Unique Potty Issue ... REALLY Confused! (Help!)
 

Hello All,

I adopted a 2.5 year old Male Yorkie X on May 5th. He is absolutely precious. Right away he bonded with me and follows me all over. He loves me and is trusting me more and more each day. He loves everyone he meets and is very happy and excited to meet other dogs. It's now May 13th and have had Rallo little over a week. It was aparant to me right away that Rallo has recieved NO training at all!! He does not know any commands, walks AWFUL on a leash, but has slowly been coming around.
He came from somewhere where he was outdoor trained for potty and clearly beaten if he had an accident inside (I can tell as he makes a very nervous face and shows all his teeth and hides (usually piddling) if I look at him after an accident).
I live in a top floor condo suite with no grass (gotta love the downtown concrete jungle) and had the goal of training Rallo to do his business on Wee Wee Pads.
Well let me tell you, this has been harder than meeting the pope and more stressful than I ever imagined it to be. He refuses to go on the Wee Wee Pads. I am home all day with him trying to train him as I just finished University and put him in the potty corner every 20-30 minutes and tell him to Pee. Nothing. He almost thinks I'm punishing him if I try to keep him there too long I think. I do try to use a calm voice and pet him when he is calm encouraging him to do his business.
I did everything I could think off, when he had an accident I would put a little of his pee on the pad and take him to it and tell him to pee. I took it outside and tried to get him to pee on it out there. I rubbed grass on it so it would smell more like outside. I left a little terd for him to recognize when he goes to the pad. I NEVER scold him, just simply put him where I am keeping the Wee Wee Pads and tell him to Pee. But he WILL NOT pee on it EVER! He just holds and holds and holds till finally I thought I might be asking for a bladder infection and a vet bill and just caved and took him in the car to some grass.

I finally gave up and went out and spent $50.00 at petsmart on Potty Patch https://pottypatch.com/ as I heard from a few people it was the ONLY way they could get their dogs trained. I showed it to him and take him to it just like before. He likes the faux grass and thinks its comfy to lay on. I just pick him up and tell him to pee. He lays. I pick him up. I don't want him to think I'm punishing him so I let him off after a few minutes. I've even put a mini spruce tree I have next to the Potty Patch to make it feel even more like outside or if he wants to lift his leg and aim at it.

Please help me. I don't know what to do. He holds his pee and refuses to even have an accident in fear. It's ridiculous ... I have never seen a dog so stubborn. I am desperate ... I'm afraid he'll never get it. He's slowly learning sit, lay down, stay .... but like I said sllllloooowllly. I don't want to give up on the indoor training (DON'T YOU DARE JUDGE ME) I still take him on daily walks, to the dog park, and on runs so he does his business on our walks but I can't get him to go where I want him to. Anyone? Please, this is my first dog on my own and I need some serious tips.
I realize it is summer and like any dog they are hard wired to go outside but the winters in Northern Canada are long and brutal and I want to get a jump on this NOW.

Thank you to anyone who can help ...

Hi Dillonlee, I just wanted to say that it's really nice that you adopted a yorkie :) and I don't think anyone will dare to judge you because you are training him to potty indoors (I don't see anything wrong with that).
I really don't have much experience with what you are going through right know so I don't think I'll be of much help. Just be patient I guess :)
Do you give him a treat when he is on the wee wee pad? Maybe that will make him see that it is good that he goes on it (just a thought) and continue like that until he is confident enough to do his business :)
Oow, when Nena was small she used to wait a long time before peeing and sometimes when I felt she waited to long and I used to put a little bit of pressure on her bladder and she would pee. Maybe you can try that as well and give him a treat because he peed on the wee wee pad.

Thank you Anny,

I know some dog owners that get on a rage when other try to train their dogs for indoor potty. Thank You for not judging and for your advice. I am actually going to try those things right now!!

You are very welcome :)
Let us know if it gets any better ;)

When I was potty training Bella, I made a cage that was exactly the same size as the potty pad and put her inside the cage and left her there until she peed, and praised her effusively afterwards. If you have a cage around the pad, you can walk away and let your dog have some privacy and give him all the time he needs to pee. That might work. Also I use the pads that have the special scent attractant that encourages them to pee. After a couple of weeks, I opened up the side of the cage and Bella would walk in on her own when she needed to pee.

I think my Tibbe is like your boy. He just won't use them - he thinks going in the house is just wrong. He won't go at the vet either in those special cages. He holds it until we get home if they don't take him outside. It's so ingrained in him that he should go outside that I have offered him treats when it was pouring rain, trying to show him it's good to use the potty pads in the house or even on the porch and he will not do it. If I or someone else had to retrain him to use potty pads, it would be a very long process. Tibbe was only housebroken using positive reinforcement rewards for going outside so I know he's not afraid of being hurt going inside - he just wants to do it right so badly he'll hold it.

The only way I can think of to retrain this baby to ever learn otherwise is just to confine him to a fenced off area in the house covered until pee pads until he has to use one. And then praise, treat and be very very loving every time he does - though he'll just have to be confined until he does have to go - or you see he has used the pad. You've a whole lifetime to overcome but little bit at a time with gentle persistence and praise and a juicy treat when he uses the pad, you should be able to retrain him to understand that now pottying inside on this pad is a good thing.

I don't think until you confine him and give him no other choice he will ever voluntarily use that pee pad by just taking him over to it. I think he'll have to be - and this sounds bad but you get my point I hope - forced to use it by not giving him any other choice. And even once he knows it's okay with you the first or second times, he'll likely still be so hesitant and frightened every time he does it until he finds out for sure that 100% of the time there will be no anger or hurting him. So it will likely go very slowly until he trusts you to allow him to go in the house. Perhaps you could put him in a room entirely covered with the pads or keep him in his crate covered with pads until he has to go and then you are there to praise and treat and love him when he does so he can get it in his head that now he needs to change his ways.

My Jilly was like this too. She was so reluctant to go in the house she just could not ever use a pad. Finally, when she got around 12 and didn't have as much control, she would potty on the pee pad very occasionally but not until then. Every time I am going to be gone for over 3 hours, I leave a pad down. Once when I was in the ER overnight and my son came the next day to get Tibbe, he found Tibbe had used the pads once on each and but that is the only time he has ever used them - when he had no way outside. My son took him to his home after that so he didn't have to use one anymore.
I hope others have some good ideas that work for you. I'd love to know how it's going and what works for you. If I ever move into an apt., I might have to change a dog to using potty pads too and it will be good to know what really works well in time. Don't expect too much too soon. Thank you for helping this poor guy - it sounds like he's had an awful life. I'm so glad he's with a kind and loving and gentle person now.

This is a challenge because Rallo was beaten for going in the house, so he must be confused and scared. My Teddy was 100% outdoor trained when I brought him home at 8 months, but I needed him to be pad trained too.

You can successfully retrain Rallo, and I commend you for going to great lengths already to do it, and for being patient.

My biggest challenge was convincing Teddy to poop indoors on the pad. I put baby gates up to section off a small part of a back hall. You could use an xpen. I lined the area with piddle pads and put Teddy in the penned area when I knew he had to go. It was heartbreaking forcing him to do something he didn't want to do. He finally couldn't hold it any longer and pooped. I praised him like crazy, did happy dances, hugged him and gave him a treat. When he saw how excited I was, he finally knew it was okay.

I would try this with Rallo. It will probably take repetition before he gets the hang of it and then you can go back to one pad. It will probably also be time consuming for you, taking a lot of supervision. I would use a really yummy treat.

Wishing you the best in helping Rallo.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: I made a pen exactly the same size of the potty pad by taking apart an x-pen and using four panels to make a small pen that was a perfect square. One of the panels has the x-pen door on it, so after Bella was potty trained, I still put the potty pads in the pen, but leave the door open so Bella can go in and out on her own. It works perfectly! I use the 3 cup capacity 22" X 22" potty pads with scent attractant and odor control. I change the pad once a day.

Hi Dillonlee,

I had a similar issue with my rescue (not a yorkie, Reg is a miniature Dachshund). Reggie was two when I adopted him a year ago, and came to me completely housebroken. I live on the second floor of my building and wanted other "potty" options. I tried the pee pads with no luck. I tried the Potty Patch with no luck. I did more research and decided to take a gamble and purchased the Porch Potty, it was a bit of an investment. I put it on my balcony. What I liked about it is you can purchase the training sod to train your dog to go on it, and then move to the artifical grass (which is a more high end grass and looks and feels more real). It was hit or miss at first. Reg would use it and then wouldn't use it for about the first week. I was patient, praised him and gave him treats when he would use his Porch Potty. Then he started using it more regularly. The real grass lasted about six weeks, and the only reason I removed it was because the grass was growing and was in need of a mow! I was a bit apprehensive when I put the artifical grass on the unit, but my Reg uses his porch potty every day now, and he'll go sit by the sliding glass door to let me know he needs to potty! I don't know if you want to spend that type of money, but for myself I'm happy I did and feel it was worth the money.

I do still walk my baby every day, he does love his walks. But the Porch Potty has made life easier for both of us, especially when we sleep in late on the week-ends and he wakes up going Mom, I gotta go NOW!!!

Hope this helps some!

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Great advice.

I commend you for all your efforts. I know it is frustrating but it will take time. Some yorkies are very difficult to potty train and their owners finally have to resort to making them wear belly bands when they are inside.

A couple of questions....is he neutered, does he hike his leg when he pees, where does he primarily like to pee?

For my boys I put a jug filled with water in the middle of a pee pad and the boys will hike their legs on that. A laundry detergent jug works well.

It's the first time I hear of this.
I have been learning quite a bit today :)

Wow, such AMAZING responses. Thank you all soooooooooo much. I need the encouragement to keep going.
I actually JUST read about the Porch Potty (which I might add is extremely impressive, self watering/flushing ..... amazing!!) about 5 minutes before I read all my replies here. It is a tad expensive at $279.00 USD, but it looks beautiful. I'm definitely intrigued .... where did you get it from? I did JUST purchase the Potty Patch so I'm wondering since Rallo hasn't used it if I can return it. Otherwise it's $50.00 down the tube.

I am going to try ALL of your idea. I know he won't like to be trapped on the potty patch but that's working for more than 1 of you I might have to give it a go!

I LOVE YorkieTalk .... thank you all so much. Truly appreciate all your replies and taking the time to help me out.
Also, Thank you to the love. I didn't know when I adopted Rallo that he had a bad past ... but the more I get to know him and the faces/body langue he uses give me the idea that he wasn't treated so well. But I myself just LOVE him!! YAY!

I will keep in contact!

I hope the little guy was not mistreated. Some yorkies are just very intimated by humans and they act like they have been mistreated but in fact they were very much loved. Some just act that way. I know you will be patient with him and give him lots of love.

I purchased the unit from porchpotty.com I got the standard, which has the drain hose and I rinse it at night after Reg's last potty. If you want to go the artificial grass way but not spend that kind of money, my friend bought a piece of artificial turf from Home Depot and trained her Maltese to use that. The piece she purchased is about the same size as the Standard Porch Potty that I have and Coop uses it daily. I did order her the little fire hydrant to put on it for Coop to aim at :) It might also help if you have a friends dog come over to use it as well, Reg and Coop seem to be in competition to cover each others scent at both here and at my friend house.

This actually very well could be. Maybe he is fooling me because the family seemed so nice. I suppose I will never know. I don't think he's scared of humans though, he's sooooooo friendly and goes to anyone and loves to cuddle. But I plan to be the pack leader he needs and give him all the love he deserves.

Alright guys, I actually set something up in my condo. I live in a strange older reno-ed building in which the toliet and Shower are in their own room seperate from the vanity with three doors blocking off the bedroom and main living area. I set it up and will attach a photo? Is this too big? He hasn't peed this morning since last night so he MUST have to go. Please let me know what you all think. He cries a bit but is now totally quite in there all alone. hmmm :confused::confused:

That looks about right but if you have to make it smaller, you can using big cardboard boxes, baby gating, etc. Poor little guy - I know he's just miserable and is afraid to go. Isn't that just heartbreaking? He sure is beautiful. He's very lucky to have you.

But if Tibbe finally went in the house when I was in the ER overnight and the next day, I know your baby will too. Just praise him and love him and give him treats, even after the fact and actually point out his pee or stool and tell him how very gooooooooood it is that he did that, give him treats, praise and carry on - you know how - just really make a big big deal over his going in the house even if it's on the bare floor right now. You've got to get him past that big hump his brain is telling him "wrong wrong wrong". I pray he can get past this sooner rather than later for his comfort and peace of mind. He must be a total nervous wreck waiting to get taken out as he thinks he should. This is so sad for both of you I know. But he'll begin to "go" when he absolutely has to and you'll have a praise party for him and keep going over to his potty pad and telling him how gooooood it is and in time, slowly, he'll begin to see things are changing and this is the new normal.

Thank you SOOO much. It really is hard, but he's STILL quiet and I haven't heard him walking around in there. Oh yes ... he truly is precious in every way, he just loves everyone and he's so handsome! He gets attention anywhere we go. He really just needs some structure, training, and leadership and he will be PERFECT. I just wonder how long I should leave him in there, and how long is too long? I think if I were quiet and left to do some shopping he might not even notice I'm gone. I just don't want him to get a UTI or bladder infection.

-- Dillon

He looks like a sweet boy. It looks like he has plenty of room. He should be fine in there if you have to go somewhere for a little while. He would probably be happier if there was a radio on when you are gone. Also, are you closing the door or do you have a gate? Most dogs do not like being behind a closed door. They like to be able to see out of the room. If you had room in your living room for a x-pen he would probably do well in that too.

Oh good point. I do have all three doors closed right now. He doesn't cry or make any noise. I even started walking around out here and cleaning up and he hasn't made a peep. I do have a make shift gate out of a few large boxes that I use to keep him out of the living room when I'm not in there.

-- Dillon

You can buy gates at the pet stores too. Just don't get any that are the plastic mesh because they can chew through those. I like the ones that have wire in them. My favorite gates are the walk though kind. We have picked up several of them at garage sales and they work wonderful for us, no more gate climbing.:)

bjh is right that a gate would help him feel less cut-off and secure. Just a word about that, with the door open and a gate up across the door, it could - could make him tend to whine or grouse but depending on how long you've had him, he may be too insecure to do that if he's had a very strong pack leader who taught him to remain quiet if he's left in another room; or had an abusive owner who taught him it wasn't safe to make a noise. A very well-trained dog will stay in another room without a word but so will a very scared dog and you don't know which you are dealing with, it sounds like. Tibbe will lie quietly in a closed room if there are workmen in the house and he has to be kept out of the way but when I've put up a gate, after a while he got quite noisy whining. He would quieten when I requested he stop but in another 15 mins. or so, little whines again. If I just shut the door, he was totally quiet and would settle better for some reason. I would listen in the kitchen to see if he were whining and he wasn't. So that is how your guy might do.

Just check on him and see how his progress is going and I don't think I'd let him go much over 12 hours without checking with the vet first unless you already know how long dogs can safely go holding their urine. I know Tibbe has voluntarily held his urine and stool 14 hours when it started raining hard in the night and rained hard all morning. I was essentially begging him to potty on the pads in the den, on the porches and even put them on the couch. He just wouldn't budge. Finally, when I was about ready to take him to the vet for catheterization thinking he was blocked, he ran out into the pouring rain and did all of his business and came in totally soaked. Not one dry hair but he sauntered back in cool and collected, got all dried off and went right back to napping until the rain slowed. He almost always mostly sleeps through the rain when it's really raining hard and 'rouses himself when it starts to let up. I feel so sorry for both of you for having to go through this - hopefully the poor little guy will soon learn who his new mommy is, know he can trust you and that he's safe and has no worries.

Only frustrated with the PEEING!
 

THANK you for saying Yorkie's are difficult to train. I had my first little boy, Chopper until he was 8. (he had kidney failure). But all his life, even though he knew exactly where to go and where NOT to go, he'd hike the leg and most days he would pee in the house once. I'd leave a door open..didn't matter.
I was SO heartbroken over the loss of Chopper, my love brought me home a surprise 3 years ago. a 1 lb. baby boy, Axl Rose. I love him SO much. Yorkies have a personality like no other. They are smart, and stubborn, and fiesty! Axl does the same thing. We have a doggie door out into an enclosed doggie area with fake grass (we have other dogs too). He knows how to go. He knows where to go. He just "doesn't feel like it", and will go in the house when there is never a reason he can't go where he should.
Axl will be 4 soon. He's recently become very "pack leader-ish". When we all walk, he bites the other's leashes and pulls them. And he'll even bite his own leash and pull himself by walking backwards. He will sit, spin, sit up, and the most loveable boy ever. He keeps the girls in check, waiting for them all to run out the door first, and then chases them. They are twice his size & they put up with all of it. He's protective & when my husband and I play, or kiss, he barks & gets right in the middle of us, licking both of us. I read here someone said, they have that face, and they get away with alot. I'm in love with a 7 lb. sweet, loving, punk!

Welcome to Yorkie Talk and thank you so much for sharing your story. I am sorry you lost Chipper but I am glad your have Axl and the others to give you so much love and joy. Lol, yorkies can be very stubborn when it comes to potty training and not just the boys. Girls can be just as bad at times. We love them all anyway.

try putting the potty pad in the tub if he cannot get out and stay there with him until he pees on it......maybe that will help him understand what you are asking if none of the other suggestions work. best of luck and thank you for adopting him.