Please Help!

[Holly516]

Hi All

I am new to this forum and looking for some advice/help.

Its a long story so please bare with me......

6 weeks ago i aquired a 6year old Yorkie. My friend has had her since she was a pup but due to work commitments she was looking for a new home for Holly. I agreed with no hesitation to take her on as she was so cute. Not only that, she was totally house trained. Never went to the toilet inside the house, ever! Unfortunately, she was allowed to sleep on my friends bed which I will not allow.

So the saga starts. She was put on doggy anti dipresents due to the move but is no longer on them. I bought a baby gate for the kitchen and she has schratched and barked every night for the last 6 weeks. She has also been doing the toilet inside the house. She is walked 5 times a day, on a special sensative diet with no treats.

I have no idea what to do for the best. Any advice would be great.

Thank you for reading my thread.

[My lil friend]

Going to a new home can be very tramatic to the dog,especially sense it isn't a puppy. Building trust is very important. From her point of view she may feel abandoned by her previous owner. The barking and scratching may be because she is lonely,was she used to sleeping with the previous owner?
She may be pottying in the house out of stress as well. However my dogs go outside to potty about every hour and a half to two hours.
You might ask your friend what her specific schedule was like for most of her life and try to make things close to that. When did she usually go for walks? What time did she usually eat? Was there cuddle time in the evenings? Did she sleep with the previous owner?
It sounds like she is just having a very hard time adjusting.
Good luck.

[SpArKyOfCaLi]

I agree that the stress of the change definitely causing all the issues. Also she is an older dog that already had a routine. I think, everything should start from zero. Treat her (train her) just like she is a puppy.

Take her out ever couple of hours to potty. For the sleeping, did you try leaving some background noise? Maybe a radio or a tv so she doesnt feel alone?

[susan lynn]

This poor baby has to be upset and confused. She needs time and patience to get adjusted and a lot of love. Bless you for giving her a home at least she is with someone who knows her. Since she was used to sleeping in the bed at her other home this has to be a big adjustment. I would ask your friend for advice on what they think would help her and you. Good Luck.

[Teresa Ford]

I agree the change has upset her. Is she crate trained at all ? The crate could be used in your bedroom and would also help with reestablishing a pottie routine. I know if something happened to me and mine had to be rehomed, three would adapt. But Gracie would be frightened and take much longer to win over.

[Holly516]

Thank you so much for all your thoughts. I had a thought that it was just sadness and would take time for her to settle. She slept on her mum's bed and was walked in the morning, at tea time and then once at night before bed. She was left in the house all day on her own while she was working and if she was working away Holly would stay in kennles or with variouse friends.
I work from home so take her 5 times a day to potty and am with her all day. If I have to go away for meetings my fiance's mum has her at her house in the day and she is able to walk about in her large garden. I'm not sure if the crate will help as when I put the baby gate up she would scratch untill her little paws were bleeding which distroyed me. She is such a loveable dog and we give her love most of the day.
I also think that as she is on special food and we cant give her any treats this may make her less aware when she has been a good girl.

Again, thank you all for giving me your thoughts.

Thank you from me and Holly x

[McheleM]

Maybe instead of a crate or a gate, try a soft sided playpen? She won't scratch til she bleeds, it's soft, washable and large enough for a bed, potty pad, food and water and some toys. We use them for travel and I have one now at the office for my 2.

Originally Posted by Holly516

Thank you so much for all your thoughts. I had a thought that it was just sadness and would take time for her to settle. She slept on her mum's bed and was walked in the morning, at tea time and then once at night before bed. She was left in the house all day on her own while she was working and if she was working away Holly would stay in kennles or with variouse friends.
I work from home so take her 5 times a day to potty and am with her all day. If I have to go away for meetings my fiance's mum has her at her house in the day and she is able to walk about in her large garden. I'm not sure if the crate will help as when I put the baby gate up she would scratch untill her little paws were bleeding which distroyed me. She is such a loveable dog and we give her love most of the day.
I also think that as she is on special food and we cant give her any treats this may make her less aware when she has been a good girl.

Again, thank you all for giving me your thoughts.

Thank you from me and Holly x

[Holly516]

I'll ty and find one, that a great idea. Just hope I can get in the UK.

Thank you from Holly x

[LovingHome]

As soon as you wake up in the morning, don't do anything before you pick her up and march her outside. If/when she goes potty, praise the heck out of her like she did a cartwheel or something. Even give treats if you think it would help. I start this with my pups when they are young so they know what I expect. Never yell when she does something wrong--it only confuses them more and makes them even more crazy. A stern "No" followed by the squirt of a spray bottle can help, too. (Make sure it has a long, steady stream and not a mist. That won't do any good!) Or a shake can (soda can with about a dozen pennies in it, covered with duct tape so they don't come out).

Whatever you think will shock her enough to stop her from doing what she is doing! Then when she behaves, even if just for 3 seconds, praise again. Make a BIG deal out of the improvement. Do what you can to re-adjust the bad behaviors... I know Yorkies can be stubborn, so keep at it.

[horsnaround]

If she digs like that she may destroy a soft sided pen. Lexi would do that and she put a big hole in it. Just my experience. I would say let her sleep with you. I feel so bad for her. Her life has been changed so much. You sound like you have so much time to give her she is lucky for that. She just wants to cuddle at nights . It will take time. Good luck

[Meggie]

I agree with some of the others. She is obviously stressed at being lonely overnight & probably feeling abandoned again.
Would you not have her in your bedroom with you? At least in a crate if you don't want her on the bed Or you may find she'll settle in just a normal bed or on a bean bag type if it's at the side of your bed where she can see you nearby.

My yorkies have always slept in the room with me. Two have crates & the other sleeps on the bed as she just paces in a crate but she never, ever has an accident, just wants to be near me.
My two big dogs sleep downstairs, no problems, but the Yorkies need to feel near.

[Holly516]

Thanks again for your comments folks. To be honest we dont want her sleeping on the bed. My fiance and I are trying for kids so you can imagin why

We have tried putting her bed in our room but all night she is trying to jump up on the bed and keeps us awake all night long. I'm now looking at her laying on the sofa in my office and she is fast asleep, prob because she is not sleeping at night. I know it would be so much easier to have her on our bed but not sure we actually want that.

My other concern is that when she is in our room and we leave the door open just a tiny bit, she will go downstairs in the night and poo all over the living room carpet. We live in a private let house and the landlord will not be happy if she is doing this all the time. Thats why I thought the soft crate was such a good idea then we dont have to worry about it.

Its only been 6 weeks so I gues we just have to give her some time.

[Holly516]

I've tried her in the bedroom with her bed but she will not stay in it. My fiance and I are trying for a baby so you can imagine why we would rather she was not on our bed. When she is in the room and I leave the door open she will come downstairs and poo on the livingroom carpet. I've only had her for 6 weeks so I'm guessing I'll have to be more patient

[bellemarie]

Originally Posted by Holly516

I'll ty and find one, that a great idea. Just hope I can get in the UK.

Thank you from Holly x

cheeko make them- i have a large one for the puppies and i had also got a little one for my rescue a few years back; they lasted perfectly and the kids all love them!
do you live near a jolleys; thats where i got mine!

[Meggie]

I don't think we have Jolleys in England, like you do in Northern Ireland,but I found these on Amazon if it helps......

Here