8 week old yorkie -- terribly cute, terribly obnoxious

[treasuremapper]

We have a new yorkie. I won't go over my earlier thread explaining the unusual circumstances that led us to pick her up 5 weeks earlier than planned. To make a long story short, we made that decision due to the breeder having serious medical problems.

When we got her, only eight days ago, she was very quiet and slept most of the time. Now she has gained almost a full pound (on our inaccurate little scale) and she still sleeps alot. She has had her shots and worming and our vet pronounced her to be in excellent health.

Words cannot describe how very cute this little rascal can be -- you have to see her (and I will try to get pix).

But she is obnoxious, biting our hands and fingers, barking when we put her down and growling. We find ourselves not enjoying our time with her.

We really need help. We are trying the things we did for training our miniature poodle, but those things have no effect whatsoever on our yorkie.

[fantasiamom]

When I got my 9 week old puppy now she is now 15 weeks old, she was doing the something, I guess thats how they play with their siblings, well what we did was kept telling her no bite no bite and put her down, after a few days she stop, I think its just puppy play.

[MI Yorkielover]

Biting and nipping is normal for a puppy and only a stage she is going through. Even so, you want to correct her each time she starts. The best way I know is to quit playing with her and turn your back to her. If you ignore her she will eventually learn that nipping and biting is not a game you'll play. Sophie did it at that age and now when we play she "play bites & growls". She pretends to bite but doesn't clamp her jaws and her growl has a playful tone when we play tug. I started Sophie in training classes three weeks ago and I highly recommend these classes not only for training but for socialization. Can't wait to see her photo.

[Ladymom]

That is the major downside to getting your puppy too soon. She missed all the valuable lessons on puppy manners like socialization and bite inhibition they should learn from their mom and littermates.

When she's older and had all her vaccinations (about 20 weeks), enroll her in puppy kindergarten. In the meantime, you will have to try and teach her bite inhibition and manners yourself.

Had she stayed with her mom until 12 weeks, she would have learned that the fun stops if you bite too hard. Ignoring her when she gets too rough is the best idea. Her mom and littermates would yelp if bitten too hard so you can try that, too.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

That is the major downside to getting your puppy too soon. She missed all the valuable lessons on puppy manners like socialization and bite inhibition they should learn from their mom and littermates.

When she's older and had all her vaccinations (about 20 weeks), enroll her in puppy kindergarten. In the meantime, you will have to try and teach her bite inhibition and manners yourself.

Had she stayed with her mom until 12 weeks, she would have learned that the fun stops if you bite too hard. Ignoring her when she gets too rough is the best idea. Her mom and littermates would yelp if bitten too hard so you can try that, too.

Great post! Pee pad training will also be more of a challenge too, a good yorkie mommy will nudge the puppy to the pee pad and start training early, so when you get them, they already know to try and find the pee pad. When you get a puppy earlier than the recommended 12 weeks, it will be more difficult to train, and although many breeders say they have to give them up for health reasons or vacations, I personally recommend finding a breeder who follows the guidelines set forth by the YTCA, and keeps them for at least 12 weeks.

She is exploring everything with her mouth at this age, and those baby teeth are sharp. As soon as she bites, make a loud yelp and set her down. Many people recommend giving a chewing stick or toy, they need lots to chew on at this age. You can train her not to bite, you just have to be more patient. If you train her well, the rewards are well worth it.

[treasuremapper]

Thank you, we will follow your advice. Do they always pee and poop this much? Ay yi yi. She is utterly adorable and loving, though!

[TwoforFun]

What I did and some might not agree with me is everytime she bite me I would put her on her side and gently hold her till she stop squirming. Then I would give her the toy she was able to bite. Some argue I'm teaching her to be scared of me but I just taught her I'm the boss do as I say. She's one yr old and trust me she's not scared of me at all. But at that age I'm not sure how much she will comprehend.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by treasuremapper

Thank you, we will follow your advice. Do they always pee and poop this much? Ay yi yi. She is utterly adorable and loving, though!

As they grow older they can hold it longer, so they don't poop and pee as often, but just as "much". They have to be adorable, otherwise no one in their right mind would put up with them!

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by TwoforFun

What I did and some might not agree with me is everytime she bite me I would put her on her side and gently hold her till she stop squirming. Then I would give her the toy she was able to bite. Some argue I'm teaching her to be scared of me but I just taught her I'm the boss do as I say. She's one yr old and trust me she's not scared of me at all. But at that age I'm not sure how much she will comprehend.

Please don't tell people to do that to their dogs! It can cause a dog to become aggressive and fearful!

"Veterinarians and shelters are seeing the results of this misapplied dominance. As one veterinary behaviorist put it to me at a recent scientific meeting, "A puppy has to submit to whatever the owner does; it has no choice. Then around the age of two comes just one Alpha roll too many, and the dog defends itself at last and tries to take the owner's face off."

Debunking Dominance Theory | Karen Pryor Clickertraining

ClickerSolutions Training Articles -- The History and Misconceptions of Dominance Theory

[YorkieMother]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

Please don't tell people to do that to their dogs! It can cause a dog to become aggressive and fearful!

"Veterinarians and shelters are seeing the results of this misapplied dominance. As one veterinary behaviorist put it to me at a recent scientific meeting, "A puppy has to submit to whatever the owner does; it has no choice. Then around the age of two comes just one Alpha roll too many, and the dog defends itself at last and tries to take the owner's face off."

Debunking Dominance Theory | Karen Pryor Clickertraining

ClickerSolutions Training Articles -- The History and Misconceptions of Dominance Theory

You are absolutely correct in the info you have posted.
It will increase aggression do to causing fear and it will as the pup is so young damage the wiring of the brain and affect the puppy for life as it will go through several fear periods while young.

I would even thin young get the pup on nothing in life is free protocol and also the protocol for relaxation by Karen Overall.

JL

[Rhetts_mama]

Originally Posted by treasuremapper

We have a new yorkie. I won't go over my earlier thread explaining the unusual circumstances that led us to pick her up 5 weeks earlier than planned. To make a long story short, we made that decision due to the breeder having serious medical problems.

When we got her, only eight days ago, she was very quiet and slept most of the time. Now she has gained almost a full pound (on our inaccurate little scale) and she still sleeps alot. She has had her shots and worming and our vet pronounced her to be in excellent health.

Words cannot describe how very cute this little rascal can be -- you have to see her (and I will try to get pix).

But she is obnoxious, biting our hands and fingers, barking when we put her down and growling. We find ourselves not enjoying our time with her.

We really need help. We are trying the things we did for training our miniature poodle, but those things have no effect whatsoever on our yorkie.

That's the problem with her coming home so early. She missed out on so much being with her littermates and mom.

I was wondering if you had gone to get her. How has she been doing health wise? Were her living conditions what you expected them to be?

For the biting/nipping you can try yelping and then crossing your arms and turning your back on her. Redirect her biting with something appropriate to chew on. If she continues, you can put her in her crate for a "time out".

When she's growling and barking when you put her down, do you pick her back up? If so, you are teaching her that this is OK to do. Walk away when she does this, only pay attention to her when she's not trying to get your attention this way.

[cj125]

Ladymom gave you excellent information and advice. I agree with Nancy that having age appropriate chews for pup is a must. Try redirecting her attention to them instead of you/your family.

Originally Posted by treasuremapper

Thank you, we will follow your advice. Do they always pee and poop this much? Ay yi yi. She is utterly adorable and loving, though!

Yep - when they eat - they poop! Do you have her on a schedule or are you still free feeding her? I think you'll find once you have her on a schedule that it doesn't seem like she's going so often.

Good Luck and really try to enjoy her. She's just a baby ya know.

[Suze225]

We got our Yorkie VERY early. She too does some 'nipping' and 'chewing' but for the most part is a loveable little thing. I keep a puppy chew toy with my at all times and if Bella does her biting thing on one of the family members, I say no in a firm voice and give her the chew toy instead.
(We had to use this same trick with our BIG dogs when they were puppies. My Rhodesian Ridgeback would hang off the back of my sons diaper hanging from it while he ran screaming. She used my son as her favorite chewie, until we got her MANY chew toys and bones......she soon forgot about my son. LOL

[treasuremapper]

Yes, Rhett's Mama, I updated our other thread about the situation. This dominance theory stuff is great. Thank you for updating me!!! I really appreciate it! I will send these articles to my daughter and husband and we will apply the information.

She's still free feeding. We make sure she eats and drinks regularly.

Nancy1999, you are SO right. I just burst out laughing when I read what you wrote about them being so adorable.

[treasuremapper]

This is cut and pasted from the Clicker Solutions article by Melissa Alexander: (copyrighted, so I am only excerpting a teeny part of it).

This reminds me so much of some of the nonprofits I have worked with!

"The vast majority of alpha dogs rule benevolently. They are confident in their position. They do not stoop to squabbling to prove their point. To do so would lower their status because...
Middle-ranked animals squabble. They are insecure in their positions and want to advance over other middle-ranked animals.
Low-ranked animals do not squabble. They know they would lose. They know their position, and they accept it. "