By far, Yorkies are the easiest breed to potty train as they have a “want” to please their owners. Are you new to housebreaking? Please don’t panic; we are here to help you sort out your duties. Remember, it’s never too late to start learning about housebreaking! Have good research on what to do and what not to do well before starting your housebreaking journey. This article is one such guide to help you succeed in your aim.
FAQs about potty training Yorkies
Q. Are Yorkies hard or easy to potty train? Yorkie potty training problems?
The answer to this question depends solely on dogs and their rapport with you. Yorkies are not so hard to housebreak if you are passionate and fully committed to training.
Some of the common Yorkie training problems include:
- Being impatient might scare the puppy
- Improper cleaning might lead to infections and health problems
- Frequent accidents might lead to additional works
- They require a great amount of supervision
- Some Yorkies tend to be notorious
Q. How long does it take to potty train a Yorkie?
The answer for how to train a Yorkie puppy fast lies in our consistency. Housebreaking a Yorkie puppy becomes hassle-free when you follow the same routine every day. Generally, it takes two to three months for the puppy to grasp. But it might differ based on the scenarios and personality of both trainer & dog. However, this timing might vary from Yorkie to another as several variables are included. Some dogs might take a year or so, while the others might grasp in three to four months. Meanwhile, make sure that the puppy simultaneously creates a loving bond with you throughout this process.
Q. How long can Yorkies go between potty breaks?
According to research, a normal Yorkie puppy will hold approximately for hours equal to its age. Thus a 4-month-old puppy will be able to hold for 4 hours. Moreover, you can prepare a puppy bladder control chart to assess the strength of your Yorkie’s bladder. But, you can’t expect a puppy to hold for a long time as the excretion muscles and bladder will only be at the developing stage. So, remember not to force your Yorkie to hold it for a long time.
Q. At what age should a Yorkie be housebroken?
One of the common questions revolving around the internet is the age at which Yorkie should be housebroken. The perfect time to housebreak a Yorkie is between 6 months to 8 months. Also, you might have seen people saying the “earlier the better”! The reason is that the life expectancy of a Yorkie is approximately 13 to 16 years. But housebreaking before the age of 6 months could be a hassle as your Yorkie puppy might be playful and not take things seriously.
Q. Indoors or outdoors: what’s the best way to potty train a Yorkie?
Generally, experts advise training dogs to potty both indoor and outdoors. Because the Yorkie must be ready to tackle any changing circumstance, but if you live in a place that is not accessible to a free outdoor environment, try to train your Yorkie puppy indoors.
Q. What is Yorkie’s potty training schedule?
It is a chart prepared manually by a pet owner to record and analyze the potty routine of a Yorkie. This chart helps follow a routine and be consistent with the potty training at home.
Q. Will spaying a Yorkie help with potty training?
No, Spaying does not help with potty training a Yorkie puppy. Spaying is a medical procedure done to remove an animal’s reproductive organ in females and males. This procedure helps with eliminating marking(having a urine territory) of territory in the house and reduces the risk of ovarian cancer in female Yorkies. But, you will have to housebreak/potty train the Yorkie as usual. Generally, 20% of female Yorkies develop weak bladder(urinary incontinence) within a few months after the procedure. However, it has several advantages over disadvantages.
How to potty train a Yorkie puppy outside or how to potty train a Yorkie puppy to go outside
Several pet owners have questions on how to use puppy pads and outdoor potty training together. There are some basic steps to train your puppy to potty outside. Moreover, these steps are simple yet need consistency to succeed. The below-mentioned steps help you achieve both simultaneously and hassle-free.
Choose the potty place outside.
Try to pick a spot far from any house but inside your neighborhood. Also, remember that Yorkies do not enjoy wet places! Choose a place wisely such that the pup can access the potty place in all weather conditions. Then, take your dog to that location consistently so that your Yorkie puppy recognizes what to do when you reach there.
Have control over your dog
Firstly, it is difficult for puppies to “hold” for a long time and might end up excreting inside your home. Thus, all owners must have control over their puppy since the beginning of training. Secondly, it is not easy to supervise a dog continuously around the clock. Hence, use tools like rope, playpen, toys, or dog vests to keep them under your sight.
Praise your puppy
You can always convey whether the action of your Yorkie is right or wrong through verbal communication. Also, give verbal commands when you reach the potty spot consistently till the puppy recognizes. Dogs tend to understand the sound modulation and actions of humans efficiently! Moreover, they tend to repeat good behaviors to receive more attention and praise. So, don’t forget to praise your Yorkie puppy when it does the right thing. Similarly, you can scold or show anger/sadness when the puppy does some unwanted actions.
Dealing with accidents
Sometimes Yorkie puppies might excrete inside the house. Try to be calm and polite when such accidents occur. Dog experts advise that being cool keeps human anxiety levels regular. So, don’t react too much and scold because your dog doesn’t understand the fact. Just clean it off and get going with your day. But, you can firmly say “NO” to your puppy immediately when you sense the action to happen. Also, immediately take the pup to the outdoor spot. Finally, you can try to make a bladder control chart to assess the progress in your training.
Follow a routine
Analyze the go-time of your Yorkie puppy and be ready to get going. Generally, Yorkies are likely to eliminate right after exercise, play-time, eating, a nap, after waking up in the morning or before bed at night. So, try to have a housebreaking routine such that you don’t need to rush unnecessarily anytime or every time.
Pad train your Yorkie at night.
Taking puppies outside for potty at night might not be safe in all scenarios and weather conditions. Moreover, potty training a Yorkie in an apartment includes this step. So, start practicing pad training at night from the beginning itself. This also helps you in achieving undisturbed sleep for the Yorkie.
But eventually, when the dog grows, you need to train it to go outside even at night. In such cases, teach them to sleep even after potty by maintaining dim lighting and not encouraging play-times.
How to potty train a Yorkie on puppy pads?
To potty training, a Yorkie in an apartment or those who don’t have access to outdoor spots at midnights includes pad training.
Choose a spot inside your home.
Initially, several users have faced issues with a wet floor as the Yorkie might end up releasing at the end of pee pads. So, try to find a designated place for a potty where you can spread a large, washable pee pad.
Take the Yorkie at go-time.
To avoid unnecessary accidents or excretion, follow a routine go-time. Also, take your Yorkie to the potty place consistently every day until it recognizes on its own. This is the key to housebreaking.
Praise your puppy
Similar to what we have seen above, a Yorkie or any puppy for that matter needs encouragement to identify the right actions. So, don’t forget to praise your puppy after a successful elimination.
Clean the spot
Try to clean the potty place regularly to avoid unwanted odor in your home. Moreover, regular cleaning protects both the Yorkie and your family from infection.
Take measures to reduce pads.
As we have seen above, usage of potty pads must reduce eventually. So, try to minimize the use of puppy pads when your puppy gets the right knack on how to hold its bladder.
Potty training a Yorkie with a litter box
For instance, imagine leaving your pup at your loved one’s place for a holiday, then the litter box practice will come in handy. Moreover, litter boxes and crates are an alternative treasure for pet owners who do not have large floor space to accommodate puppy pads. If you are one, then follow the below-mentioned steps:
- First, you need to get your dog familiar with the litter box. So try to place it in the location where your Yorkie puppy stays.
- Spread newspapers all around the box to save your floor.
- Now, gently place your dog inside the litter box/crate and encourage it to do there.
- Make all these activities fun, so your dog enjoys and feels comfortable doing them.
- Repeat the same sentences every time because only then will the puppy get used to the actions.
- Praise the Yorkie after successful completion of the potty.
Tips, tricks & tools for housebreaking a Yorkie
- Try to have a flexible schedule initially after getting a Yorkie puppy.
- The puppy might take much time during potty breaks, so be patient and have a companion with you or bring something for yourself.
- Also, set time for potty sessions and try to follow it regularly. Your puppy will succeed in following it after some failed attempts.
- Consistency is the key to potty training. So, be regular and consistent with your training.
- Do not scare off the puppy in case of accidents. This might waste all the efforts and time you have put into training till now.
Potty training a Yorkie might be an exhausting and challenging task. But, the owners might end up in great trouble if the procedures are not followed properly. You can also take help from training experts if you are new to having a pet. Moreover, the first step to a smooth potty is to make the dog feel comfortable. So, try to search for different locations until your Yorkie feels comfortable in the outdoor environment. Do stay tuned for more such informative articles!
