You stated: " Bubba can go 3 or 4 days sometimes without an accident, but when he slips up, he totally loses it. He is crated, exercised three times a day, fed on a strict schedule"
Do you mean that he is crated all the time in general or only when he slips up?
If it's when he slips up, he's seeing being crated as a reprimand.
If it's all the time, he's feeling reprimanded all the time.
You cannot treat or train a Yorkie like a Lab, horse, or pig. They are totally different. They are different than all other dogs.
Your puppy is exhibiting those behaviors because he is in a kennel too much of the time. I have seen this before.
When he is loose in the house or where ever, he runs around because he doesn't know when or why he will be put in the crate again. He's not understanding this treatment, so he's going to run and make the most out of it while he can.
He may have even learned that when he poops in his crate, he gets to come out.
Yorkies are highly social dogs. They need to feel that they are a part of the family, 100% of the time. Being in a crate makes him feel unloved and unwanted.
My Tink came to me from a family that had 6 kids under the age of 12. She learned from them that dogs bring people toys and that's what makes them happy. Period. She drove me nuts the first week I had her, till I thought about why she was doing this 24/7. Short answer is: Kids play.
I decided to teach her how to enjoy down time, selfishly for my own sanity. I started out holding her in my lap for 20-30 seconds at a time. That was all she would tolerate. Gradually the lap time was increased as she tolerated more and more, till two months later she fell asleep in my lap for almost 2 hours.
She still loves to play, but now she also loves to be held and loved on.
Will he let you hold him on your lap?
I remember you from when you first came on here. I respect your training abilities with your other animals, I really do.
I have owned Yorkies for over 30 years, and a few other dogs, and worked as a Vet Tech for 20 years, trained race horses for 10 years, I have rehabbed 2 rescue Yorkies from the Humane Society, and have helped quite a few YT members with their problem dogs.
The technical term for what your dog is doing is: Dirty Dog Syndrome, but mostly for his acting out behavior from being confined too much.
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...need-help.html http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...irty-girl.html
My intent was not and is not to make you defensive or to feel attacked by me in any way. I 'see' what the problem is with your dog, and you don't, yet. I think you are in denial that your methods may be failing this dog, you think it's his problem.
I won't comment further, other than to say I hope my posts may help others in the same situation, and that I do hope you find an acceptable solution to your dilemma.
My apologies to you if you feel I have offended you again. I am sorry, I only want you to be able to turn this situation around, so that you, your husband and your Yorkie can be happy together.
Sincerely wishing you the best of luck,
Kathy