Guys, there's no need to be rude. He came here and asked for our advice. Instead of bashing his wife, maybe we should give him some?

Welcome to Yorkie Talk! I don't think it is a good idea to leave a little yorkie out on the porch all day. They could be taken away by any bird or animal. Not to mention they crave attention, and one might just go crazy if it's kept away from it's humans.

I agree, X-Pens are a much better resort. You can block off any section of your appartment just for the little guy and that will be his "place" until he's trained. But you have to make sure to take him out several times a day and give him love and attention. While you're house breaking him, make sure every time he goes on the pad (even if he misses a little. if it looks like he put effort into it at all) praise him like CRAZY. throw him a mini-parade lol. Here's an example of what an X-Pen looks like: http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Prod...lyID_5992.aspx

And also, Yorkies can be very difficult to house break. They have very small bladders, especially when they're babies like your puppy is. It's hard for them to hold it. So you want to make sure that when you're home with him you take him out every hour or 2, and after he eats and after he goes to sleep.

Best of luck to you! I hope you decide to stick around here. We are a friendly group and you'll learn a ton of new things!

Isn't that the neatest setup?! I love it. And you could put the shower curtain or tarp UNDER the sheet so if he misses the pee pad, it won't get on the carpet.

I agree with some people are being a little harsh with their responses. Im sorry you had to go thu that. It seems to happen a lot. And Im sorry for that.
Maybe you can use another part of the apartment to use an xpen.
It seems that some of our Yorkie Babys are harder to potty train then others. But your baby is still young and will catch on in time. It took me a long time to get my male where he is today.
A lot of people that have never owned dogs do not like them in their kitchen. I my self dont have a problem with that, Guess I just love my baby's so much I think of them as kids. lol I just wanted to wish you luck if you try useing the xpen. But It really isent safe for them in the cold or out side unattended.

Another option that worked real well for me was i got a dog playpen http://www.dogdecor.com/dog-pen-dog-play-pen.html
and put her beding at one end and a wee wee pad at the other. She trained in weeks this way. Also she was safe and I could put her anywhere without a mess. With my puppies in the past when I worked full time I gated them in the braekfast area with a view of the outside. It took longer to train when I was not home all day but it does get done. I hoep you can find a workable solution.

I am glad you are looking at Xpens as a possible solution. I have two and just love them. They are also great because you can fold them up and take them with you and use if you want to confiine your pup elsewhere

Hi M, just changing the subject a bit but was it you or your wife who wanted the puppy, it just sounds a bit like you're dead keen but that she isnt really 'bonding' with peanut saying she thinks he's unsanitary in the kitchen and that she would think it was ok to leave him on a porch at 4 months sounds a bit like she's maybe regretting getting him. do you think maybe she feels like that? If she feels like that maybe rehoming him would be better ... although depending on how close you and Peanut have become maybe rehoming your wife :p

First...WELCOME to YT! I wouldnt' leave him outside either...like everyone said here...x-pens seem the way to go...I didn't use one...I use the re-usable cloth pee pads...once they go on it and it is washed it still holds the scent so they are likely to go back to the pad...However, Yorkies are not known for being the easiest breed to train..I have a soon to be 3 yr old (Sadie)and a 5 month old (Lillie) Lillie did really well using the pads as soon as I brought her home. Sadie is a different story..she has more misses than hits on the pad..Lillie has more hit than misses...I have removed my area rug from the living room which has helped with using my rug...I don't know why this breed is so difficult to train...I always had good luck with any other dog that I have owned...But, I love my little furgirls and I am just being consistent with them...As far as unsanitary for the kitchen...IMO...I don't think this would make anyone sick...Do you have an area that you could block off....like a laundry room? you could put everything in there that he needs and just put a gate across the door...

I really don't like the idea of keeping a doggie crated or penned for most of the day. If he will be there for more than a few hours, please find the largest space that you can to section off for him.

I'm glad that you really don't want to put him on the porch....yorkies are particularly social little animals, and can be so delicate. They need to be around the comforts of home, and he will certainly be ready to romp and play and love with you at the end of the day!

Yorkies are also notoriously hard to housebreak, and some never are....and others can take up to two years I've heard. I have one a little over a year, and one a little less, and scarcely a day goes by that we don't have accidents. This is just part of being a yorkie owner for most of us, and hopefully your wife will be able to understand that he WILL need to have SOME freedom around the house when you're home, and be prepared to deal with this.

I soak up as much of the pee as I can with a papertowel...pour on a mixture of white vinegar and hydrogen pyroxide and baking powder...and then use a no-vacuum foam pet deoderizer. It's quick, and seems to control the smell.

Anyway! Back to the idea of building a pen of some sort. This may seem off-the-wall, but I built a huge guinea pig cage based on this concept:

http://www.guineapigcages.com/

The base is made of a corrogated plastic, or "coroplast", like election signs and such are made from. You can buy sheets relatively cheaply from sign companies, and the site I linked gives instructions for building the "box" if you so desire.

I've never seen this suggestion here, but I think that coroplast would be a great base to protect the carpet (or hard wood!) under a dog pen. Of course, you would make sure that he had a soft spot for bedding down, toys to play with, and keep his food/water and piddle pads areas separate.

Good luck!

UNSANITARY?. I'm guessing bathing in the kitchen sink and grooming on the countertop is not allowed either.

Don't put him on the porch. A dog penned away from humans cannot be a companion. If they're not companions then what good are they? they're not enjoying you and you aren't enjoying them.

Your puppy is still a baby. Give it time. I still keep mine confined to the kitchen. They are pee pad trained but also have a doggie door. when I let them in the living room for limited periods of time, I move the pee pad to the living room also.

:welcome4: Welcome M.
Just to let you know, I have a total of 6 furbabies at home, and yes ALL 6 are in my kitchen, they have the back end of it, and at times are all under foot... I have in my kitchen a large crate that is lined so that they can go in there when nature calls, and yes I have had many accidents..:eek: :eek: :eek:. I bought a floor vac for those accidents........My little ones go out several times during the day too....... I also have an X-Pen, and use it during the summer months on my deck....Please do not leave him on the porch unsupervised.....:goodluck:.

I used a baby playpen when Britney was a puppy. It was much cheaper (and the exact same thing.. maybe even nicer) than "puppy playpens."

I think it is unsanitary as well. Yes, I washed Diesel in the kitchen sink when he was a BABY but that was it! Now I never groom him in the kitchen. I alway trimmed him in the bathroom. Now since he is older he is always bathed and groomed in the bathroom. I can't imagine grooming him in the kitchen. I guess I am just a little anal.

The thing I liked about the puppy playpen was the fact that the front zipped open so I could leave it open when she wasn't in it and she could run in and use the wee wee pad. I still have it up for that reason and she likes to go lay in there sometimes.

WELCOME, M to YT!

While I applaud and sincerely appreciate the fact that you want this baby, perhaps a Yorkie just isn't the breed for you and your wife? Yes - they're adorable. Yes - they're small and cuddley. Yes - one would THINK they'd be the perfect apartment pet. However, as stated many times over above, they are extremely SOCIAL, and need to feel accepted. Their spirits can be broken very easily if constantly scolded for 'accidents'. A puppy's bladder is quite small, and at four months, I had several 'potty-stations' through my house for Abbie to get to quickly, and thus give her a better chance for success! As she got more consistent with finding her target, I took away a potty place. Now we've cut it down to one 'potty place' - in the kitchen! LOL I understand your wife's aversion to this. I don't really like it, either; but, it's a spot where there is no traffic, and she can get to it. Outside training, though the best option, is not practical for our family.

You've gotten some wonderful advice and encouragement here (despite some harsh opinions) that should equip you to keep this pup, should you be willing to work. At any rate - a pet should be an ADDITION to a family, not a point of contention and stress. If you and your wife are not ready at this point, perhaps 'twould be best to consider rehoming.

Errrrr, I suggested this "odor control" potion a little earlier, and thought I better come back and point out that obviously you should dilute the white vinegar with the hy/per and a little water, and only add a LITTLE baking powder (if you wanna avoid having a very clean and fresh smelling mini-volcano chemical reaction on your hands! :D)

Oh, OK.. I didn't know those had an openable (is that even a word? :D ) side.

oops...never mind.

The side netting on a human playpen can be dangerous for puppies, they can get caught or even climb out and get hurt doing so.

Do x-pens have little rubber feet on the bottom rails? If so you could use a desk chair floor protector underneath...that would be easy to clean and it would protect your flooring. We used them under out bird cages a few years ago and they were great.

It can surely be frustrating sometimes training a pup. I have a one year old male yorkie and now an 11 week old female...gosh I'm starting all over again!! lol I must have rocks in my head!! :)

I do agree with those who say not to put the pup on the porch. These little ones get cold very easily. They need to be in a warm secure place.

I found one thing to work when training and that is PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE. When Topher would go on the wee pad we would dance, whoop, say 'good boy' over and over and Topher would be just SO thrilled with himself! The silly over the top praise worked wonders with him...much better than treats. It does take a bit of effort, but let me tell you, it is truly worth it. He's a year old now and though he's very good on the pads,hes' not perfect. He still makes the odd mistake, but that's the way it is. We still praise him when we see him doing things right...he still needs that reinforcement every once and a while.

As for worrying about it being unsanitary...I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. I always keep a spray bottle on hand (one from the dollar store) with a mixture of water and a bit of bleach to spray the area to get rid of anything unsanitary.

Your frustration is normal, but don't let it get you down! These little guys can be difficult to train, but the light bulb DOES go on over the head eventually. :) Until then, just hold on to your patience for the mistakes and celebrate the successes!!

OH....and welcome to Yorkietalk!! :)

Hey and welcome - you did right asking people who have lots of experience with yorkies - But I have to agree with everyone - most all of us would never leave ours outside for any reason... It won't help train him and will probably only make it worse because he'll be dealing with loneliness too out there. These little guys just want to be WITH us - they don't do well being ignored or left all alone for long periods of time.

If you find yourselves wanting to leave him out all day - why not try to find a home for him where someone will give him training and not stress out over the accidents ?? He's still only a puppy & yorkies can be pretty hard to train....but if you really love him - try the solutions people posted for you and GOOD LUCK ...but please don't leave him outside !!

First of all Welcome to YT........
Please don't leave your baby on the porch, I had a co-worker that left her 4mo old yorkie on her porch (while she went in to answer the phone)and she squeezed between the railing and the wall and fell off and broke her leg. She is fine now but puppies do seem to find a way to get in trouble.
The other story I have is my girlfriend was working in her garden with her 6mo old puppy(this one was a doxy) and an eagle swooped down and took off with her dog.....true story....
The point is it is not safe and yorkies are small.
Try an xpen, but first have a serious talk with your wife about the puppy.
I would also invest in a steam cleaner...you will need that regardless of how closely you watch your dog.

Michele & Bailey:aimeeyork

All:

Thank you for all of your comments! They were quite encouraging and also allowed me to look at the reality of the situation. After talking with my wife on the phone and telling her about all the comments from various owners on this forum, she got defensive and basically it ended up in an argument. I've decided to give Peanut to a more loving and patient home. My daughter and I love him, but it's not going to do any good for our household if my wife doesn't have the same feelings.

Thanks again for the comments and suggestions.

-M

Sorry to hear your wife is being difficult...but it would be best for all involved if you found a loving home for Peanut where he could get the love and attention he deserves. It's a difficult decision and you're a good man for wanting what's best for your little pup. Good luck!

Update!
 

Well, after another long talk with the wife, I've decided to keep Peanut. We are going to keep him in the apartment and I'm going to get him an x-pen. My wife and I don't see eye to eye on our feelings toward Peanut, but she is willing to compromise for the sake of our daughter's love for Peanut. Hopefully our feelings for him will come to a common ground the longer we have him..

-M

Hi and welcome to YT. Hang in there, not everyone is ready to jump your stuff. This is a good place to learn, if you just skip past the posts that aren't helpful. ;)

I keep my Alphy in an apartment. He's not too keen on the pads, but we are working on it. I keep a target for him in the middle of the pad so he has something to lift his leg on. You can buy little fire hydrants at Petsmart, I think. All I can say is that Belly Bands are my friend. When I'm home I don't keep him in one and I take him out every 2 to 3 hours or if he acts like he has to go. At night or when I'm gone though, Alphy wears a belly band. Belly bands are a strip of fabric that wraps around his middle (private parts) and velcros or snaps. You place a woman's kotex pad in it. That way if he goes potty the pad should absorb the wetness. Like a diaper. He occassionally poops in the laundry room or bathroom, but that's not too bad to clean up.

Good luck with Peanut. Post some pics, if you haven't already.

Whitney

It is a difficult situation if one person in the home doesn't have the same feelings toward the pup as everyone else. Let's face it...some people are really into animals and some aren't. It doesn't make them a bad person, it's just that they may not have the patience that you and I have...especially with the sometimes trying puppy phase.

Hopefully, as time goes by and the puppy stage fades, your wife will grow to love little Peanut more and more.

You obviously have the pup's best interests at heart so whatever the outcome is (whether he stays or finds another home) I know that you will have made the right decision for him (and the family).

I hope you stick around YT. It sure can be a great place for advice...and support! :)

What about your bathroom instead of the kitchen? You go to the bathroom there why can't your baby, too? You could also get a play pen for your little one. I found that human baby play pens are cheaper than doggy play pens. They work great as long as you are home to monitor incase the puppy starts to chew it. Hope this helps. Don't put the puppy on the porch. When I was younger my parents had their porch screened in so that they could put the dogs outside when they were not going to be home for a while +6-8hrs. They were then able to heat the porch in the winter and air condition it in the summer, but unfortunately I don't think this is an option for you. Sorry. Good luck with your pup.

Hi and welcome to YT.. I agree with this post, my husband was one who didn't ever want a dog, he grew up with parents who didn't like dogs. Low and behold my daughter went against his wishes and brought home Gucci and my husband couldn't help falling in love with her. They have bonded nicely and he looks for her and plays with her evernight, and when he is home he walks her. Go figure...lol I think you wife will come around , but please do not keep him outside, like the rest said they belong inside in a loving home. Have patience with him for this breed is hard to train. But it does happen, be consistent and PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE.. You will enjoy him for years to come. He will become part of your family.

:thumbup:

he is doing the right thing by finding a better home for that poor baby.
obviously his wife is not an animal lover and thats ok, to each is own .
that puppy does not belong with that family... it would be better off
with someone who loves him and can take care of him the right way..
good luck little peanut....