Potty Toubles
 

Hi, my Yorkie is 15 months old and up until a couple months ago he has been completely potty trained to potty on his puppy mat. I also have a 15 month old baby girl so it's hard in this weather to take him out a few times a day, plus he's so small I'm worried he'll freeze. 3 months ago I started working so my pup has been home by himself quite a bit, at least 2 hours 3 times a week.

My problem is this.... About 2 or 3 months ago he refuses to go number 2 on his mat. He used to all the time. Instead, he does one of two things. He will either enter the living room and poop right beside mine or daddy's feet, or he waits until we leave a room then he will poop right in front of the door of the room we just entered. I tried picking it up and putting it on his mat and praising him as if he did it. I've tried letting him go on the balcony. I've tried sitting him on his mat after he did the deed where he wasn't supposed to. I've tries ignoring him to make sure he knows I'm upset with him. I don't know what to do. I don't know if he's reacting to being left home by himself, like he's letting us know he's mad. He still pees on his mat but today he peed right in the kitchen.

I want a good puppy and he is except for the poop thing. I'm also concerned because my daughter likes to let us know if he pooped somewhere if we didn't notice first. We usually hear her say "Bad!" and she points to the puppy mat. A couple times (this is really gross but cute at the same time) she will pick up the pooh and hand it to me or her dad saying "Here, here, here" as she's passing it to us. I don't want her to get sick so I wash her hands in water as hot as a 15 month old can handle then I use hand sanitizer on her hands then I wash them again in case.

Has this happened with anyone else's Yorkie? Where they just stop using their mat to poop on? Is he rebelling? He has also been humping everything. Is this why he started pooping everywhere? Does anybody have any tips or advice they can share with me? Thanks :)

Is your boy fixed? Both your yorkie and child are 15 months old... How long have you had the puppy? I'm no expert but he sounds like he's having separation anxiety... You're saying he's left alone about 2 hrs a day, times a week? It doesn't sound like a lot but if the pup is suffering from separation anxiety then that's a different story.

Is he getting enough play time when you are home? I know it's hard with having to take care of a child but perhaps your pup feels like he's being left out?

I'm also wondering if he's miscommuninicating when your baby is pointing at the pad after an accident saying bad, that he might be understanding it to be bad to poop on the pad? Is there any way you can put him in a crate or pen with just enough room for his bed, food and water and a pad, then when you get home take him for a walk immediately till he poops on his walk and then let him loose in the house? I take Gizmo for walks first thing in the morning and after dinner because that is when he poops, and no poop accidents here. Also use the natures miracle marks no more ot some such product that gets rid of the smell completely, because once its there, even if you can't smell it, he can. Also maybe put a pad down where he is having accidents, this was how I got the message cross to Gizmo when I was training him, and it only took me once each time putting the pads in the accident places for him to get the message.

The easiest way to correct this is to confine him to the room where his pad is and watch him closely. When he looks like he has to go get him on the pad much like when you were first training him. Reward him with a healthy treat when he gets it right.

Another way to do it is to tether him to you. He goes where your go. No wandering on his own. Take him to the pad when he has to go. Treat when he does it.

It is just a matter of re-training and the sooner you do it the better.

I would use a liquid anti-bacterial soap when washing your daughter's hands and teach her never to touch the poo. Lots of training going on in your house! It is best not to yell at him for a mistake. Rewarding for doing it right works faster and sticks with him.