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Potty Training Tips for Yorkies |
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Written by Michelle E. Arthur
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Tuesday, 15 April 2008 |
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It's true that Yorkies may make smaller messes but the size of the mess doesn't really affect the amount you are going to spend on cleaning up after your pup. Yorkies need to be trained in the same ways that a large dog would.
by MichelleE.Arthur
It's true that Yorkies may make smaller messes but the size of the mess doesn't really affect the amount you are going to spend on cleaning up after your pup. Yorkies need to be trained in the same ways that a large dog would.
You have to take into consideration that a Yorkshire Terrier equals a small bladder that won't hold as much (or for as long). So if you are late on your way home from work then you might wind up cleaning up an accident.
The great thing about Yorkies is that they can live comfortably in an apartment or a home without a large yard. As long as you can provide a tiny spot like a flowerbed, your Yorkie will have all the room he needs.
It might seem silly to some folks when they see a Yorkshire Terrier in a knit sweater, but most of the time it has nothing to do with fashion. In the cold winter months, the climate change from indoors to outdoors is very harsh on a little dog's body.
The sudden chill can also distract them from the potty business and cause them to run back inside. Once warm again, the urge hits and there's nowhere to go but the rug. You can make this easier on your Yorkshire Terrier by getting him a warm sweater for cold weather.
Some Yorkies will refuse to go out in bad weather unless they see you have a sweater for them to wear. This can be during the winter or even when it's raining.
There are ways to plan around this. You may want to lay down some paper in a box and keep it in the garage as a backup potty plan during bad weather. This should only be used for short amounts of time so that your dog still knows it needs to use the potty in the yard.
Be careful when you take your Yorkshire Terrier outdoors in your yard or at the park, watch where he walks. You want to keep your dog away from sniffing tall grass or bushes where your dog can easily become snake prey.
Owners of Yorkshire Terriers can become insensitive to their neighbors. Just because the feces is small, it's still dog poop. Pick it up - your neighbor didn't contract with your for fertilizer.
Not to mention that dog poop on their shoes may not be visible until it's tracked onto the carpet. That won't win you an invitation to the neighbor's next bar-b-q. It's your responsibility to clean up after your dog. Don't try to get out of it by arguing that it's so small it doesn't matter. It matters to anyone who doesn't own it.
Housetraining a small dog like a Yorkie is the same as for large dogs. You can begin with crate training and frequent breaks until a routine is established. Some Yorkshire Terriers can be temperamental because many are spoiled lap dogs. That's where the positive reinforcement of your praise and affection is even stronger - when it's so important to your dog to please you.
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