9 weeks old Yorkie
 

Hi, My name is Steve and I'm new to YorkieTalk. I got my Yorkie puppy, Brownie, on the past Sat from a breeder. The first 2 days, he was fine and know how to potty on the training pad (Simple Solution Training Pad from Petsmart). After that, he starts potty on the carpet and the tile even the training pad is next to him. I put him on the training pad when he starts sniffing around, but from his reaction (scratching & biting the training pad), it seem like he hates it. I also take him out to potty whenever I'm home from work which that didn't really works. He was either walking back toward me or lay down chewing the grass. Should I take Brownie out more often so he get familiar with the grass area?

My work hours are pretty long, I'm pretty much gone from 6:30am and home at 6:30pm. I usually put him in his play area which is fenced with a blanket/toys/food/water on one side and training pad on the other. When Im back home, most of the time his poop is everywhere. And he is really aggressive/hyper when I'm playing with him. I can understand that is because he was home alone for long period of time. But sometime he is too aggressive that he bite my fingers/toes and I use the word "ouch" "out" like the training guide said, didn't really work. It seem like he is afraid of my hand, cause whenever I take him out from his play area, he try to walk back and not letting me take him out.

I'm getting a little frustrated here. Anyone here has experience similar problems with their puppies?

Hi. Welcome! Your pup is a very young one (I know, you've figured that out!). Most reputable yorkie breeders do not place their pups until 12 weeks of age. They learn how to play and not to bite from their mother during this time. So you are going to have to teach your little one not to bite. I would always say "no bite, get a toy", and then help the little one get a toy to play w me.

Potty training is going to be a challenge for a while because he is so young. Mine are pad trained, but everyone is different. This breed is a challenge to potty train.

If I read it right, you are gone 12 hrs a day. This is long for a pup so young. He is at risk for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This can make him quite ill, cause seizures. He needs to have food available all day long. It would be nice if you had a friend or relative that could stop by and check in on the little one part way through the day.

Good luck w the training. You're going thru the hard part now. Yorkies are heart stealers!

All 4 of mine were very hard to potty train, and your puppy is very young. It takes a lot of work and patience. They biting on your toes and fingers is part of being a puppy. My 8 month old still does it and she is very hyper. He is by himself for a long time so he wants to play and he needs a lot of exercise. It will take time. You can get a lot of helpful information here at YT just don't give up because the love he will give you is worth it. Good Luck

Yes, I'm kinda afraid of hypoglycemia too, that's why I tried to play with him as much as I can when i'm home. Consider I only have 4 hrs of my personal time and play with him time, then I have to place him to bed again.

I leave food for him during the day, I don't really think it's good for puppy. Kinda making a habit that he will alway have food around.

I would not count on your 9 week old puppy to be potty trained anytime soon - especially when you are away from home for such a long time. 9 weeks is very young and your potty training expectations should be low.

Is there anyway you could get someone to come in and let your puppy out mid-day? They could also make sure he has eaten a bite and will not get low blood sugar.

Normally I recommend outside training - but, in your case, pee pads are going to be a necessity.

My girlfriend and I both work during the same hours. I don't really have anybody to watch over Brownie during day time. I wish I can find someone. =(

I would definitely leave the food out for him all day until he gets older. When they are this young it is hard for them to regulate their blood sugars.

You'll have to post some pics when you get a chance. Love to see your new little addition! :)

Oh dear, you have lots of reading to do, he's doing exactly what he should be doing for this age. It's good that you can keep him in a play area and not a crate all day. When you take him out of the play area supervise him carefully and never have a pee pad too far from him. Praise the success and ignore the mistakes. We kept Joey in a small crate overnight, and would take him out once or twice during the night to do his business. We placed him directly on a pee pad, and this helped him learn that going on a pad would be rewarded. A Yorkies that young doesn’t have the control of his bowels that larger breeds may have. Concerning the biting, he’s teething and will want to bite everything he can for the next 6 months, so have plenty of chewing sticks and toys. One of the reasons Yorkies are kept with their mother a minimum of 12 weeks is that mama teaches them “inhibition” of the biting reflex. The still bite, but they don’t give it everything they have. You may need special help in training him not to bite so hard, but please don’t get mad at him; he’s doing what comes naturally.

Some dog walkers will come in 15 minute increments and, instead of walking your dog, will let him out ~ play with him ~ give him some treats. And it is not that expensive and does not have to be all day. But it would certainly break up his long day and give you some peace of mind.

Any local teen-agers that would be willing to check on him for less?

I don't want to be mean - but 12 hours alone is way too long of for 9 week old puppy or any dog on a regular basis - IMO. Sorry, but that is the way I feel. If it were just a day or two that he was alone for 12 hours but every day or 5 days a week?? That's no life for a puppy.

You need to take the puppy back to the breeder and get your money back. You are gone too long to potty train, socialize or give your pup a normal life and if your pup gets hypoglycemia while you are gone its going to be disasterous. Your breeder should have told you that

Yeah, I just want to agree with Ringo and Chachi. I think you're gone too long to properly train too. I'm afraid that you'll never get your dog trained, and then want to rehome the dog when it's too old to be properly socialized. Shame on your breeder for selling a dog so young and not learning your lifestyle first.

when i potty train i take out every hour and it has always worked great for me 12 hours alone is a long time for any dog. The idea of a teenager in the neighborhood is a good one You need to be able to get him out more often. Are have someone in the home to watch and correct when he pottys in the wrong area. good luck

I did tell the breeder my situation and ask her a lot of questions what I should do. She seems to try to answer my questions but not fully. I will try to see if I can ask my friends to come over to be a dog sitter. I really want to keep Brownie. My girlfriend will have more time after her internship in summer. I will try my best to deal with this.

Who is gonna do that??? He's had the pup almost a week! After having ZoE a day, I wouldn't have given her back.

Most people work a 40 hour week plus travel time. I don't believe working precludes you from being a dog owner any more than it does being a parent.

It sounds like you have a good set up with a playpen area and are providing food & water all day. I agree with others that it would be great if you could have someone come by for a couple of months, while he is so young to check on him during the day.

Due to co-worker's vacations, I just finished a 3week period working 6 days a week. Fortunately, my ZoE is now 25 weeks old and eats just morning and evening & has a little snack at late at night. I feed her first thing and she goes poop on her pads & I clean it up. She pees on her pads throughout the day and then when I get home in the evening, she's fed again & poops again. It just take a few months for them to grow enough in size that you can regulate their feedings like that. Hang in there, it does get better!

The point is that many of us have read about rehomings a couple of years down the line; when it's really too late to properly rehabilitate the dog. If you don't socialize early, it's almost impossible to do it later. I'm not so worried about the housebreaking, but this dog isn’t going to get much early socialization, then they will complain, it's a yappy mess.

40 hours a week and 12 hours per day are two different things. I think we all have to be realistic about what we can or cannot provide. IF your dog has to spend 12 hours per day alone - day after day after day . . then I don't think that is fair to the dog. That is one lonely dog no matter how much we may want one for ourselves.

I mean no disrespect to the OP but I am offering my opinion and 12 hours a day alone is too much.

Hopefully, this will improve as referenced by the OP's recent post that he will try and find someone to check in - give the little dog a break and/or the change in his girlfriends schedule.

yes, im looking for a friend that is willing to come over daily during lunch time right now. i do want my puppy to be healthy. i do work 40 hrs a week, just with an extra 1.5 hrs traffic time each day. =\

Well here is the real "dirt" on this whole situation. Having a puppy is lots of work, and time, having a nine wk old puppy is even more work and time. You will need (as mentioned to find out how to train bite inhibition), and I hope you have set aside every wkend for about six months to try to socialize this pup and to give good healthy people and dog interaction with this wee one.

First until your pup is at least 16 wks old and most importantly has had all their shots, you should not bring the pup outside - unless it is into your own private fenced in back yard, and not to public places..

You have very unrealistic expectations if you think a pup will be potty trained at 9wks old after having him for only one wk, and that being you are out of the house for 12 hours a day.

Play time at this age and particularly if your dog is quite light ie under 2lbs should be kept short 15 minutes or so. When you stop the playing, he is brought to his peepad, and rewarded immensely for going pee pee or poo.

You can have your friends over on the wkend, so your pup can meet new folks, again short 10-15 minutes interaction then pup is back into his playpen and put on pad to do his business.

It will be good if you can have one or two of your friends to come in during the day for a short play time and again to help with the housetraining.

I agree with both these ladies and Ringo1.

No one is being mean here, We are just giving you our honest opinions..That baby is only 9 weeks old, shouldn't even be away from its mommy & littermates yet...let alone left for 12 plus hours a day ALONE...You will never be able to potty train him in just 4 hours a day...that training alone is a 24/7 hour job...would you leave a skin child of 9 weeks home alone for 12 hours? no you wouldn't!! so please reconsider about taking him back to the breeder.

Yorkie are very social dogs and need the attention of there humans more than 4 hours a day in order to thrive and be happy...with you gone 12 hours a day, you are going to have a unhappy, unruly, misbehaving yorkie..you will be cleaning up after him on a daily bases...and like now you will get even more frustrated and tired...Yorkies need training, with no training they will get out of control quickly and become little yappers.

If you won't take him back...consider putting him in a doggie day care while you are at work...that way he gets the training he needs and the socializing and won't be alone for 12 hours.

Honestly, I think you are in for a long, hard road.
Under the best of circumstances Yorkies can be difficult to train. But your puppy, as everyone has mentioned, was too young to have left his mother. Combined with all but four hours out of a day left confined and/or alone is a difficult situation.
I hope you can find someone to come in and help during the day. Your puppy needs exercise, socialization, and consistent training.
Good luck

[QUOTE=bellababy08;3555597]I agree with both these ladies and Ringo1.

No one is being mean here, We are just giving you our honest opinions..That baby is only 9 weeks old, shouldn't even be away from its mommy & littermates yet...let alone left for 12 plus hours a day ALONE...You will never be able to potty train him in just 4 hours a day...that training alone is a 24/7 hour job...would you leave a skin child of 9 weeks home alone for 12 hours? no you wouldn't!! so please reconsider about taking him back to the breeder.

Yorkie are very social dogs and need the attention of there humans more than 4 hours a day in order to thrive and be happy...with you gone 12 hours a day, you are going to have a unhappy, unruly, misbehaving yorkie..you will be cleaning up after him on a daily bases...and like now you will get even more frustrated and tired...Yorkies need training, with no training they will get out of control quickly and become little yappers.

If you won't take him back...consider putting him in a doggie day care while you are at work...that way he gets the training he needs and the socializing and won't be alone for 12 hours.[/QUOTE]

He is too young to go to doggie daycare, plus he has not been properly immunized, but it would be a great idea once he is older.

I think now that you have heard everyone you will be able to figure something out.
I just recently went back to work and my puppy is 15 weeks. I only work 6 to 8 hours 4 days a week and I am a wreck leaving her. I cannot imagine how you feel.
I would make it your first priority to get someone in. I have my granddaughter that I pay 5.00 to come stay when I work on the weekend.
She likes to come anyway and it is company for my pup and she leaves 5.00 richer.
Now you may not get that cheap, but if you can find enough friends to chip in it wouldn't be that hard to get her company during the day.
Remember it is only for a few weeks until she will have shots and be old enough for doggie daycare. I would advise you to start looking for one in the area where you work so they will still be open when you leave work without that 1.5 hour drive before you get him.
Everything will work out. Between you, your girlfriend , friends and daycare your pup will have a full happy life.

Please find day care help...and do not be offended, but I never placed a pup in home if the owner is gone everyday more then 4 hrs..and that is with a 12 to 16 week old...not even an adult.

The chances of housetraining and good social skills are just about nil when puppies are alone for many hours at a time...seen it too many times.

I just want to add that I hope it is dry food that you are leaving out for 12 hours and not wet food...if it's wet food you are running the risk of him getting eColi. Always dispose of any wet food that is not eaten fairly soon. I, personally, would not leave my pup for any length of time at 9 weeks. I know it is hard to find someone to come in to puppysit. I hope you can work this out. Good luck.

I am surprised that no one mentioned doggie daycare. I think that Brownie is too young right now, but in another month or so, he should be just fine at doggie daycare. I take Moses twice a week, my son is home one day a week and the other two he stays home in his gated area. He loves daycare so much now that when I pull into the parking lot, he is ready to jump out of the car and get playing! It's a hard thing to worry about your puppy all day...been there, did that! Good luck!

Ha,I think its unfair to leave your puppy for more than fours hours a day,I got Oscar when he was six weeks old due to his mom rejecting him and a few months later i got daisey at twelve weeks,It has taken me nearly a year,many walks and leaving them in the garden for twenty minutes at a time(keeping my eye on them)Im not having a pop at all but i personally feel you should of considered your lifestyle before getting a puppy,they need love,constant attention!!