Potty Training Help needed for young pups - YorkieTalk.com Forums

jazzybaby · 11-12-2004, 08:45 PM

I could use some help. I am getting 2 new puppies next month and I'm trying to get my housebreaking plan in gear. The problem is, I've been reading various sites and books and they all have one valid point in common. Do not start training the puppy too soon as they do not have the proper control over the blatter and bowels until they are at least 3 to 4 months old. Fine, I understand and even agree with that. The problem is they don't say what you should be doing during this time. Am I not supposed to introduce any type of potty routine during this time? Are they supposed to be allowed to pooh and pee anywhere? HELP!!!

bettyeanne · 11-13-2004, 12:41 AM

Congratulations!! How old will the babies be when you get them? I can't agree with waiting to begin training. Even though it might seem pointless to try ... I would imagine the earlier the better! If I were you, I would begin putting them on wee wee pads the minute I brought them home. I haven't had any experience with one younger than almost 16 weeks ... I know there are some here who have. Good luck!!

Ranger · 11-13-2004, 05:45 PM

What are your plans so far?? Do you want them to potty outside, inside or both? It's never to early to start training, you just need patience and they will learn. My pup came home at 7 wks and was potty trained by 4 months!!

fasteddie · 11-14-2004, 01:12 AM

I'd say to let them outside if you can every hour or two to get them accustomed to pooping and peeing outside, which is a start to potty training in my opinion. Some owners crate their Yorkies all the time in the first few months, which we never did, but it worked for them. I'd say just be stern when they boo-boo and praise like crazy and reward them when they pee in the right places!

jazzybaby · 11-16-2004, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bettyeanne

Congratulations!! How old will the babies be when you get them? I can't agree with waiting to begin training. Even though it might seem pointless to try ... I would imagine the earlier the better! If I were you, I would begin putting them on wee wee pads the minute I brought them home. I haven't had any experience with one younger than almost 16 weeks ... I know there are some here who have. Good luck!!

They will be 11 weeks old. The book that i was reading said this is too soon to expect them to be able to control themselves. They said to start before 16 weeks was cruel.

jazzybaby · 11-16-2004, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fasteddie

I'd say to let them outside if you can every hour or two to get them accustomed to pooping and peeing outside, which is a start to potty training in my opinion. Some owners crate their Yorkies all the time in the first few months, which we never did, but it worked for them. I'd say just be stern when they boo-boo and praise like crazy and reward them when they pee in the right places!

Thanks Fasteddie. I just need to figure out what my method will be. The pups will not be here until the end of December and I would hate for their first experience with potty training to be so unpleasant (the cold & snow). I've been reading about sod pans (plastic pans with a strip of sod on them) and I'm considering using that until the spring.

fasteddie · 11-16-2004, 10:52 AM

You still have a month to decide jazzybaby! What a wonderful little holiday season you will have with your new Yorkies!

bettyeanne · 11-16-2004, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzybaby

They will be 11 weeks old. The book that i was reading said this is too soon to expect them to be able to control themselves. They said to start before 16 weeks was cruel.

I wouldn't imagine that they could control themselves at that age .... I just meant, I don't think that's too young to introduce them to the wee wee pad and let them at least know what it is! If they are punished for their accidents ... that's cruel!! We never, ever punished Toto for her mistakes ... we simply put her on the pad and told her "tee tee here". We also do not nor do we allow anyone else to speak to her in a mean voice. It's not necessary. She knows that if she does a good thing she gets her treat and if she doesn't ... no treat!

karmaboomer · 11-17-2004, 03:48 AM

We didn't kennel mine for all of that time. We got them at 7 weeks, and by now, at 14 weeks, they have almost no accidents in the space we give them. We bought the smallest indoor wire pen at PetCo that they sell, it will give you about a 5'x5' square I think, but we arranged it in a shape to fit our living room. We had their bed and food and toys on one side, and a potty on the other side, as far from the toys as we could. We would play with them outside of the pen, always returning them to the pen when we were done, and we'd say "go potty" to get them to know the words.

If they did actually go, we had treats and a celebration. I never said a word if they didn't go on the pad, but we nearly invited the neighbors over when they went on the pad. They would get so excited.

Hopefully this helps you a little bit.

It really isn't necessary to kennel them for all of that time, but giving them a smaller space to live in, and less place to mess, helps them learn a LOT faster where it is you want them to go potty. Now, they have run of one room in my house, the living room, gated off with a part of the pen, and I have one accident a week to clean up usually. They are 16 weeks right now.

I don't know that I think it is 'cruel' to try before 16 weeks, certainly it worked in my situation. I didn't have the expectation that they would be almost trained by now, but the way we set it up really set them up for success in my opinion.

Good luck!!

bettyeanne · 11-17-2004, 05:44 AM

Karaboomer, we also use the X-pen for Toto. We have it set up on a tarp just in case we have an "accident" ... it's her little "suite" complete with food/water, bed, wee wee pad and toys! The only time we ever close the gate is if we have to leave her alone for a few minutes. She wanders in and out as she pleases but knows it's her "safe place", the place to eat, drink and potty! Her toys are only in there if she takes them in or if we have to close the gate! Works for us!!

Early on when we were first gaining success with the wee wee pad training and she learned that if she did something that pleased us ... then we did something that pleased her ... she started coming and "informing" us that she did a "good thing" and wanted her treat! We noticed one day that she evidently was really having to "squeeze" out about a 25 cent sized pee pee on the pad ... got her treat ... and not 5 minutes later would do it again! We knew that very day that she had indeed gotten "the hang of it"!!!

jazzybaby · 11-17-2004, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger

What are your plans so far?? Do you want them to potty outside, inside or both? It's never to early to start training, you just need patience and they will learn. My pup came home at 7 wks and was potty trained by 4 months!!

In my perfect world, I'd like for them to go inside during the winter/colder months and outside during the spring and summer. Do you think I'm asking too much? I read about using the sod pan/potty area for in the house, I'm just not sure where I'm supposed to keep it. I'm so confused!!!

jazzybaby · 11-17-2004, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bettyeanne

I wouldn't imagine that they could control themselves at that age .... I just meant, I don't think that's too young to introduce them to the wee wee pad and let them at least know what it is! If they are punished for their accidents ... that's cruel!! We never, ever punished Toto for her mistakes ... we simply put her on the pad and told her "tee tee here". We also do not nor do we allow anyone else to speak to her in a mean voice. It's not necessary. She knows that if she does a good thing she gets her treat and if she doesn't ... no treat!

I fully agree. I plan to try the clicker training method. It seems to really drive home to the dog that they did something good. When you crated your baby at night, did you provide a potty area? I was told by the breeder not to put a potty area in the crate because that teaches them to potty in their "den" but then what am I supposed to do for them when I know full well they can't hold it for long?

fasteddie · 11-17-2004, 07:05 PM

jazzybaby: that's definitely doable! We let Yoda out in the front yard to pee/poop in the warmer months, but in the colder ones, he just does his duty in his pee bin or poop on the back patio. Still a bit cold, but usually at least he doesn't get wet back there!

jazzybaby · 11-17-2004, 07:06 PM

Karmaboomer, I like your approach. Your comment helped to answer my question which was where the potty area should be. You said you left them a potty area in their "den/play" area. That's what I wanted to do but I was told not to. To me, it seems like the only way. Thanks.

jazzybaby · 11-17-2004, 07:07 PM

Thanks fasteddie!!! Things are looking up!

11-12-2004, 08:45 PM	#1
jazzybaby Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 46	Potty Training Help needed for young pups I could use some help. I am getting 2 new puppies next month and I'm trying to get my housebreaking plan in gear. The problem is, I've been reading various sites and books and they all have one valid point in common. Do not start training the puppy too soon as they do not have the proper control over the blatter and bowels until they are at least 3 to 4 months old. Fine, I understand and even agree with that. The problem is they don't say what you should be doing during this time. Am I not supposed to introduce any type of potty routine during this time? Are they supposed to be allowed to pooh and pee anywhere? HELP!!!

11-13-2004, 12:41 AM	#2
bettyeanne Donating YT 7000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama, etc. Posts: 9,031	Congratulations!! How old will the babies be when you get them? I can't agree with waiting to begin training. Even though it might seem pointless to try ... I would imagine the earlier the better! If I were you, I would begin putting them on wee wee pads the minute I brought them home. I haven't had any experience with one younger than almost 16 weeks ... I know there are some here who have. Good luck!! __________________ Toto's Mom - http://www.dogster.com/?206581 Yorkie Rescue Colorado - http://www.yorkierescuecolorado.com/ "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits." -- Albert Einstein

11-17-2004, 05:44 AM	#10
bettyeanne Donating YT 7000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama, etc. Posts: 9,031	Karaboomer, we also use the X-pen for Toto. We have it set up on a tarp just in case we have an "accident" ... it's her little "suite" complete with food/water, bed, wee wee pad and toys! The only time we ever close the gate is if we have to leave her alone for a few minutes. She wanders in and out as she pleases but knows it's her "safe place", the place to eat, drink and potty! Her toys are only in there if she takes them in or if we have to close the gate! Works for us!! Early on when we were first gaining success with the wee wee pad training and she learned that if she did something that pleased us ... then we did something that pleased her ... she started coming and "informing" us that she did a "good thing" and wanted her treat! We noticed one day that she evidently was really having to "squeeze" out about a 25 cent sized pee pee on the pad ... got her treat ... and not 5 minutes later would do it again! We knew that very day that she had indeed gotten "the hang of it"!!! __________________ Toto's Mom - http://www.dogster.com/?206581 Yorkie Rescue Colorado - http://www.yorkierescuecolorado.com/ "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits." -- Albert Einstein

11-13-2004, 05:45 PM	#3
Ranger Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 136	What are your plans so far?? Do you want them to potty outside, inside or both? It's never to early to start training, you just need patience and they will learn. My pup came home at 7 wks and was potty trained by 4 months!!

11-14-2004, 01:12 AM	#4
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	I'd say to let them outside if you can every hour or two to get them accustomed to pooping and peeing outside, which is a start to potty training in my opinion. Some owners crate their Yorkies all the time in the first few months, which we never did, but it worked for them. I'd say just be stern when they boo-boo and praise like crazy and reward them when they pee in the right places!

11-16-2004, 10:52 AM	#7
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	You still have a month to decide jazzybaby! What a wonderful little holiday season you will have with your new Yorkies!

11-17-2004, 03:48 AM	#9
karmaboomer Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 118	We didn't kennel mine for all of that time. We got them at 7 weeks, and by now, at 14 weeks, they have almost no accidents in the space we give them. We bought the smallest indoor wire pen at PetCo that they sell, it will give you about a 5'x5' square I think, but we arranged it in a shape to fit our living room. We had their bed and food and toys on one side, and a potty on the other side, as far from the toys as we could. We would play with them outside of the pen, always returning them to the pen when we were done, and we'd say "go potty" to get them to know the words. If they did actually go, we had treats and a celebration. I never said a word if they didn't go on the pad, but we nearly invited the neighbors over when they went on the pad. They would get so excited. Hopefully this helps you a little bit. It really isn't necessary to kennel them for all of that time, but giving them a smaller space to live in, and less place to mess, helps them learn a LOT faster where it is you want them to go potty. Now, they have run of one room in my house, the living room, gated off with a part of the pen, and I have one accident a week to clean up usually. They are 16 weeks right now. I don't know that I think it is 'cruel' to try before 16 weeks, certainly it worked in my situation. I didn't have the expectation that they would be almost trained by now, but the way we set it up really set them up for success in my opinion. Good luck!!

11-17-2004, 07:05 PM	#13
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	jazzybaby: that's definitely doable! We let Yoda out in the front yard to pee/poop in the warmer months, but in the colder ones, he just does his duty in his pee bin or poop on the back patio. Still a bit cold, but usually at least he doesn't get wet back there!

11-17-2004, 07:06 PM	#14
jazzybaby Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 46	Karmaboomer, I like your approach. Your comment helped to answer my question which was where the potty area should be. You said you left them a potty area in their "den/play" area. That's what I wanted to do but I was told not to. To me, it seems like the only way. Thanks.

11-17-2004, 07:07 PM	#15
jazzybaby Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 46	Thanks fasteddie!!! Things are looking up!