I just bought my daughter a 10 week old Yorkshire Terrier. I have had her almost a week. I have found many different internet sites telling how to crate train a puppy but nothing is working. I will take the puppy outside on the porch (sitting forever!) using a couple of those housebreading pads but she doesn't seem much interested in them. As soon as I bring her back in she does her number. I have even soaked up some of her urine on one of the pads thinking she will smell it and go there, NOT!! She really thinks that as soon as she gets into her crate she is suppose to do her number. I am wanting her to only use her crate for sleeping and for housing while I am gone during the day. I NEED HELP!!! Want her trained before moving into our new house. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

-- Tara from Florida (sweetara74@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001

Answers

I have house trained several dogs and the best suucess I have had is to take the puppy out every 2-3 hours and make the puppy stay out side till he does his job. Once the job has been done make a fuss over the puppy and reward him with a small treat. We have had at least 8 dogs and I have always been able to trian the dog within a months time tops. I have always been at home to tend to the dogs in the daytime, so if you plan to be gone all day you might as well expect some accidents using this method. Anyone else have other ideas?

-- Barb in wc Il (Barb43@countrylife.net), September 09, 2001.

Thanks Barb. I tried taking the puppy outside staying times almost 30 to 45 minutes but she would never do anything. I figured since she has never been outside (she was born and raised inside) that it might be easier to try her on the porch on the puppy pads but that does not work either, she goes everywhere else on the porch except where I want her to, ha ha. I think this little puppy is going to beat me!! Thanks for your comment.

-- Tara Albritton (sweetara74@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.

Tara, first I had to stop laughing and dry my eyes. We had two Yorkies! My hubbys comment to your letter was "Poor woman"! They are wonderful little devils but they are smart as heck and stubborn as mules! We spent a lot of time with house breaking. The first thing you have to realize is that the dog has no idea what you want her to do. Everyone here will have good solid advice on this. Oh, and they love to chew and they are generally naughty, BUT we miss our Yorkies everyday. God bless!

-- Ardie from WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), September 09, 2001.

Thanks Ardie, now you have me thinking what have I got myself into!! I had always heard that yorkies were good inside dogs. I have never had an indoor pet, so this will be an experience. Thanks for your comments.

-- Tara (sweetara74@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.

I have crate trained many dogs but not a yorkie. I have found that MOST dogs will not sleep where the defecated. If your crate is to large and she can use the bathroom in it and go to the otherside to sleep then that could be your problem. Is there a way to use a smaller crate till she gets the idea? I would put her out and then if she didnt go in a resonabile time put her back into the crate for a half hour and then take her outside. Repeat till she gets the idea.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), September 09, 2001.

Dear Tara,

I've never worked with a Yorkshire Terrier myself, but have had a number of dogs in my lifetime. If I had a dog who thought her place to go was in the crate, I'd move the crate close to the door, or even take it outside and watch her very closely for a couple of days. When she goes to squat, grab her (say "no-no" or whatever your command)and immediately take her outside. If you can catch her in the act a few times and praise her when she performs where you want her to, she should catch on quick enough.

-- Nancy in Maine (paintme61@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.

Thank you Nancy and Tracy. I will try your ideas. Anything to get this puppy to go where she is suppose to.

-- Tara (sweetara74@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.

tara, if a dog a born and raised outside it is already trained to it. you will have a rougher dog. the crate needs to be small enough tht the dog can only lie down, and no extra room. we had to put a divider in ours to make the crate smaller for the dog to confine it more. when there is a mess, take it out to where you want the puppy to go outside. then, take the puppy to this spot all the time. if s/he doesn't go in this 45 minute time you have it out, put the puppy back into the crate. you can let him/her back out in 10 or 15 minutes if you want, but do not let the puppy out in the house until it goes for you. again, make the crate too tiny to do anything but lie down in....

-- marcee king (thathope@mwt.net), September 09, 2001.

Marcee, I bought the smallest crate that I could find, it is small. But the puppy does have room to move around (she is only 2 1/2 lbs.) Maybe that is my problem, the crate is to big right now. I will try the divider. How did you make yours?

-- Tara (sweetara74@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.

Tara, Maybe you might want to conside using a litter box for you puppy. She'll stay small enough. I was going to say that you won't have to take her out in the winter and realized you're in FL. Anyway, that's the new thing that manufacturers are trying to sell to the pet stores.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), September 09, 2001.

Hi Tara! I agree with getting a small box/kennel. I just trained our puppy (lab) and if she has an accident or two, they will get the idea. They do not want to sleep in pee. It needs to be a small kennel, then take her right outside and let her smell the ground. I don't know if a pad on a porch would do it. Our dog allways sniffs the ground here and there and then tinkles. Then you praise and bring her in. She should be "safe" for a hour or two. They are babies, and just like humans, they go more often. When she goes outside, take her to that area, and sniffing it will give her the idea again. I always say "do your business" so they also associate the words eventually. As the dog gets older, it can hold it longer, gets better control, etc. I think that you can expect some mishaps, I would put paper in the kennel and not take the puppy out until morning. This had some tinkles, but the dog holds it as long as possible and gets more control. (They do not like the smell any more than we do) I would change the paper in the morning after I took her out, etc. Then they come in and eat right away, so they are not thinking "tinkle" they are thinking "chow". Hope this helps! Easier to outlast a stubborn puppy than a stubborn dog. :o) ~Brenda~

-- Brenda (brenclark@alltel.net), September 09, 2001.

The advice about putting the dog back into the crate if it doesn't "go" when outside is sound. We had a horrible time training our German Sheperd, even using the crate system. Finally, our vet told us that we should leave him in the crate all night (about 8 hrs.) then take him outside and use the same command every time (we use "hurry up"). If the dog doesn't go within a reasonable amount of time (about 10 minutes), we were instructed to return him to the crate for awhile longer and to continue this cycle until he finally "went", using the same command every time. When the dog does eliminate outside, praise him/her liberally. Eventually, the dog gets the idea because after 8 hrs. in the crate and being put back in the crate several times, they will HAVE TO go! Good luck!

-- Lisa (tepeeclan@nidlink.com), September 09, 2001.

I know this may sound rude, but I usually give them a #12 boot in the rearend and send them out the back door to never come back in again. Works for me!

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 10, 2001.

Too bad you don't have a doggy door. Dogs learn real quick, even if they're too young to be housebroke, such as your pup.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

First of all, at 10 weeks old you may notice the puppy sleeps a lot. Make a small bed that can be moved easy (ex.. a towel), & put it in an out of the way spot near your favorite chair (watching tv, sowing, etc...) or in a room you are in most often. When the pup lay's down to sleep keep putting it on the bed (later the dog will naturally laydown in some corner or out of the way spot). Watch for when it wakes up. As soon as it wakes, take it out to potty(pups tend to potty or want to right when they wake up). When awake take out about every 2 hours. At night put the bed on an easily mopped floor (kitchen, bathroom, etc...) the smaller the room the better. Put paper down on the opposite side of the room (dogs mostly tend to use paper before bare floor, can also use a cat box just put sand in it). Or use the crate just leave only enough room for the bed inside so it can't potty at night. Don't expect it to go all night without pottying for a while as it's too young. I suggest the room for a while & save the crate for later. If useing the room idea at night get a cheep wind-up clock that ticks, lightly wrap it towel if loud, & place by bed. This simulates a steady heartbeat & may cut down on the whinning at night (puppy's get lonely too). It will be hard at first, but don't lose hope, just keep trying. When outside don't use those pads just put the pup on the ground (not the porch). Do that right as soon as it wakes from a nap & it should potty almost right away. No treats needed either. I've noticed from the dogs I've had in the past that if trained with treats they will only do tricks for food not praise, but those dogs I've trained without treats will obey for praise alone.(Though I do give some treats, just not for tricks.)

Hope this helps

animalfarms (IN)

-- animalfarms (jawjlewis@netzero.net), September 10, 2001.

We are going through the training process also right now. I just got this pup on Friday night and we have had only 1 accident. I've worked at a shelter before and had dozens of dogs of my own. I have always used the 'sort-of' boot method. If they have an accident in the house rub their nose in it, swat their butt and immediately take outside. I have been taking him out every 2 1/2 to 3 hours and he is catching on quickly what the words 'outside' mean. I have never tried this crate method though so I can't help you with that. I hope this works.

-- (stephanie.wilkerson@experian.com), September 10, 2001.

If the crate is too big, then don't put her back in. Create a "no- pee" zone simply by tying her lead to a table or chair in such a manner that she can sit or lie, but not move around much. A piece of furniture against a wall or in a corner works even better, as there's less room to maneuver in. If she can only move a foot or so laterally, she probably won't go because she'll have to sit in it if she does. Take her out, and if she doesn't go, bring her in and tie her up. Then half hour later, take her out. And so on.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 10, 2001.

Hi Tara,

Were trying to housebreak 6 puppies. Talk about a mess. :o)

Good luck let me know how it woprks out on the crate method. I'm thinking I will end up building a Puppy Palace outside. LOL

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), September 10, 2001.