[sherrychicago]

This is in response to the woman who had problems crate-training her Yorkie. I have a Yorkie, Teddy with the same problem. I have successfully crate trained other dogs in the past, so I don't think I'm doing anything incorrectly, but Teddy, who is 2-1/2 now has always hated being crated. I think he has some form of claustrophobia, although he doesn't mind sleeping in his crate if the door is open, but even then he likes to pee in his bedding.

I've tried the metal wire crates with the plastic trays & the plastic airline carriers in various sizes, but Ted hates them all. He cries in that pitiful Yorkie way to be let out. He dirties his crate, then walks in the mess. (I finally gave up crating Ted at night because there was usually a mess in his crate in the morning, so now he sleeps in the laundry (off the kitchen--with our other dog, Lilly) with a puppy gate at the door. Some mornings their room is clean, but usually I have to mop up puddles or clean up dog-poo--which is less trouble than cleaning out Ted's dirty dog crate & bathing him.

Worst of all, Ted will circle in his crate until his paws go raw. Because of the circling, my vet refuses to board him when we go on vacation. I found a lady in my town who boards dogs uncrated, but Ted is a problem for her because he barks at the bigger dogs & she's afraid he'll start a fight & get injured.

Does anyone else have a Yorkie who circles? Teddy doesn't make tight circles (such as chasing his tail). Rather he makes big, clockwise circles, but when he's excited, like when he greets you, he makes little circles. He carries a soft toy in his mouth & slowly circles the kitchen work island, the family room coffee table or our kitchen table. When our miniature poodle, Lilly notices that Ted is circling, she steals his toy away & then he stops for a while. When he's outside, if I put him in an X-pen, he'll circle, so usually I tie him on an over-head trolley line & then he runs in big circles.

Ted is a healthy, high energy dog & he gets regular vet checkups. Here's a list of his behavior problems:

1. He's somewhat aloof & doesn't enjoy being picked up. He's getting better about being handled, but he doesn't like to be brushed or have his teeth brushed. He actually enjoys baths.

2. Excessive barking, especially in the morning, when he wants out.

3. Leg-lifting & marking territory. (I let him out about every 2-3 hrs. Often he goes out, won't do anything, then comes back inside & pees or poops, usually in the laundry on the vinyl floor or on the hall tile. Lilly does this too, not on the hall tile floor, but on the vinyl in the laundry or kitchen.)

4. Enjoys fighting with Lilly. (He growls & bites her ear, but she enjoys fighting too. My husband & I don't mind tussling, but when they start loud growling we break it up.)

5. Obsessive about wanting treats (He's not overweight. I give him tiny small dog treats & only in the evening. Otherwise he'd keep asking me all day.)

6. Wants a lot of attention.

7. Has recently started to "mount" Lilly. (I stop him whenever he does this.)

Although Teddy is loveable & not aggressive, my vet is concerned about the circling & thinks I should walk him more. (That's what "The Dog Whisperer" on TV would also say.) My dog-sitter suggests that I keep Ted on a lead & do a "leash correction" when he starts circling. I've been trying to do both & Ted is showing improvement, but I'm wondering if Ted will always have this problem or can he be permanently trained not to circle? Has anyone else had this problem with their Yorkie?

Lilly, our poodle is nearly 2 & we have less problems with her than Ted, except she's been difficult to housebreak & likes to do naughty things like jump up on our kitchen table & steal paper such as napkins & envelopes. I think she suffers from separation anxiety. I don't work, so I'm usually home with her, but when I have to leave her alone for several hours, she can be destructive & sometimes digs holes in the plaster board in the laundry room.

Both dogs are affectionate & friendly with my husband & I as well as strangers. They like to sit on the sofa & cuddle. They're not biters. So I guess overall they're nice little dogs, but it's a constant, exhausting battle to correct their behavior, especially Ted.

I think this is probably an alpha struggle between Ted & I, but sometimes I think Ted is winning. Any ideas?