Barking! Can't take it anymore...
 

I have two yorkies, a female that is one and a male that is almost two. I am home quite a bit and yet they run out the doggy door (if I leave it open as they haven't learned to go thru it on their own) at anything in the yard that bothers them and agitate each other into a barking frenzy. I've taken to only letting them out when it seems they need to pee, but it's become a game to them I think. My neighbor just cussed me out over the back fence even though she has a dog too, but my two sense when this dog is out and go nuts, causing her (neighbor) to go nuts too. I do stop them when I'm home but sometimes a person has to get groceries, etc! They are relentless when the doorbell rings as well and my teenager's friends have started calling to say they are outside so the dogs aren't "disturbed". We've tried the "coins in the can" trick but that doesn't work. The male has even recently started biting toes of some that come to visit. I am actually thinking about finding a new home for these dogs. It's become a love/hate situation. I've had dogs before but had no idea how much work indoor dogs and maybe this breed would take. They are soooo needy and yet they get tons of attention. Any thoughts?

i would suggest having a trainer come to your home.

Any idea what that costs? My hubby just took a huge paycut and these Yorkies maintenance is already costly.

i'm not sure how much it costs. when i get some extra $$$ i'm going to invest in a trainer. we have barking and marking issues.

there are training devices that you can buy at petco that release a high pitched sound when they bark. some devices need to be attached to the dog but some don't need to be. i'd get one that doesn't since you have two dogs. i've heard that these work very well.

I have 4 dogs and they all bark. I saw this on a TV show, buy a bike horn and when they bark say enough and toot the horn. It has helped with mine about 70 %. I don't think they bark when I'm not home though so I don't know what you can do about that. I hate to see you have to give them up.

When mine don't bark I think they are sick :D But if you find the answer please let us know :D

If you are thinking of rehoming than it time to do so.. your hearts not in it and the dogs know it.
Give a yorkie rescue a call and see if they have room.
I thining that all the attention at barking was reinforced it so much that a change will be hard. On top of that the males learned toe nipping gets even more attention.
The Cycle you are in can be broken but it will take time and indeed more money. Trainers for in home privates run fro 50 to 150 an hour.

JL

My sister had a simular problem and started watching the Dog Whisperer and applied his training. She has very few issues anymore. It does take time and dedication.

i would also recommend watching its me or the dog! hehe

When I got my baby he barked quite a bit. So I started popping him into his cage every time he barked too long/too loud/too much, etc. If he kept barking I covered the cage with a large blanket (the whole thing so he couldn't see anything). When he calmed down, first the blanket came off, then next he got a treat. Then after a few minutes of calm, I let him out. I never ever let him out while he was still excited, whether he was barking or just bouncing around the cage. But I agree with the poster that said if you're thinking about giving them away it's probably time. Good luck.

What kind of crate did you use? How old where they when you did this??

Bike Horn for BARKING???
 

Do you mean the kind of "Bike Horn" that "HONKS"??LOL I am up for any new suggestions anytime and will try anything!!! Spray bottle doesn't phase Lily and neither does pennies in a can!!!

My male wants to bark at any one who comes in the house. I think he trying to be protective. You never have to wish you had that electronic warning system for your home.
I talked to a breeder who had the dogs surgically nipped for the excesseve barking. I thought that was alittle extreme but she is having horrible neighbor issues and she only had it done to dogs she intended on keeping herself if need be otherwise she sold the dogs in question.

for zaknnana
 

I used a cheap dog crate from Wal-Mart, an open wire design. It has a door in one long side and a second door in the short side and came with a partition to either make it smaller or to split into 2 parts. I've never used the partition at all--I just keep a soft blanket or pillow in there for Lucas. Its about 2 ft long and 18 inches wide (approx--I'm not good with measurements). It's roomy enough for a yorkie to move around in but small enough that they're contained. And I got my furbaby when he was a little over a year old from a breeder who decided that he didn't "need" him. (I don't know what his living conditions were like before I got him. For all I know, he lived in a cage.) At any rate, he now feels safe and comfortable in the cage and goes in voluntarily to sleep and doesn't fuss if I pop him in when we have company. :) Before I got my yorkie, I kept a puppy in it--that puppy was part Rottie and part lab so was a large puppy! And he was comfortable in it as well (I got him when he was 6 weeks old and used it until he outgrew it--he still occassionally tries to get in).