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Originally Posted by AngelFae  I brush Blazer every day. It is great bonding time for us, he loves it, and it keeps him looking great.
I could totally be misreading your post but just how long is your baby crated every day? Any chance that he is just lonely or bored without human affection? My boy seems "needy" in the love and attention department. |
I will hope that when I begin brushing him it will be bonding for us as well. So far I tried it and he wasn't feeling it, but he was new in the home, having only been here a couple of days. Today is his second week with us. Next week I will begin making it a part of his daily routine... Just that he needed a time of adjustment and calm all around him as he get's used to a new family.
I began crate training him the second he got into this house. By that I mean that I would put him in the crate for an hour here or there while we were all together (with him) going about our day, (ie: we'd be at the dinner table eating dinner and he'd be on the counter watching, crated). I really want him to learn to love his crate and it was clear to me that the previous owner did not teach him that his crate is a lovely space where he can go (no matter where in the world that he is...) to be alone and know it's going to be quiet and calm. We'll watch tv while he's being crated right next to us for a period of time... A few days ago I left him with my female shih tsu mix in the bedroom, tv on, lamp on and the two of them keeping one another company for 3 hours while I watched movies away from them. All this to teach him that he'll survive and I'll come back... Yesterday I went xmas shopping to the mall for 4 hours without him. I plan to do this again today. He HAS to learn that I come back...and that he's fine in his crate. He's very comfortable in a cozy crate that is perfectly sized for his 2 and a half pound body. He has two toys and he's with his new "sibling", he can see her at all times. She is a calm and relaxed energy and is teaching him how to adjust with her confidence and state of mind. He's in VERY good hands here with us, specifically me.
I'm an avid trainer and extremely good at it, (by accident) and by pleasure. My passion is dogs...and I have a huge history with them over my many years of living within a canine pack, as their alpha, of course. (Sounds funny the way I put it, but when you have 5 dogs at once it is a PACK...). We had a male german shepherd (150pds) not a thread of fat on that boy...he simply was GIGANTIC! A pony, actually! We had a male flat coated retriever (75lbs), female flat coated (65lbs), female pomeranian (3lbs) and lastly our shih tsu mix (16lbs). They all lived a harmoneous life together in the country side on many acres of land. All but one passed of old age, all older than 13 years (however our female flat coat passed of cancer and was taken at the young age of 10, sadly). I went to seminars to learn how to train hyper-type dogs as flat coated retrievers are quite energetic. It was the best of times living in the country with those dogs!
Don't worry about me or my training...I'm a dog lover to the point where they are my babies. I simply need them to have confidence and harmony...and since this yorkie is the first dog I have ever had that I didn't raise from a pup...at the moment he's in a learning curve to acquire his routine and place within this new family. It's going to be an adjustment, but I already see his improvement. He's happy here... He was a wild animal a week and a half ago. The didn't do the necessary behaviors to allow him to live peacefully as he was a burden in the previous family's home. Ultimately he was not wanted, as loved as he was he didn't have security. The young girl that gave him to me loved him enough to let him go....and come live in my warm loving home, where she's seen the way I lead, train and have quality of life with TONS OF LOVE. She wanted the best for her little boy knowing she tried but sadly failed him. Her need to work and go to school and have a boyfriend exceeded her ablility to maintain her dogs' need to thrive and have quality of life. She is a loving young woman who did her best...but in the end she HAD to choose her own life. I don't blame her. Sadly this happens all the time to dogs... It's a crying shame... Happy ending for this boy tho... I was his baby sitter when she went out of town a few months ago before she gave him to me. He loved it here! She kept calling me and asking me "why is my dog not eating now or lathargic?" He was missing us...and loved having another canine by his side to expand his lifestyle... So, no worries about my crate training, ok? It's a manditory part of life for a small dog in my opinion (if not ALL DOGS). Especially since we travel and plan to bring the dogs as they're small enough.
Sorry that I was so long winded...but being new here doesn't tell you much about the kind of person I am or what kind of doggy mommy I am. In time you'll feel less concerned about my intentions when I crate my yorkie. He's just turned a year old (and he came here to our home not even potty trained!)...so he's hasn't even earned the right to walk around the house yet. Soon...all in good time. He's has a well developed bladder so potty issues won't be an issue for long... Hope I've cleared things up.
Take care.