Quote:
Originally Posted by DaniMarie  My Poppy is five months old and we have our share of problems with her, all that were to be expected.
She is impossible to house train, I go through more puppy pads than I ever thought I would. This is very hard, but controllable for me. Lots of enzyme cleaner is always on hand, since our place is entirely carpeted.
The problem is, I have suffered with incurable insomnia for twenty years. I get very little sleep and when I do get sleep, it is extremely precious.
If Poppy is not sleeping, I am not allowed to sleep. These are her rules. She barks and barks and barks until I get up and tend to her. It is *SO* annoying.
On the weekends, when my husband is home, he often tells me to go nap when I feel I can sleep and no matter what, she will bark and bark and bark until I am there again. He plays with her, tries to bribe her with treats...we've tried the water-bottle thing (which by the way she thinks is a fun game and highly enjoys) and also the coins in a can thing.
HELP!!!
Are there any solutions to this or am I just stuck without sleep? Will she calm with age, or is this a habit that will not go away?
THANKS!!! |
I feel for you also. What a bad situation to be in. I would say you have
a very spoiled little girl on your hands. Her way or no way. LOL
Time to take control Mom and be the boss. No way would I allow her
to rule the roost expecially at bedtime. Being sleep deprived is not going
to help you be patient with her during her training period either.
I would put her crate next to the bed and cover it during the night.
When she barks tell her NO and gently shake the crate or coins in a can.
You may have to do this often the first and second night but do not give
in to her. Yorkies are smart and know when they get their own way.
You have to be tough, patient and wait it out. My vet said to me, when
Bud was a puppy(5mos old) and got me up at night, do you want him on your schedule
or do you want to be on his the rest of your life. So I stopped getting up
in the middle of the night to take him out. He cried for maybe two nights,
crate was clean in the am and the crying stopped.
I also would not allow her to roam around free until she was potty trained
on pads or outdoors. She needs to be confined to one area or you will never
get her trained. Crate training does work but you have to be consistent.
Let her bark during the day in the crate. She'll get tired eventually and stop.
She will not outgrow her behavior unless you stop it now. They don't know
right from wrong unless we teach them.
Good luck and get some sleep.