Need Potty Training Help for 5 month old please - YorkieTalk.com Forums

jasminescottage · 04-20-2014, 10:52 AM

Hello and thanks all in advance for even reading my post. Puppy hood is new to me and I'm certainly not an expert though I have great counseling with the vet and obedience trainer. (they have not been able to solve this one)

Gracie is now 5+ months. She came home at 8 weeks and began sleeping in her kennel at night and spending days in her ex pen while going through potty training.

Careful attention has been given to when she needs to go out. Almost from the beginning she has barked or whined to let me know that she had to go out whether in the kennel, ex pen or my lap.

As time has gone on have tried to give her some free time in sections of the house when she has been outside and seems trustworthy. However each time she has presented a #2 accident even tho she just took care of that outside.

Now trying to broaden her free time as she gets through teething, finishes obedience classes and prepared for spaying in a month. Today she had her typical #2 accident but made if for about an hour with an additional tinkle accident.

Later we were on the bed for about 20 minutes and without a sound she tinkled on the bed. (after having been o/s from the tinkle accident)

I simply do not know how to transition her to the house in general needing her to give me a bark, whine or something to advise that she needs to go out.

Any suggestions that might help?

tkking17 · 04-24-2014, 12:01 PM

I can sympathize with you as I am still working on potty training my 6mo old Yorkie. I got her about a month ago. I can tell you that I really never let her out of her ex-pen without watching her closely for signs she might need to go to the bathroom. If she is sniffing a lot, I will put her in her pen until she goes to the bathroom, then I will take her out again. She has a pad in the ex-pen which she will use if she is in there. I try to give her free time immediately after she has used her pad or gone outside, to prevent accidents. She still has accidents (of course, in the one second I happen to look away), but that mostly happens when she has not immediately gone potty before playtime. I do not let her sleep in my bed, would not trust her for that yet.

As we are still working on this, I'm sorry I don't have better advice. However, you might think about crating her while she is in your bed. That way, she would hopefully whine before an accident occurred, and you could take her out.

I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this topic, too. Good luck!

windwalker · 04-24-2014, 03:33 PM

First, keep her penned unless you can watch her 100%, each time she does this you lose any forward progress you made on potty training. Does she do most of them in same spots, or just random anywhere? Get enzyme spray to clean mess areas as she will go back to mark areas.

You have to catch her before she does this and take her to area you want her to use, learn her signs, sniffing, circling. When in doubt, take her out, give a potty command as she is doing it, praise and even an occasional after. Saying "go potty" will get it to a point that you can take her out and she will go even if she was not ready, say before getting in car for road trip.

On the double poop, could be something distracted her before she was done, walking her will get her drained and pooped, lol better then just back yard trips

LoriML · 05-06-2014, 09:26 AM

I can relate so well. Mine is 7 months and still not house trained. I've never had a yorkie and have house trained a couple different breeds, but I can say he has been by FAR the most difficult. When he does have an accident 80% of the time its #2, not #1. So I'm assuming he's slowly grasping the concept, but maybe going poo, vs going pee, may require more physical control so it's harder to work on?

Or I'm a crazy dog lady and am trying too hard to rationalize

All I can say is don't stop the positive rewards and try to keep her confined to a certain area a little more. If she's anything like mine, she barks like mad to be in her crate with me at home, so I pick my battles with him and have learned it's easier to just monitor him more and crate him only at night and when I have to leave the house.

Good luck!

gracielove · 05-10-2014, 07:30 AM

I don't think she is ready for a lot of space to wander. Maybe keep her close to you at all times and watch her closely. Always reward when she gets it right. It is not unusual for young dogs to sometimes forget or get too far away to be able to stop.

Also, you will find taking her for a brisk walk will help her to empty the bowels and bladder more completely so you will be less likely to have an accident inside soon after walking.

04-20-2014, 10:52 AM	#1
jasminescottage Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: georgia Posts: 73	Need Potty Training Help for 5 month old please Hello and thanks all in advance for even reading my post. Puppy hood is new to me and I'm certainly not an expert though I have great counseling with the vet and obedience trainer. (they have not been able to solve this one) Gracie is now 5+ months. She came home at 8 weeks and began sleeping in her kennel at night and spending days in her ex pen while going through potty training. Careful attention has been given to when she needs to go out. Almost from the beginning she has barked or whined to let me know that she had to go out whether in the kennel, ex pen or my lap. As time has gone on have tried to give her some free time in sections of the house when she has been outside and seems trustworthy. However each time she has presented a #2 accident even tho she just took care of that outside. Now trying to broaden her free time as she gets through teething, finishes obedience classes and prepared for spaying in a month. Today she had her typical #2 accident but made if for about an hour with an additional tinkle accident. Later we were on the bed for about 20 minutes and without a sound she tinkled on the bed. (after having been o/s from the tinkle accident) I simply do not know how to transition her to the house in general needing her to give me a bark, whine or something to advise that she needs to go out. Any suggestions that might help? __________________ Gracie and her momma Julie

04-24-2014, 12:01 PM	#2
tkking17 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: California Posts: 104	I can sympathize with you as I am still working on potty training my 6mo old Yorkie. I got her about a month ago. I can tell you that I really never let her out of her ex-pen without watching her closely for signs she might need to go to the bathroom. If she is sniffing a lot, I will put her in her pen until she goes to the bathroom, then I will take her out again. She has a pad in the ex-pen which she will use if she is in there. I try to give her free time immediately after she has used her pad or gone outside, to prevent accidents. She still has accidents (of course, in the one second I happen to look away), but that mostly happens when she has not immediately gone potty before playtime. I do not let her sleep in my bed, would not trust her for that yet. As we are still working on this, I'm sorry I don't have better advice. However, you might think about crating her while she is in your bed. That way, she would hopefully whine before an accident occurred, and you could take her out. I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this topic, too. Good luck! __________________

04-24-2014, 03:33 PM	#3
windwalker Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Tucson,AZ Posts: 244	First, keep her penned unless you can watch her 100%, each time she does this you lose any forward progress you made on potty training. Does she do most of them in same spots, or just random anywhere? Get enzyme spray to clean mess areas as she will go back to mark areas. You have to catch her before she does this and take her to area you want her to use, learn her signs, sniffing, circling. When in doubt, take her out, give a potty command as she is doing it, praise and even an occasional after. Saying "go potty" will get it to a point that you can take her out and she will go even if she was not ready, say before getting in car for road trip. On the double poop, could be something distracted her before she was done, walking her will get her drained and pooped, lol better then just back yard trips

05-06-2014, 09:26 AM	#4
LoriML Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 42	I can relate so well. Mine is 7 months and still not house trained. I've never had a yorkie and have house trained a couple different breeds, but I can say he has been by FAR the most difficult. When he does have an accident 80% of the time its #2, not #1. So I'm assuming he's slowly grasping the concept, but maybe going poo, vs going pee, may require more physical control so it's harder to work on? Or I'm a crazy dog lady and am trying too hard to rationalize All I can say is don't stop the positive rewards and try to keep her confined to a certain area a little more. If she's anything like mine, she barks like mad to be in her crate with me at home, so I pick my battles with him and have learned it's easier to just monitor him more and crate him only at night and when I have to leave the house. Good luck!

05-10-2014, 07:30 AM	#5
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	I don't think she is ready for a lot of space to wander. Maybe keep her close to you at all times and watch her closely. Always reward when she gets it right. It is not unusual for young dogs to sometimes forget or get too far away to be able to stop. Also, you will find taking her for a brisk walk will help her to empty the bowels and bladder more completely so you will be less likely to have an accident inside soon after walking.