Housebreaking schedules?!?! HELP me ladies!!!

[Yorkie_Love]

I posted this in the "Training" section but its not getting any replies, so I figured I would try here.


I have NEVER had a problem housebreaking a puppy before. But now that I have a 1 year old baby as well (a 2 legged one) I am having problems finding the time to housebreak her like I normally do. Stella is great about using a pee pad if she is locked in the same room with one....but she wont go to it in the kitchen if she is running around the house, she just finds a spot on my carpet and has at it! I have her locked in the kitchen a lot during the day because of this, but she is a smart cookie and has learned to climb out, get into the cabinets and all other naughty things. And she will run around like mad and step in her poo and pee and it gets ALL over!!! I let her go outside a lot (we live in a condo so no "real" backyard, I have a small chain I put them on...which I HATE to use. But the chain is long and she has lots of grass as well as barkdust to run around on) and she will go to the bathroom out there, but takes a LOT of time. I can usually stay out there until she pee's but usually cant be out there longer than that (with my young child in the house I cant leave him in there long, and the weather is not good enough to take him outside with me). But since I am not out there with her long enough she will come inside and finish her job in here.....of course not her fault. I take her out on a leash a lot as well, but same issue, I cant be outside with her long enough. I am getting REALLY irritated at this situation, and very tired of cleaning up so much mess!!! I know its not her fault, she is so smart I am sure she will figure it out quick. But I need a schedule that works with me and my baby AND with her. I do NOT want to keep using the pee pads....I want her going outside. I swear between my baby diapers and Stella I am up to my ears in poo all day!!! I cant stand it anymore!!!

Can you give me some schedules I can try? Like what to do ALL day and night? I really am at a loss at this point....

And by the way, I cant set up an x-pen outside. Our condo does not allow it and she would climb out anyway!

Thanks in advance!

[TootiesMom]

I wish I could help you but mine arent on much of a schedule, except for the mandatory morning, evening and night runs....
I always just try to make sure that they have a sufficient amount of time after eating to wander around and decide the "perfect" spot... I have a small side yard where the always go "pee pee" and then I take them on leashes every morning and afternoon when we go "outside"... I have always found that using a specific word for pottie time makes them recognize the tone and know that it is time to do their business...
Good Luck to you!
d

[Nancy1999]

I'm not sure how old she is, but I wouldn't let her have run of the house. Is there a way you can use an x-pen inside? The only time you take the puppy out is when she can be carefully supervised. If you see her walking in circles this indicates she needs to go and place her on a pee pad. I found washable pee pads worked better for Joey, more like carpet.

[4doggiemama]

Sounds like you are really having a tough time of it. So sorry. I wasn't a good furbaby mommy when the skin-kids were little. I tried it and gave up. So I guess I am not a good one to give advice. Just sympathize.

[Yorkie_Love]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I'm not sure how old she is, but I wouldn't let her have run of the house. Is there a way you can use an x-pen inside? The only time you take the puppy out is when she can be carefully supervised. If you see her walking in circles this indicates she needs to go and place her on a pee pad. I found washable pee pads worked better for Joey, more like carpether.

She is just 4 months old. And I dont let her have run of the house unless I am there to watch her....I guess I should have worded that different. I meant I wanted to let her have run of the house while I am there and can keep an eye on her and not worry she will stop to pee or something. She is a very busy little girl and stops to pee mid run....if you blink an eye you will miss it! I can set up and x-pen....but I just dont know where besides the kitchen. We have carpet and hardwood everywhere else. So thats why she is gated in the kitchen already most of the time or in her kennel. I do take her out when she circles or sniffs the ground a lot.....the problem is I mainly dont have enough time to stay outside with her long enough for her to get her job done, so she comes inside and finishes! She wont stay outside alone either, and I have tried standing at the door with my son in my arms to watch her and she just stands on the other side of the door waiting for me to join her outside. Ugh.....

[bchgirl]

Honestly it's gonna be awhile before you can trust Stella. Ramsey and Reese were a year old before I trusted them to be loose in the house. Reggie is kept in an xpen when I am not home or too busy to watch him. He came pee pad trained...which he will use as long as he is close to his x pen. We are working on going outside...which means going out frequently.

When you take Stella out...walk her. Don't just stand there...have her walk because it stimulates their bowels. Repeat the phrase...go potty or whatever phrase you use. Reese will potty on command...Ramsey I don't usually have to encourage...Reese gets distracted. I don't have to do these things outside at home...mine all go to work with me. I can't be outside walking dogs for 15 minutes at a time.

There really isn't any convenient schedule for anyone. I can remember taking someone out at 3AM...and thinking why did I sign up for this????

[bchgirl]

Pay attention to the time she is pooing...that will help you a great deal. All of mine go immediately in the morning. Reggie will go again at 2ish in the afternoon. Ramsey and Reese will both go right after we arrive home. Sometimes Reggie will go again. It is like clockwork. All the rest of our "potty" breaks are for peeing.

[Nancy1999]

You can get some vinyl material to sit under x-pen. I got some from Joanne's that was extra wide, and we covered a board with it to make our own x-pen. Some people use a tarp or a plastic tablecloth. Puppies usually want to be with you at that age. Truthfully, I think they have lots and lots of accidents. We have wood floors and they're easier to clean than carpets; and I think with the wood he just understood that the pee pad was different. I had much more trouble with the carpeted areas, and started putting pee pads on the places that he chose to go. I think it's really important to use an enzyme cleaner so she won't return to the same spot.

For outside training you really do need to stay with them the whole time. Taking them out first thing in the morning after being crated overnight, and using key words helps. Not many people have yorkies trained at four months, I think it was closer to 6 months with Joey, and then he had a few setbacks after neutering. I think it depends on how diligent you want to be and how much time you want to invest on a daily basis.

[TLC]

Oh boy 4 months....Mine were not trustable till about 1.5 yrs. old

We had very good consecutive months and then set backs, so we always started back to square one with training, and limited the 'free area'. I say keep her contained in the kitchen while you can't sit and focus on her. At night if you are relaxing, then let her join you, but don't let her wonder. Also, I have heard that if you want to train to potty outside, then you should go out every 30 mins. To be honest, I don't think it is safe to let her out unattended. She is very tiny and young, there are lots of natural animal predators, including human theft...scarey but so true. If you can't devote time with her outside, then I say continue with the pee pads. Mine are 3.5 yrs and I have trained them to use pee pads that I put inside the doggie litter boxes, this way they don't mistake my throw rugs as pee pads.

Best of Luck!