How To Potty Train Morkie Puppies

Morkie puppies are little dogs with big personalities who can be a bit stubborn to train. Fortunately, with persistence and a plethora of potty breaks for these diminutive dogs, you can ensure success during potty training for your Morkie.

Once your Morkie is around 10 to 12 weeks old, it's time to potty train her. Remember to always use positive teaching methods with these sensitive little dogs. While potty training may take longer with Morkies than with larger breeds, if you use a consistent routine, you'll be on your way to success in potty training your pup.

Morkie puppies are an adorable combination of a Yorkshire terrier and a Maltese. When potty training any toy breeds, including different Yorkie breeds and mixes, like Morkies, Chorkies, Torkies, and Yorkillons, you'll need to provide your dog with many potty breaks during the day. That's because these pups have tiny bladders and can't hold their urine a long as larger dogs.

Generally, dogs can hold their bladders for around the same number of hours as their age in months. However, you may want to err on the side of caution with these small dogs and stick to regular breaks every one to two hours for at least the first few weeks of training. In addition, you'll want to give your dog a break within 15 minutes of meals and drinks as well as first thing in the morning, just before bed, after naps, and once at night.

While Morkies can be stubborn, they are trainable using positive methods. Remember to choose a spot for your dog to go and stick with it. You'll also want to give lots of praise and a small treat to your dog each time he successfully goes to his designated potty spot.

When choosing a spot outdoors, pick one that is sheltered from inclement weather. If you want to train your toy pup to eliminate indoors, then stay consistent with going to an indoor grass patch or puppy pad. In general, it's best not to start off by training your dog to go indoors and then transition to the outdoors because this confuses the dog.

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Crate training your Morkie puppy is a great way to assist with her potty training. The crate acts as your dog's safe space and den. Generally, dogs won't soil their den, which is why it's a helpful training aid.

Remember to choose a crate that is large enough for your dog to turn around and lay down but no larger. A crate that's very large will allow your little dog to eliminate in it and sit away from the mess, which is what you don't want. Use the crate to contain your dog when you can't supervise her but not for more than a few hours at a time.

Supervision during potty training is key for Morkies, who can easily scurry off and eliminate in a corner. When he's not in his crate, keep your dog tethered to you on a leash and watch for signs that he needs to go potty, like circling, sniffing, whining, and digging.

You can also try using doggie diapers on your Morkie. Most dogs don't like the feel of a soiled diaper and will wait patiently between potty breaks with one on. Take off the diaper when you're outside or when you go inside to the designated potty spot.

Morkies and other small breeds are prone to excitement and submissive urination, especially as puppies. This happens when the dog becomes scared or excited, and the muscles in her bladder can't hold in the urine, leading to an accident.

Work with your dog and your veterinarian to keep your dog calm during situations like when guests come into the home and when you leave or return to the home. If your puppy urinates during playtime, have a potty break before play sessions. Remember to never punish your dog for this, as it can make the condition worse. With time and training, most dogs grow out of urinating when excited or scared.