Quote:
Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly  It sounds as if you are committed to having an excellent relationship with her and feared maybe cheapening it somehow with the treats. But your dog doesn't see them as "treats", only as you providing vital food and it is the loving, selfless act of a leader to her. In the pack setting, the killers/providers of food are highly esteemed by all members and given pride of place. "Talking" to your dog with food treats will gain you any number of trust and honor points in her eyes and help her to see you as a brave hunter who is sharing your find with her. "Treating" a dog to humans sometimes is trivialized in our minds but to a dog, it is a noble gesture of food sharing.
If walking her during times when she is nervous is easier with you, it says to me that she is beginning to see you as the stronger of the family outside in the dangerous "wild" and might be thinking of you in terms of the protector. Keep up the good work and you will become a trusted and beloved pack leader in her eyes. |
Thank you for this valuable help once again. Over the years, I'm now approaching 70, I've known quite a few Yorkies, indeed I used to look after my late neighbours little girl for up to two weeks at a time. Specifically lets take my stepdaughter's pair, a mum and daughter duo, aged 28 and 12 months. Their very different as characters, that said, both never leave you alone in a room and cry at the door if denied access, especially when their mum is away. If I'm on the computer, they insist on snuggling into my lap, effectively preventing my use of it, by forcing their attention upon me and their an absolute delight to be with.
Today, "Crystal's'" returned to my wife's bed, once more on lone sentinel duty. She played for about 40 mins this morning and I keep popping in and giving her little pieces of boiled chicken and bits of my (and now her) favourite biscuits. This 'guardian' watch scenario, has only materialised in the last week or so. Prior to that, if one of us wasn't here, she'd automatically be with the other. Does she now see this place as her 'natural' den or nest and prefers that over my company? My wife shut her door when she left this morning, but following serious crying and scrabbling I let her in, where she now resides as usual head down with the Yorkie hang dog look on. Please, understand we're both worried and upset about this from
her angle, are we selfishly causing her angst and stress? Whilst she's still a young dog would she be happier with a lone keeper
(she was with an older lady before)? We're also worried that when my wife travels to see her daughter in Russia in a few months time, for a 3 week stay, she will become really confused and suffer even more?
Happy days...