Potty Training and Scheduling Advice
 

I brought home my adorable Yorkie-poo puppy (Chewy) about a month ago and I'm still trying to figure out the best way to potty train him and the best schedule for him. He's going to be 3 months old next week. The breeder had already pee pad trained him so he goes quite well on the pee pad. He does have accidents randomly though.

I have him stay in the kitchen in a pen with the crate in the pen and also a pee pad in the pen. I leave him to roam around in the pen while I have to be away for work or to run errands. He seems pretty comfortable with his crate but doesn't really like sleeping in there. Instead he enjoys sleeping on the pee pad or on the floor of the pen. He isn't really allowed to roam anywhere in the house yet because he isn't fully potty trained. I do open up the pen and give him access to the kitchen for play time a couple times a day. Other than that, he gets potty time and play time in the backyard as well.

I'm trying to keep him on a schedule but it is quite hard as my work shifts vary every week (some days I work 11-3pm or 5-9:30pm). No one can take him out for potty breaks so I have to keep a pee pad in the pen with him.

This is the schedule I am trying to follow:
8am - Bring out to potty area
8:10 - Breakfast in crate
8:30 - Play time in the kitchen or Walk
10:30 – Nap in crate
12pm - Bring out to potty area
1:30 – Nap in crate
3pm - Bring out to potty area
3:15 - Lunch in crate
3:30 - Walk
7pm -Bring out to potty area
9:30pm - Bring out to potty area
9:40 - Dinner in crate
9:50 – Play time in kitchen
11pm - Bring out to potty area before bed

I just want to ask for some opinions on the schedule. Should I keep bringing him out to potty before I feed him or can I just take him out 30 mins afterwards? I find that he usually doesn’t seem hungry at feeding times and never finishes his food. I give 1/3 cup each feeding. He likes to pick up twigs and leaves when we go out. Perhaps he’s getting full on the things he tries to eat outside and so I should feed him before we go out?

Also, the breeder said that I should feed him twice a day when he reaches 3 months. I was thinking of feeding him at 9am and 9pm everyday and give him a stuffed kong in the afternoon when he’s 3 months. Would a 12 hour gap between feeding be too much or 9pm dinner be too close to bed time?

Lastly, I want to get him to learn and hold his potty until I can take him out. I know I should crate him for that but I just don’t know when in my schedule I can crate him long enough that he actually needs to hold his potty. Right now he plays or naps in his pen when I’m not around and has access to his pee pad so he goes whenever he wishes. I don’t confine him to his crate at night since I sleep upstairs and am afraid I would not hear him when he whines to go to the bathroom. He stays in the pen in the kitchen at night with full access to the crate and pee pad. How should I go about getting him to hold his potty?


Thanks so much!

Your schedule looks fine. From what I've read, it is impossible to fully potty train a 15week old. So if you know that, you don't have to set your expectations so high.
Could you possibly put the crate next to your bed in the bedroom at night and make him sleep in it? Then you can hear him cry and have a potty pad near by to sit him on. That's what I do. Playpen in the kitchen during the day, crate by your bed at night.

Yup I moved his crate into my room yesterday so he'll be sleeping in there at night and also have his meals in there. He didn't cry last night to be let out but I got worried so I took him out at 4am for potty. Cross my fingers that tonight will be accident free.

Oh good! Hope it works out for you!

As for potty training, I thought it would never happen, but it has and I am thrilled.
I think the key is to take your dog out as often as you can to the specific pee spot and move over to a poo spot. Use the same areas as much as possible. Sometimes, my dog would just stop and go during a walk tho. I always gave her praise and even a small treat when she did both outdoors so she knew how happy I was and it encouraged her to go outdoors. I also used a keyword every time she went outside and now I take her out sometimes when she has not asked and give her the keyword and she will pee even if she had not planned on it. ( before bedtime or if I have to leave her home or some situation to prevent an accident )

In my opinion a 9:30 pm feeding is too late for a pup his age but I guess in your situation is can not be avoided. Also, twelve hour in between feedings is way too long. Pups this age can get low blood sugar and go into hypoglycemia shock from not eating. As a breeder myself I have my pups on an every 6 hr feeding 3 times a day. Than I instruct them to stretch it out by the age of 12 months of age to get them to a twice a day feedings. Keep in mind the early you feed them their final meal for the day and restrict water intake the longer they will have to empty their bowels and urinate before settling down for the night. That way you can avoid any accidents or need for late night potty breaks.

I've had much success potty training my pups and have taken the time to post it to share with others. You can find tips on training, grooming and other useful tips on my web page. www.dawnsyorkies.weebly.com/training-tips