Yorkie housetraining Yorkshire Terriers can be done, although I know that coming home and walking around with your bare feet or you socks can be miserable when you feel that squishy feeling!I promise it is a matter of being consistent.
Since Yorkies are small and they have small bladders, it is not quite as easy to train them as a larger breed, but well worth when you are done. It won’t be overnight and each of these babies responds just a little differently, but the key and secret is to do it over and over and over on a schedule.It is similar to telling a human Mom to keep our own babies on some type of sleeping and feeding schedule, remember? Well, when we followed through with that, it worked out a lot better for everyone in the office. And your Yorkie is no exception to that rule.
So, you might want to realize that this puppy is a baby, a dog-baby, but a baby nonetheless and don’t expect him/her to act like a grown, well-trained dog until he/she has learned how to housetrain. It actually takes a few months for your Yorkie to get the hang of it and even then, you might want to put them in the crate or a confined area when you leave the house for any length of time.Too many mistakes and being irregular in your schedule will take your Yorkie housetraining back a few steps, so stay consistent.
First, you need to take your Yorkie outside to the same spot or to his/her puppy pad at the same time every day. Make a schedule - either written or in your head that this is the schedule that you are going to stick to every single day.Stick to this same routine every day. I know life gets in the way, but then hopefully you have a neighbor, child, friend, significant other that can help you when you can’t be there to do this on a schedule.
So, first when the Yorkie wakes up, remember he/she has to go potty and I mean immediately.Remember to try to keep this first visit not a playtime but a time to potty and then feed him. Remember, not long after you feed the puppy, about as long as it takes for you to get your short shower or drink a cup of coffee, it is time to go back to the potty place.
Next, when you leave the house, put the puppy in the crate or wherever he/she stays confined while you are gone for the day. In a perfect world, the puppy will need to have a potty break at mid-morning and mid-afternoon break as well.Let’s hope you can find a dog-walker, a friend or another family member that can do this when you cannot. Make sure that the person you ask to help you follows the same routine as close as possible to keep the puppy on schedule and without confusion as to where and when he is to go to potty. This potty time should be kept to about fifteen minutes or less and is not to be confused with a time for playing outside!
At suppertime, you can follow the same routine.You must take your Yorkie puppy either outside or to his puppy pad as soon as you get in from school or work. Try to keep him on a feeding schedule during the day and stay as close to that schedule within a thirty minute period as you possibly can.
You will want to feed your Yorkie first thing in the morning and then early in the evening when you return home so that as soon his bowels are stimulated from the food, he will be ready to go to potty before he goes to bed. Make sure you follow the same routine taking him out at night as you did in the morning, same place to potty, not a time to play.
It might be a great idea to write up your little schedule and put it somewhere visible, like the frig so that everyone in the house sees what it supposed to be happening, in case you need to enlist their help! In fact, it should involve the whole family as this is a family pet and you can all bond with the puppy at the same time, instead of just one person.
One important point about housetraining a Yorkie and other Yorkie stuff is to remember how very important it is to praise him/her when he/she finished going to potty when he is supposed to!Some like to offer a treat immediately, while your Yorkie is just as happy with your approval. He will try very hard to please you, so don’t forget to thank him for doing well!This is ten times better than rubbing your puppy’s nose in his mess.
When you do have an uh-oh moment in the house and you probably will, remember not to be too upset or harsh. They are still learning, and perhaps it was your fault for not staying on his schedule. Just quickly clean it up, and get back on schedule.Treat them with respect as you did your own children. Forgive them of their mistakes and move on. When you combine a schedule with praise and positive enthusiasm, you will find that you have succeeded where others have failed and it was easy!
When your Yorkshire Terrier completes his potty break, remember to give him praise and affection. You can offer a Yorkie biscuit, but it’s not necessary. He’s just as happy with your approval. Your Yorkie is begging for you to approve of him, so give it to him when he follows through! Instead of the old training methods that punish a Yorkshire Terrier for making a mess in the house, you can take the more effective positive approach to show him approval for getting the job done during a scheduled potty break. You’ll have a happy Yorkie and he’ll have a happy family!
