I have a Yorkie, Bailey, who is 2.5 years old and absolutely the most annoying dog! For the first year or so of her life, she always became overly submissive, rolled on her back, and peed when someone even looked like they might interact with her. She seems to have grown out of that, but has a million other issues. Mot of the time, she is ridiculously submissive to people and other animals. But, there are occassions where she is the complete oppositie and viciously dominant to other dogs. My aunt also has a Yorkie, Elvis, who is very well behaved. I took Bailey over there to stay the weekend. She pounced on Elvis, knocked him on his back, held him down, and snarled so vicously I thought she might try to kill him. I had never seen her do that before.
When it's just me and my husband at home, she is sweet as can be, and calm.
I made the mistake of initially training her as a puppy with pee pads. Now she thinks that any sort of rug, carpet, or mat is a pad to be peed on. I luckily have hard wood floors. Otherwise, I am certain she would pee all over carpet. I had to block off the basement because there IS carpet down there and she keeps going potty down there. How do I break her of thinking she can pee on carpets and mats??
On top of that, there is one spot behind my couch where she keeps going potty. Over and over, no matter what I do. It's ruining my wood floors. I have tried making sure to get the smell out of the wood, but that's hard to do. Tried using repellant. Tried blocking off the area, but it's impractical and she just goes as close as she can get to that spot. Tried discipline with a firm voice and holding her there in front of it.
I have a doggy door which she does use quite regulary, but she almost refuses to go out if it's raining or dark out. Some times even during a bright sunny day she won't go out, but will go in the house.
So I try crating her at night and she makes this high pitched screetching noise ALL NIGHT long. She sounds like some sort of loud bird. And she wines and barks. My husband and I can't stand it. I have tried using a water spray bottle when she does that, but it does no good. She just keeps doing it.
She is also psycho like Punkie's dog. If she even thinks for one second that there is someone at the door, she runs to it, jumps all around, scratches at the door, wiggles uncontrollably, barks, yips, screetches, cries. And let me tell you, not that I would, but I seriously think you could kick her across the room and she would come right back and keep doing it. I try to be nice about it, I try yelling, I try a spray bottle, try rolled up newspaper, I try having people ignore her when they come in, even try treats, she just won't stop no matter what. And she absolutely ignores me. It's like I am not even there.
I take her roller blading in hopes that it will help calm her down. The whole way she scretches and freaks out about people and dogs.
She goes crazy in the car. She cries and cries and cries. Tried crating her in the car, holding her, letting her look out the window, treats, and it doesn't stop. My family and I go camping a lot and we can't take her. My parents can't stand her.
Now let me tell you this. I have worked with dog trainers. I used to work for the humane society and I still volunteer there. I used to have a 145lb mastiff that was so well behaved and trained. I could roller blade with him without worrying about the fact that he weighed more then I do. He knew hand commands, voice commands, and implied commands. I crate trained him too.
I have also read Ceasar's Way (very good book by the way).
So, I do have experience and have successfully trained other dogs. I can completely understand Punkie's feeling of last resort. I do not believe in shock collars, but when you get to the point that you feel there is no hope, you have tried everything that is in your power, and the only alternative is getting rid of her or trying a shock collar... the shock collar looks like a much better alternative then getting rid of her. I would love to hire a private trainer, but it's expensive and I can't afford it right now. Bailey is the same way, you take her to a training class and she will just act like a crazy dog. You can't get her to focus AT ALL.
She used to be allowed on the furniture, but I have been making her stay down. Trying to change her habits. But she just keeps getting back up there. I must make her get down 100 times a day.
The other thing I don't get is that she knows peeing in the house is bad. As soon as she does it, she cowers and avoids me, before I even notice it. She will run and hide under the couch. She recently started this thing where if I ask her nicely to come out from under the couch, she wont. If I kneel down to look under the couch she growls at me. If I reach in there, she tries to mangle my hand. She has never done this before and it's terrible. I have NEVER had an aggressive dog so I don't know what to do about this.
I'm at at my wits end too. I have looked at the shock collars. I feel like she is far too little, but at the same time... I see collars for small dogs with pictures of little rat terriers on them. I have never agreed with them, but I feel like "What else can I do that I haven't already done?"
My father-in-law uses a remote shock collar on his black lab puppy and it's working extremely well. She used to be a wild dog too, but she listens now and does everything he tells her to.
I had also looked at those citranella spray collars and wondered if they work, but it sounds like they don't. They also have sonic (sound wave) collars and I am wondering if those work. I thought about trying those first. Petsmart will let you return them before 30 days if you see no improvement.
So tell me, is there something I am missing here?? I have been so close to giving her up for adoption and I don't believe in that either. I belive you get an animal for life. Not for as long as it's convenient. So that should tell you how far she has pushed me.
Maybe it IS my fault... something I am doing wrong. I have tried to analyze what I am doing and can't figure out what else to change. Ugh.
