6+ years old, had it up to here - need help.

[ladyjane]

As for housebreaking issues, most of the time a pup will sneak after they have been dealt with in a way that frightens them. Most of the time they have no clue what is expected of them. They hide what they are doing out of fear.
Here is a good link regarding housebreaking:

Free House Training for Puppies and Adult Dogs - No More Accidents Starting Today!

[Luvdogs2]

Originally Posted by kjc

Okay... a few things bother me.... one is that she came from a pet shop. This means that more than likely she was removed from her Mom and the litter way too early. Also that she more than likely came from a puppy mill, so her parents are not of the best disposition/lineage. She may have benefited from additional time with her Mom and littermates, not that this is an excuse for her behavior, but a possible reason for it.

Chew toys are a choking hazzard, I agree to remove them from the house. Does she still growl if she doesn't have the chew treat and is sitting next to you when you decide to move? If yes... try to distract her first... find a food treat like Cheerios that you could toss on the floor to get her to move first, before you attempt to get up. The idea behind this is to prevent or avoid the agressive behavior, and eventually she will stop doing it in that situation. Also, she'll associate you with 'good' things....

Is there anyway to lose the crate, but still confine her in one room that is easy to keep clean? Like the kitchen maybe? I know crates are difficult to clean, so if she acts okay in the one room (with peepads) maybe it would be less stressful. Like when you come home first, take her out to potty, then a little meet and greet playtime, and some Cheerios when you confine her in the kitchen, so you can study. (And just a note: Yorkies do not see it as fair if they are confined when there is someone home.)

And another question: Does she use the same spot or spots when she is sneaking a poop? If yes, I'd place peepads in those spots until she can get her bowels under control.

Also, just a thought, my older dog sometimes goes out to potty then comes right back in the house, but I learned to watch him bc sometimes he will potty again inside. I think he gets distracted and forgets to go when he's out the first time, so if I see him searching for a spot, I just let him back out again. It used to upset me but now he knows it's okay if he needs to go out again right away. Also, bc he's older, sometimes I add cut string beans to his food... makes the poop move easier through their system, so he's more likely to poop outside the first time. JMHO: Hard poops are okay... but I adjust their diet to acheive a bit softer movement, as he appears to strain less if it's softer.

Still waiting to hear the kind of food she's eating....

Still don't know on the food - fiance puts it in a tupperware container and throws the bag away. It was a little hard to spell out when I was looking at protein content and details to the mixture a month ago.

I hadn't thought about the puppy mill idea and it makes serious sense. Interaction with the litter and mom makes a big difference at such an impressionable age of a few weeks in a bright big world.

Cheerios!! I hadn't even thought of that! I'll go get a box tonight.

Bdog doesn't have a favorite spot to use the bathroom. She picks on and goes, then she is all reclusive because she knows she did bad. If she gets out of sight, and you call her name...if she doesn't come bouncing back and in good spirits - you go on the hunt to figure out where it was and what needs to be cleaned.

I doubt she was not going to have ammo - but it's like she knows she is supposed to go outside so she acts like she does when it's apparent that she has to go.

Another thing I left out and I can't believe I did is she will get pissed if you take out the trash or do something quick like run out to the car to get something you left in it. If the fiance walks out and leaves her loose while she goes to put laundry in the washer, she will come back to a mess. If you take her for a ride, you better pay at the pump because she will mess in the car if you leave her in there for less than a minute. I consider this behavior as vindictive...am I wrong? (that is a serious question)

[JeanieK]

Have you talked seriously, not demanded, but had a conversation about rehoming the dog? IMO it seems to be the ONLY solution. At tis point,
I cannot see that you will ever like the dog. And the dog cannot possibly be happy.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2

Still don't know on the food - fiance puts it in a tupperware container and throws the bag away. It was a little hard to spell out when I was looking at protein content and details to the mixture a month ago.

I hadn't thought about the puppy mill idea and it makes serious sense. Interaction with the litter and mom makes a big difference at such an impressionable age of a few weeks in a bright big world.

Cheerios!! I hadn't even thought of that! I'll go get a box tonight.

Bdog doesn't have a favorite spot to use the bathroom. She picks on and goes, then she is all reclusive because she knows she did bad. If she gets out of sight, and you call her name...if she doesn't come bouncing back and in good spirits - you go on the hunt to figure out where it was and what needs to be cleaned.

I doubt she was not going to have ammo - but it's like she knows she is supposed to go outside so she acts like she does when it's apparent that she has to go.

Another thing I left out and I can't believe I did is she will get pissed if you take out the trash or do something quick like run out to the car to get something you left in it. If the fiance walks out and leaves her loose while she goes to put laundry in the washer, she will come back to a mess. If you take her for a ride, you better pay at the pump because she will mess in the car if you leave her in there for less than a minute. I consider this behavior as vindictive...am I wrong? (that is a serious question)

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.

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2

Still don't know on the food - fiance puts it in a tupperware container and throws the bag away. It was a little hard to spell out when I was looking at protein content and details to the mixture a month ago.

I hadn't thought about the puppy mill idea and it makes serious sense. Interaction with the litter and mom makes a big difference at such an impressionable age of a few weeks in a bright big world.

Cheerios!! I hadn't even thought of that! I'll go get a box tonight.

Bdog doesn't have a favorite spot to use the bathroom. She picks on and goes, then she is all reclusive because she knows she did bad. If she gets out of sight, and you call her name...if she doesn't come bouncing back and in good spirits - you go on the hunt to figure out where it was and what needs to be cleaned.

I doubt she was not going to have ammo - but it's like she knows she is supposed to go outside so she acts like she does when it's apparent that she has to go.

Another thing I left out and I can't believe I did is she will get pissed if you take out the trash or do something quick like run out to the car to get something you left in it. If the fiance walks out and leaves her loose while she goes to put laundry in the washer, she will come back to a mess. If you take her for a ride, you better pay at the pump because she will mess in the car if you leave her in there for less than a minute. I consider this behavior as vindictive...am I wrong? (that is a serious question)

Dogs so not poop and pee at will as you are saying that she does. They are not vindictive and do not think as a human. If she is pooping more than once after each meal you are feeding a poor quality food and possibly even over feeding.

Once again, you are allowing her the opportunity to have accidents in your home. She was never potty trained properly.

[QuickSilver]

I'm going to admit I haven't read this entire thread... but I do want to say, dogs are NOT vindictive. It is simply not in their nature. They are totally dependant on you for food, shelter, affection, entertainment, everything. You are their world.

Dogs can be disobedient, but they are not spiteful. That's a human motivation.

Also, a lot of people think their dogs act guilty, but it's really just that the dog can anticipate that the almighty humans are going to get angry. They don't think, "I'm a bad dog for getting into the trash." They think, "trash on the floor means I'm going to get yelled at." There is a lot of research to back this up. Yorkies in particular figure out that potty on the floor gets humans upset long before they connect this with their body functions.

[Luvdogs2]

Originally Posted by JeanieK

Have you talked seriously, not demanded, but had a conversation about rehoming the dog? IMO it seems to be the ONLY solution. At tis point,
I cannot see that you will ever like the dog. And the dog cannot possibly be happy.

We won't be looking into removing the dog. I don't want to see that happen nor do I believe the fiance will allow to be. It was said that I'm marrying this woman and she comes with a dog. I have accepted this fact and the prospective changes needed to make a happy place for everyone has brought me here to be schooled and learn suggestions by those with the most experience in this breed.

I don't hate the dog, and those that know me personally wouldn't ever expect or know me to be a hater of any animal. I don't want to get rid of any problem, I'd like to fix it and I'd like to know how to fix it the best way so in the future, should another dog be brought home (of the Yorkie breed), I'll know the best ways to address the problem because all research points to the suggestion that this breed is hard to train.

I am a researcher and I work problems. I make mistakes as you all have read - but to follow that plan without putting in the necessary time on figuring out the better way would be the worst thing I could do.

Hence - this is why I'm here.

I've read some fantastic ideas and I'll start implementing them tonight. First order of business is going to get some cheerios...small, easy to hide in the pocket, and I know she will love them.

Thanks again!

[yorkieusa]

Has anyone ever taught her how to tell you she needs outside? I taught mine to use doorbells to tell me when she wants out. Try to teach her how to tell you at the door that she needs out and reward her with a cheerio or some tiny training treat for telling you.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2

Another thing I left out and I can't believe I did is she will get pissed if you take out the trash or do something quick like run out to the car to get something you left in it. If the fiance walks out and leaves her loose while she goes to put laundry in the washer, she will come back to a mess. If you take her for a ride, you better pay at the pump because she will mess in the car if you leave her in there for less than a minute. I consider this behavior as vindictive...am I wrong? (that is a serious question)

I highly doubt its vindictive. Its more likely done out of fear or stress from being left alone. perhaps she has separation anxiety? again, a trainer would be the best bet. It sounds like she has some serious issues that need to be dealt with by a professional. I understand the want to try things at home by yourself but with the way she is already you may make things worse.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

Has anyone ever taught her how to tell you she needs outside? I taught mine to use doorbells to tell me when she wants out. Try to teach her how to tell you at the door that she needs out and reward her with a cheerio or some tiny training treat for telling you.

i trained morgan to use bells on a ribbon hung over the doorknob to indicate she needed to go outside. There was just a thread recently about this that i remember writing my potty bell training process on.

[kjcmsw]

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2

Don't you dare insult my integrity or intelligence. One thing I am not is a freaking liar or thief...the dog will squat or hunch her back over and sit there for a few seconds and act like she did good....then about 15 minutes later, in the house there is a puddle of urine or a small hump of "dog soft serve" on the carpet.

You have no freaking clue, so don't comment like that in my thread.

BAD LADYJANE!!! BAD!!

I agree with most of everyone...I really think you need to start fresh and find the dog a good home however hard that may be. I think your lives might be too complicated at this time for the rigors of dog training.
But to those that don't think a dog is smart enough for "revenge" (pooping) are really underestimating a dog. We once had a Dalmation and he hated my husband, he was completely housebroken, "but" whenever he got the chance he deliberate drug out my husband's (ex) shoes and would back up and poop in them. Looking back the dog was smarter than I was! As much as I loved my Dalmation(s), my Yorkies are smarter than they ever were. I could see a Yorkie "faking" potty and coming back in for a little revenge. So, OP see your dog for what it is: one smart dog...now with some patience maybe you can train it in other ways.

[MyTrixie143]

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.

Originally Posted by Luvdogs2

Another thing I left out and I can't believe I did is she will get pissed if you take out the trash or do something quick like run out to the car to get something you left in it. If the fiance walks out and leaves her loose while she goes to put laundry in the washer, she will come back to a mess. If you take her for a ride, you better pay at the pump because she will mess in the car if you leave her in there for less than a minute. I consider this behavior as vindictive...am I wrong? (that is a serious question)

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.

[Luvdogs2]

Originally Posted by kjcmsw

I agree with most of everyone...I really think you need to start fresh and find the dog a good home however hard that may be. I think your lives might be too complicated at this time for the rigors of dog training.
But to those that don't think a dog is smart enough for "revenge" (pooping) are really underestimating a dog. We once had a Dalmation and he hated my husband, he was completely housebroken, "but" whenever he got the chance he deliberate drug out my husband's (ex) shoes and would back up and poop in them. Looking back the dog was smarter than I was! As much as I loved my Dalmation(s), my Yorkies are smarter than they ever were. I could see a Yorkie "faking" potty and coming back in for a little revenge. So, OP see your dog for what it is: one smart dog...now with some patience maybe you can train it in other ways.

I have heard that cocker spaniels are known for similar behavior, which is why I posted it.

I don't believe this is an issue with ME at this point, because this behavior has lasted through the years before I became a part of this relationship with my fiance and her dog. There is little difference if I'm home or if I'm away - well, there is a difference. When I'm here, the dog won't take off running when my fiance calls and play the hide and run game when she knows my fiance needs to go to work. Yes, it's sad the dog doesn't want to spend more time in the crate, but until alternatives such as an Xpen or potty pads were read, I didn't see any alternative.

I'm not attempting to alleviate myself from the responsibilities I have taken or brought on myself - I think that can be obviously read in my posts. We often learn the most from our mistakes so many points have been taken, I'm sure more are to come.

Thanks again for the help - a great majority of you reflect great people here for a great cause.

[kjc]

Ladyjane: That looks like an excellent link.... I'll be visiting there quite often.... Thanks!

OP: Check out the Ten Commandments section...

I do disagree with one statement though... the one about 'corrections'... be careful when saying 'No' to a Yorkie when you catch them pottying in the wrong place. I just put mine on a pad, then praise the heck out of them. Some Yorkies... when told 'No' don't get that you mean 'No, not here', they think you mean 'No, don't potty anywhere' and then you may see more hiding potties too. (or is it only my Yorkies who do this?)

And thoughts on the 'Positive Reward' System training: The basics are that you only reward good behavior, you must ignore and forgive any bad behavior. (That includes not glaring at said dog for any infractions, no sideways glances, no badeye, no mumbling under one's breath, etc. just smile and act like NOTHING happened)(and silently clean up the mess) Many Yorkies are so sensitive they are really miffed at any type of correction, or the terrier in them could feel challenged by it. I will say I think this system helps with building a very strong bond with one's little one.

[Luvdogs2]

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

Asking me politely to never hit again - that part really squeezed the heart. I already feel bad about it and that hit home much deeper than the typical responses read through the post. I promise to you, there will be no more swats - thank you for approaching this in such as positive way.

I did laugh when you mentioned yiping or yelping...I can't, for the life of me, make my voice crack and hit high notes...There is something with my voice that won't let that happen, so I'll do my best to get to a high note - but we haven't had a bit in over 6 months so hopefully I won't have to do this anyway.

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.

I really appreciate you taking time to post...especially so long. This is the help a person like me needs and exactly why I'm here. ( I think I've said that before )

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by MyTrixie143

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.