My Yorkie Wont Stop Going in the House!!

Question
QUESTION: Hi, we recently adopted a 4yr old Yorkshire Terrier from an adoption center that rescued her from a puppy mill.  She was a breeder mom for her whole life and crated her entire life.  She was never house broken or cultured in a home.

We have had her for about 2 weeks and she has already come so far!  We have leash trained her, she goes fairly quickly when she's outside.  We walk her about 5 times a day, but it seems that she is going literally every 45 minutes on the rug!  She was doing really well with the wee-wee mats,  and we haev been gradually moving them closer to the door, but just about 3 days ago she started going on the carpet again.  She's not marking inside, she's squatting.  

She is the sweetest little thing and I know she has come from a different life, but I was hoping you could give me some tips on training her.  

I leave her food out all day, plus she grazes on the cats food.  I fill her water bowl every time it's empty, she drinks probably 4-5 cups of water a day.  She's on medicine right now for kennel cough and an ear infection (she got from the terrible place she was in.  She's recently spayed and is up to date on all shots.  She just spent 2 hours at the vet the other day.  She is 6.3 lbs.

How much food/water should she be getting.  How do i keep her from eating the cats food?  And if you have any advice for house training her please please do tell.

Thank You,
Christa, Branden, Ginger, and Lyle

ANSWER: Christa -

Bless you for welcoming this tiny waif into your home. I have fostered lots of puppymill breeder dogs, so I know all about the issues (and pleasures) they bring with them. I am certain you will be rewarded 300% as you see her blossom.

Food - I feed cairns about 1/3 cup of very high quality kibble twice a day... and pick it up if they do not finish it in 10 minutes.  No dog has ever starved itself to death, but many have overeaten themselves to death.  I would guess your girlie would need about 1/4 cup.

Because of the ear infection, I would **strongly** recommend a food with no corn or soy.  that will help her body by not having to fight off any food sensitivities she may have (common in terriers) at the same time she is fighting this infection.  Given the tiny bit of food she is going to need, it does not cost much more to feed her a very good food such as Wellness, Eagle Pack or Chicken Soup.  You may also wish to give her a teaspoon of yogurt a day to make sure her digestive tract has enough positive bacteria in it.

As to the cat's food, you are going to have to put it out of reach somehow - up high, or perhaps in a closet with a baby gate in front.

Housetraining - First, you need to make sure you use a cleanser with enzymes in it, or it will just mask the smell with perfumes. I recommend one called "get serious."

Second, I would crate her when you are not home and take her out immediately upon return.  Take her out 10 minutes after she has had a meal too.

At this early stage, you may want to add in tiny treats when she potties outside - like 1/2 pencil eraser pieces of cheese. I would praise her in a higher pitched "happy" voice, then give her 4-5 pieces one right after another.

I would also recommend leashing her to you. She is less likely to pee with you in such close proximity, and you will be more in touch with her.  Any time she starts sniffing the floor, out she goes (and gets treated for going out there).

You can also use the panties they make and put 1/2 a sanitary pad inside.  That will protect the house while you are actively training and positively reinforcing the outside pottying.

It's kind of a strategy of doing things to interrupt/avoid the behavior inside and then really reinforcing the proper behavior outside.

I would pick up her water about 7 pm and put it back down when you get up in the morning.

Again - Bless you !!!

-Beth

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Christa -

I read in your comment about being hesitant about the crate. Do not hesitate - being crated in your home will not bring bad memories of her bad past. In fact, she will most likely find it comforting since she will have her own little personal space. I often find my fosters going into their crates for a little rest on their own.

There's one thing that is vital to remember in helping puppymill survivors.  Every single thing in her new life is ***way*** better than the past. She is not sitting around wishing that it could be even better - because she cannot conceive of the alternatives.  You are giving her the very best life she has ever known... and with that she is thrilled.

-Beth

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Beth,

We returned from NYC and she was more than delighted to come home from her doggy sitters.  She finished all of her meds for the Kennel Cough and her ear infection treatment.  Up until 2 days ago her behavior has been normal and she has been doing better and better every day with the house training.  Last night and the night prior she peed in her bed (a makeshift bed of a soft throw beside us on our king sized bed).  She didn't w3ake up, pee in her bed and then go back to sleep, she actually peed in her sleep!  She had it all over her and was still lying in it.  I thought, "Is it possible for a dog to wet their bed like a child?"

Later that evening we came home from dinner and we found her in her usual spot (sleeping in our bed waiting for our arrival), in another little puddle just like before.  She had no idea she went cause she was again still sleeping in it.  Last night she did it twice.  

I know sometimes gods leak when they drink excess amounts of water due to thirst caused by meds, but she has been off her meds for nearly a week now and we cut her water off at 8pm.  She has never had a problem before getting off the bed to go potty on the pee pad in the middle of the night.  

She has a follow up with her vet on Thursday and I intend to let him know all of this, but I was wondering if you have ever seen anything like this with terriers before?  It doesn't seem to hurt when she goes and she has quite an appetite, however she hasn't made a number 2 in 24hrs now and up until now she has been pretty regular about going 2 times daily.  If you know anything about this it would surely ease my mind until her appt since they are closed until then.

Thanks so much.

Christa, Branden, Lyle and Ginger

Answer
When that happens, I always want to have a vet rule out a urinary tract infection right off the bat.  It can happen in those circumstances. It is not usually an emotionally based thing.

The pooping can be a scarey thing too, but it's more likely to be emotional. You may want to give her 1/2 tsp of canned pumpkin (not the pie filling - the plain kind) each end of the day. The fiber will help her go but will not make her too loose. Then, if she still has not pooped, make sure your vet checks this too.

I sure hope it turns out to be that she is just so tired from not sleeping while you were away that she's sleeping through having to potty.

-Beth