Help! I snapped today ...
 

I have a 4.5 month old. I have done everything and I have been consistent.I am very careful at training because I know it's good to train young. I am careful from eating schedule to health, to training on sit, stay ... etc. I am so careful that I yell at my husband from time to time if he doesnt say the right thing or do the right thing (I've read so much training materials and watched so many videos - love Cesar Milan & Tamar Geller). As a matter of fact, people said they have never seen me have so much patient before. And my puppy has been good - trainable and just overall very clam and listens. But tonight, my baby couldn't stop chewing on everything that's on me - my slippers, my pants, my sweater, my fingers ... he wouldn't get off. Normally I'd walk away. But Charlie doesn't eat. He never eats, he just starves and the only time he'd nibble on things is if Im in the kitchen with him so I had to stay there. But it's gotten to a point I couldn't get him away from me. I tried everything and he just kept chewing on my clothing, he even tried humping my leg. I finally snapped and yelled at him (which is so wrong). I almost hit my hand on the ground really hard but stopped myself on time. I got so scared at my actions I just carried him into his playpen and left the room. He didn't even finish eating. I feel like I did something so wrong. I hope I didnt scared Charlie.

It also didn't help when my husband not only sat there but when he saw me putting Charlie in the playpen because I got fed up (I always have told him not to put the dog in there as a punishment because then he'd think the confinement is because he did something wrong), he made fun of me!! But there was nothing else I could do.

Sorry am getting very emotional ... Has anyone gone through something similar? What should I do?

Well, your puppy looks darling! Probably less darling when he is mercilessly mouthing, though.

From what you've said, I very much doubt you've traumatized your pup. Yelling and/or stomping on the ground could actually be an effective correction, though of course you don't want to do it in an out of control way. In any case, no one is perfect. You are doing your best. Take a deep breath and go take it out on your husband! ;)

Using the playpen when you have had enough is perfectly fine if you put him in there unemotionally and make him feel that all is well. He won't know it's a punishment unless you do it angrilly. So don't feel bad about putting him in there if you feel you've had enough. It can be used as a break for you, and he'll just be thinking "okay now I play in here" and won't make the association that playpen/crate=bad. In fact the book "idiot's guide to positive dog training" recommends doing this to avoid losing our temper, and advises to treat him when in the crate/playpen to assure the dog that it is not punishment.

Don't feel badly, it's o.k. to feel frustrated when your pup doesn't respond the way you want them to. Just a couple things to remember, he is only 4.5 months. He will have many more "puppy moments". Learn to smile at them and enjoy his playing, but also think about what may be going on at the moment in his head.
Chewing at this age means teething!!! Give him his favorite chew toy or get him a few toys that he can just chew the heck out of. Daisy Mae loves her knotted rope. Also, Petsmart has these great fleece toys that are knotted and tied that she loves as well.
Play "tug" with a toy, it feels good on their teeth and gums.

Teething for pups is kind of like a bad itch that you can't reach. They become frustrated and will stop at nothing to satisfy or stop the pain or irritation. I know about this as Daisy Mae is at the end of her teething and now she just wants to test out the new teeth! I think the humping is also part of this, not sure tho. Little man is just frustrated and wants to get out his aggression, which is normal. Don't feel as if you have failed in his training. Sounds to me like you are doing a great job!

~Kathy :hug:

oops.... :rolleyes:
If he's been chewing on you and humping your leg
This isn't being just a puppy
He's claiming you as a possession
Time to set the record straight with this yung'in right away

I don't where the roles are beginning to get blurred
But a good start is with food
You say that he's starving? .... believe me, he's not
do NOT cater to this behavior
Yorkies are VERY finicky ... if he doesn't want to eat that's fine
if he's 4.5 months the likelihood of hypoglycemia is very low
you feed him ... make sure he sees that YOU eat first (make believe) :p
after a half hour the bowl goes away

Chewing on you and/ or humping you is Not to be tolerated
A good way to make this super clear is the quickly move him away using the skin at the back of the neck or shoulders
This is what Mother dogs or dominant dogs do

During this Chewing phase
keep him contained in a few rooms where he can be monitored
just like with a toddler who can get into trouble
this baby needs to be supervised ... and just like Moms with toddlers who say .. I can't take it anymore
You have the right to vent ;)
But we all have gone thru it and there is another side
the work's hard sometimes but always well worth it

Aww, don't beat yourself up - we've all been there. It's so frustrating when your little one won't eat and only wants to act out:( Nothing wrong with putting him in his playpen for a bit and giving yourself a break. Eventually he will learn when he is pushing too far - my 3 know when my tone changes that they had better start flying right - LOL!

I agree with most of this post except the part about the food. It is NEVER EVER a good idea to withhold food from such a young puppy!!! These puppies should have food available several times throughout the day, if not all day. Just because the puppy is over four months DOES NOT mean that they cannot go hypoglycemic. I don't know how large this baby is, but a 1.5lb four-month-old puppy is still a risk for hypo episodes.

To the OP- keep at it! You are doing great! I had my fair share of frustrations with Ranger- specifically from the 5-9 month age group. Keep at it and don't forget how much of a baby he still is! When he's 2 yrs. old you'll miss these things!! Oh, and with him already humping, I would be sure to schedule his neuter for around 6 months. Good luck!!!!!

If mine is 13 weeks and 4 and 3/4 pounds, are we then safe from hypoglycemia?

Awww don't feel bad. I've had those days and still have those days. I was so flustered with my two the other day... they were being really rough with one of our kitties the other day and our kitty did not like it at all. I had tried to stop them several times and they just were not listening. I finally yelled at them and used their full names and told them that if they didn't behave, I was taking them upstairs to their room (I sound like such a mom). They are 2 years old. Sometimes I think we all just need a break. Just try to relax!

As for Charlie chewing on things - he's teething. Get him some special teething toys. They have some special for teething puppies and you can also use a baby teething ring too and put it in the freezer. Some people have even put a wet rag in the freezer for their babies. Let him chew on some ice. Just make sure he has a lot of allowable things to chew on. Also, my forever saving grace, BITTER APPLE. Spray it on EVERYTHING you don't want chewed (furniture, clothes, carpet, rugs, humans, etc.) and don't forget to supervise Charlie 100%. If he still is chewing, a simple "NO" and then an extra squirt on the item that he's chewing on, then giving him something he can chew on, should do the trick.

Good luck and remember, he's just a baby!

No dog is completely safe from hypoglycemia. They are just more at risk the younger and smaller they are.

:thumbup::thumbup: Our 80lb lab went hypoglycemic last summer. It can ALWAYS happen, and with yorkies being small in general, withholding food is never a good idea. Not saying you can't feed them 2 or 3 times a day on a schedule, but missing meals ups the risk.

There seems to be a new thread on this same topic every day. I just find it interesting that so many people do not know what to expect from puppies as far as the teething and chewing.

Some people do jump into puppyhood totally unprepared, but sometimes even the most unprepared person can just get frustrated. No one is perfect and it's just like have kids. I would not believe anyone who told me that they never lost their patience/temper unneccesarily with their children... it's the same thing.

Thank you everyone for all the support and tips. I really really appreciate it.

I know exactly how you feel. I threatened to give Baxter away every day until he turned about 10 months old. He is almost 13 months now and has calmed down a lot. He still chews on some stuff but no longer on the baseboards. We actually took a nap in the afternoon yesterday. Something that hasn't been done at my house since last February. Hang in there. It will get better.