pee pad training older dog

Question
Hi,
I have a 13 month old female yorkie that is a rehome, we have had her for just about a month. She is potty trained outside, the problem is I live in the northeast so we have cold winters, she is a southern dog and hasn't been out in the cold. We are finding out that in the grass is cold and damp she won't go, she just stands on the grass and doesn't move. We want to pee pad train her like our 6 month old male yorkie is. she is exposed to his washable pee pad but just sniffs and walks away, I try saying to her "go potty" just as I do for her outside. but she doesn't seem to be getting the concept. I have tried using the washable pee pad and spraying it with the scented training spray and still nothing. Am I using the wrong pee pads, wrong methods? We have tried leaving her in the xpen with her bed and washable pee pads on the floor too. And she still won't go. I don't have a garage or any type of outbuilding to be able to take her in to relieve herslf in either. Oh, and she can hold it FOREVER,Please help me and her, we really need to be able to do this! Thank you in advance.

Answer
Hi Colleen!

If you have any terrain outdoors that is not like grass so that it won't get your puppy wet and cold, you may want to try taking her there when it is cold outside.  She will probably need a sweater if you choose this method.

Or, if you want to train her to go potty inside, you may want to try putting a paper towel or something with her pee and poop on the pee pad so she knows it is for her.  Are you using the same pad for both dogs, or does your yorkie have her own?  She may need her own pad.  Or, you may even want to try another indoor solution where your dog's paws won't get wet like the one here:  http://www.ugodog.net/index.html

Consistency and positive reinforcement is the key here.  Whatever you choose to do, keep doing it over and over.  When she does go potty where you want her to, give lots of praise - maybe even a treat the first few times.  Eventually your dog should get it.

Good luck!