How to Indoor Potty Train My Yorkie

Yorkshire Terriers, commonly referred to as Yorkies, are categorized in the toy group by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The size of Yorkies, typically weighing between 4 to 7 pounds, makes them a viable pet option for those residing in urban areas and high rise apartments without an excess of space or walking areas. Indoor potty training a Yorkie benefits dog owners with hectic schedules and limited outdoor resources. Training pads provide an indoor training tool that attract dogs, as well as protect your floors and absorb urine and feces.

Things You'll Need

  • Training pads
  • Training pad holder
  • Gates (optional)
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase 17 1/2 inch square indoor training pads specified for puppies at a pet store, as your small 5 to 7 pound Yorkie does not require much more room. Yorkies do not enjoy being outdoors in the rain, snow or cold weather, so indoor training pads provide a consistent option for this breed.

    • 2

      Select a corner or room in your residence that you want to turn into a permanent indoor potty area for your Yorkie. This area should be distant from your dog's sleeping and eating spots to avoid confusion and should not be in close proximity to human living and eating spaces. A Yorkie tends to follow its owner around and develop a bond early on. Use gates to separate rooms or close doors to prevent your Yorkie from having accidents in other areas of the house.

    • 3

      Fit your training pad into a training pad holder. Yorkies are notorious as a playful and curious breed. Placing a training pad in a training pad holder prevents a Yorkie from chewing on and tearing the edges of a training pad and protects floors against leakage. Use one or two training pads and training holders in the potty area since the small size of a Yorkie does not require more, whereas larger dogs need more space.

    • 4

      Bring your Yorkie over to the training pad after drinks, meals, naps, play time and before bedtime to provide consistency. Yorkies respond to consistent training approaches, so providing repetition through a potty schedule benefits the process.

    • 5

      Give your Yorkie a verbal command such as "Go to the bathroom" or "Go potty," so it can associate the training pad area with relieving itself. Yorkies flourish with obedience training, as they enjoy being the center of attention and thrive on mental challenges.

    • 6

      Praise your Yorkie with positive and animated verbal remarks such as "Good boy" or "Great job." A Yorkie thrives on encouragement and loves to please its owner. Reward your Yorkie with a soft, toy breed-sized treat after every successful elimination on the training pads. Large treats count as a meal for a Yorkie because of its size and can throw off its daily diet.

    • 7

      Pay close attention to your Yorkie's behavior during the training period. Yorkies can be mischievous and defiant, at times. Walk your Yorkie to the training pad area if it appears restless or is sniffing near the front door. Use a firm voice to give a command if your Yorkie is acting willful -- a common personality trait of the breed. Continue bringing your Yorkie to the training pad and giving verbal commands until your Yorkie is able to use the training pads without a prompt, meaning it is indoor potty trained. This may take five to six months of persistent training until your Yorkshire Terrier's organs fully develop.