I've had Yorkies for a good part of my life...I've also had a miniature schnauzer and a poodle. Right now, our little Mickey is a puppy, only 5 mos. old. One misconception I think a lot of people have is the amount of exercise time these little ones need (even compared to my poodle and schnauzer). Mickey goes on at least two 40 min. walks/ day. He has tons and tons of energy that needs to come out. He loves playing with other dogs along the way. When we are home, he also needs a lot of exercise playing in the house. Fortunately, I have two children, ages 6 and 9, who LOVE to play with him. He chases balls, loves to be chased, and spends a lot of time carrying around his toys... He also has many different chew toys--bully sticks and other toys meant for chewing. I've noticed that Mickey can get a little aggressive or has more trouble separating when he hasn't gotten the physical exercise and attention he needs.
I understand crating him when you're worried about his safety, but I agree with other posters who suggest blocking off part of the house so that he has some room to play. A few times I've been worried about him in the kitchen when I'm cooking, so I simply gate off that area--and he continues to play in the living room. This might work for you. Also, I try to give Mickey attention when I'm doing things--he sits on my lap when I'm on the computer...and when I'm doing work at my desk. We really only crate him at night...and put him in his play pen when we are gone for the day or need to put him somewhere while we're home.
I'm sorry you are going through all of this with your puppy. I absolutely adore the breed, but agree that Yorkies have different personalities. It sounds to me that yours just needs a little more attention, toys, and exercise. I hope you find a solution soon. Good luck. |