[yorkietalkjilly]

Welcome to YT! My Tibbe spent the first 9 mos. of his life in a cage outside but as the crate was all he'd ever known, he felt secure in it when I first brought him home. I used it to put him in during housebreaking when I had to leave the house or room unless I took him with me so that he couldn't have an accident. I like to keep them habituated to the crate as when they have to go to the vet, should they get out and AC pick them up, have to board, etc., they must be crated so I didn't want him going nuts from being back in a crate again. But the rest of the time he was out and about with me, getting loved, socialized, trained and exercised. hehe. I took him out every 30 minutes for weeks when I first got him so he could hopefully get the idea that pottying was to be done out there and not in the house. I kept him at first in an airline carrier with holes in the sides and a mesh door at bedtime so he couldn't have an accident and placed that carrier first in a chair along side the bed and then in the bed itself with me until he learned how to use doggie steps and I knew he wouldn't pee in the bed. Soon he was sleeping out of the carrier on the pillow beside me! He was kennel-crazy, wild and frightened to death when I brought him home and now he's a perfectly housebroken, healthy, happy and well-behaved little boy and so will your little lady be over time with loving, patient working with her. Just keep up your kind work with her and thank you so very, very much for taking her in, giving her a second chance to know the good side of life. People who take in dogs destined for the worst are The Best!!!