your answer on potty training yorkiepoo??

Question
Dear Ms. Colbert:

We recently purchased a beautiful YorkiePoo for our daughter who lives in Ohio. I am traveling from our home in California to be with her for approx. 3 weeks.  The dog had been sick, now well, weighs only 2 pounds 4 ounces- and because our daughter works from 3-11 at night, she can't handle placing her in a kennel cage for all that time. Also, when she gets home at night, the dog sleeps with her. It is too hard otherwise.  She lives up three flights of difficult stairs and wants the dog to poo in a box left by her. Sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn't?  HaRDLY EVER does she pee in the box. We cannot use certain things under the padding in box, because she eats the stones(used for potty training) too dangerous for a Yorkiepoo.

I will be there 3 weeks- Help!!  I cannot go up & down stairs, not well enough-  What can we do to make her go in her box?  When we left her in the kennel cage with just enough room to poo and sleep, she still poos all over.  We have really tried.  I suggested, (not sure the best) but I am the Gramma, and suggested that our daughter place her in the kitchen, where there is ONLY hardwood floor, and lots of room, plus her cage could stay there.  But, she does not eat except until our daughter gets home.  I have 3 weeks, please email me ANY suggestions.  She is sooo adorable, and a wonderful comfort to our daughter who experience a very difficult situation 6 weeks ago and as a result, we gave her the dog.  He name is "Taffy", but we call her
    "Daffy-Taffy"  :) :) :) She is wonderful!!!

Thank you for any help :

Linda Cole
Lynzyloooo27@aol.com

Answer
Place the box in an area you want it to stay.  Have you tried putting her on a leash and keep saying "Potty".  When she does
there should be lots and lots of praise.  You will have to do that for a while till she associates the word with the action.

If she is peeing and pooping on the outside of the box, wipe it up with a paper towel and place it in the box.  You may have to leave it in there for a couple days.  So she smells where she needs to go.  Also if there is another dog that you could get to pee in there that would be good.  I had a Bedlington that would pee on command and my friend invited us over to have my dog pee in the box she was going to place on her boat.  My dog did the job well and no problems with her dogs when she placed the box on the boat.

As far as the eating issue.  She needs to be on a schedule.  Twice a day.  When she doesn't eat her food in 15 mins then pick it up immediately. She will eat the next meal when placed in front of her.  For the time that you are there you need to be the one to feed the dog.  If she doesn't eat for you then pick it up.  Situations arise and say the baby needed to be babysat by  neighbor because your daughter had to leave town.  The dog probably won't starve but it won't be good for her.  The dog needs to eat for other people.

Good luck and hope this helps.
Tammy