How to Housebreak Yorkies to Indoor Piddle Pads

Yorkshire terriers, or Yorkies, make lovable and loyal pets, but can sometimes be difficult to house train. Yorkies can be a bit more stubborn than some other breeds regarding house training, so patience is required to train them to use indoor pads. Training a Yorkie at an early age can make the process easier, but even adult Yorkies can be house trained with a little time and perseverance. It's important to remember this will be a process, and training will not happen overnight.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Designate a specific corner of the kitchen or bathroom for your dog's potty area. Keep clean training pads in this corner, and don't move them to another area until training is complete. It is important to stay consistent and keep one corner for this purpose, even if your Yorkie goes outdoors several times a day.

    • 2

      Take your Yorkie outside often, particularly within five to 10 minutes of eating. Consistency is key, so take your dog to the same area outside each day. Give the Yorkie a lot of praise when it relieves itself outside. Say phrases such as "good doggie," and pet it each time it shows good behavior.

    • 3

      Tell your dog to "go potty" and point to the piddle pad on the floor. Do this after your dog has had a lot of water, and be consistent with your speech. Your dog will learn that "go potty" means to use the pad if you repeat the same actiont each time.

    • 4

      Reward your Yorkie each time it uses the indoor pad. Give it praise, just as you would if it went outdoors. Use the same phrase, such as "good doggie," so it will relate that phrase to the desired behavior. Give a special treat to your dog each time it uses the indoor pad.

    • 5

      Clean any area where your dog has had accidents on the floor. Your Yorkie may smell that scent in the future and believe this is the appropriate area to potty. Scrub kitchen or bathroom floors with bleach cleaner, and wash carpets thoroughly.

    • 6

      Confine your Yorkie to a small area with an indoor pad, such as a bathroom, if accidents continue. Also, keep the dog in this area when you are not home. Accidents are more likely to occur when you are asleep or away from home, since you are not available to correct the action.

    • 7

      Say "No!" in a firm voice if you catch your Yorkie in the act of relieving itself on the floor without a pad. Pick the dog up and carry it to the piddle pad. Use your phrase, "go potty," to remind the dog where the appropriate potty area is located. Continue giving rewards when the dog corrects its own behavior.