Help with potty training...in winter

[twMum82]

Hello everyone I am new to the Yorkie World, anyways he's 3 months and we just got him, he has been trained to pee and poop on papers and he's has the "odd" accident on the floor but has been peeing and pooping on paper which is "ok" but I dont want him to think this is somthing he can do forever, anyways im in canada the weather is now very cold, im not sure how to get him to pee and poop outside. the women we bought him from said she has "introduced" him to peeing and pooping both indoors and outside..so the other day i was on the phone i caught him just about to go poop and i placed him outside and for 10 minutes NOTHING and when i got off the phone i brought him back him and he pooped on the floor!!!! I was mad but because i didn't exzactlly "catch" him in the act i didn't get totally mad..any suggetions as to how you can train your puppy to go outside when it's freezing??? I've also made him alittle puppy jacket and I crate train and feed him at certian times!
Would love to hear back from everyone!
Also I have another dog in the house, (a sheltie) he dosen't mark the house and I was hoping he'd show Thomas where to go but no.

[joann1166]

Welcome. I'm bumping this thread up so maybe someone can help you that is in Canada like you.

[memphis10]

Hello and welcome. We are in Canada and yes, it's been VERY cold. Our pup is just over 4 months old. He is pee trained now for pad and outdoors but pooping is another story. We just keep firing him out the door onto the deck every 1/2 hour and especially when we know it's his poop time. In the really cold weather he has about a 10 sec window before he's starting to freeze up, not usually enough time to poop. I've taken the attitude of being patient. When the weather is warmer we leave him out for longer and he's getting the idea this is where he is to do ALL his business but when it was -30 last week I cut him some slack because he just couldn't stay out long enough. I think the important thing is to be consistent about putting him out, even if it is for a short period so he gets used to the concept so when it's a bit warmer like it is here today he can go out and get the job done. We have also started to notice in the past two weeks he is going to the door and starting to whimper and when we let him out he always at least pees so I think it's just a matter of sticking with it. I believe some of that to be maturity. This breed seems to be slow learners in this area, at least compared to our labs of which one was trained in the winter as well and he caught on in a day.

[Brookef18]

Hi, We brought sadie home in Dec... It was too cold for a small puppy to go out side so I put a used pack and play (Baby play pen) in the basement. I lined it with poppy pads. She used it all winter. then when it got warmer out we brought her out side to Chewy's potty pen and she made the change no problem... I think with an enclosed area they get the idea very quickly.

[angeleyes]

I got Belle is January 2 years ago and it was way below zero in Minnesota so we pee pad trained as she was at 2 pounds. We have kept the pee pads as she just can't go out when it's so cold or raining. Her little pink skin shows through her hair in places. She is really good about her pee pads and to save having to replace them so often, I use newspaper on top of the pad and then just replace the paper. She won't go on it if the paper is wet. It took me a while to figure out what she was doing with pooping. I did get it figured out finally They don't like to poop on the same pad she pees on. Okay 2 pads placed a room apart, problem solved. I think it gets too cold up here for the little ones. Belle does pee if I am outside with her when the weather is good. I can not just put her out as we have coyotes that roam as close as my back yard.

[TaylorWoods]

Well I live in sunny South Africa so I dont have the cold problem - even in winter our temperatures dont go below 10 degrees celcuis. My dogs both sleep outside at night now in summer and in winter we have the issue of pottying inside! (I fuss overthem and like them inside because I know they feel the cold! I cant imagine them surviving in snow!)

Given the chance they will still do their thing inside if they can - even when the door is wide open...they dont like getting their feet wet in the rain! We get a lot of rain now in Summer!

My second pup was a problem child though. The breeder kept him inside and they were confined to an area with sponge on the bottom so he insisted on only doing his business on something soft. Once i figured out why he was doing this I could solve the problem. He would only pee on the carpets, bathmats, even the couch or bed if he was desperate enough! He would pee in his own bed daily and then find something else to sleep on!!! he would even go and pee in my females bed and then lcimb back into his own! So i limited his access to these things. I picked up all the rugs, kept all bedroom doors shut (which means they know this is off limits now as adults) and made sure his paper or pads were outside. He soon learned!

When they did stay inside I would put a nappy on her and a belly band on him - I have only had to do this once or twice and they have learned to hold their bladders! They hate peeing on themselves you see!

And yes, they do have accidents at times but when im home they will go outside voluntarily.

You need to be consistent too. I have never crate trained but i did notice you said "I crate train and feed him at certian times"...if that's your solution then you must do it all the time to teach him. otherwise he will just be confused.

One thing they have taught me is to be patient- very difficult! And be firm but kind at all times. Let him know when he has done something wrong but dont punish him. and reward him when he does it right! When he goes outside, treat and praise him for being a good boy! EVERY time! Also use the same word over and over again when telling him to go potty - eventually they learn it almost like a command, followed by a treat

Good luck! This is an international Yorkie problem! You are not alone!

[twMum82]

You and I seem to have the same addtude. I do the same things only he has't got the message to go outside yet. He dosen't really have any accidents on the carpet or floor too often but REFUSES to pee or poop outside. I was on the phone as I think i said and I "caught" him squating to go poop and I grabed him and put him outside and NOTHING but when i let him in (10 mintutes) later he found a spot and pooped on the floor!!! I am being consistant with him and thats what we have to be with our puppies!

[JenniferLeigh]

I got Lexi in February? (Or was it March?), regardless it was still snowy and cold outside! I taught her to go outside from the beginning, rain or shine. If she had an accident in the house, I would put her scold her and put her outside. It really didn't take too long before she figured it out. She can usually do her business in less than a minute.

If I found an accident but didn't catch her, I would show it to her. Scold, and put her outside. Note: I would not run her nose it in! But I would bring her over, point and say no. Some people say this doesn't work but hey...my dog is 100% potty trained so to each their own.

If I was with her outside, and she went to the bathroom I would get downright ecstatic. Lots of praise, and I'd also recommend associating a word with the action, personally I use "pee" . Good pee, bad pee, NO PEE! do you need to pee?

[TaylorWoods]

I agree - no nose rubbing necessary but they must know it is bad. In my house all I have to do is say "who did that" and they BOLT! I will take them both to show them and ask them who it was (not that they answer!) then chase them outside for a time out until i let them in again. my thing that kills me is that my female will sneak a poo and the male will go and pee on it to mark his territory! I could cry!

I am lucky enough to have outdoor access so during the day they can stay in the garden. and they sleep outside in a kennel at night unles the weather is bad. It has helped them learn that outside is the place to go. But even so they will go and have a poo either on the bricks, or the steps or sometimes RIGHT NEXT TO THE DOOR as if they were leaning against it while they dropped it! They have even peed so close to the gate that it's gone under their water bowl! have they no pride?!?! lol! So in this case I put mesh on the security gate so they have no more access unless I let them and I have told them often enough that the steps are BAD! Maybe the grass tickles?!?!?! ha ha! and I loved the food and water to a place where they dont pee!

The only thing that helped with me was letting them spend more time outside than in but I am lucky to have that option. It isnt a myth that Yorkies are hard to house break but it isnt impossible!

Try a command word when he goes out and praise him like he the most intelligent dog in the world when he does it right! make him proud of what he has done when he does it right and ashamed when he does it wrong (kindly of course). deep down I know it will never be perfect and i have accepted that but I still try my best to improve as much as I can! I remember once saying to my fiance that Taylor had been 13 days without peeing in the house...as I was boasting she squatted at my feet and peed! ha ha ha ha!!!!!!

[twMum82]

Yesterday I let Thomas out (and set the stove timer) their was a lot of whimper and whining but he did go poop outside!! I was sooo happy (before) that happened i saw him about to poop on the floor i grabbed him and put him outside! then i gently put him outside (on our porch) and he did the whimper and whin scratched at the patio doors but anyways he did poop outside!!!! It was hard not to go running to the door and let him in (hearing those little whins) to let him in but i didn't circum to them! I'm proud of him and I!! I think it's all about Watching doggy behaviors...meal schedules and making sure your puppy knows where and where not to go. Personally I don;t like the pee pads or newspaper but as far as the news paper goes its alot more "recyclable" the pee pads unless its the kind you can wash!! Its hard to catch your dog in the "act" for the majority if you have to work but for me i'm not working so i have to time to catch the little bugger. Anyways thanks so much for all the support Ladies!!!!

[TaylorWoods]

Great improvement! Even once is better! If you can catch him about to go and can get him outside in time he will soon learn that he is meant to go out!

You are lucky to be there all day with him. I have always been told not to free feed, or feed and leave it there so that they can eat when they please. Mine get 15 minutes eating time so depending on the meal they either gulp it down or pick it slowly! after 15 minutes bowls get picked up. once you know how long your dog generally takes between eating and depositing (ha ha!) you will soon learn when to put him out after his meal!

oh it's so hard when they whine to come in and we have to be firm It's so hard not to spoil them every second of the day with those cute little faces!

As for newspaper, i gave up on that very early on! Taylor would chase it around the floor all day and then do her business off the paper anyway! the older she got the better she got at destroying it and I would come home to a room full of shredded paper and wee everywhere! I have a weak stomach at the best of times! lol!

[abgabby1]

Hello guys, I am new to YT. I have been using paper for my female yorkie to go potty, then gradually started using the puppy pee pee pads. They seem to be working and she's using it without missing. I have a very disturbing & embarrassing thing I wanted to ask you about and wondered if you've ever had the same problem and if you know why this is happening....ok here goes, she is pooping and twice we've caught her (there is just no way to put it) eating her fecal matter. ARGH! Please help!!!!

Thanks

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by abgabby1

Hello guys, I am new to YT. I have been using paper for my female yorkie to go potty, then gradually started using the puppy pee pee pads. They seem to be working and she's using it without missing. I have a very disturbing & embarrassing thing I wanted to ask you about and wondered if you've ever had the same problem and if you know why this is happening....ok here goes, she is pooping and twice we've caught her (there is just no way to put it) eating her fecal matter. ARGH! Please help!!!!

Thanks

Don't be embarrassed to ask about it. Lots of yorkies do that. I'm going to have to let some others experienced with this reply to you, but like I said, don't be embarrassed. We don't have any topics that haven't already been discussed here at least once. Or you can try the "search" tool in the blue bar above. It's called copraphobia, I believe. Some people, I do know, say pineapple added to their food stops it and then there are some other things you can get. I forget offhand what those other things are though.

[abgabby1]

Hi Yorkieusa, I just found the thread by Megansmomma, the poop guru lol...and I'm going to buy some pineapple chunks tomorrow and see if this will do the trick. I'm not so embarrassed after reading it's not just my puppy hehehe.... Hugs

[laci32]

Originally Posted by twMum82

Hello everyone I am new to the Yorkie World, anyways he's 3 months and we just got him, he has been trained to pee and poop on papers and he's has the "odd" accident on the floor but has been peeing and pooping on paper which is "ok" but I dont want him to think this is somthing he can do forever, anyways im in canada the weather is now very cold, im not sure how to get him to pee and poop outside. the women we bought him from said she has "introduced" him to peeing and pooping both indoors and outside..so the other day i was on the phone i caught him just about to go poop and i placed him outside and for 10 minutes NOTHING and when i got off the phone i brought him back him and he pooped on the floor!!!! I was mad but because i didn't exzactlly "catch" him in the act i didn't get totally mad..any suggetions as to how you can train your puppy to go outside when it's freezing??? I've also made him alittle puppy jacket and I crate train and feed him at certian times!
Would love to hear back from everyone!
Also I have another dog in the house, (a sheltie) he dosen't mark the house and I was hoping he'd show Thomas where to go but no.

Hi I am in Canada as well, Right now it's brrrr cold and snowing really hard. I might have to make paths for Andy. Please make sure you have a coat for your furbaby. Andy was 1 pound when I got him and finding clothes was a chore. I bought one and modified it to fit. Make the trips short outside. If he finds a spot to pee. Return to that spot each time. I found for a year I had to take him out about every two hours. He is two now and can hold it longer.

Good luck and keep us updated. Oh I also have a pee pad down in the bathroom just in case