Crate Training My Babies

[Gabi & Gina]

I need help housetraining my babies. Gabi is 15 months old, and weeing/pooing outside is the last thing on her mind. She HATES getting her feet wet. I admit, she was also my first Yorkie, so I did all the wrong things. I carry her out (even now) Is it too late to crate train her?

Gina is 14 weeks old, and I started off on a good foot, but my husband makes me feel guilty, and says I'm being cruel putting her in the crate, so I've ended up relenting, and not being so strict on the crating.

If it's not too late to crate train my older baby, can they be crated together?

How do I manage the fact that I work all day (I can't get home to let them out at lunch time) Would it be OK if I put their crate (open) inside a playpen to restrict their area? If so, how will this teach them to go potty outside??? sorry If I sound stupid, but I'm a new Yorkie mom, and crate training is completely new to me.

[RLC12345678]

Originally Posted by Gabi & Gina

I need help housetraining my babies. Gabi is 15 months old, and weeing/pooing outside is the last thing on her mind. She HATES getting her feet wet. I admit, she was also my first Yorkie, so I did all the wrong things. I carry her out (even now) Is it too late to crate train her?

Gina is 14 weeks old, and I started off on a good foot, but my husband makes me feel guilty, and says I'm being cruel putting her in the crate, so I've ended up relenting, and not being so strict on the crating.

If it's not too late to crate train my older baby, can they be crated together?

How do I manage the fact that I work all day (I can't get home to let them out at lunch time) Would it be OK if I put their crate (open) inside a playpen to restrict their area? If so, how will this teach them to go potty outside??? sorry If I sound stupid, but I'm a new Yorkie mom, and crate training is completely new to me.

I definately WOULD NOT crate them together. Especially since your older yorkie has never been in a crate, she might associate the new puppy with punishment and really try to hurt the new puppy. Althought it probably isn't too late to crate train your older dog, I probably wouldnt do it. You should not crate train your new puppy either unless you can get home every 3 hours or so to let her out to use the bathroom.

Is the older dog used to having full run of the house? Since you are not able to come home during the day, I would put the new puppy in the kitchen with a baby gate up or in an xpen with her crate open inside the play area. If your older yorkie is used to having free run of the house, you should not confine her for the same reason you should not put her in a crate with the new puppy. You should keep the older dog's routine and conditions as much like they were before you got the puppy as possible. As they get used to each other, you could try confining them together to see how it works. However, if your older dog has a huge problem with being confined and she is already house trained, then you should not confine her. CHanging her routine too much could cause behavioral issues.