[BrandieMama]

4 months ago I rescued a yorkie from the pound. She was a little scruffy thing, but I instantly feel in like. The pound gave an estimate of her age of about 1 year, however, when she went to the vet he says five or six years.

I asked the pound how she came to be in their possession and she said that the owner had a small child that had just begun crawling and Brandie (the dog) was still not potty trained and the two did not mix. To preface this I just want to say that I am an extremely patient person. It really takes a lot to get a register on my anger meter. I truly believed that I was up to the challenge.

When I brought Brandie home I was not employed. I pretty much looked online for different training methods and ran across one for crate training. I would put her in the crate and take her out every two hours, four throughout the night. I have been doing everything that I believe is right.

I took her to dog obedience classes, but I dropped out because I want her to pee outside not sit and they don't tell you how to fix a stubborn dog (atleast not yet).

Brandie has yet to poop in the house, but she has peed a lot within the 3 months that I have rescued her. I have hit the end of my rope today. I have officially made her an outside dog.

My question is: How is the change from inside to outside going to affect her? Should I take her back to the pound? or will she eventually get use to her new home?

Honestly, this is my first pet and I just wanted to have her free in the house and apart of the family, but I had to tell her as I was kicking her out of the house, that my house is for individuals that know how to go potty in the right place.

Is there some sort of Doggie Boot Camp or Doggie Reform School that I can send her to and she come back changed?

Right Now her options are outside or back to the pound. I really want to do what is best for the both of us. I am afraid to take her to the pound because I don't want her to be put asleep on the off chance nobody wants her, but she is a cutie.

[charlotte234s]

You should not keep a dog outside all the time no matter how badly it behaves, it is cruel. When the dog starts to urinate, grab her and put her outside, leave some meat out in the yard for her when she is good and pees in the yard. If she simply refuses to learn to pee outside, you could get pee pads and keep her kenneled when you are not home, and try to train her to pee on the pads.

[linnealand]

I totally recommend buying some books on training! I really trust paul owens - the puppy whisperer. He might have some books for older dogs, too. Get several and take them seriously - it would be a shame to lose your dog for the cost of some good books! Also, go back to your training school. It sounds like she needs it. Good luck!

Also, if you were to keep her outside all the time, there is no way you will ever make her into a family dog. She will never have the chance to learn how to be around people appropriately. I can promise you that this is not about the dog - it's about the owner. Her past may make her harder to train, but it's your job to make it happen. It is not impossible to do.

The general assumption is that it's easy, and that training a dog doesn't require any extra study. But it certainly does. Do you have a pen or a nice dog-proofed room you can use for now? Until a dog is properly trained, it is a bad idea to let it get in the habit of doing things it's not supposed to do. But understand that it's not to become a permanent solution. Your whole family also needs to be on board with all training methods. Three months is actually not a lot of time. Personally, there is *nothing* my dog could do that would make me send it back to the pound.

[bushg]

A yorkie should never live outside! Never, ever!

This poor dog could have a medcial problem that causes her to pee in the house.

1.Take her to the vet. She may have a UTI
I have also read in some cases that when a female dog is spayed it sometimes causes bladder problems.
2. You could also pee pad train her.
3. It may be nerves and when she gets completely comfortable in your home the problem may cease.

I don't recommend taking her back to the pound because they may let someone else that is not up to the task have her. She needs to go to a yorkie rescue, they will be able to work with her and do what is best for her.

Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue Inc. Information

Welcome to Save A Yorkie Rescue, Inc.


This is just a couple there are many yorky rescues out there, as well as small dogs rescue that takes in any small dog regardless of breed.

[pumpkin_cat]

Don't put the dog outside! The dog needs to have shelter! That's like when you were younger your parents kicking you out of the house you couldn't learn to pee in the toilet, or to talk.

Now. When you got the dog, you should've known, which you might've, that the dog would be a big responsibility. If you love Brandie, and you want to keep her, then you are going to have to be patient, and give lots of time into training her.

You mustn't give up on her. I would keep training her. Besides, if you work with her that can help you form a bond. Sending her to to doggy schools won't bring you any closer.

----> I would suggest keeping her in her kennel and only letting her out maybe for play time, and feeding. But feed her before you put her back in the kennel so when she comes out for potty time, then she will definetely have to go. Keep taking her to the same place out side where she has peed or pooped before. She will most likely go somewhere where her scent is. When she does, reward her with play time, a cuddle, or treats. Which ever works the best. But always remember, don't have playtime berfore potty time. This could make her excited, and if you are playing inside she may pee or poop on the floor. Which definetely doesn't help.


And remember stick with it, and DON'T EVER give up on her!

[wildandblue]

Yes I agree a Yorkie is way too small to leave outside especially if you get extreme hot or cold weather where you live. You could keep her indoors in a small area with an easily cleaned floor that you cover with newspapers or potty pads in between taking her outside, only give her whole house privlidges when you can supervise her. If you have dandelions in your lawn dandelions are supposed to cause incontinence/wetting the bed, and she's really small and close to the ground, what we call knee-high to a dandelion

[wildandblue]

Since she's older than you thought at first she could even have been pregnant at some time or could be allergic to something like coloring in her food leading to increased frequency of urination. It's probably not your house since she did this at the other owner's house too.

[smokedetector]

I agree with everyone who suggests training on a pee pad, but I know I would hate having to buy those things all the time for years to come. When my sister got a new dog, she used pee pads to train him to go outside. First she tought him to go on the pad, then slowly she moved it closer and closer to the door. Eventually she put it right outside the door and about a week later, removed it all together. Now he goes to the door whenever he has to pee. This might be more effective if there is a doggie door installed, but whatever. See if it works for you. Good luck.

[BrandieMama]

Hello All,

I am very happy to hear all of your responses. I had a momment, but I am over it now. I will return to crating her, but I thought that was more cruel than leaving her outside so that she could run free.

Just to give you a little more information about her, I pretty much spend a lot of time in the vet because she is constantly having problems. Anal glands, ears, allergies. I have her on a diet where she does not get any corn or wheat products in her meals. She also gets cortisone shots monthly as well as benedryl when I see her scratching at her ears often (doggie treats).

She has had a couple ear infections or one ear infection she had just not got ride of.
Out of all the things that I have taken her to the vet for I never thought to ask about her peeing habit.

I am not sure, but I think that she may have been abused at one time because every time she hears paper crinkle she flinches. Evertime she sees the flyswatter, she hides underneath your legs and every time she sees a broom, she starts to tremble.

She very rarely barks and I can remember two occasions where I have shut her paw in the door because I did not realize she was behind me. She did not even wimper and I know that it had to hurt.

When I first got her if you would walk towards her too quickly she would roll over onto her back. I thought that she was just wanting to be belly scratched, but the dog trainer says that she is being submissive which tells me that I was scaring her.

As far as the pee pad goes, here is the weird thing... She will not go on the pad. I have tried using them as back up for her to use when it is raining outside. She will just look up at me as if she is saying what do you want me to do with this. It is also an extra expense I am not willing to incur.

I will continue to be patient with her. My niece is not talking to me because she says that is her best friend.

I feel bad not because I left her outside all night because she was not in any danger; but because she is extremely scared of her own shadow and strange noises.

Thank you for giving advice on how to handle her. I will check with the vet to rule out any possible medical problems.

[bushg]

Cortisone

Peeing is one of the side effects... the less you give her of these the better off you are.
My pom mix had a skin allergy and when the doc gave her the shot she just about drank and pee'd herself silly.

[charlotte234s]

It may seem kind of nasty but ask your vet to help you learn to express the anal gland yourself at home if you can, it saves the doggy a traumatic trip to the vet, and you some money. Do this outside in a kennel or in the garage.

[wildandblue]

Yes be sure and mention the lack of normal pain sensation when at the vet. Combo of increased urination and lack of sensation in the limbs sounds like diabetes or something similar (like the cortisone) affecting her organs.

[sheltielover777]

I would suggest going back to Obedience classes, no they will not teach your dog where to pee, but they will teach her how to be a DOG. And how to see you as the pack leader, she needs to know her role in YOUR home. This includes NOT peeing in it.

Try to be consistent with her, back to puppyhood, when she eats or drinks 10-20 min later she goes out side, and you tell her "go potty". When she has completed her business she comes back in, if she doesn't do it you put her in her crate, then try again in 10 more min. and keep repeating, once she does her business in the correct place she has earned some free time in your home. Be sure to always watch her and that there is no where she can run off to to go. Be sure that when she goes you say very excited "good girl, good outside potty" Throw her a mini potty party. You make look stupid to humans, but to the dog you are showing her you are pleased with her sucsess.

[rex123]

As soon as you notice the tell tale signs of her getting ready to pee(smelling around or whatever it is she does) pick her up and put her outside. Do this every time she goes to pee in the house. If you missed a time bring her to where she messed and say an a firm voice No Pee in the house. The number one thing to remember is to be consistent.

Think of this like if she was a new puppy who you have to house train some are faster learner but others can be more difficult to train and probably would take more than three months.

PLEASE do not leave the dog outside. For two reasons 1) If she is an outside pet she will receive less attention, she will see less people and therefore even may become scared of them, this causes fear aggression. 2) I know this from experience my parents used to have a dog(our family dog) she was tied all day except for 2 hours when my mom would let her run free. But one night something had attacked her and she had to be euthanized.(we learned from our mistake because my dog rex is an indoor dog who is only outdoors during the day, but our mistake caused our dog her life.

[carolbcac]

Since she is on a steroid she will pee more frequently (bushg beat me to that one)... You may have to take her out every hour or so.
The crate is not cruel, it's more like her safe haven. If she was raised in a very small area when she was very young, and not given the opportunity to go outside, she may never have learned to try and keep her crate clean.
The next time she has an accident, blot it up with a paper towel and put it in a zip lock bag. When you take her outdoors, place the paper towel down where you want her to eliminate. The scent will give her a hint about what you want her to do. Be careful to take her to the same spot, since she will pay more attention to the surface texture than anything else (i.e. grass, dirt, or concrete). Be patient, walk her in small circles around the paper towel and keep repeating 'go pee' or 'go potty' in a calm cheerful voice.
When she finally happens to go where you want her to, praise her like she just invented the wheel. Remember that you are praising her for the LOCATION, not the act of elimination itself.
Never punish her or act upset when she goes in the house--if you catch her in the act, just pick her up quickly and quietly and take her to her spot. If you find the accident after the fact, she won't be able to make the connection between the presence of the mess and the fact that she made it.
She is not going to be the easiest dog to house train, obviously, but once she gets the hang of what you want, she can learn the house rules.

[Alty]

You can't train her to go outside and inside, pick one and stick with it, it will only confuse her. As for crate, well, that's definitely better then being forced to be an outdoor dog, yorkies are not meant to be outdoor dogs, only indoor. Crates are not cruel unless that's the only place you are keeping her.

Training is a definite must, for her and you, seeing as you don't seem to understand that she is a dog and must be taught the behaviour you expect from her. Telling her isn't going to work, she has to be taught with a gentle hand and a patient, kind, caring demeanor.

Good luck.

[spinphoto]

I would just like to mention that dogs are SOCIAL pack animals and no dog should be left outside all day alone...

[Jonnalean]

I had the same feelings about my dog. I would definitely take her to the vet. She had a UTI and as soon as it was cleared up she stopped peeing in the house. Good luck.