 Hi! We're new here. :-)
Hello everyone! We are joining you from Calgary, Alberta. I'm Jehn, I'm dog mom to Cosmo (1.5YO yorkie) and Stella (6.5YO standard poodle.) I have 4 kids (12, 11, 9 & 9), a leopard gecko, and some tropical fish.
I'm here to ask some questions as I'm fairly new to the breed. Cosmo came to live with us at 7 months old. We'd been trying to find a rescue that's a good fit for us, which is challenging when you have allergies and 4 kids. My husband had a yorkie before, but I was always more of a big dog person. After having my heart broken twice during the rescue process, my hubby hooked me up with his breeder and she just happened to have a boy she'd kept to show... He had Cryptorchidism and had to be neutered so she was looking for a good home. He's a rugged and lively boy, very playful and he loves the kids. Didn't take him long to steal my heart, and here we are about a year later. :-)
As much as we adore him, unfortunately he has some bad habits and possibly some health issues.
House training is an ongoing issue. He never used a pad. He hates being crated and will mess in his crate. I've tried tiny crates and big crates. He figured out how to climb out of his wire pen a couple weeks after we got him. He's fine when he's asleep, and he goes all night (10pm-7am or longer!) without a break... but when he's up, he wants out every 20-30 minutes, sometimes more. Very frustrating.
He shakes a lot. Everyone seems to think it's normal for the breed.
He barks at every new person who comes to the door, and won't stop for 10-15 minutes.
He lays down or drags his feet sometimes when we go for walks, and refuses to walk. Not all the time, but it's a few times every walk. He doesn't seem to enjoy the outdoors unless he's free to roam.
He's gotten nippy lately. Never with me, but sometimes with certain kids and occasionally my husband. He hasn't broken skin but he lunges at faces and hands and I'm not sure how to stop it. I've instructed the family to say "ouch" loudly then put him down or in his crate and ignore. Not sure if it's working just yet.
I'm thinking it's time for some classes with him, but we will have to put a wrap on him when we go out because he pees. He's very anxious and I've tried everything from vet-recommended treats to CBD oil which just makes him sleepy.
To make matters worse, he may have a congenital defect that affects his spinal cord. He fell down the deck stairs this summer and was walking like a drunk after so we took him to emerg. He was x-rayed and sent to a neurologist who wants to do a $2600 MRI to determine whether he has this defect or not. He was back to normal within 4 hours of the fall, so it could have just been swelling. We don't really know unless we do the MRI... Neuro said to keep an eye on him for now and if he has any further issues come back.
So, no idea if any of these issues are linked... He does not seem to be in any pain day to day, but he does have the shakes and we are struggling with potty training and a little bit of aggression. This dog has wiggled his way into my heart so much and I love him dearly. Would love some advice on tackling some of the challenges we're having! <3 |