should i give up?
 

I got my yorkie when he was 3 months old...he's now 4 1/2 months old and i'm just not sure how the potty thing is going...he's my first dog so i'm new to this but i've been training him to go outside (while crate training him also when i can't be with him)...so i have two issues...#1 i think he may be peeing in his crate...it doesn't feel wet but the white tshirt i put in there has yellow stain marks all over it...how do i tell? #2 he still has accidents in the house so should i maybe try pee pads or a litter box?? thanks so much for all your help in advance!!!

You just need to be more consistent. When you are with him, watch him like a hawk. Many of these little ones give very subtle signals that they need to go. 4 1/2 months is still very young. Sissy just turned one and does pretty good about 98% of the time.

Start by taking him out after he eats & drinks. Give the command "potty" or whatever else you want and then praise him when he does go. Treats as a reward work well here, too. Do not praise or give a treat if he does not go. Also don't make a big deal if he goes in the house. We want to save that for then he does what you want him to do. Good luck.

I use the jump Start pads from Petsmart and they worked great. It is harder to train them when you are not home all day so it takes longer. 4 1/2 months is still young. Just watch him whenever he is out.

Well, if there are yellow stains on your shirt, he's probably peeing in there. What you need to do is make the crate smaller. He will not pee in there if you make it small enough. It needs to be so small that when he lays down he touches every bit of the floor. You can do this by putting a cardboard box in the back or books or tupperware or something like that.

As far the still peeing in the house, he is still VERY VERY young! It takes most yorkies a long time to be potty trained. I would not expect to see any real results until he is AT LEAST 6-8 months of age. When he is not in his crate, you need to watch him like a hawk! If you are not able to keep a VERY close eye on him, he needs to go back in his SMALL crate. Take him outside to potty every 2 hours, everytime he wakes up from a nap, everytime he gets done playing, and about 30-45 minutes after he eats or drinks. The key is patience and consistency. Give him a treat and really praise him when he potties outside. If you catch him pottying inside, then you need to tell him NO in a very stern voice and take him right outside. He will eventually get the hang of it.

I definately would NOT switch methods on him at this point. That will confuse him and just make it harder for you to potty train him. Stick to teaching him to go outside.

DO NOT GIVE UP! He is so young! You can do it! Just stay positive! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

First thing you need to do is take the shirt out of the carrier. Don't put any blankets, towels, shirts or anything of the sort in the carrier. Make sure that it is bare. It might seen harsh but having these things in the crate can actually encourage him to go to the bathroom in his crate beause he knows that he can go to the bathroom on the shirt which will absorb most of the moisture and then all he has to do is push the shirt out of the way. Dogs don't like laying in their own pee and poo and by having a shirt or blanket in the crate he can still go potty in the crate without having to lay in it. I have noticed this in many puppies and dogs, once you take away the towel they won't go in it anymore.

Also, make sure the crate is small enough. If he can go to the bathroom and one part of the crate and lay down in another part of the crate, then the crate is too big.

Switching training methods right now can really confuse him. Just stick with him going outside. When you take him outside and he goes, reward and praise him and as an extra bonus either take him for a short walk right afterwards or let him have his playtime. Only give him 10 to 15 minutes to go potty outside, any longer and he will forget what he is out there for and it will defeat the purpose of house breaking him. If he does not go, put him back in the crate and try again in 10 minutes. This will help him learn that if he goes he gets out of his crate to play or go for a walk and if he does not go, he goes back into the crate. Remember to give him a command each time you take him out, such as "go potty" or something similiar.

Don't worry he will get the hang of it, it just takes time and consistency.:thumbup: :thumbup:

Don't give up!! He is young yet!!! Crate training is usually the best way to go!! Good luck to ya!!

don't give up is the first thing to tell you! you dont want your pup to go anywhere he wants in the house! its frustrating, i too just recently got my first pup and i was frustrated as hell and was ready to give up as well, but its even more frustrating when you have to clean after him after each spot.

i'd recommend to definetely use the training pads. they worked for my pup like a charm. he'd occasionally miss or go off in the beginning but after a while, he learned thats where he was to pee, no matter where i moved the pad. you also have to be extremely consistent with him and try to watch for signals when he needs to go or looking for somewhere to go, its usually sniffing or walking around in circles in the same area. that'll help you a lot because you'll be able to move him over to the pad before he releases.

my pup doesnt go outside, but i hear thats easier than indoors, so i'd work on being trained indoors first before training outdoors unless you plan to have him pee outdoors all the time.

good luck! and he's only a baby, he'll learn! :)