Potty Training help - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

medusa512 · 06-20-2007, 11:15 AM

i know this might sound crazy, but it could be him trying to punish you for not spending time with him or giving him attention when he wants it.
my dog punishes my husband this way (for example he couldn't lay still and was put in the front room to sleep. i woke in the morning to a lovely mess and edgar just staring at me like, "and what??")

do you let him drink freely? maybe you s hould control the amount he drinks and at what times and take him out about 10m after. (i'm not saying to cut back on water, but what you save by taking him outside vs. 20 minutes of paper towels and doggy carpet odor remover...)

hope that helps.
t

Buddah<3r · 06-20-2007, 11:28 AM

I let him both drink and eat freely. I had such a scare with hypoglycemia that I never wanted him to be without and get sick

gcook · 06-21-2007, 12:46 PM

What I did was I got a larger piece of cardboard than the area in the crate (where the wall would be) and shoved it in the space and had the sides fold into the back of the area where she wouldn't have access. So it basically lodged itself into the space and it was pretty sturdy cuz it was hard cardboard. I did have openings on each end of the crate, so this made it easier to stuff it and have the excess cardboard fold against the top/bottom or sides of the crate.

Lorna · 06-21-2007, 12:57 PM

I keep my crates open during the day and they areback in the dark laundry room. When either dog gets tired (at night), they will go back there and get in their crate. But during the day, they nap out where we are because they want to be part of the family.

Lorna · 06-21-2007, 01:05 PM

I just talked to a trainer today at PetSmart. I was at the checkouts and overhead her talking to another lady about housebreaking her dog. I went over to get in on the conversation because I've had trouble with the younger Yorkie going potty in the dining room, sometimes right after I bring her in! She said that you should not react when they have an accident, just clean it up when they aren't around because if you react, they are getting attention. She said their bladders are not like ours and it takes them more times to pee before they are empty and should not be brought back inside until they have peed several times. She said they have 10 minutes to potty and if they don't, she puts them back in the crate and tries again every 1/2 an hour until they do. She also said not to let them run out in the yard freely to potty, but to put them on a leash and take them to one corner of the yard, which is their potty place. She also stated that she potties her little dogs before she takes them for a walk because she doesn't want them pottying around the neighborhood. I can see that her way of potty training would probably work, but it sure seems time consuming. I suppose once you have them trained, it wouldn't be. I ask her if Yorkies are harder to train and she said absolutely not!

I used to have a Lhasa that I taught to ring a bell when he wanted outside. I hung the bell on the door knob, low enough for him to hit it with his nose. If he hit it, he went outside whether he wanted to or not, to teach him that ringing the bell means going outside. I had a friend whose dog rang a bell and I thought it really clever. Wish I had done that with the Yorkies! Maybe I will try it with the new puppy.

Chelle · 06-22-2007, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorna

She said they have 10 minutes to potty and if they don't, she puts them back in the crate and tries again every 1/2 an hour until they do.

This is a great idea for me. My Eury is a little over 3 months old. When she's in her x-pen she is perfectly trained to use the pee pad. When she's out, she's about 25% trained. Also initially when we take her out it can take 30 minutes for her to finally use the pee pad so the above idea sounds like it will help with that.

I do have a question though. When she is out and about playing with us, what is the best way to train her to pee on the pee pad? When we see her squat should we take her immediately to the pee pad with a firm NO? I ask because she tends to "piddle", meaning when she's playing she squats and pees a tiny bit and every time I catch I say a firm "NO" and take her to the pad, but at that point she's done pee-ing. This method is semi-working.

Chelle

tweetyb715 · 06-23-2007, 03:27 AM

I purchased the little rabbit/gerbil water container at the pet store and put it in either the crate or x-pen if I'm leaving the house for any length of time and won't be able to take them out to potty. They can get a drink from it in the amount that they want to keep licking it to activate the water release....but you don't have to put a bowl of water down so it gives them fresh water with out a huge supply. (Plus since I have several - they would dump it playing) That is only if I'm going to be away. They learn very quickly how to lick the small spout for the water to come out. Just be sure and watch it and keep it refilled for them.
Just a thought - I also use it in the small crate when we got on trips so they always have water - the little plastic trays to snap on the wire always seem to spill

Hope that helps.
</IMG>

Lorna · 06-23-2007, 08:33 AM

I would think your idea might work. That's what I would do. I think if you catch them in the act, grab them and say no and put them where you want them to go. I think her idea of ignoring it if you catch them is silly. But if you don't see them do it, then ignore it because they will have no idea what you are upset about. They might react to the tone of your voice and look contrite, but it's just the tone of your voice that is effecting them. They really don't know why you are upset.

Lorna · 06-23-2007, 08:38 AM

I do not think you should let him eat and drink whenever he wants. I think that would make it impossible to potty train him. I think you should have water down at all times, but food should be taken up after 15 minutes, or when he walks away from it for awhile. Otherwise, not only will he be snacking constantly and needing to poop more, he will get fat! Savannah started gaining weight and the vet told me to only feed her twice a day (she is 3 years old) and take the food up after she eats. Until she got pregnant I started doing that, as well as putting her on maintenance food to help her lose some of that extra weight. When they are pregnant and nursing, the vet recommends giving them puppy food because it helps with milk production, but once the puppies are weened, back to maintenance food.

Galatea · 06-23-2007, 01:08 PM

I have two xpen-type areas in my very small living areas. The crate fits in the corner of both of them. One is a gated area in the bathroom. The other is a petplaypen that is portable that I got on ebay. I have a potty area and her toys and water in each one. I feed 4 times a day and keep the food up when it isn't one of those times.

I try and keep Gidget in whichever x pen type area is closest to where I am working - cooking, making beds etc. I move the crate each time, too so she can sleep there if she feels like it.

She will bark a little now and then, wanting attention, I ignore her. No eye contact and I raise my chin and look away. If she gets a little frenzied, about it I say NO BARK firmly and she usually stops. If she continues one more time after I say that, she gets a mist in the face from a water bottle and it ALWAYS ends for good after that.

You have to be able to get your housework done and she will have to accept that. I agree that there is no way you can do it AND watch her for potty training at the same time. I also try and leave the TV on where she can see or hear it while I am occupied in the house or else out of the house.

tweetyb715 · 06-23-2007, 03:29 PM

I have a little umbrella stroller from when one of my grandkids was tiny that is now the puppy stoller. I put them in the stroller and move them from room to room with me - they will not just down....if they accidently do - just pick say "stay" firmly and they will lay down and sleep or chew on their play toy. They like being in the same room with me.

carladean · 06-24-2007, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcook

What I did was I got a larger piece of cardboard than the area in the crate (where the wall would be) and shoved it in the space and had the sides fold into the back of the area where she wouldn't have access. So it basically lodged itself into the space and it was pretty sturdy cuz it was hard cardboard. I did have openings on each end of the crate, so this made it easier to stuff it and have the excess cardboard fold against the top/bottom or sides of the crate.

My sweet husband went out to his shop and came back with a piece of plywood he cut to fit her crate, with a piece nailed on the back to keep it at a certain spot...isn't he a sweetie!!

Carla

06-21-2007, 12:46 PM	#18
gcook YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hayward Posts: 7	no she didn't eat the cardboard What I did was I got a larger piece of cardboard than the area in the crate (where the wall would be) and shoved it in the space and had the sides fold into the back of the area where she wouldn't have access. So it basically lodged itself into the space and it was pretty sturdy cuz it was hard cardboard. I did have openings on each end of the crate, so this made it easier to stuff it and have the excess cardboard fold against the top/bottom or sides of the crate.

06-23-2007, 03:27 AM	#22
tweetyb715 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 93	water option idea I purchased the little rabbit/gerbil water container at the pet store and put it in either the crate or x-pen if I'm leaving the house for any length of time and won't be able to take them out to potty. They can get a drink from it in the amount that they want to keep licking it to activate the water release....but you don't have to put a bowl of water down so it gives them fresh water with out a huge supply. (Plus since I have several - they would dump it playing) That is only if I'm going to be away. They learn very quickly how to lick the small spout for the water to come out. Just be sure and watch it and keep it refilled for them. Just a thought - I also use it in the small crate when we got on trips so they always have water - the little plastic trays to snap on the wire always seem to spill Hope that helps. </IMG> __________________

06-23-2007, 03:29 PM	#26
tweetyb715 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 93	housework-I use a baby stroller I have a little umbrella stroller from when one of my grandkids was tiny that is now the puppy stoller. I put them in the stroller and move them from room to room with me - they will not just down....if they accidently do - just pick say "stay" firmly and they will lay down and sleep or chew on their play toy. They like being in the same room with me. __________________

06-20-2007, 11:15 AM	#16
medusa512 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 530	i know this might sound crazy, but it could be him trying to punish you for not spending time with him or giving him attention when he wants it. my dog punishes my husband this way (for example he couldn't lay still and was put in the front room to sleep. i woke in the morning to a lovely mess and edgar just staring at me like, "and what??") do you let him drink freely? maybe you s hould control the amount he drinks and at what times and take him out about 10m after. (i'm not saying to cut back on water, but what you save by taking him outside vs. 20 minutes of paper towels and doggy carpet odor remover...) hope that helps. t

06-20-2007, 11:28 AM	#17
Buddah<3r Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tustin Posts: 226	I let him both drink and eat freely. I had such a scare with hypoglycemia that I never wanted him to be without and get sick

06-21-2007, 12:57 PM	#19
Lorna Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Owens Cross Roads, AL Posts: 44	I keep my crates open during the day and they areback in the dark laundry room. When either dog gets tired (at night), they will go back there and get in their crate. But during the day, they nap out where we are because they want to be part of the family.

06-21-2007, 01:05 PM	#20
Lorna Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Owens Cross Roads, AL Posts: 44	I just talked to a trainer today at PetSmart. I was at the checkouts and overhead her talking to another lady about housebreaking her dog. I went over to get in on the conversation because I've had trouble with the younger Yorkie going potty in the dining room, sometimes right after I bring her in! She said that you should not react when they have an accident, just clean it up when they aren't around because if you react, they are getting attention. She said their bladders are not like ours and it takes them more times to pee before they are empty and should not be brought back inside until they have peed several times. She said they have 10 minutes to potty and if they don't, she puts them back in the crate and tries again every 1/2 an hour until they do. She also said not to let them run out in the yard freely to potty, but to put them on a leash and take them to one corner of the yard, which is their potty place. She also stated that she potties her little dogs before she takes them for a walk because she doesn't want them pottying around the neighborhood. I can see that her way of potty training would probably work, but it sure seems time consuming. I suppose once you have them trained, it wouldn't be. I ask her if Yorkies are harder to train and she said absolutely not! I used to have a Lhasa that I taught to ring a bell when he wanted outside. I hung the bell on the door knob, low enough for him to hit it with his nose. If he hit it, he went outside whether he wanted to or not, to teach him that ringing the bell means going outside. I had a friend whose dog rang a bell and I thought it really clever. Wish I had done that with the Yorkies! Maybe I will try it with the new puppy.

06-23-2007, 08:33 AM	#23
Lorna Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Owens Cross Roads, AL Posts: 44	I would think your idea might work. That's what I would do. I think if you catch them in the act, grab them and say no and put them where you want them to go. I think her idea of ignoring it if you catch them is silly. But if you don't see them do it, then ignore it because they will have no idea what you are upset about. They might react to the tone of your voice and look contrite, but it's just the tone of your voice that is effecting them. They really don't know why you are upset.

06-23-2007, 08:38 AM	#24
Lorna Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Owens Cross Roads, AL Posts: 44	I do not think you should let him eat and drink whenever he wants. I think that would make it impossible to potty train him. I think you should have water down at all times, but food should be taken up after 15 minutes, or when he walks away from it for awhile. Otherwise, not only will he be snacking constantly and needing to poop more, he will get fat! Savannah started gaining weight and the vet told me to only feed her twice a day (she is 3 years old) and take the food up after she eats. Until she got pregnant I started doing that, as well as putting her on maintenance food to help her lose some of that extra weight. When they are pregnant and nursing, the vet recommends giving them puppy food because it helps with milk production, but once the puppies are weened, back to maintenance food.

06-23-2007, 01:08 PM	#25
Galatea Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fresno Posts: 193	I have two xpen-type areas in my very small living areas. The crate fits in the corner of both of them. One is a gated area in the bathroom. The other is a petplaypen that is portable that I got on ebay. I have a potty area and her toys and water in each one. I feed 4 times a day and keep the food up when it isn't one of those times. I try and keep Gidget in whichever x pen type area is closest to where I am working - cooking, making beds etc. I move the crate each time, too so she can sleep there if she feels like it. She will bark a little now and then, wanting attention, I ignore her. No eye contact and I raise my chin and look away. If she gets a little frenzied, about it I say NO BARK firmly and she usually stops. If she continues one more time after I say that, she gets a mist in the face from a water bottle and it ALWAYS ends for good after that. You have to be able to get your housework done and she will have to accept that. I agree that there is no way you can do it AND watch her for potty training at the same time. I also try and leave the TV on where she can see or hear it while I am occupied in the house or else out of the house.