Yorkies can have accidents around the house from time to time. However, if your dog’s peeing is getting out of hand, you have to do something about it. Knowing how to stop a Yorkie from peeing in the house requires training and patience. As dog owners, it’s our responsibility to house train our dogs to stop the stinky problem indoors.
In this post, I will discuss some tips and steps to help put a halt to your Yorkie’s accidents. Like any issue with dogs, we have to understand first why it happens. Read on to know why Yorkies are peeing indoors and what you should do.
How to stop a Yorkie from peeing in the house
Why is my Yorkie peeing around the house?
To find the best solution for your Yorkie’s peeing problem, we have to understand why it happens in the first place. Most of the time, repetitive accidents inside the house will point to a behavioral or physical problem. Here are the most common culprits:
1. Poor house training
Your Yorkshire Terrier isn’t properly housetrained, so it just urinates anywhere it feels like doing so.
It’s crucial for all dog owners to train their dogs to teach them when and where to eliminate. Unfortunately, you can’t expect a Yorkie pup to arrive in your home in a complete training package. As a pet owner, you have to do your part.
Remember that housebreaking a dog must be done in a stretch of time. Yorkies tend to learn it slower than other breeds, so you have to be patient. Two to four weeks is a decent timeline, though it depends on each dog on how they will respond to training.
2. Marking
Canines are territorial beings. To mark their territories, they pee on the perimeter to let other canines know that the area is taken. This roots back to their instincts in the wild.
Neutering or spaying the Yorkie can help reduce marking. However, it will not completely eradicate the behavior. You have to control the environment and eliminate stimuli that trigger the marking. It’s a process that also requires training.
3. Failure to take the dog out
On the other hand, you may be failing to take the dog out on time. Small breeds like Yorkies can only hold their bladders for too long. Once they can’t hold it anymore, the pooch will let the floodgates open. The result is puddles of pee everywhere in your house.
Take note that forcing your dog to hold its urine for too long can lead to urinary problems. It can trigger urinary tract infections or even kidney complications.
In general, Yorkie puppies must go outside to pee and poo every two hours. Adult Yorkies can hold it in for 6 to 8 hours, but you should still take them out as often as you can.
4. Anxiety and fear
Yorkshire Terriers will “piss their pants” if they get scared or anxious. This extreme emotional reaction will wreak havoc on the canine’s control of its sphincter muscles. Take note that even positive emotions like excitement can trigger the same accidental peeing. In the end, training your dog is the only permanent solution to this problem.
Also, Yorkies are prone to separation anxiety, so you should pay close attention in training. Aside from preventing peeing indoors, fixing separation anxiety will also save your belongings from aggressive chewing.
5. Urinary incontinence
Lastly, your Yorkshire Terrier might be suffering from incontinence. This happens when a dog may lose control of the sphincter. This is the muscle located at the bladder’s opening, which prevents the urine from leaking.
Once the sphincter weakens or relaxes accidentally, it will cause urine to flow out. Dogs with incontinence experience this randomly, even during bedtime or while walking around the house.
Take note that incontinence can be a secondary problem to other health issues. It’s best to bring your Yorkie to a vet for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Conditions that affect mobility will also cause accidents around the house. For example, Yorkies with osteoarthritis will not make it in time outdoors. As a result, they will pee on their way out, which is why you’ll see pools of urine all over your home.
How to stop a Yorkie from peeing in the house?
Seeing dog urine on the floor is frustrating. It’s smelly, and it also ties you to an unending cycle of cleaning the mess up. To end the problem, here are the things you can do:
✔️Rule out health problems
As mentioned, Yorkies can suffer from urinary incontinence. This can be the reason they pee uncontrollably around the house.
If you suspect that your pet is suffering from this condition, you should consult with a veterinarian. The vet will conduct physical exams and other tests to see what’s wrong with your Yorkie.
You need to rule out health problems before moving to the next steps because you can’t fix health issues with training. Instead, your dog needs immediate veterinary care if proven to be suffering from physiological issues.
✔️Get your Yorkie fixed.
If your dog is in the pink of health, the next thing you should do is take your Yorkie to get it fixed. Neutering and spaying will help reduce marking-related peeing inside the house. While it won’t entirely stop the behavior, it will drastically reduce its occurrence.
Yorkshire Terriers can be neutered before the age of one. For females, spaying must be done before the first heat cycle. This falls between four to six months, but you should still consult the vet for the right timing.
Fixing a dog will help reduce marking since this behavior is also triggered by sexual arousal and hormonal influences. Many Yorkie owners saw success in reducing the marking accidents at home.
✔️Identify the triggers
For marking-related peeing, you should identify your Yorkie’s triggers. Most of the time, the presence of another pet that threatens your dog will force it to mark its territory.
You can use calming aids and artificial pheromones to prevent your Yorkie from marking. These pheromones have an appeasing scent that will help prevent your dog from going into territorial mode.
Aside from that, some dogs will mark when they hear loud sounds, see strangers inside the house, or are left alone. Take note that separation anxiety can stir a slew of behavioral problems among social canines like Yorkshire Terriers.
✔️Clean up the previous accident site
If your dog had a previous accident indoors, you have to clean it up properly. If not, your pet will likely pee on it in the future. Remember that dogs find their potty spot outdoors by sniffing the traces of their previous poor pee. They can do this even if the spot has been washed by rain or soap.
This is possible since canines have a strong sense of smell. Even if you’ve wiped and cleaned the area, tiny traces of the dog urine still lingers. Your Yorkie can still pick up this scent that’s no longer perceived by the human nose.
To prevent this, you should use an enzymatic cleaner. Unlike bleach or detergent, enzymatic cleaners have live enzymes that feed on the remaining wastes. These are non-pathogenic enzymes that will decompose and disintegrate on their own.
Once you’ve wiped the urine, you can use this cleaner to remove all the remaining traces. You can also use a mixture of vinegar and water, but it doesn’t offer the same results as an enzymatic cleaner.
✔️Re-train your Yorkie
If all the steps above didn’t work, the best solution is to re-train your Yorkshire Terrier. First, re-introduce the crate and teach your dog to hold its bladder for a period suitable for its age.
For example, a five-month-old Yorkie can hold its bladder for 4 to 5 hours. Once it reaches a year old, you can expect it to hold it in for 6 to 8 hours.
You should also pick a new potty spot outside for a fresh start. Once you see your dog agitated or straining, you should take it to the spot. If your Yorkie eliminated on it, you should give it a food reward to reinforce the behavior.
✔️Don’t use violence
Yorkies will put your patience to the test during house training. This is why you should always remain patient. Shouting and using physical punishments will not help. Worse, your dog will resent training, which will kill your chances of fixing the peeing problem.
Instead, you should use positive reinforcement to encourage your dog to use the potty spot instead of peeing inside. You can ask any dog trainer, and they will surely agree that this method is the only way to go with training.
✔️Provide multiple potty breaks
Yorkies will thrive in multiple potty breaks scattered all over the day. Start early in the morning by taking your dog out of the crate and into the potty spot.
You can schedule another potty break during lunchtime, late in the afternoon, and before bedtime. Of course, the younger your Yorkie is, the more breaks you need to schedule.
It’s crucial to stick to the schedule, so your dog will get used to it. Over time, it will be second nature for your Yorkie to go out whenever it feels the need to pee.
If you’re not home to take your dog out, you can hire a pet sitter or ask a friend to do it for you. This way, your Yorkie won’t have to hold its bladder for too long.
✔️Ask a professional
If all your efforts aren’t working, the best thing to do is consult a professional. You can team up with a vet or dog trainer to get to the root of the problem. Animal behaviorists can also help if your Yorkie isn’t yielding to any training effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Yorkies difficult to house train?
Yorkshire Terriers are infamous for being challenging to potty train. Aside from their tiny bladders that can only hold a small amount of urine, they are also stubborn canines. You have to be extra patient if you want to succeed in housetraining this breed.
Does vinegar stop dogs from peeing in the house?
Vinegar can help stop your dog from peeing in a specific spot due to its odor. However, it’s not a permanent solution. Unless you’re willing to douche vinegar all over your house, you’re better off training your Yorkie instead.
What smells do dogs hate to pee on?
Canines have a very strong sense of smell. With this, they avoid eliminating on areas with strong odors. The likes of vinegar and citrus are some of the repellent scents you can use to stop your Yorkie from peeing around the house.
Is it too late to house train a Yorkie?
It’s never too late to house train a dog, but older ones will surely pose a challenge. Old Yorkies aren’t as responsive as younger ones when it comes to training. Also, senior canines often suffer from cognitive decline, which will make any form of training challenging.
Why is my trained Yorkie peeing everywhere?
Most dogs will mark and pee on horizontal surfaces, so it’s quite tricky to differentiate which is which. Usually, dogs will perform marking by spraying small amounts of pee on the spot and then transferring to another to do the same. If the peeing is accompanied by conflict with other pets at home, it’s likely a case of marking.
How would I know if my dog is marking or peeing?
Most dogs will mark and pee on horizontal surfaces, so it’s quite tricky to differentiate which is which. Usually, dogs will perform marking by spraying small amounts of pee on the spot and then transferring to another to do the same. If the peeing is accompanied by conflict with other pets at home, it’s likely a case of marking.
What is the hardest dog to potty train?
Small breeds in general are most difficult due to their small bladders. For example the Chihuahua, Jack Russel Terrier, Boston Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, and Dachshund
What can I put on the floor to stop my dog from peeing?
There are several things you can put on the floor to discourage your dog from peeing in that area:
1. White vinegar: Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and spray the solution on the area where your dog has been peeing. The strong smell of vinegar can deter dogs from peeing in that area.
2. Citrus: Dogs dislike the smell of citrus. You can use lemon or orange peels or spray citrus-scented air freshener in the area where your dog has been peeing.
3. Bitter apple spray: This is a commercially available spray that is designed to deter dogs from chewing or licking certain objects. You can spray it on the floor to discourage your dog from peeing in that area.
4. Aluminum foil: Dogs do not like the feel or sound of aluminum foil. You can place a sheet of aluminum foil on the floor where your dog has been peeing to discourage them from returning to that spot.
5. Pee pads or litter box: If your dog is having trouble holding their bladder, you can try using puppy pads or a litter box to provide them with an appropriate place to go. Place the pads or box in a designated area and encourage your dog to use it.
It’s important to note that these solutions may not work for every dog, and it’s important to address the underlying cause of your dog’s peeing behavior. If your dog continues to pee in inappropriate places, consult with your veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical issues and to develop a plan to address the behavior.
Final words
Knowing how to stop a Yorkie from peeing in the house requires patience, training, and a proper approach. Punishments will never help your dog’s case. Instead, you should understand why your Yorkie is peeing indoors. From there, you can devise a plan on how to fix it. Feel free to consult with a vet and dog trainer if need be.
