "treat on pad, nothing on floor" rules. Just as an aside - that thing he does when he is trying to remember what a command means and then suddenly it comes to him - really comic to watch. Like a cartoon lightbulb.

10-24-2012, 06:29 AM	#12
AngelFae YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: MN, USA Posts: 780	I've found that taking the pup out to play in the "cold/wet" grass helps them get used to it so that they aren't "scared" to go out and do their business on it. When I got Blazer this summer it rained almost the entire first week but we were outside constantly so that he got used to the weather conditions as well as the need to do his business out there. I look at the puppy training just like child training- they are learning so much at a time that you just need to make it routine and fun for them. You can't make excuses for them and just have to let them know what you expect of them- but try to keep it fun. Does that make sense? This sounds great, of course, but we'll have to wait and see how it works out for me once it snows here pretty soon! LOL! Best of luck to you!