[yorkietalkjilly]

I tried to get another Yorkie when my second Yorkie, Jilly was 6 years old. Jilly weighed only 3 lbs. grown, having been the runt of her litter with some severe G-I problems that nearly killed her when I first got her. I got a little female Yorkie as I had always wanted two Yorkies but it ruined Jilly's life - as she had been an only dog for so long, I guess. Jilly took to the back of the den couch and basically stayed there for 3 months. I went through every suggestion known to man to try to get her to accomodate to Teddy, the new girl, but she would not. All the research I had done about introducing a new pet, all the dog people I spoke to about the situation afterward, the vet visits, you name it, none of it worked with Jilly. She began to chew on her ankles obsessively and stopped eating, lost weight, had tummy troubles, would not even cuddle normally with me after a while of Teddy living here. Long, very painful story short(I loved Teddy so, so much by that time), after 90 days and fearing my Jilly might pine and starve herself to death, or worse, continue to live a miserable life, I had to rehome Teddy. Teddy was an only dog in her new home and, it turned out, excelled in obedience and agility, in spite of the fact that her new mommie kept her in full show coat. She grew up into a lovely, athletic dog. Jilly, once Teddy was carried out the front door by her new mommie and daddy and I was sitting on the living room floor sobbing in misery, instantly returned to her old self, resumed her old life, stopped chewing her ankles and starving herself and thrived once again. No one could ever figure out why she just could not accept Teddy but then she had never liked to be around any other dogs. I knew that but I thought that if I brought one to live with us and be her sister, she would eventually accept her and begin to love her - but 90 days later, she still hadn't, she was nervous, remote, very thin and had balding spots on her ankles, returning G-I episodes and I was scared she was going to lose her health. After Teddy went to her new home, I would look at Jilly and ask, "Where is Teddy?" and she would not even bother to look around or run and sniff or react at all - she would just stare straight at me as if she had wiped the very memory of Teddy completely out of her mind. Jilly lived another 6 1/2 years,the queen of her world and I never again tried another dog in our house as long as she lived. I was just happy to have my Jilly healthy and happy again.

My current Yorkie, Tibbe, LOVES all dogs and I think he would thrive with another family member or two!!! He just lights up when he has dog visitors here and whines and mopes when they leave. He will stand at the front door after they are gone and bark and whine after them and give me daggers looks because I "let" them leave!!! Tibbe is not small or frail like Jilly was so I do not know if that is why he loves other dogs and Jilly did not. From everything I understand, Jilly's attitude about other dogs
was not common in Yorkies. So, if your dog is like Tibbe, I'll bet he would LOVE a brother or sister. I hope you can get one as I think two Yorkies would be lots of fun and good company for each other.