[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by Jenna AK

She had been a house dog (no idea where) but when we got there the sweet baby was sitting in the cab of the truck in the front yard because she was fighting with another dog in the house who was old and infirm. Part of what cemented the decision to bring her home. No idea how many days or nights she'd spent there.
We have her on a nice plush doggie mat in a children's playpen for now in the kitchen, which is the central room in our house with the bedrooms leading off of it. She's fine if she's sleeping or someone is nearby, but if she wakes mid-nite, she realizes she's alone and that bothers her.
We also have a completely enclosed and heated arctic entry for her to tool around in with us if the weather is inclement enough that she won't move outside. (She sat down during walks and refused to budge today because the wind was blowing.)

For now, we've been going out to her when she gets whiny or tries to climb the barrier, because we were told she's an escape artist and we don't want her wandering the house at night just yet. We're a little cluttered right now (spring cleaning) and don't want her getting into things.

A few other questions: she has rather weepy eyes and has been scratching at her ears off and on since coming home (we did bathe her yesterday, but tried to avoid getting her ears wet). Any suggestions on how to control the eye weeping and what signs to look for in case of ear mites? (We have cats and bunnies in the house too, so don't want them coming down with anything.)

That was nice of you to rescue her. A truck is no place for a Yorkie this time of year in Fairbanks. I think a vet is the best place to start with the weepy eyes and ear-scratching. Tearing is common in Yorkies, but it shouldn't be extreme. I've heard people say they can get clogged tear ducts. Others say simply clipping the hair around their eyes can improve it. I don't have any experience with ear mites. Is there an odor? Is she sensitive? Could be an allergy or some kind of infection. Again, vet will know.

I like the living arrangement. Keeping her in the pen is a good idea and will keep her out of trouble. If she starts peeing and pooping in there, make sure you have a pee pad on the far side away from her bed. If you have a small crate, you might think of putting it in there and seeing if she'll use it. Sometimes they feel more secure in an enclosed place. You could even keep the door open.

I wonder if having a radio near her would help, just playing soft music. There's two schools of thought on what to do when they start whining at night. One is to ignore them so you don't reward them for being whiny. But the other is to check and see if they need to be taken outside. My feeling is if there's a chance they have a real need, check, maybe let them outside. If not, let them whine. They'll get over it when they're not rewarded for it.

Good luck. You're doing a good thing. It will take a while for both you and her to adjust, but it will be worth it!