Advice needed please.

[Aberdeenchick]

Hi I adopted a yorkie who is 3 yrs old due to being bullied by her siblings, she is so loving but, she cry’s a lot at night, and cry’s if left on her own even for a short while.
We have brought a pet plug in but, she still cry’s.
Does anyone have any advice as what to do please, we only go out for a short time as I’m retired, I leave the radio on but, it doesn’t seem to help.
She doesn’t seem to understand the basic commands without a treat lol, I wonder if she is testing us.
Thank you in advance.

[lilgidget]

Sounds like she's lucky to find you. She probably needs lots of love and patience to overcome what she's been through. Maybe someone else on YT can give you some advice.

[KatysMom]

Originally Posted by Aberdeenchick

Hi I adopted a yorkie who is 3 yrs old due to being bullied by her siblings, she is so loving but, she cry’s a lot at night, and cry’s if left on her own even for a short while.
We have brought a pet plug in but, she still cry’s.
Does anyone have any advice as what to do please, we only go out for a short time as I’m retired, I leave the radio on but, it doesn’t seem to help.
She doesn’t seem to understand the basic commands without a treat lol, I wonder if she is testing us.
Thank you in advance.

You mentioned that your sweetie cries at night. What sleeping arrangements have you made for her? Does she have line of sight--is she able to see you throughout the night? How do you handle it when she cries?

I'm not a vet, nor am I a behavioralist, but have the impression that most yorkies just don't like being left alone, but some experience more serious issues and exhibit unwanted behaviors--ala, they have separation anxiety.

Our late senior sweetie did not like being left alone. We'd use the phrase, "Katy gonna stay; Katy gonna be a big girl." She'd put up a little bit of a fuss, but then crawl into one of her "spaces" and sleep most of the time we were gone. She was always, always excited to see us when we returned. There were a couple of times (in 15 years) when I felt she was abnormally anxious, and I feel really bad about that. For the most part, though, she handled short separations really well.

My little one, now almost 18-weeks old, sleeps on the bed with us--probably always will. She has not been alone for more than a few minutes at a time. That will change in a few days, as we intend to gradually stretch out her independent time once she has her walking papers. (Long walks will help us help her burn off some of that yorkie energy.)

We have a nanny cam and plan to aim that at her x-pen. Hopefully we'll gain some insight into how she handles her more extended alone time.

Below are some articles about separation anxiety in pets. I've been reading these and hope they give you some ideas.

ASPCS, "Common Dog Behavior Issues: Separation Anxiety."

WEbMD, "Separation Anxiety in Dogs."

American Humane Society, "Fact Sheet: Separation Anxiety."

YorkieInfoCenter, "Yorkshire Terrier Separation Anxiety."

Cesar'sWay, "6 tips to help dog separation anxiety."

The Dog People (Rover.com), "The Real Story behind Dog Separation Anxiety and Why It's So Scary."

[Lovetodream88]

You may need to look into anxiety medicine from the vet. Is she sleeping where she can see you at night?

[yorkietalkjilly]

If this were my dog I'd give her an identify as a well-balanced team member, a sense of self-worth by showing her how smart she is using positive-reinforcement techniques to reshape her image of herself, give her self-control and self-esteem and motivate her to good behavior. I've copied and pasted some words on positive reinforcement obedience/skills training techniques from another YT thread about a male dog that is aggressive on walks below, so insert the feminine forms where necessary to fit your unhappy little girl. You can totally reshape her image of herself if you get YOURSELF into a happy, positive, upbeat mode for your interaction with her and daily show her the way to happiness and contentment. Yes, you can act very happy, even when your medical tests are positive or life has slipped you many low blows in a row. As you work with her and achieve wins, you'll like the way you feel. She'll like how she makes you feel too! You can remake her, reshape her and show her a happier, more controlled way to handle herself. Here is the post below after the colon. Read it and see if you can't adapt some of it to help your sad, unhappy little one.

Here is the other post:

I'd begin my working in the house to keep his interest in everything I say by teaching him behavior skills, obedience training with oodles of positive-reinforcement treats, toys, smiles & praises, with your happy body language any time he gets it right, ignoring mistakes. Highly motivate him with your upbeat attitude with lots of positivity coming from you every right thing he does in response to your command/request! He'll love the boost of oxytocin good feelings his brain will grow addicted to with each of these great responses to his doing the 'right' thing and grow to LOVE responding to you to get that oxytocin boost - and that great treat.

To dogs, a treat is like a big pay check. That fat bonus check pleasures you over and over every time you think of it and a treat reward(smiles, praises/quick pets/scratches & high-value treats) does the same thing for your dog. He grows to love that feel-good reward reaction.

As part of his obedience skills training, you'll teach him the 'leave it!' command. By avoiding whatever you've introduced to him, he'll quickly learn he gets an even bigger reward and even greater pleasure when he avoids that thing and suddenly you're bursting with happy smiles, pleasure, praising him and instantly sticking a warm bit of great-smelling chicken or hot dog in his mouth! Win win win for him and that sudden oxytocin brain flood! Waaaay good. He'll want to 'leave it' more and more!

Outside, I'd always carry very high-value treats in my treat pouch - warm turkey hotdog bits, boiled chicken bits, liver bits, whatever drives your dog crazy with happiness - and as he approaches another dog, tell him "leave it", hold that warm bit of high-scent chicken in front of his nose & walk him in a fast, tight circle, following that scrumptious treat still closed in your fingers while the other dog goes past. If he doesn't break focus on you and the treat, doesn't react to the other dog, once you're well past he other dog, say "GOOOOOOOOD leave it, boy!" a couple times, chuck him on the shoulder with a loving pat, quick back pat or scratch and show him the happiest face you've got! Let your happy body language show him your pride in him. Feel it!

He'll eat it up as that 'feel good' oxytocin that floods his brain teaches him THIS is the way to go, ignoring other dogs and following YOU and YOUR direction and praise reward reactions, not barking, growling and over-reacting, feeling negative. For his tasty treat and that great praise reaction-good-feeling, he'll gradually reshape his reactions to other dogs in order to enjoy those feel-good, winning moments, happy oxytocin rush with you! Soon, if you keep working with your dog, keeping his interest and motivation high, he'll gradually learn to always do what you ask for 'that feeling', that praise, all that feel-good fun. You'll become a winning team!

That's how a dog learns to automatically do what you say, love that winning feeling! He's been positively programmed and become addicted to the rush, the high feeling of doing things the right way for that praise reward, the good times! It's a win-win for everybody! Positive reinforcement wins every time.
__________________
Jeanie and Tibbe
One must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis

P. S. By giving her a new self-confidence and sense of teamwork, she'll be able to face life with your other dogs and being left with more confidence and assurance that she's capable of handling things as they come up. There are even training techniques to teach a dog how better to handle separation. She'll look to you for direction always as she's looking for that leadership you show her. Stay upbeat and always positive with her, ignoring her mistakes with an 'uh oh' to show her she's missed it but setting her up for approval by leading her into something you know she'll get right! Always showing her approving smiles and happy body language with every right she does and you'll find she's eager to keep that coming in her direction and begin to mold her behavior to have it.