# Why so hard to potty train yorkies?



## reeses (Mar 14, 2007)

Has anyone ever heard of yorkies being VERY hard to potty train? Got any tips or advice...I take him out all the time and we stay out for awhile and he will pee but as soon as we come back in he takes a poop and sometimes another pee in the middle of the kitchen floor. Hey at least it aint the carpet!


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Did you read the sticky at the top of this forum about housetraining. Yorkies are believed to be harder to train because they have a smaller bladder, so you have to be very dilligent about taking them out. BTW, welcome to our forum! Also, maybe it's just me, but that font color is difficult on my eyes.


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## zyclonenuz (Feb 25, 2007)

Curbside Prophet said:


> Did you read the sticky at the top of this forum about housetraining. Yorkies are believed to be harder to train because they have a smaller bladder, so you have to be very dilligent about taking them out. BTW, welcome to our forum! Also, maybe it's just me, but that font color is difficult on my eyes.


i agree small dog have smaller bladder so they have to go pee/poo often. I have 2 Dachshund and I take them out like 8 to 10 times a day. i even wakeup around 3am or 4am so i can take them out  

about the font yeah it's kinda difficult reading it


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## reeses (Mar 14, 2007)

Sorry about the hard to read font color. Im new here and just tryin different things out. Lol. Yea I take him out what seems like a million times a day but he never tells me when he needs to go out so I take him out very often especially when I notice him drinking and eating Ill take him out after a couple of minutes giving that time to digest but I think he just prefers pooin inside. Im beginning to wonder if the grass might bother his booty. It can be pretty tall at times and I live in an apartment complex so I dont mow my own grass. lol. Thanks for the input! Ill just keep working. I am exercising alot more outside since its getting warmer and I take him with me and he has been pottying great outside but of course we are out alot.


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## Alpha (Aug 24, 2006)

I've also heard that small dogs in general are harder to housetrain, because.. they are small. Hence, your home seems huge!

One room would be plenty for a place to sleep/eat/poop/pee in.

But with larger dogs that same room wouldn't be big enough.

I've never had small dogs, but I've heard it discussed before.

Good luck


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

From one of your posts it sounds as if you are free feeding and watering. If so, try scheduling both as well as play periods, training, etc. This will give you a better idea of when the dog needs to go out. Now, scheduling water does not mean the dog gets less just that you know when.

Also, do you have a crate for him? You'd be amazed how much easier housebreaking is with a crate. Our family had two Maltese and they got housebroken. Plus I know someone whose Yorkie not only was housebroken but who earned his UD (Utility Dog, an advanced obedience title), so don't despair. You'll get there if you are patient, dilligent and consistent.

As far as letting you know, some dogs seem to do it on their own but usually you have to teach a signal. A good one to teach is to teach the dog to ring a bell.


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## reeses (Mar 14, 2007)

Well im not exactly free feeding him. He gets fed in the morning and in the afternoons and he has learned that. He understands that he only gets those two meals and the only thing in between is treats during training or when he does use the potty outside. Since he only gets fed those two times and he knows that, he will eat on the food all day instead of scarfing it down. lol. I have tried the crate thing but for whatever reason he is freaked out of the crate. I have to basically shove him in and shut the door as quick as possible to keep him in, then he whines and barks and makes a lot of racket. I guess he probably calms down after he realizes im gone....i hope. I have a yorkie with attitude...at least not a mean, bad attitude.


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## Weebles (Feb 12, 2007)

I have a Silky (really similar to a Yorkie) and he just took forever to housetrain. It was probably not until he was about 8 or 9 months old that he was reliable, but it seemed like one day it just clicked in his head. I trained him to go on the potty pads inside (but he poops only outside), and he still goes many, many times a day. And somehow, when he goes outside he still needs to mark every pole and tree he can find. 

So, my tips for housetraining a little dog are the following:
1. Get really excited when they make a good potty (my neighbors probably think I'm nuts from doing the good potty dance and song)
2. Crate train
3. Buy lots of Nature's Miracle cleaner


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## reeses (Mar 14, 2007)

Lol. Yea im sure i have looked crazy praising my yorkie for doing something good! Oh and the natures miracle is definitely a miracle!!


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

Do not leave the food down. If you do, you are free feeding; plus doing this can create a fussy eater. Put the food down for 15-20 minutes. If he doesn't eat it all, take it up. If you feed any wet food, put it in the fridge. At the next meal, give him the same food again. Don't try and make up for what he didn't eat, but only add enough to equal one meal. In other words, if he ate half his morning meal and you feed 1/2 cup, only add 1/4 cup to the leftovers when you feed him in the afternoon. And don't forget to factor the treats in when figuring how much to feed. If you do this he'll soon learn to eat what's given when you give give it to him.

As far as the crate goes, don't listen to his objections any more than you would if you had a child and put the child in a playpen. Start feeding him in his crate. Give him a special crate only chew toy such as a kong stuffed with peanut butter and frozen (takes longer to get it out). Reward him only for going into the crate by giving him a small treat through the back bars. Never let him out unless he's quiet, then praise first for being quiet and then let him out. Finally, crate him for short periods when you are home so that he does not associate the crate with you leaving.


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## aero4ever (Jan 18, 2007)

I have a friend, a sister, and my daughter all with Yorkies and they have all had the same problem. 

My friend has 2 Yorkies (and has others in the past) and one of them was especially bad about going in the house, even when she would just go outside, she'd come in and almost defiantly pee on something in the house. My friend even went to far as to bring in a professional trainer/dog psychiatrist type person. The dog now has to wear a diaper while in the house cause she just won't behave.

My sister's dog is 2 and he'll still go in the house occassionally, even though he has access to a dog door. My daughters dog is doing much better but it's taken a long time. 

I'm not sure what the thing is with Yorkies, but it seems to be really common among the people I've talked to and known.

Hang in there!!!


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## reeses (Mar 14, 2007)

Thanks for the info all of you! Ill definitely have to hang in there!


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## Gracie Doodle (Mar 13, 2007)

Yes, don't forget to spray the area he has pottied in, in the house. He'll keep going in the same area if yu don't, he thinks t's his spot! I found this worked well

http://www.heavenforpets.com/MLSGSCY/PD147484/details/See-Spot-Go-Stain-And-Odor-Remove.aspx?


My sister-in-law was not diligent about this and has created a big problem that she can't resolve. The dog thinks the house is her potty place...yuk!

good luck


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## reeses (Mar 14, 2007)

Ok! Thank you soo much!


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