Tiffanie Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie

Resources

Housebreaking a Yorkie, and are crates good?

Are you ready to adopt or have you just adopted a Yorkie? Here is a link to a book which will give you lots of wonderful information. Please click here and read it carefully: http://www.dogfencediy.com/rescue-dog/

Housebreaking Ten Commandments

1. THOU SHALT NOT BRING HOME AN ADULT DOG AND EXPECT IT TO KNOW IMMEDIATELY WHERE THE POTTY IS. Every time they move from one home to another they need to be taught where to go. Over and over and over.
2. THOU SHALT NOT EXPECT A PUPPY OF LESS THAN A YEAR TO BE HOUSEBROKEN. That's like expecting a one year old child to be completely potty trained -- It just isn't going to happen. It WILL take closer to ONE FULL YEAR to completely house train a puppy. It's unrealistic to expect a young puppy to be completely potty trained for many hours.  
3. THOU SHALT NOT ALLOW THE NEW YORKIE TO ROAM ALL OVER THE HOUSE AND RUN LOOSE AND THEN WONDER WHY THE DOG GOES BACK TO THE SAME SPOT TO GO.   You will have to disinfect the house thoroughly where he has done his business. An enzyme cleaner (Nature's Miracle, Urine Gone) will help neutralize the smell because he WILL GO BACK to the spot that smells.
4. THOU SHALT NOT YELL AT THE PUP (DOG) WHEN HE/SHE GOES IN THE WRONG SPOT.  Better than yelling, you need to just clean it up thoroughly and put the dog where he is supposed to go. Dogs and most animals learn much better by the PRAISE AND REWARD system. Showing the dog the mistake hours later is useless and confusing to the dog who has long since forgotten what he did. So don't bother trying to have a conversation about a mess that happened even 5 minutes ago.
5. 5) THOU SHALT NOT KEEP THE SMALL YORKIE CONFINED FOR LONG       PERIODS OF TIME. They do not have the bladder capacity to hold it for very long. Take them out to go frequently and generously praise and reward them for going where you want them to. Place a wee pad in an area that is easy to clean if you will be away for more than 2 hours.
6. THOU SHALT NOT PUT A LONG HAIRED TOY DOG OUT IN THE RAIN TO GO UNLESS YOU WANT TO USE A HAIR DRYER WHEN THEY COME BACK IN. To do so could cause a chill and tonsillitis and/or trachea bronchitis. Give them an alternative -- a wee pad for adverse weather. 
7. THOU SHALT NOT EXPECT AN UN-NEUTERED OR UN-SPAYED DOG TO HAVE PROPER POTTY MANNERS. It is only nature telling them (boys and girls) to leave calling cards and scents for the other sex to notice.
8. THOU SHALT HAVE A POTTY PLACE GATED OFF FOR YOUR YORKIE.
9. THOU SHALT SPEND A LOT OF TIME WATCHING THE DOG WHEN THE DOG IS NEW TO THE HOUSE TO CORRECT BAD HABITS BEFORE THEY START.  
10. THOU SHALT READ THESE COMMANDMENTS INSTEAD OF BEING ANGRY AT THE DOG AND MEND YOUR WAYS. A dog wants nothing more than to please you.                     

-- This information comes from Terri Shumsky, breeder, author, show judge

For those accidents that WILL happen - be prepared!  

Crate Training: Crates are good!

A crate is an indoor dog house, just big enough for the dog to stand up and lie down, and turn around in. It's your dog's den, home and place where your dog can feel safe.

When you go shopping, or when your pup is very young, it's a good place to keep him out of trouble, however, don't expect a very young puppy to stay in there for really long periods of time. Keep their time crated to short intervals and extend them a little at a time as the pup gets older.

They cannot be expected to hold their water for 8-16 hours at a time. Take this into consideration when your pup is very young and if you must be gone for an extended period of time, then leave the door open and keep a place outside the crate where the puppy is allowed to go on papers or on a wee pad in an exercise pen or puppy play pen. The crate is the dog's "space" in the house. This should be a place where your puppy feels safe. It's his house. He should be made to feel secure in his house and he can sleep while his owners do what they must do, run errands, etc. When you return in a few hours, your dog will not have destroyed the house and it will be a happy reunion.

How long can a puppy stay in there?

A few hours while you go shopping, overnight in the crate next to your bed so you can sleep without worrying about what the pup is up to. If you are going to be gone for a longer period of time, you should get a pet gate and confine the dog to a gated area, where he cannot pull lamps off tables or get at any electrical cords, like in a utility room, or a kitchen.  Having a place to keep your dog away from small children is a blessing your dog will appreciate.

Your dog needs to interact with you. Never tie him up or leave him out on the deck or yard for too long without being there to talk to them and interact with him. Dogs are a social animal and need this contact. They need to feel that they are a part of the family, and that means being in the house, even when the family may not be in the house. If you deprive your dog of that feeling of belonging and being part of the family, it can do great psychological damage to him and he can become neurotic or psychotic. Problems with digging, fence jumping and barking are just a few of the ways neurosis can manifest itself.

It's deplorable to buy a dog and chain them outside all the time because you're too tired, busy, or lazy to train them. You must invest some time and lots of praise to have a canine companion that will be devoted to you for a lifetime. It's worth the time you will invest. When the dogs are young, they all go through destructive behavior and most of them outgrow it and eventually you will feel safe leaving him alone in the house. Please remember that if you allow the dog to "go" all over the house when he first comes to your home, he will go back to where he smells it. Normally, a dog will not urinate or defecate where he sleeps, because then he would have to lie next to it. Crates aren't cheap, but sometimes you can pick up one second-hand without having to put out a lot of money, in the internet or at yard sales.  

Buying a crate: most pet shops, dog shows, or kennel supply houses carry crates. The price depends on where you purchase the crate and the size of the dog. You will probably spend anywhere from $40 to $60 for a crate, but it will last for a lifetime. The fiberglass or plastic ones are easier to keep clean.