I need help with my rescued Yorkie, Please:

[Furbunny]

I hope I am posting in the correct place. This is my first post although I've been a member for a while. My little girl came from an abusive situation, but her exact past is not known. She is estimated to be about four years old, and has had puppies. Of course I had her spayed. My other Yorkie is 8 years old and they get along pretty well. What has me concerned and upset is she is afraid of so many things! I've had her for about 8 months. She seems happy and interacts well, the. suddenly, she withdraws, going under the bed or under a particular chair. She will move from one place to another, get a drink, potty on her puppy pad and return to her "safe" zone. She will not respond if I call ber name during one of these episodes. This lasts from a few hours to several days. I cannot figure out what the trigger is. I talk to her a bit but I let her be. I don't want to force myself on her. Eventually she will come out and gradually begins to be her usual self. She's always a bit reserved, but she loves her treats! She is my first rescue and it just breaks my heart to see herbe unhappy. Any insight or suggestions?

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Is there noise or anything? Mikki has been with us for two years and STILL has these type episodes. It is usually when there is loud noise or storms. She will not come out on her own either. I have to go get her. Maybe keep a journal and see if there is anything that triggers it? I would like to see what others say as well.

[Furbunny]

I typed a reply which seems to have vanished
No, she is sensitive to new noises, but that doesn't seem to be a trigger. Keeping a journal is an excellent idea. I'll start doing that immediately. She seems to be allowing herself to become more and more attached to me. She acts very happy when I return after being away for a while...especially if a treat is involved

[chachi]

Its gonna take along time to erase some of the horrors shes been through and some things like loud noises or change may always trigger her to have an episode. Her past is just a big unknown

[The 4 M]

echo what has been said, you can't and wouldn't want to imagine what she has been through, but now she has someone special who will love and care for her how it's meant. I do believe some dogs are born little timid, my Molly is and needs totally different treatment to the others, right down to the voice used to speak to her. Time is a great healer

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by Furbunny

I typed a reply which seems to have vanished
No, she is sensitive to new noises, but that doesn't seem to be a trigger. Keeping a journal is an excellent idea. I'll start doing that immediately. She seems to be allowing herself to become more and more attached to me. She acts very happy when I return after being away for a while...especially if a treat is involved

You are her security. Her safety net. I think time will be the healing for her. I think they adjust to their new life; however, I'm not sure they ever completely forget what they have been though.

[Furbunny]

I hate to see her obviously distressed. I try to allow her her "space" so I
don't overwhelm her. She's stolen my heart

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by Furbunny

I hate to see her obviously distressed. I try to allow her her "space" so I
don't overwhelm her. She's stolen my heart

That's good! It sounds like she needs you!! . She needed a good mommy! It makes us so sad when Mikki gets upset. What disturbs me is we don't know what all she went through. We can only guess. Sounds like you ave a similar situation.

[Furbunny]

I can only imagine her past. I know she was underfed. She ate often until she realized there was plenty of food. She even hid some in her bed! She also gathered all of Charley's little stuffed toys and put them in her bed, too! Fortunately, He's a very tolerant Big Brother !

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by Furbunny

I can only imagine her past. I know she was underfed. She ate often until she realized there was plenty of food. She even hid some in her bed! She also gathered all of Charley's little stuffed toys and put them in her bed, too! Fortunately, He's a very tolerant Big Brother !

Omg she sounds like Mikkis twin! Lol. She will grab mouthfuls df food and hide it! And she hoards the toys too. Rosie is a very tolerant big sister! . Sounds like they really do have a lot in common!

[MyGirlSasha]

ahhh I know EXACTLY how you feel!! Sasha was also a rescue and she gets like that, I know her trigger is my husband though. When he's home, she's withdrawn and jumpy and hides. She tucks her tail under and shakes. I hate to see her so upset! We've only had her a month though. She's totally attached to me, no fear at all. I'm just going to give it time, and not pressure her. If you find a way to help your baby in this, let me know so I can try!

[Furbunny]

It is so reassuring to know I am not alone! Thank you for your input. I certainly will be happy to share any solutions. It is so difficult to feel such helplessness when my Precious Lilly is experiencing these episodes!

[TresCutePiggies]

Oh, how heartbreaking. All you want to do is love her and make her feel comfortable, but she is too afraid to allow it.

I went through something similiar with my puppy mill rescue, Lane. She would hide out, but she also would have the tail tucked/pacing/panicky thing happen with no apparent trigger. It almost seemed like a form of PTSD. I know one trigger was after pest control had sprayed our unit while we had been gone all day. I do think a journal is an excellent idea.

What actually helped Lane a lot (along with time and my other pup Rory showing her the ropes) was when she'd have an "episode" as I called it, I'd put her in one of her carriers. She felt safe and secure in her carrier, but she could be moved from room to room with us as we did things and was still part of the group. It seemed to help Lane, but, of course, every dog is different. I remember I'd let her chill out in her carrier next to the food bowls as I'd prepare their meals, and she would watch me intently. Then I'd place her carrier on the ground and open it up, so she could go eat when she was ready. For the most part, she had very few episodes where she was this scared, because she'd be fine for months and months at a time, and I never did figure out what triggered them.

Good luck to you and sweet Lilly!

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by Furbunny

It is so reassuring to know I am not alone! Thank you for your input. I certainly will be happy to share any solutions. It is so difficult to feel such helplessness when my Precious Lilly is experiencing these episodes!

It appears that there are many of our babies with questionable pasts. How heartbreaking. Thank goodness you got Lilly.

[SophieKatesMom]

Puppy Mill dogs are so unpredictable but always so sweet. I volunteer at a rescue where we have had 3 large groups of Puppy Mill/BYB surrenders in the last year.

They all seem to accept their new lives at different paces but all seem to do best with another dog companion to learn from. When we have a Puppy Mill dog who shuts down (hides or want some space from the others) we are encourage to give them one on one time but not to caddle them (you know the sweet talk and the baby talk). We have a couple of slings at the rescue and sometimes what we do is put the dog in a sling (if it fits) and go outside for a walk usually with another human not interacting with the dog but carrying a conversation with a couple of gentle pets to the dog as we go. Also as suggested putting them in a bag and keeping them in the same room as you is a good idea, from what I am told the dog usually just wants to feel safe and small confined spaced are what they are most comfortable.

We are also strongly encourage not to use loud voices around them but to talk to them. They find comfort with the oddest things, I have seen one that adopted a stick as her BFF, that was her buddy and we respected that and let her have her stick during the day when she was supervised (not at night when she could hurt herself).

Just my experience but mill dogs and BYB dogs are not really scared of other dogs, in fact they learn from them. It is us, the humans who have truly screwed them up and it up to us the adopters to make ammends for those in the past. Keeping a journal is a GREAT idea, observing what makes your adoptee happy, scared and timid will help in the long run.

Good luck, I am proud of you adopting -it takes people like you to turn them around. Shelters do the short term stuff but adopters have to make sure the rest of their lives are good.