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03-26-2010, 08:28 PM | #1 |
YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 251
| Should I adopt another Yorkie?? I need advice badly!! She is from a puppymill... Hey everyone... I need advice REALLY BAD! I haven't posted on here in awhile because me and my current pup, Tobey, are just fine This YT forum was SOOO helpful when I first got him and had lots of questions, so thank you for that! he is the best dog ever! My problem is this... a coworker of mine- I am a hairstylist- her name is Marty- she had her beloved dog Pepper pass away today. She is a 64 year old woman, and i think Pepper, who was a small terrier (but not a yorkie) was like 13. Anyway, she adopted a little yorkie 2 years ago named Sophie. Sophie came from a puppymill and was three years old at the time of adoption. Marty is so sad about Pepper's passing that she wants to find a new home for Sophie. According to my coworker Marty, Sophie has a lot of issues due to being a puppymill rescue and I just want advice because I am considering adopting her. If I don't adopt her, Marty plans to just turn her over the APA. Here are my concerns given what Marty has told me about Sophie: 1- she isn't potty trained. Tobey is potty-pad trained. Marty says that Sophie doesn't even smell for a spot to go... she just goes. She lived in a cage for the first 3 years of life, so maybe she isn't trainable???? advice??? 2- Marty says she LOVES other dogs and that is why she doesn't feel like she can keep her because Pepper is gone. I think maybe Tobey could be a good friend for her, but I am worried about taking on a really challenging dog. 3- Sophie is scared all the time. She doesn't play with toys, she shakes when you hold her, can't jump up on furniture, etc. I am used to my boy Tobey who LOVES to be held, loves toys, jumps on everything, sleeps with me at night, and basically only shakes a little when he knows he is about to get a bath Sophie is an ADORABLE little girl yorkie. Marty brought her up to work tonight and I just held her close! But she didn't stop shaking the whole time. I would REALLY love advice from people who have rescued dogs that came from puppy mills. I love Marty, but I am wondering how much she really tried to train Sophie. She is so quick to give her up, the day of her other dog passing. She says that Sophie will drive her nuts because she will be running in circles looking for Pepper. I have a feeling that Marty never grew attached to Sophie and just always saw her as a compainion to Pepper. I guess I would love to adopt Sophie if I had some hope she could be rehabilitated??? But she does seem to have some issues.... like she just seems nervous all the time and didn't make eye contact or stop shaking when I held her today. I don't blame her... I hate the puppymill from which she came! She is so precious! I just want to be very responsible in my decision, and if you have had a puppymill rescue that got better over time, I would LOVE some advice and support. Or just if you have advice or an opinion, I would LOVE to hear it!! the only other option is Marty taking this sweet girl to the APA, and that just worries me. I think she probably would get adopted because people love Yorkies, but she might not find the best home.... you know??? Thanks in advance for your advice!! Karena
__________________ Karena Tobey's mommy (otherwise known as "pumpkin pants" ) |
Welcome Guest! | |
03-26-2010, 08:35 PM | #3 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Kuna,ID,USA
Posts: 557
| I've never taken a rescue, so I could be thinking in the totally wrong way, but here's my thought: I think with the potty training, you could make at least progress - it would take a LOT of work, time, treats, etc...but I think it could be done. I think if you would be up for taking an emotionally abused dog, I think you could be a WONDERFUL home for her. I think there would be some definite healing going on once she got into a stable, consistent, loving home. If you took her, I would say to use LOTS of positive reinforcement, and take time to just hold her and be in a quiet room...she'll eventually get used to you, and then you can begin socializing with others...or you could probably socialize with others at the same time, but I would probably give yourself like a week or so to just bond with you and her. I wish you the best of luck, whichever decision you make!!! Bless your heart for even considering it!
__________________ Sandy: Joey & Tank's Mom Jackson Ryan |
03-26-2010, 08:41 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: western KS
Posts: 1,320
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03-26-2010, 08:47 PM | #5 |
I ♥ Armani & Chloe Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,895
| She will likely be A LOT more work then Tobey was but it can be done... it will take a lot of patience and work... she has had 5 years now to do whatever she wants, go potty wherever she wants etc. So she needs time to unlearn these behaviors. Dont go into this thinking it will be easy, but if you think you have the time and patience to devote to her, I am sure it would be rewarding. Good Luck with whatever decision you make.
__________________ Armani & Chloe |
03-26-2010, 09:01 PM | #6 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: TN
Posts: 556
| Awwww poor lil Sophie, seems like she never got a chance, in life... I am sure it will be alot of work, but if you know that going in, and you know all her lil issues, she will be one lucky lil girl... My lil Shay is a shaker, something about when he went through the birth canal, but he is fine and helathy, his lil shake is so endearing to me... Good luck, I bet you will do awesome!
__________________ loving my lil SHAY |
03-26-2010, 09:04 PM | #7 |
Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas
Posts: 21,173
| Contact Adi-and-Missy. She's doing some rescue and could help to give you advice and probably put you in touch with some others who have done rescue. You really want to talk to someone who has been thru this, because you are working and aren't at home. I don't want to discourage you, but neither do I want to encourage you to do something that may not be right for you. Talk to some of the others doing rescue and get their opinion. Good luck.
__________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel |
03-26-2010, 09:50 PM | #8 | |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
| Quote:
I know many people in rescue who help rehome puppy mill dogs say having another dog in the home is a must. Since they have been so deprived of human contact, their pack is especially important to them. They need the security of another dog and a role model. Puppymill dogs can be difficult or impossible to really housetrain. The poor things have been forced to pee and poop in their cages all their life so the normal instincts not to soil their "dens" is not there. Someone experienced with puppymill rescue could give you advice on potty training and whether it is possible. Probably one of the most important questions is to ask yourself if you can accept her current behavior. She may make huge progress, but she will likely always be fearful, and never fully housetrained. Is that something you can live with? You say you are afraid to take on a really challenging dog. Sophie will be very challenging. It sounds like Marty never worked hard with her to help her overcome her issues. With the right person who loves her in spite of her limitations, she would probably do very well. | |
03-26-2010, 09:52 PM | #9 |
BANNED! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Taylorsville, UT USA
Posts: 372
| I have a rescue that I am taking care of right now who was going through the same thing. I cant promise that Sophie wont have problems, but I bet you that if you just give her a safe home and lots of love she will come around like my little Aiko has done! |
03-27-2010, 04:17 AM | #10 |
YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: MacTier Ontario Canada
Posts: 365
| I think since you posted on here - you are a very caring person, and I think Sophie deserves a chance with you poor little thing - maybe since this lady is giving her up, Sophie wasn't her 'first' choice in her puppies - I know I would turn to the puppy left for comfort - not want to find it a new home....
__________________ Mr. Darcy Miss Lizzie Toffee in Heaven at 15-1/2 - still sadly missed 1993-Christmas 2008 Last edited by Jellybears; 03-27-2010 at 04:18 AM. |
03-27-2010, 05:33 AM | #11 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: canton ohio us
Posts: 1,574
| well i cant help with the potty training or the puppymill business but when i got my chichi she was never really handled by a person and was terrified if you can near her she could not walk on a leach and so on and so on it has taken almost a year but now she will curl up with me and watch TV she will follow me around and sleep in my bed still if we are around people she dose not know she will bark and growl she is terrified of strangers what i did was made me the safe place if she come up to me she would get a treat a head scratch and i would keep the other animals away from her if she got up in my lap i would toss a blanket over her head making her feel secure give her a treat and a head scratch and keep her safe after about 3 months i took the treats away and she would still come up just to know she was safe for a while we never ever yelled at anyone if she could hear not even the other dogs or the kids it just made her not trust us not she loves me and will come to me when she is scared instead of hiding in the cat tree this is what worked for Chichi but your dog may need a different approach i just wanted to show you how involved i had to get and a year later i still cant take her outside that's our new years resolution to get Chichi t jump in the car and walk in to the pet store without fear before Christmas time she can have a pic with santa
__________________ Don't say I love you unless you mean it, but if you do say it a lot. People forget. |
03-27-2010, 06:06 AM | #12 |
♥ Chip ♥ Smokey ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leesburg
Posts: 3,835
| She sounds a lot like Smokey when we brought him home. He was a sold from a puppy mill at 8 weeks to a lady who had MS and was wheel chair bound. I don't think she really took care of him at all and left him in a crate (I'll tell you why in a minute I think he was left in a crate) because she couldn't take care of a 8 week old puppy. I think she did the best she could, but it wasn't what he needed. She gave him up to the groomer we have now to find him a good home. My groomer kept him for 2 months try to train him and get him to a place where he could be happy in a new home, then gave him to one of her customers and told her customer that he wasn't potty trained. The woman brought him back 3 days later saying she couldn't handle it because he wasn't potty trained. Two days later he was mine. He was only 6 months old. I remember telling our groomer "How hard could it be...?" Little did I know, but I'm so glad I did. I wouldn't trade him for the WORLD. The reason I think Smokey was left in a crate was because any time you put him in a crate or baby gated him in a bathroom, he would immediately get explosive diarrhea and pace back and forth in front of the door whining. Not normal puppy whining... like freaking out scared whining. Our bathroom door was exactly in front of our bed, so even if we put him in there to go to bed he would still do this. Smokey is a very big boy in length and in height. Probably about 2-2.5 times the size of an average yorkie. He hasn't grown any in length and in height since we got him, but he was only 7 lbs when we brought him home. After about two weeks of this behavior, I figured out he can't be alone. I started putting Chip with him and the diarrhea stopped completely and he gained 8 lbs in about a month. He can't be alone. Period. We cannot separate the dogs unless one person goes with one and another with the other one. Because of him being so sick with anxiety for so long, he could never be potty trained correctly. I've yet to find a method that really, really works. He was getting pretty good before we moved when we had a backyard, now we're back to square one in the new apartment. He also has a love for other dogs. I can hardly walk through petsmart with him because anytime he sees another dog he goes ballistic and sounds like he wants to kill the other dog, but all he really wants to do is go sniff and play. I've kind of remedied this with using a gentle leader. It seems to calm him. If I don't have a gentle leader, I'll put him in the cart and tie his leash around one of the holes real tight so he can't jump out. He doesn't go ballistic when he's in there. One other issue I had with him - of all the animals I've had in my lifetime, which is a lot, I've always held their little faces in my hands and kissed their heads. I did this on Smokey for the first time and got a strange reaction. He pulled away all wide eyed in fear, tail tucked, sprinted for under the bed and would not come out for half an hour. I did everything to coax him. I talked gently, I tried giving him treats, I tried pulling him out, I tried just walking away. Nothing would coax him. I just sat there with him for a long time until he finally, cautiously came out. I picked him up and went in the bathroom, closed the door and cradled him for a long time until he stopped shaking. I just talked really soft and petted him gently until he calmed down. After that I just worked with him on it and would give him lots of praise and treats. He eventually got away from being so scared and now when I kiss his head he'll usually pull back playfully, but his little butt in the air and growl and try to play bite me. Other than the potty training issue, I've been able to work through all his issues and a lot more. He's so happy and every bit of a dog that I'd ever want. He's a cuddler, he's a kisser, he's smart, and just so lovable but it took A LOT of work to get him to where he is and a lot of creative thinking. I'm sure you and Tobey can work together to get Sophie to where she needs to be, but it takes a lot of time, TLC, and patience. I think the question really depends on you. Do you have enough time to work through some special needs? Do you have the patience for it? And you are right - if she takes Sophie to the shelter she might not find the best home, but that's the chance anyone takes when dropping an animal off at the shelter BUT she could also find the best home too. My advice, I think you could do it because you obviously love Tobey and know how to give him the best home, the question is do you have the time, energy or patience? It's taken me two years to get Smokey to where he is today and I'm still working through a few kinks with him. If you think you can handle it, then by all means, bring her home. If you think you can't, then don't feel guilty about what could happen because if you can't take care of her in the way that she needs, then she won't be happy. It's too bad that her current owner won't just keep her. Moving to a different home could be so traumatic for her after being through what she's already been through and set her back again, but maybe if the lady never bonded to her, moving to a home with someone who will bond with her, and another dog to love on, she'll flourish. Who knows? Sorry this is so long. I hope sharing mine and Smokey's story helped some. It really is a big decision. I jumped into a quick answer because I felt guilty and he was so so cute and sometimes I wish I would have taken a step back to really think about it. I love Smokey and wouldn't trade him for anything, but it has been a lot of work.
__________________ ~*~ Chip ~*~ Smokey ~*~ My heart is wrapped around their little paws Karley Marissa born 1/20/12 weighing 8 lbs 11 oz and 21.5 inches long |
03-27-2010, 06:25 AM | #13 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: upstate ny
Posts: 5,847
| I think there is always hope that a dog with these issues can be rehabilitated but I think it takes a huge commitment on your part. Are you home much of the time to be able to take this on? Are you really commited to this no matter how hard or how long it will take? Then I say go for it. I would also encourage you to join the following group: SATZ_Main : Safe_Alternative_Teaching_Zone These people have amazing stories they can share with you and there are many youtube videos as well so you can witness the things they've done yourself. Good luck and please keep us posted! |
03-27-2010, 09:16 AM | #14 |
YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 251
| Thanks so much for the feedback. I still don't know what I am going to do. Late last night I had decided, no, I will regret it. Then today I wake up and I am thinking maybe it would be okay. I am fine with the time and patience part. A lot of my coworkers just think she needs some major TLC. And if she could make progress, it would be so great to see her start being happier, even playful one day! I just also know I need to be okay with all of her issues and accept that she might always have them. keep the feedback coming if you have had experience with a rescue... I still have some time to do some thinking. also I could always take her on a trial basis... then be able to see for myself if I can handle it???
__________________ Karena Tobey's mommy (otherwise known as "pumpkin pants" ) |
03-27-2010, 09:36 AM | #15 | |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
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