House training (not puppies) problems! Help!

If you don't want to use a crate, or use a tether method, then you may not have success.  In any house training regimen, the object is to contain the dog in an area where they won't be able to have any accidents, and teach them, by taking them out and rewarding them for success, where the toilet is.  You can actually teach them a phrase, such as "go potty" that tells them they did it right.  But, if you go right to using a dog door, and neglect the part about avoiding accidents and rewarding outdoor pottying, you miss an important step in the training process.  I suspect that the foster mom did train it, then got them to use the door.  Any time dogs move, you can have regression in house training (after all, the familiar "place to go pee" is no longer accessible and all they know is that they have to eliminate!   What we normally recommend is some remedial house training at the new home, which usually helps a lot.

Is the problem you are not 100% sure who is doing what where?  If so there is an old breeder's trick that will clearly identify the culprit allowing you to track their patterns. Let me know if you need this information.

Bonita of Bwana

I may be looking at this more simplistically but just because you have a "pet door" doesn't mean ANY dog is going to "know" to go outside. 

Housetraining means the dog knows you want its waste *outside* and not to elminate *inside*.  so first off -- the yorkie mix is *not* housetrained.  Period.  Because until they truly understand yes *here* and NOT *there* they will go where they have the opportunity TO go. 

Somehow I get the idea you assume that the dog is going to "know" that it should go outside so obviously they can let themselves out of the doggie door. That's great **except** this dog still thinks it's acceptable to go inside when it's the best option as far as the dog is concerned. 

I can't tell from your post but I'd have to wonder what occurred the times the dog goes in the house?

Is someone in the room blocking the doggie door (even briefly)? Is the sofa upstairs, downstairs, near or far from that doggie door? 

I'd be willing to bet that the dog usually uses the dog door when it simply wants to go outside to PLAY.  And ... if it is convenient and the dog happens to NEED to go while it's outside playing then it goes outside.

But ... I'd bet that the dog really doesn't understand the basic concept of you **always** go outside.  You need to *nold it* until you can GET outside and then go there.  But it's never ok to elminate in the house.

It's not an easy concept (think about it -- WE don't go outside but we expect the dogs to and to KNOW to.  But if when the dog has an accident someone hollered, yelled or said "BAD DOG" and pointed to its poop then all the dog thinks is "you don't like ME" (because to a dog their waste defines them!)

so just installing a doggie door and assuming the dog will use it when they need to is a huge leap in logic that usually doesn't work unless the dog is 100% housetrained before the door is installed or else patient cautious training is used. 

And the new dog?  Likely the new dog can smell the place where the yorkie mix has elmianted in the past so that *must* be an ok place to go because he's been here longer than me and he has!!  He's just mimicing the behavior that's successful for the other dog.

Honestly?  you have indicated your inexperience and your frustration so I'm not telling you you're awful -- not at all.  But I'd bet some of the most elementary things have been missed and it's only thru vigilance and **preventing** the dogs from elminating in the wrong place while teaching them to go in the right place that success happens.

If they sneak and go inside **EVEN one time** when no one catches them at ***that*** moment -- that becomes a success for that dog.  It doesn't matter a bit if you find itt 20 minutes later or an hour later or 4 hours later and scold or be unahppy because the dog had an accident.  At that point when you point to that waste and say "bad dog" he really has not even *one* clue that you don't like ***where*** he put his waste!.  He really thinks you just plain don't like HIM because it's his scent that's on it.  But that he picked the wrong spot??  what the heck?  I had to go so I went!

 It's not retribution.  It's not trying to be naughty.  dogs truly just don't operate that way.  And if they get away with it successfully even one time?  That's a big huge "reward" to them that the place they went was fine. 

To a dog when you gotta go you gotta go.  It's the HUMANS who have this thing about going in a certain place.  And there is absolutely **not a bit** of doggie logic that says go OUT of the house.  IN fact if it's raining, cold or too hot then heck they don't want TO go out there.

 I'm not trying to be ratty -- just kinda trying to help you see that dog logic is not human logic here and the assumptions we make aren't ones they will.  They're very immediate -- feel the urge GO .. unless they have been trained to hold it long enough to elminate in a certain spot.  So if the human that doesn't like you very well (who fusses at you and points to your waste) then by all means avoid them if you have to go and don't go in front of them.  Go in another room where they are NOT and go there.  And if you can find a place that smells like someone went there before GREAT.

what i read online when i had issues with my puppy when he was potty training (i know they arent puppies), was when they started initiating the "going to go potty" position, direct them to outside. i agree to take them outside and reward once the "duty" is done. it'll take some time, as far as the doggy door, id have someone stand outside and open the door and kinda show them how it works, dont push them through. when i had bought a dog house for my dogs i had (rest her soul) i wanted to push them in LOL but i didnt, they had to warm up to the idea, but i tried showing them its ok to get in. i tossed treats in there and walked away. good luck with the dog training, for now if you can block off your living room..if possible. and you may wanna get your couches cleaned or new ones, cause bacteria lives on there and could get you sick. ive seen "its me or the dog" with victoria stilwell (who i love!) she stresses that alot when dogs pee on the floor and then put their paws on the counter. once again good luck!!!!!