litter training a chorkie

Question
I am looking at getting a chorkie (chiuhuaua/yorkie) puppy. I want to litter train the dog because in the winter I dont want it outside especially when this dog is predicted to be very small. I was looking at getting one of those cat genie's which are an motion sensored litter box (which cost about #300). But you can run them through your toilet and the litter box automatically runs water through it and what not. My question is how to go about training them to use that and how I should approach it. My idea was to shut them in there during the day when I was gone and after they have an accident somewhere else to immediately put them in the cat genie and hopefully they will get the idea. And if they use the litter thing then reward them with a treat. Do you think this will work and or the idea that I have is the correct way to approach it? Please help!!

Answer

Hi Colleen,

The person you directed your message to declined to answer it, and the message was sent to a "question pool" where any of the experts in the category of dogs could choose to answer it. That is  how I came to read your message.

Since you haven't gotten your puppy yet, you should know that ALL dogs, no matter their size, get benefits from going out on leashed walks. There is no such thing as a breed or mixed breed of dog that does not require going outside. While a litter box system can be a connivence if you're away for several hours during the day or if the weather is bad, it is not a substitute for daily leashed walks. This goes double for puppies.  

You asked for the correct way to approach this, so I'll tell you.  Unfortunately, many people think small dogs are absolutely fine being stuck in the house for goodness knows how long. Dogs are not hamsters, they need to go outside!  Dogs get more than exercise from leashed walks, they get one-on-one time with you, and also mental stimulation. You can't underestimate this, as dogs and puppies will develop many undesirable behavioral issues if they are deprived of either.

Another problem with your elaborate plan is that puppies do not train themselves. If you are not home, the puppy will not know to use the litter-box. Puppies do not "get the idea",  they need their owners to train them. It's not unusual for a small breed puppy to take a year before it's fully house trained, some never get trained if their owners don't give them the supervision they need.  Puppies are A LOT OF WORK, and need A LOT of your time! There are NO shortcuts in getting a puppy trained!  If you know from the start that your puppy is going to be left alone for more than 5-6 hours each day, you're setting yourself up for all sorts of problems.  

If you do not have the time to properly care for a puppy at this time and walk your puppy, then getting a puppy at this time would not be a good choice for a pet. In all seriousness, a kitten sounds like it might make a much better pet for you at this time. If you're set on a dog, an adult dog would be a better choice for you than a puppy.  Puppies need a consistent schedule with frequent opportunities to eliminate where you want them to.  An older dog can "hold it" much more reliably for longer time periods. Many adoptable adult dogs are already house trained and make wonderful pets!

You can read about how to house train a puppy here:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1548&aid=157

Best of luck,
Patti