Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3335977)

Beamers mom - How about we maintain some focus and actively participate in a positive manner here. If you have nothing to offer, then you have really no business here don't you think? You have made a post about your feelings, great...how about mine and the problem I have on hand? I'd hardly call a dog that was used to kill rats and rodents a "Defenseless" dog - especially when she drew blood and continues to be aggressive - but oddly enough, she won't bite me anymore, however I do believe that given the chance she will...or maybe the swats on the nose has taught a lesson....but that's not something I enjoyed or will be repeating, which is why I'm here.

I'll offer the same advice to you - either proactively help and enter the dialogue or find another thread to discuss your feelings in. It would be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by MyTrixie143 (Post 3336240)

After reading through all of your posts I can see some reasons as to why you are having such difficulty with training her.

First she came from a puppymill and she has all the signs of one. Puppy mill dogs are often twice as hard to potty train as they are caged up all the time and taught to go there. Breaking that habit is hard.
In addition they many times end up with behavior issues due to lack of socialization.

You will have to treat the situation like you just got a new puppy as she needs totally retrained.

Like mentioned before you need to come up with a regular feeding and potty schedule.
When you are taking her out tell her "let's go potty" or something similar. Do this every time so she will catch on and will later recognize the phrase and know what is expected.

Don't keep her outside for a half hour. She will forget what she is out there for. Give her 10 minutes to go potty. If she doesn't go bring her back inside making sure you are watching her so there isn't an accident. Take her back outside to try again in 5 minutes. Repeat the process until she goes. When she does go praise her and reward her. Positive reinforcement goes a lot further than negative reinforcement.

As for her biting, it sounds like she is hand shy, atleast with men. Of course if you had someone 10 times bigger than you reaching down to you, you might do the same.

You need to win her trust over. Just like respect, trust is earned.

Sit on the floor and toss her treats every so often and talk to her gently. Start tossing the treat right by her than gradually work up to where she has to come close by you for the treat. Don't make her take the treat from your hand until she is ready as after all it is the hand she fears. Encourage her to come to you, don't go to her, you need to go at her pace not yours. It takes a lot of time and patience but that is how you win her trust over.

Please never hit her again. Dogs have a good memory and the fact that you have hit her in the past means it will take even longer for her to get over it and be able to trust you. If you feel you must absolutely punish her, put her in a short 5 minute time out. Time outs work wonders with dogs. It teaches them what they did wrong but unlike hitting would do, it doesn't make them fear you.

If she bites you, say "yipe" or "ouch" in a high pitched tone and walk away ignoring her. Don't correct her with any negative reinforcement as it will only encourage the behavior. She left her mother and siblings too early to be taught proper bite inhabitation.
Have you ever watched a litter of puppies play?
When one gets too rough the puppy yelps and stops playing with the other pup. This sends the message, either you be nice or I'm not going to pay any attention to you. Since dogs are pack animals they crave our affection and attention. They soon learn biting will get them nowhere.

For food guarding, this is also a sign of a puppy mill dog.
You need to teach her the "leave it" command. Give the command and lure her away from her chew or food with a toy, treat or distraction. Once she leaves it, pick it up, praise and reward her. And then give her the treat back in a few minutes. Kinda like a time out for the treat if that makes sense.

Practice this several times a day. She needs to learn that A) when she acts badly when she has a treat it will be taken away from her for awhile B) when she gives it up willingly she will be rewarded and will eventually get the treat back.

My cocker spaniel had severe food aggression when I got her. Today she has none and willingly shares her food and treats with the others.
She was the runt in the litter of several pups and I believe she had to fight for her food to get any.
This resulted in any time another dog so much as went by her bowl she would attack them.
I used the above method and she soon realized that when she behaved she got to enjoy her treat, when she didn't it was taken away for a time. And once she figured it out that she would always get the treat/food back (even if another took it) she was alright.
If you had to fight for your food you wouldn't want anyone near it either. But once you learned that no matter what you always got it back you wouldn't be so inclined to fight or be nasty for it.

And since she is inclined to sneak off to mess somewhere or get into something, again treat her like you would with a puppy. Until she is completely trained, don't let her out of your sight.

Make sure she is getting plenty of exercise, play and mental stimulation. A bored dog is likely to be destructive as they have nothing else to do.

Also the less crate time, the better. If she is too distracting for you when you are trying to study, give her something to occupy her such as a kong stuffed with peanut butter or a toy that challenges her. Something that will hold her interest for awhile.

I would also consider an exercise pen. They aren't expensive and it would give her more freedom than a crate but not enough to where she would be getting into things. If you had to lay in a small space all day you would probably be bored and destructive as well.






Yes you are wrong. You give dogs too much credit, they don't have vindictive minds like us humans.
Have you ever really considered why she would do this? What is the common factor?
That would be one of you leaves. She is showing signs of separation anxiety. Some dogs pace, some bark, some are destructive and others have accidents.

This one will take a lot of time to fix. First don't make a big deal out of leaving. Practice leaving for very short periods of time. Gradually increase the time you are gone. When you get back, don't make a huge deal out of it. Even if she had an accident, this will just increase her anxiety.
Ignore her for the first few minutes. When she is more calm and relaxed then you can pet her or give her a treat. This teaches her that a calm behavior gives her rewards while any negative behavior produces nothing.


I do believe your dog can be trained however you and your fiancee need to be on the same page. You both need to use the same techniques and consistency otherwise her training will take twice as long and just end up confusing her. You also both need to be completely dedicated to working with her on this so that all three of you can live a happy normal life.


Good luck with your training and remember to be consistent, patient and reward with treats and praise as positive reinforcement will get you a far better outcome.

Originally Posted by DamSweet (Post 3336272)

:thumbup::thumbup:Wonderful post - I've been a member and owned by a Yorkie for less than a year so I have no advice to give but I have read all the responses and once the "dust settled" this is exactly the kind of response I've learned to expect from YT!

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336254)

Another excellent post. This is great stuff. I hadn't thought about the treat for calm behavior either.

Getting the dog to leave the toy/treat/chewy....I don't know where to start on this one... NOT FROM EXPERIENCE - but I think you could swing her around your head before she would break the death grip of the toy/treat while growling and showing teeth.

Originally Posted by kalina82 (Post 3335868)

ok, so i think we've all come to the conclusion that hitting the dog is the wrong thing to do. I know you were angry because the dog bit you but please try to refrain from using a physical reprimand next time. Lesson learned (hopefully) and moving forward!


I don't doubt that you can train a dog to do what you want (hopefully with positive re-enforcement) but I'm guessing these were all larger working type breeds since you lived on a farm. Those types of dogs were bred to listen to people and do a job. A yorkie on the other hand is not a working breed, they are now a companion breed. A long time ago they were ratters, I believe, and most still retain the need to chase down critters and kill them (even if that "critter" is now a piece of paper on your table). Also, yorkies are known for being very hard to house break and it takes a long time for them to be 100% successful. That is why some people opt to have potty pads in the house or in the dogs pen so they have somewhere to potty if needed when nobody is home.

I believe you can train your fiancee's yorkie but both people in this relationship have to be working on the same page. You cannot be doing one thing, and your fiancee another. You two need to sit down and write up a schedule for feeding, walking, playing, etc... I understand you do not want to be looking after the dog while you are studying because you need to concentrate on your work. There is nothing wrong with that. However, i do think attention should be given to her when you come home from work/school for at least a half hour before you start your studying.

Also, about the food, since she is not housebroken she needs to be on a feeding schedule which correlates with a potty schedule. No more free feeding and no more over feeding. She's pooping so much because she's getting way to much to eat (unless she is a very large yorkie). You need to treat your adult yorkie like she is a new puppy. Here is a schedule you should adopt and make work with your situation.

Morning:
-When you wake up in the morning the FIRST thing you do is take the pup outside. At this point she will probably only pee which is fine, but if you think she has to poop then stay out there with her on a leash until she does her business.
- After a successful morning potty she gets free rein for a little bit. Then its into her enclosed area for breakfast time. During this time you should be getting ready for work while she eats and digests. After you're finished getting ready but before you leave for work you need to take her back outside to potty again. This time she most definitely should poop and pee.
-When you leave for work and no one else is awake or home to watch her she needs to go back into her enclosed area.

Late morning/afternoon:
-During the day she'll need to go outside every few hours. If she's in her area for a while and someone wakes up or comes home, she needs to be taken outside at once. If she has a successful potty then she gets free rein for a little while as long as she can be watched. This way accidents can be prevented. If she does manage to have one, then its your fault because no one was paying attention to her. Clean up the mess and move on. Do not scold her, hit her, or rub her face in it. She's already done it and won't associate the yelling with her peeing/pooping on the floor a few minutes ago. If you catch her while she's doing it then you can correct her. Clap your hands and say "No" to startle her, then quickly take her outside to finish.
-Basically she needs to go outside after being in the crate for a few hours, after eating, after playing, and after sleeping. Dogs are just like babies for the most part. they eat, sleep, poop, and play.

Evening:
-Dinner is the same as breakfast.
-Free rein after potty time after dinner until bed time. Depending on what time she eats dinner and what time you go to bed she may need to go out a few times.
-Right before you go to bed she needs to go outside, then put in her crate for bed time.
-when fiancee comes home at midnight she should probably take her outside again because she will be woken up from sleeping and probably have to pee again

Crate/Ex-pen Time:
-She needs to be given as much attention as possible when you are home because both of you work and/or go to school. play with her, walk her, cuddle with her, tire her out basically...
-If you are home and cannot watch her for whatever reason (studying) she should go into her enclosed area. This way she won't have an accident. Set her up for success, not failure.

Tips:
-Buy an ex-pen to give her a larger area to spend all those hours in while no one is home. This way you can put a wee wee pad in there that she will hopefully use. Also put a bed, some toys, and a bowl of water in there.
-Take her for long walks. If she is exercised properly she will be happy and tired, which will make her less likely to get into mischief.

Now for the biting issue. What were you doing right before the dog bit you? Were you trying to get close to your fiancee while the dog was sitting with her (bed, couch, kitchen table)? Were you just walking by and not even paying attention to her? Were you trying to leash her up to take her outside? There is a reason she bit you, even if you can't figure it out. Tell us what happened and maybe we can shed some light. I agree that a trainer is a great investment. You BOTH need to see the trainer with the dog so that you will both be using the same methods of training.

The situation right now between your fiancee, the dog, and yourself is not a good one, but you already know that. If you BOTH can commit yourselves to finding a solution then you can make it work. However, if you BOTH can't agree with what needs to be done then PLEASE, for the dogs sake, give her to a yorkie rescue. They will be able to find her a home with people who have more time for her so that she can be properly trained and have a happy life.

Oh and as for the dog biting children, i agree that it should NOT be acceptable. Even if the child did something to provoke the bite (intentionally or unintentionally), the dog should be re-homed because it is an unsafe living situation for both the child and the dog. Yorkies are little and some kids just cannot be trusted with tiny creatures.

That is my honest opinion. Make of it what you will.

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336285)

I hear you. I'm no newbie when it comes to forum activity so I'm pretty familiar with keyboard commandos and trolls along with all varying forms of patrons. My ignore list is getting a bit bigger, but the important information is making it's way here too.

DamSweet, have you had any experiences that sound familiar to mine or is it a whole different ball game in your home?

Originally Posted by kjc (Post 3336335)

To get the chew stick from her, you may need two of them. Give her one, then ask for it, or do the 'Drop it' command. When she refuses, show her the 2nd one, and see if she'll go for it. Hopefully, you'll be able to get the first from her while giving her the second. Yes, it's a trade off, but it will help lessen her possessiveness. If she's the same way with squeaky toys, Hide-a-Squirrel is a great toy as it comes with 3 identical squirrels. (also comes in other varieties)

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985 (Post 3336346)

Just curious, does the B stand for anything in particular? Cute name though, but if you had said Bdog without specifying she's a well, she, I would have thought you had a little boy dog. :p

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336354)

Bdog came from an earlier thread patron because of my reluctance to share names at this time. I've been calling her that since I came home.

My Blue Heeler at home has the name "puppers" for a pet name...Bdog has been getting called "Buh-dog" tonight and will probably stick.

Like when I'm taking her outside "come on Buh-dog, let's go outside and go potty"

Originally Posted by kjc (Post 3336404)

Hehe! Too funny... my DH had to deal with my 3rd female sneaking up on him. I had never seen that before, and was amazed that she wasn't as afraid of him while he was sleeping. Too funny watching her sneak along and gaze into his sleeping face, it was all I could do to stop myself from bursting into laughter... and he had never laid a hand on her. She came to us wary of males. She's alot better now, but still bites occassionally if people move to fast around her, and we've had her now a year and a half. I think once she learned to trust him she stopped with sticking her tongue in his mouth...

Your voice alone when you scold or tell her 'no' may be enough to overwhelm her. Work on that high pitched squeaky like a mouse voice.... they relate better...

When your pup goes potty outside on the leash after you tell her 'Go Potty', super praise her and treat her. I wouldn't end the walk right then, though, due to her habit of going back into the house and going again. I'd try giving her a little more time. It can be different for each dog, you'll just have to keep trying different ideas to find what works best for her and your schedule. You may have to make adjustments as her feeding schedule gets adjusted too.

As for schedules...when potty training, a dog that is allowed to eat all day long, will potty all day long. Once the food issue gets under control and on schedule, it should be easy to get her on a pottying schedule. The biggest reward here is for your fiancee, no more kennel to clean out, happy owners and a pup that understands and tries hard to do right. It may be okay to let the DF (Dear Fiancee) continue to feed , but on a schedule... and you take charge of the treats! Mine also love Gerber Puffs for toddlers, comes in many different flavors and won't make her too fat. (Nutritional value= air)

There is a system for using a kennel to potty train, I'll post it when I find it. I think it's best used for puppies, and from what you have posted, she may be beyond that stage bc she will potty outside on leash. So it may be easier to skip the crate method and just work on the food and timing.

I thought you might be endangering body parts with the bait and switch method... something to work on though! Lol! Baby steps....

Bdog= Babydog.

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3335721)

This might not win any favor, but I grew up in a time when I got in trouble, I got a belt. When I was good, I was rewarded - and before anyone says I was abused, I most certainly wasn't.

If my child bites or misbehaves, they will expect the same upbringing I was exposed to...and I too have 24 years of dog handling and training. I recieved my first dog at 10 years old. I have a good sense in what I'm doing, and have researched the Yorkie breed extensively.

What I'm trying to get out of this post is something I may have missed, but more importantly the ability to point this thread out to my fiance and let her read what others have to say and hope she acts accordingly.

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336412)

Oh, so I'm not the only lucky one to wake up to being french kissed by a dog 1/17th my size while sleeping?? That's frightening good to know, I just thought I was lucky!

I believe my fiance has gotten this pup in the habit of going out and once peeing or pooping just running back inside rather than letting her run about and doing both deeds. I don't turn and go back inside, as long as she's sniffing the ground, I keep her out there.

All night I have been taking her out, 5 times tonight now though she hasn't going number 2. We've been working on sitting before I open the door - this life isn't free stuff - she's not getting it right away, but she will. One thing she does is jumps at the door wanting in and she'll worm her way into the crack if she can. I'm afraid if for some reason if there is a gust of wind or I don't have a good hold on the door, it could slam back onto her - and I lost my sister's cat when I was 11 or something when it's neck was broken doing this very thing - well, it wanted out and I didn't catch the door in time to keep it from getting pinched. It was TRAUMATIZING - and I felt so bad for a long, long time..

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336412)

I don't want my fiance cleaning kennels anymore...it means I don't have to hear about it and she doesn't have to do it. Believe me, I'd really like her not to have to do that anymore.

I do want to take over the feeding. I'm positive she isn't keeping a good schedule and I think she's over eating. She isn't gaining weight, but she doesn't need to eat almost a cup of food a day. She's 9 pounds - I think she's used to eating a lot which is why she's able to pack it in there..

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336412)

Not sure what you meant on the bait and switch and risking body parts...I may be missing the blatant and obvious here..

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336412)

I'm intrigued to hear about the kennel method instead of the crate - or is this one and the same?.

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336412)

I know I'm a different species, but regularity in species to have a digestive and eating cycle. I know I do and I truly think when the dog is exposed to one for a given amount of time, it will be hard for her to mess intentionally (if there is such a thing) and she will understand the meaning of outside bathroom, inside be good. .

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3336412)

I know it will take time, I think I've shown that this is what I'm prepared to do - regardless of side tracking or the flogging for past actions. Time will tell, but every journey starts with a step in the right direction. Day 1 has begun..

Originally Posted by JenniferLeigh (Post 3336937)

I didn't read the entire thread either, after about 2 pages of bickering I skipped ahead :P

Here are some of my thoughts...

You gf and you need to be on the same page when it comes to training and if she is resistant to this then I would suggest printing out relevant posts in this thread and perhaps some internet articles to show her.

You live in an apartment correct? Would it be possible to set up a pee pad or some kind of portable dog potty on your deck? If you catch him in the act you can easily put him on the pad, without having to go outside of the building.

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3335801)

booper,

I appreciate your input, but you are basing your opinions on brief posts and I don't believe you are reading 100%.

The dog has human interaction with such toys.

I agree 100% though, a dog that age should not be acting this way - and I credit it to my fiance and her training and such. I would love for her to read your post because her immediate response would be to give you a laundry list of excuses rather than think about why the situation persists.

I have offered 100 different solutions for taking care of this, and I'm being met with resistance from my fiance. I have even used the problem solving in engineering to back up my claims. If it doesn't work or you don't get the proper solution, step back into the problem solving and make adjustments....I get the "I don't have time for that" or "it's fine"

Well, no - actually, it isn't fine.

I'll ask everyone to look past the hitting part. It's done, it happened, lets move on and focus on the real problem at hand...otherwise I'll be tempted to come to your place and hit your dog. (bad joke)

In all seriousness though, I want this problem fixed and I want a dog I can trust 100%. Yes, my fiance comes with a dog - but the dog is broken and needs to be fixed. I need help, that's what I'm here for.

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2 (Post 3337112)

I agree 100%. We need to get on the same page, but she gets so defensive when I make a suggestion or say we need to try something new. I go as far as to explain the details - who said it, why, what, when, where...etc. She comes up with excuses or defensive remarks like "I've tried that" - but I know my fiance is impatient and I don't know that she tried anything for lengths of time.

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 3336173)

Yes, you are wrong. (serious answer) This dog is probably so confused at this point! Just take some of the things you have said are very helpful and USE them. Then come back and let people know how it helped or did not help.
It appears that you just really, really want everyone to read that this pup is the problem and is planning how to "get to you". Dogs don't DO that.

Originally Posted by celstu1 (Post 3337733)

This answer was regarding his question on the dog messing in the house/car when you step away for a minute as being vindictive or not. I do have to say, my boys are spoiled rotten, never hit, taken out regularly, etc... but when I leave the room for a few mins they ALSO will mess the house somewhere. If I take them out, come in and shut myself in another room for 5 mins when I come out they will have pooped somewhere in the living room or dining room. It DOES feel almost like they are getting back at me for leaving them. Is this behavior more like they are anxious or nervous that I am IN the house but they can't get to me. Does this anxiety or nervousness make them have to go potty in the house? I'm curious because this is a behavior that I have not been able to break them of myself also. Thanks!