Part 1 was about preventing accidents, Part 2 is about creating habits.
The truth is, puppies thrive on predictability. The more consistent you are, the faster your Yorkie will understand where and when they should potty.
Routine Matters
Young Yorkies don’t yet have the physical ability to “hold it” for long periods. They aren’t being stubborn when accidents happen—they simply haven’t developed the bladder control of an adult dog.
A predictable schedule helps your puppy succeed because you’re taking them to the potty area before they feel an urgent need to go.
Success builds confidence. Confidence builds consistency.
Take your puppy to their potty area every time they:
• Wake up from a nap
• Finish eating
• Finish drinking
• Finish a play session
• Come out of their crate or playpen
• Before bedtime
These are the times puppies are most likely to need to relieve themselves.
How Often Should a Yorkie Puppy Go?
Every puppy is different, but as a general rule:
8–10 Weeks Old
Expect potty trips every 30–60 minutes when awake.
10–12 Weeks Old
Usually every 1–2 hours when awake.
3–4 Months Old
Usually every 2–3 hours when awake.
5–6 Months Old
Many puppies can comfortably go 3–4 hours between potty breaks.
Remember, these are guidelines—not guarantees. Some puppies mature faster than others and some slower, especially the tinies.
Use a Potty Cue
Every time you take your Yorkie to the potty area, use the same phrase.
Examples include:
• “Go potty”
• “Tinkle”
• “Do your business”
Say it calmly and consistently.
Over time, your puppy will begin associating the cue with the behavior. Eventually, you’ll be able to use the cue when traveling, visiting friends, or dealing with bad weather.
Be Patient and Boring
When it’s potty time, make it all about pottying.
Avoid:
• Playing
• Talking excessively
• Wandering around
Simply take your puppy to the designated spot and wait.
Try not to accidentally distract your puppy by turning potty trips into playtime.
Give them a few minutes to focus on the task.
What Happens After They Go?
The moment your puppy finishes:
THROW A PARTY 🎉 💃🏼
• Praise them in a high pitched voice
• Give treats
• Dance, play, pet
✅ This teaches your Yorkie that using the potty area is the best decisions they can make.
✅ The reward should happen immediately—within a few seconds if possible.
✅ Yorkies are so stinking smart and they WANT to please you!
✅ Consistency Beats Perfection
✅ You don’t need to be perfect.
✅ You simply need to be consistent.
Some days will feel like two steps forward and one step back. That’s normal. Potty training is not a straight line.its easy to get frustrated… I get that, and that’s why God made them
so stinking cute! 😜😇🐾
The families who succeed are not the ones with perfect puppies—they’re the ones who stick to the routine even when progress feels slow.
Remember my favorite quote “practice makes progress”. Persevere you both can do this!
A Sample Yorkie Puppy Schedule
A typical morning might look like this:
• Wake up → Potty
• Breakfast → Potty
• Playtime → Potty
• Nap → Potty
• Playtime → Potty
• Lunch → Potty
And so on throughout the day.
The goal is simple: give your puppy so many opportunities to succeed that accidents become rare.
In Part 3, we’ll discuss one of the most important aspects of potty training: how to properly reward success, handle accidents, and work through common setbacks without confusing your puppy.
Because accidents will happen—but how you respond to them can make all the difference.
It’s summer so let’s all take advantage of this nice weather and get these babies trained before the cold comes again! ☀️ 🌺
Our Featured Puppy of the week
Introducing “Truffle!” She is a KB Bitter 🍫Chocolate female Yorkie with solid composition. She checks all the boxes for us. Super sweet temperament and what a beautiful coat! She is lucky enough to be joining another Heritage Hill Yorkie family who owns Henrik. He is a Parti colored Yorkie. So she will complement this growing family with love, color, and tender companionship. 🐶🐾💕 Text me at 816.694.1742 if you would like to know more about our waiting list or availability.
With Love,
Kortni