New Yorkie Owner - Critiques/Advice?

[navillusc]

Awww...cute, sweet, smart, obedient little Monty is coming along nicely...great job, momma!

[Phanatical]

Thanks everyone! I'm sitting here at work and missing my little turkey so much!

[DBlain]

Welcome to Yorkie Talk, and congratulations on Monty, LOL do you use that as a nic name, it's cute. Sounds like you are one smart yorkie mommy, Monty is lucky he found you. Do you take him out to potty on a leash, if not this might help you tweak the potty training. I had 4 yorkies before Lola, three went outside and one was paper trained, all had accidents in the house. Lola is 100% housebroken and sort of by accident, I started to take her out on a leash to potty, and I soon found out the leash method worked like a charm. So now regardless if we are in a fenced in area we always go out to do business via leash. She knows walking around on a leash in our yard is business time not play time. This helps in so many ways, I know when and where she did what, and what it looks like. It also helps when I am in a hurry and have to go out or go to bed, she gets her business done quick. My sister on the other hand lets her yorkie out the door and does not watch to see if she went and what she did. I think half the time her dog goes out and just plays and sniffs then comes back in and later pottys in the house. I spend less time walking Lola around my yard then she spends cleaning up Lucy's accidents. I also use the bell method, I have a long ribbon with jingle bells on the end we ring it each time she goes out, and now she rings it to let me know she wants to go out, works great, better than barking

[Phanatical]

Originally Posted by DBlain

Welcome to Yorkie Talk, and congratulations on Monty, LOL do you use that as a nic name, it's cute. Sounds like you are one smart yorkie mommy, Monty is lucky he found you. Do you take him out to potty on a leash, if not this might help you tweak the potty training. I had 4 yorkies before Lola, three went outside and one was paper trained, all had accidents in the house. Lola is 100% housebroken and sort of by accident, I started to take her out on a leash to potty, and I soon found out the leash method worked like a charm. So now regardless if we are in a fenced in area we always go out to do business via leash. She knows walking around on a leash in our yard is business time not play time. This helps in so many ways, I know when and where she did what, and what it looks like. It also helps when I am in a hurry and have to go out or go to bed, she gets her business done quick. My sister on the other hand lets her yorkie out the door and does not watch to see if she went and what she did. I think half the time her dog goes out and just plays and sniffs then comes back in and later pottys in the house. I spend less time walking Lola around my yard then she spends cleaning up Lucy's accidents. I also use the bell method, I have a long ribbon with jingle bells on the end we ring it each time she goes out, and now she rings it to let me know she wants to go out, works great, better than barking

Thank you for the advice, I sincerely appreciate it! I have really been contemplating the leash method, but it seems my little Monty may actually be getting the hang of it. My yard is extremely small as I'm in a rowhome right in the city (but plenty big for such a small Yorkie!), and when it's potty time I don't let him play, at all. As such, he's already found his little corner, so as soon as I put him in it, within five seconds we have success! If he starts to get distracted, I will definitely start using the leash method! Because the yard is so tiny, and he keeps going in the exact same spot, I know exactly what happened and such. I never thought I'd be so relieved to see a dog's "contributions" until I brought home Monty!

My other love, a beautiful loving Shih Tzu named Sushi, was ruling the roost before I was born, so when I was little I thought all dogs just were called to the great outdoors to do business!

We also got the jingle bells on the ribbon. Every time we take him out, either we tap it with his paw or ring it ourselves (if potty time needs to happen RIGHT NOW and he can't hold it!) and say "Potty time!" and bring him out. I'm praying he catches on! I think he will, as every time he gets more and more curious about the bells!