litter box training anyone? - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

3PoundElvis · 08-25-2005, 02:50 PM

Again, I've replied to this issue numerous times, but so many folks have asked about it so here I go again.
We just purchased a second yorkie baby and are in the process of training her now, so the training part is fresh in my mind once again
It has really been easy. We buy litter boxes especially designed for dogs (at petsmart). The larger, deeper ones are great if you have a male, as they like to hike their legs and the dog boxes are deep enough to allow them to do it. We don't use the dog litter as they would always try to eat it. Instead we just use regular "clumping" cat litter. The one we use now is called "Swheat Scoop" Natural Wheat litter. It is just wheat grain, it clumps like regular clay clumping cat litter, but can be flushed down the toilet. It just seems cleaner and better for your puppy!
The trick to training them is to keep the box clean.Our schedule is as follows:First thing in the morning, put them in the box and don't let them out until they potty, which never takes too long since they've been holding it all night. We praise them as they are doing their business and then let them out to eat.After they eat, they usually have to go do #2. When we see them sniffing around and doing the 'circle dance' we put them in the box again. After they do both #1 and #2, we scoop the waste out of the litter box and head out for work. During the day, we use baby gates to keep them confined to the kitchen and they have free range of it until we are home. As soon as we come home we clean out the litterbox again. Keeping it clean, will keep them using it.I was home with Elvis during his litterbox training, so I was able to keep a close eye on him. Whenever he awoke from a nap or ate a bunch, I'd just put him in the litterbox. It's the cutest thing when you see them head off on their own to the litterbox for the first time At first, they'll forget alot, as they do with any type of house training (they're just little ones after all), but they start to pick it up after a bit. It usually takes about 5 months for them to be trained completely, but then no more worries about keeping them caged up or letting them outside in the winter time or getting up early to let them outside. We keep a litterbox in the laundry room and the master bedroom bath. They sleep in our bed and have NEVER had an accident in it. When they need to go, they just hop off the bed and go to the litter box, then climb back up into bed with us. It's so nice not to have to worry about them holding it all day. Good luck with your baby and let me know if there is anything else I can do.

jenefor · 08-25-2005, 02:54 PM

We tryed the littter box but it never went well Gidget just always thought it was more fun to play in there and eat it

.....we even tryed the box with a pad in there for her to get the point that it was to pee pee in and she just tore up the pads (never tore them up by them selfs.....so we just gave up and figured leave well enopugh alone with the pads :P I do have friends that have their doggies litter trained.....just didnt work for us.

leximax · 08-25-2005, 04:14 PM

3PoundElvis - How do you keep them in the bos until they go? Mine keep trying to get out like its a game!

3PoundElvis · 08-25-2005, 05:29 PM

First thing in the morning, its easy because they've been holding it all night. But they do tend to think of it like a game at first. Just be patient and persistent with them. When he steps out of the box we pick him up and repeat "go potty elvis" everytime, then we put him back in until he finally does go. There will be days when it seems like they just don't get it, but they will. If they make a mistake we try to catch them in the act and quickly put them in the litterbox and tell them to go potty. If they finish their business there, we praise them again. Most of the time, its a matter of keeping them in the confined area of the kitchen and watching them. When they act like they need to go, we put them in the box and tell them to go potty. I know it may seem like a hassle, but any kind of indoor training is tough at first.
Now Elvis has full reign of the house, we just keep a litter box on every floor of the house and he knows where they are and uses them 100% of the time. When we take him for walks or he plays outside, he has no problems going outside and still using his indoor litterbox when he returns to the house. It is also great because most of the time he is using the litterbox, so my yard remains lush and green, where our neighbors yards have dead spots from repeated dog urination. We also have a female yorkie who is 17 weeks now and she has caught on pretty quickly. I think it helped to already have a yorkie that uses it. Hang in there. Just be calm, patient, and persistent and ALWAYs try to keep the litterbox as clean as you can. Your baby will catch on! Best of luck!

08-25-2005, 02:50 PM	#16
3PoundElvis Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 16	Again, I've replied to this issue numerous times, but so many folks have asked about it so here I go again. We just purchased a second yorkie baby and are in the process of training her now, so the training part is fresh in my mind once again It has really been easy. We buy litter boxes especially designed for dogs (at petsmart). The larger, deeper ones are great if you have a male, as they like to hike their legs and the dog boxes are deep enough to allow them to do it. We don't use the dog litter as they would always try to eat it. Instead we just use regular "clumping" cat litter. The one we use now is called "Swheat Scoop" Natural Wheat litter. It is just wheat grain, it clumps like regular clay clumping cat litter, but can be flushed down the toilet. It just seems cleaner and better for your puppy! The trick to training them is to keep the box clean.Our schedule is as follows:First thing in the morning, put them in the box and don't let them out until they potty, which never takes too long since they've been holding it all night. We praise them as they are doing their business and then let them out to eat.After they eat, they usually have to go do #2. When we see them sniffing around and doing the 'circle dance' we put them in the box again. After they do both #1 and #2, we scoop the waste out of the litter box and head out for work. During the day, we use baby gates to keep them confined to the kitchen and they have free range of it until we are home. As soon as we come home we clean out the litterbox again. Keeping it clean, will keep them using it.I was home with Elvis during his litterbox training, so I was able to keep a close eye on him. Whenever he awoke from a nap or ate a bunch, I'd just put him in the litterbox. It's the cutest thing when you see them head off on their own to the litterbox for the first time At first, they'll forget alot, as they do with any type of house training (they're just little ones after all), but they start to pick it up after a bit. It usually takes about 5 months for them to be trained completely, but then no more worries about keeping them caged up or letting them outside in the winter time or getting up early to let them outside. We keep a litterbox in the laundry room and the master bedroom bath. They sleep in our bed and have NEVER had an accident in it. When they need to go, they just hop off the bed and go to the litter box, then climb back up into bed with us. It's so nice not to have to worry about them holding it all day. Good luck with your baby and let me know if there is anything else I can do.

08-25-2005, 02:54 PM	#17
jenefor Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 136	We tryed the littter box but it never went well Gidget just always thought it was more fun to play in there and eat it .....we even tryed the box with a pad in there for her to get the point that it was to pee pee in and she just tore up the pads (never tore them up by them selfs.....so we just gave up and figured leave well enopugh alone with the pads :P I do have friends that have their doggies litter trained.....just didnt work for us.

08-25-2005, 04:14 PM	#18
leximax Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Hazleton, PA Posts: 186	3PoundElvis - How do you keep them in the bos until they go? Mine keep trying to get out like its a game!

08-25-2005, 05:29 PM	#19
3PoundElvis Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 16	First thing in the morning, its easy because they've been holding it all night. But they do tend to think of it like a game at first. Just be patient and persistent with them. When he steps out of the box we pick him up and repeat "go potty elvis" everytime, then we put him back in until he finally does go. There will be days when it seems like they just don't get it, but they will. If they make a mistake we try to catch them in the act and quickly put them in the litterbox and tell them to go potty. If they finish their business there, we praise them again. Most of the time, its a matter of keeping them in the confined area of the kitchen and watching them. When they act like they need to go, we put them in the box and tell them to go potty. I know it may seem like a hassle, but any kind of indoor training is tough at first. Now Elvis has full reign of the house, we just keep a litter box on every floor of the house and he knows where they are and uses them 100% of the time. When we take him for walks or he plays outside, he has no problems going outside and still using his indoor litterbox when he returns to the house. It is also great because most of the time he is using the litterbox, so my yard remains lush and green, where our neighbors yards have dead spots from repeated dog urination. We also have a female yorkie who is 17 weeks now and she has caught on pretty quickly. I think it helped to already have a yorkie that uses it. Hang in there. Just be calm, patient, and persistent and ALWAYs try to keep the litterbox as clean as you can. Your baby will catch on! Best of luck!