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Originally Posted by erin619  I have two Yorkies who are both 6 years old. Very shortly after getting them I got pregnant with my third child. My other two were school aged so I was alone with the puppies in the beginning. A year after her birth I got pregnant with #4. Getting to the point, my Yorkies were not spoiled at all. I hate to say they may have been a little neglected for a while there.  My older teen son wasn't even nice to them, saying he hated them. Well, I don't care for their personalities. The male, Jack, is kind of skittish. I believe it is solely my oldest's fault for that. My female, Gracie, is just... well, not very loving. She could care less if we are around or not. Don't get me wrong they are nice dogs. They just aren't fun or loving. I've met a few Yorkies recently who are just the sweetest dogs ever. One even fetches balls all day long. She is just the sweetest most adorable dog ever. I am so jealous of that. The only difference between these dogs and my own is how spoiled they are. So....
I am thinking of getting a puppy and starting over. There will be no shortage of spoilage now. The kids are old enough that I can have time to spoil her.
I also have two daughters who would love to spoil a new puppy. I'm just worried I won't get the sweet loving dog that I want. I would hate to end up with three dogs that I don't care for so much. Maybe I should try a different breed. I am confused. 
I would love to hear your opinions. Thanks |
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Originally Posted by erin619 That was my original decision too. We have all been trying to spoil them and love them and give them more attention. They seem to be set in their ways. It's very disappointing. They are so unloving my 3 and 5 year old don't even care for them. I'm thinking maybe I should look into other breeds. I just love the way the Yorkie looks |
I have been taking my time returning to posting but could NOT hold my words on this one! Take a look at what I bolded in your posts. You are NOT taking responsibility for the situation you've made. You blame it all on your children and the dogs themselves! How do you think people who work full time & have kids wind up with loving dogs? They SHOW them love! Not just for a few days or once in a while, or just when they are not busy -- but all the time! You show your dogs you care about them with more than the
length of time you have to spend with them -- it is all about
quality! How you speak to them, respond to their needs, and what you do when you do have time. Yorkies are the MOST loving dogs I have ever seen. A situation has to be pretty bad for them to not respond when you do show love. No need to tell the forum, but I would do some private soul-searching about how your two have been treated so far to contribute to their current aloofness to you. What are you doing NOW to "spoil them" and how long have you actually tried? If you have neglected them, and whatever else made them so unlike yorkies I know, for years, then it could take quite a while for them to learn to trust & believe the new treatment is here to stay. If you really want pets, I think you owe it to these two to show your new resolve to be a good pet parent.
Dogs are not like a pair of shoes that you return for another pair if they don't go with an outfit! You have to invest time and emotional commitment to help them develop to a good pet. Being the adult in the home -- the responsibility for caring for pets AND anything your children do or don't do IS YOURS (and any other adult in the home)!
I find some redeeming value to your situation as you are asking questions. I think you
know the right answer is to NOT get another pet, but to try to develop a loving relationship with the ones you already have. I am not sure if you were hoping someone would say, "yes get another dog" or if deep down inside you wanted someone to tell you to treat these two you have as well as they deserve. I am going to do the latter with the caveat that if you cannot
commit to them, that you follow miabellaamoure's advice and surrender them to a rescue organization and NOT get another dog. Maybe a goldfish would be a better pet choice for you if uncertain about the commitment. I am not being mean, just very concerned about your dogs.
Yorkies truly are overly demonstrative dogs. They normally will lick a person half to death for the smallest act of kindness. Your tone of voice is all important with them -- don't be afraid to sound as silly as possible to make them happy. A wagging tail, a lick, a twirl, standing on hind legs, jumping, even smiling in their own way should all come easily! Since it is not coming naturally for you,
I suggest getting a trainer to work with you for a few weeks. Maybe seeing how you interact with them in person will help pinpoint the problem with trying to save your relationship with them. It might be something you could easily change. I wish you and especially the yorkies well! It will be such a huge benefit to everyone in your family if you can turn this around and make it work. Remember -- you are also teaching your children how to treat their pets now and well into the future by your example. How they treat the pets they get for their own children someday will have a great deal to do with the lessons you are teaching them now. Don't teach them how to discard living beings -- instead teach them to care and show the love!
Apologize for typos -- using one hand after surgery and tried to correct them all.