Please help me train some approx 3.5 year old babies I rescued! Anyone have experience with that? Can you recommend any products that might help?
First of all, the last few weeks haven't been good for me and my family. My 25 year old son went to Heaven 7 weeks ago today.
Subsequently, to help me through my grief, I decided to rescue TWO (came as a pair) possibly Silky Yorkies from a local shelter. This wasn't an impulse decision.....I had been looking for a rescue (or two) for a long time, but they were always too far away.
Anyway, according to the shelter, the vet said they are supposedly 3.5 years of age and they were found as strays roaming on a farm, so I know nothing about their history! MY Mistake.
To make matters worse, the very day after we got them, my father-in-law passed away and we had to make an unexpected trip out of state for a week!
They are an adorable, bonded, very playful pair. I would'nt know they were only 3.5 years old. They chew on EVERYTHING!!!!
The worse part is they are NOT housetrained! I'm trying to use a crate and also taking them outside and doing the praising thingy and all that, but when they are unsupervised in the house, they act like it is no big deal to go whenever and wherever they get the urge.
In addition, I have to train them separately. If I let them outside together in the morning when the grass is still wet, they end up rolling and playing and come back sopping wet. They love to play outside....at least the male does. In fact, I think he might have ADD. When I let him outside, he is so distracted by what is in the backyard, that he forgets he has to go to the bathroom. We have squirrels and ferals out there and he loves it.
I'm having a hard time trying to train them (we've had several rainy days due to the remnants of the hurricanes coming our way),and I am still working through some tremendous grief. Right now, they are more of a burden then a comfort because they are not housetrained.
I could see them bonding and fitting into our family very well, IF they were housetrained. I can't bring them into my home office where I work, because of carpet and plants.
And did I mention we have a two week upcoming vacation which was already planned before we adopted these babies?
I'm still thinking they are here on a trial basis, and I know I can't expect too much too soon, but I need to hear from others out there that have trained rescues. If they don't show progress with the housetraining within a few months, I may decide to return them to the shelter, which I know, would be very difficult for me.
Also, how do I keep them clean when they love to romp and play outside so much? They smell like dogs and get all dirty. Plus, the male LOVES to dig!
Now that I've said all the negative things, they do seem to understand a few commands. The male responds to "COME" and also to the word "No".
The female just does what she wants to, but she loves to lay on her back and let me hold her on her back like a baby, so I know they have had some kind of socialization and training, but they have no clue when it comes to potty training. It is almost as though they were kept in a kennel or something.
At what age do terriers begin to STOP chewing on EVERYTHING?! Today, I put a plastic tag on the females collar (I think it had something to do with the microchip) and she has already almost chewed it to pieces!
Someone please help me!!!
Thank you!