To avoid bringing your Yorkshire Terrier outdoors to eliminate, potty train your dog to go indoors on puppy pads instead. Learn how to wee-wee pad train your Yorkie here. Yorkshire Terriers, affectionately called Yorkies, are primarily indoor dogs, requiring less outdoor time and exercise than other breeds. To avoid bringing your Yorkie outdoors to eliminate, potty train your dog to eliminate indoors on puppy pads instead. This is especially useful during inclement weather or if your dog is left alone during the day for more than five to six hours, because of their small bladders.
Step 1
Place several puppy training pads down on the ground next to each other to cover a few square feet. Position the pads away from your yorkie's food and water because dogs won't eliminate near where they eat. Choose a quiet corner, away from regular traffic in your home and on a surface you can easily clean if your Yorkie has an accident outside of the pads, such as tile or linoleum.
Step 2 Feed your Yorkie and take the dog to the pads about 20 minutes after eating. You can either carry your Yorkie to the pads or walk the dog on leash to the indoor potty spot. Dogs typically need to eliminate after a meal, after exercise and first thing in the morning. Consistently bring your Yorkie to the indoor potty spot at these times.
Step 3
Give the dog a verbal bathroom command, such as "Potty." If your dog eliminates on the pad, click a training device and give the dog a treat. Otherwise, keep your dog on a leash or in a crate for 15 minutes, before returning to the pads and issuing the potty command. Continue this process until your dog eliminates on the pads exclusively.
Step 4
Praise your dog verbally and give the dog a treat whenever they eliminate on the puppy pads to reinforce this behavior. Interrupt your Yorkie by clapping your hands if you catch them eliminating in another spot in your home. Immediately carry the dog over to the pads and calmly give the potty command.
Step 5 Confine your dog to a small area of your home when you're not present. Use a pet or baby gate to cordon off the space. In your dog's area, place food, water and puppy pads, with the puppy pads on the other side of the room from the food. This prevents your dog from eliminating in other spots of your home.
Step 6 Clean any accidents outside of the puppy pads with an enzymatic cleaner to completely eliminate the odor of the Yorkie's waste. This odor attracts your dog to this area, which you don't want.
Step 7
Reduce the amount of puppy pads to two or three in the designated potty spot in your home. Once your yorkie consistently eliminates in the same spot, begin using just one puppy pad. Keep your dog on a regular potty schedule and feed them at the same times each day to encourage going to the bathroom at the same times. Consistency will help train your dog, especially for stubborn yorkies.
Tips & Warnings
* Place any soiled cloths or towels that your Yorkie has had accidents on and put them over the pads to attract your dog to the area to eliminate
* Training may take longer with this breed because they tend to be more stubborn than other dog breeds.
* Once trained to use puppy pads, your Yorkie will develop a surface preference for them and won't eliminate outdoors without extensive re-training later in life. Only train your Yorkie to eliminate indoors if this is a life-long commitment.