How to Potty Train a Yorkie in a Litter Box

Yorkshire Terriers, or Yorkies as they are commonly called, are a small breed of dog. With that small size comes a small bladder, and if the dogs owners work and are not home during the day, accidents can be common. One way to eliminate these accidents is to train the Yorkie to use a litter box, just like a cat. This method of housebreaking can also reduce the need for constant trips outside to relieve their bladder and is helpful during winter months, which can be difficult for Yorkies because of their thin coats.

Instructions

1

To reduce the amount of accidents inside the house during litter box training, crate training a puppy is helpful. A dog typically will not soil what they perceive to be their "den." The puppy may whine and bark for the first few minutes, or in some cases hours, when they are put in the crate, but if left alone they will calm down and gradually begin to accept the crate as their den.

2

Introduce the Yorkie puppy to the litter box. Place a freshly cleaned litter box next to the puppys crate. When you take them out, place them in the litter box and praise them. Typically, they will need to go right when they get out of the crate, especially if they have been inside it for a few hours. As soon as the puppy relieves themselves in the box, praise them.

3

Increase the amount of space for the dog. Once they are reliably using the litter box to relieve themselves, you can place the dog in a small room with the crate and the box. This is essentially creating a larger crate for the dog. They associate the room as their den, and the litter box as the acceptable place to relieve themselves.

4

If the puppy goes outside of the box, scold them gently when they are doing it. If you find it hours later, do not scold the puppy. They wont connect the behavior with the scolding. Scoop up any mistakes and place these in the box. Just like a cat they will begin to realize that their "business" belongs in the box.

5

Gradually allow the dog a wider area to roam. Once they are continually using the box in the small room, you can allow them freedom throughout the house. Keep the litter box in that room so that they will return there when they need to go. The puppy should now be litter box trained. If any accidents do occur, repeat Step 5 until the lesson has been learned.

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