house training

what age does a dog have to be to start crate training?

I start pups as soon as they enter my home.  With my fosters, they start going into a crate as soon as they are big enough to climb out of the whelping box...usually between 2.5-3 weeks.  Once those little eyes open, well.......I use a giant metal crate, no door and an ex pen, and then when they get to be about 7 or 8 weeks old, I start moving them into individual crates at nite.

We bought the "wee wee traning pads" and also a spray that supposedly smelled like dog pee .  We would lay out a couple of the pads and spray the stuff in the center of each pad and let our puppy figure it out.  It took a few days, but eventually, Winston was going on one pad and we removed the other one.  Since then, he's been consistently going on the pad.  Initially, when your puppy has accidents, immediately after he goes, take him to the wee wee pad to show him that it's where he was supposed to go.  This is what we did, and it worked.  My husband may have tried to rub his nose in it a couple of times, but it wasn't often and Winston figured it out in about 2.5 weeks.
As for crate training - the first night we got Winston, we had him in the crate and he's been crated at night ever since.
 Good luck!

Hi Madre and welcome to I-Dog.  A Yorkie, I love them!!!
 
I have a small dog, a toy poodle.  She was definitely more difficult to train than larger dogs I've owned.   It just took longer for her to get it.  Toy dogs have a bad reputation for being the ones that'll tinkle and poop in your home for their entire lives.  It does not need to be that way.  I believe some end up that way because their owners give up before the dog is done being trained.  So, expect it to take a while, but the dog will absolutely housetrain with consistent training. 
 
I would recommend that you go to the library and get a couple of books.  There are very good books on housetraining and crate training.  Since you are a new dog owner, a read through a few books will help you alot. 
 
I'm not sure where you live, but if you live in an area where there are difficult winters, I would recommend tinkle pad training your dog.  These little darlings do not like going out in anything below 50 degrees or, even worse, in the snow. 
 
I think the most important aspects of house training are:  Limit the dog's access to the home--It's a tiny dog, it needs a very small area.  Gate it in a small area of the kitchen with a cozy bed in one corner and a few pee pads in the other.  Dogs instinctively do not want to pee or poo where they sleep or eat, and with the pee pads being treated with an odor that attracts them, it may automatically pad train, given limited access to the house.  Vigilance, you will be trained before your dog is.  After a number of days with your pup, you will be able to predict when it needs to go and what it's going to do.  My husband is constantly amazed by my ability to tell him what our dogs are going to do when he takes them out.  Have on hand a good enzymatic cleanser, like Petastic, for cleaning up any accidents, and a spray called No Go--You spray the area you've cleaned to eliminate any residual odors. 
 
Make sure to post some pictures and update us!!

Copied from a former member (Thanks Janet):

Housetraining 101

The best way to do house training is to use a crate that is just large enough for the pup to stand up, turn around, and lay down. The pup stays in the crate unless it can be very closely supervised -or- is being taken outside (or to potty pads) to potty/play.

Take the pup to potty as frequently as you can (once an hour if possible). Don't let the pup be on the floor in places that he shouldn't pee except right after he has already peed. The fewer mistakes the pup makes the faster he will be house trained.

The rule of thumb is that the pup can hold it (in hours) for its age in months, plus one. The pup should be taken out at least that often during the day and whenever the pup wakes up and whimpers at night. If the pup doesn't whimper and soils his crate at night, you may have to set an alarm. At night the pup should do his business and be put back in the crate - no playing.

Crating the pup for longer than it can hold it is cruel, so if the pup needs to be left for longer than that set up a restricted area (e.g. in a bathroom or in a x-pen in the kitchen). The area should have the crate, plus puppy pads (in a doggie litter box - helps with aim). Teach the pup to go in the litter box - as well as going outside (if feasible). [Larger breeds will outgrow the litter box, but small breeds can continue to use one as adults - if you wish them to do so.]

When the pup does potty where you want him to, "throw a party" - praise him, give him treats, and make a big deal about it. Convince your neighbors that you are completely crazy. Whenever possible, let the pup play for a few minutes afterwards so the pup will want to immediately do its business.

Never ever yell at or punish the pup for peeing. You will just teach the pup to hide to pee. Don't even let the pup see you clean up because some pups think it is a game to make their owners get down on the floor.

The first area of freedom for a pup should be a restricted area (like above). When the puppy is reliable there and you do allow the pup more freedom in the home, keep the area small and then slowly expand it. Watch closely, have a towel handy and scoop the pup up if it shows any sign of soiling. Feeding the pup in the new areas will help develop a prohibition against soiling there.

As the pup starts being more reliable, some people use a leash to attach the pup to their waist as they move around the house. That allows the owner to interrupt the pup before it soils and teaches the pup to stay with the owner in the home. Close proximity also helps with teaching the pup to chew only on appropriate items.

Be sure to clean all pee spots in an area with a good enzyme cleaner or the pup will be attracted by the smell (even if you can't smell it). A lot of places sell small black lights for detecting urine.

thanks for all the help! i live in ireland so the winters aren't too cold but its rains alot. Is it possible to train a puppy to pee outside and also to use the puppy pads if the weathers bad? and i also have another question,  when the puppy is house trained can she be given a basket to sleep in or should she always sleep in the crate? []

Yes, pups can be trained to multiple places to potty, but be sure that ONE is firmly in place before you start another.  I have german shepherds so have not done litter box or pad training, except with foster litters I do give them pads in the exercise pen for overnite.

It's up to you whether you crate or use a basket or another bed.  I have multiple dogs so prefer the crates for most of them.  I've found that potty training happens LONG before being loose dependably...as in, not eating everything in site....does!

I would also set up a schedule for house training.  A crate is a wonderful tool as in most cases a pup will not potty where they sleep.  I have always followed a schedule even currently with my adult dogs.  Pick a time in the morning to feed and then take outside for a while and spend some time with the pup...return them to the crate and every 2 hours or so until they are about 3 months old take them out to relieve themselves.  At noon feed and do the same as in the morning and continue to follow the 2 hour rule for a few weeks.  At night feed around 5 or 6 and take them out  as normal again socialize with them for a while.  No water after 8 PM, but make sure you take them out a few times before bed. 
 
The rule of thumb is to add 1 hour beyond their age.  So a puppy that is 3 months old should be able to go 4 hours without pottying in their crate.  The first few weeks you will likely get up around 3 AM to let your pup out.  As time marches on, they will be able to hold it through th night.  My pup now is 14 weeks old and goes from midnight to 6 am no problems.  He has a designated potty area and goes there on command now.
 
Set a schedule as it will make life a lot easier in housebreaking a dog.
 
Patrick