Will I ever be able to let my guys have free reign of the house?
 

I have a 7 month old chihuahua and a 1 year old yorkie. His birthday was yesterday. :) I just recently (within the last 2 weeks) started outside potty training. They were using puppy pads. They are doing really well. They've only had 1 accident each. I'm also working on trying to get them to ring a bell or give me some sign that they need to go outside. As if now I only allow them to stay in the living room. My chihuahua has never left the living room and every time my yorkie left the living room (before we got a gate and before he was neutered) he would go mark things as soon as he left the room. I love the thought of actually being able to trust them enough to let them roam the house alone and know that they won't potty everywhere. How do I even go about doing this? Will I have to wait until they are completely potty trained? Along with being able to give me a sign that they need to go out (or even just be able to hold it until I let them out). Is it possible that I won't ever be able to let them roam? I'm curious if some have dogs like mine (even older dogs) that have to stay in a certain area of the house. I just need some advice on how I could help them live in their house with the rest of the family. Thanks. :)

my suggestion is to have belly bands ready and watch them like hawks. the instinct is to mark..but you have to teach them it is not allowed in the house. I put Cedric's belly band on anytime he is caught in the act and it happens a lot less. he still gets mad at the cats at times when they sleep on his beds and will sometimes still mark but it is a matter of catching them, being stern with no marking (what i say) and putting it right on and helping them understand what you want from them. i hope that helps a little or someone else has better advice. my girls will mark along with cedric outside. its so funny to see my girls lifting one leg and marking at the sametime to be like their brother. im thankful they dont follow his lead in the house. haha.

I would wait untill hes potty trained but also untill hes done with destructive chewing so he doesnt chew on electrical cords and things. With mine that was 1 1/2 or 2

Neither one of them are chewers. Thank goodness. :)

Mine have free run of our home but the funny thing is they always stay in the room with us or in the kitchen at their food and water dishes. I don't know much about chi's but with our yorkies we have never really had explorers inside.

I agree with Chachi, give them more space as they EARN it. They will show you they earn it by you being able to trust them not to potty in your house. So yes, not until they are fully potty trained. Something that might help is a key word to be used every time you take your kiddos outside to potty. Kaji knows "go pee pee" or "go poopies" and knows exactly what he needs to do. After a while, you'll know when your kiddos are acting squirly and you can then ask, like I do, "Kaji do you need to go pee pee?" Trust me! They will respond!

Thank you for your advice. They are really smart. They go potty on command (I say "go potty" for pee and "go poo poo" for poop). Now it's just teaching them that they don't go potty inside, only outside. I think they'll get it eventually. :) But I think I'll keep them in the living room until they are completely potty trained.