so what is she getting into when you're monitoring her in the portion of the house she's limited to? if she's either crated or monitored, doesn't that means she doesn't have the opportunity to try jumping over 4 foot gates?

just trying to get more information so that we can all better brainstorm an alternate solution.

I’ve looked at the link and it looks and sounds like a shock collar. More than likely the current on it is less than a normal shock collar but never the less I believe it is a shock collar.

As for using a shock collar, I have used one. NEVER, on my yorkies but I have used it on my border collie. The result is really good and I’m glad I did. But that decision did not come lightly. Only after months of working on the issue with no success and with the suggestion of 2 other trainers and a dog behaviorist did I even think about using one. IT WAS A LAST RESORT NOT A QUICK FIX. I’m lucky that I have very experience trainers that guide me on how to use one.

The shock collar is a very powerful tool. It’s very effective when used correctly. If you are going use one, learn to use it correctly. In an inexperience hands, it may take repetition of shocks before the dog finally associated it with the unwanted behavior. It also can teach the dog fear due to the lack of association of the unwanted behavior or even cause a dog to mentally shut down. It also may cause potentially fear aggression towards things around the areas where it was shocked.

Honestly, I think positive re-enforcement is a lot better and more desirable. It makes the dog really want to please you and do what you ask. I got great results with all my dogs using positive re-enforcement. This type of negative re-enforcements has its place but please use caution.

BTW, how are you going to use the collar to teach your yorkie boundries? If you shock her when she is already out or pass her boundry, she will not understand it. May work if you catch her right then and there but doesn't guarantee she will not cross it when you are not there.

i wanted to add one of my original questions to you, which is, what kind of obedience training have you tried with trixie. have you taken her to any obedience classes? either group or individual?

a course on obedience training can be very helpful. not only does it help train your yorkie, it helps to train you to become a better trainer for your yorkie. experienced instructors can probably give you better ideas on what to try and how to do it.

i took my puppy to his first obedience class when he was 10 weeks old. i wanted to get it right from the start. we reviewed things from biting inhibition, potty training, separation anxiety, aggression, guarding, socialization to basic obedience commands like sit, stay, heel, loose leash walking, drop it, leave it, wait, take it, and down. it's definitely been a great help to both me and to my puppy. it's definitely helpful to have an instruction SHOW ME what i can do to correct a problem. i'm looking forward to taking him to the next set of obedience classes!

If someone were to use a remote shoc collar on a yorkie that is about 4.5 lb. which kind would you recommend?

Did this collar work for you at all? I'm considering getting the same for my dog. He's 4.5 lb. and I don't want to risk getting something that might harm him, but if this one worked for you, then I will give it a shot.
Thanks!

yes it worked wonderfully! I love it! I don't even have to use the shock feature, the beep is sufficient enough for her to stop.

That's great news. Do you think it would be safe for my 4.5 lb. yorkie? I'm thinking of buying one today. This is the one you used, right? Innotek SD-70 Lap Dog Training System

yes that is the one I used. My trixie was 4lbs when i first started using it.

I wouldn't use one on a dog so small as a yorkie, even if it's set at the lowest voltage it can still be too powerful for such a small dog. We've used them on a boxer before, but it didn't do any good, he got "immune" to the shock.
I would try positive reinforcement training :)

Thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it. Glad to hear it worked for Trixie. Hopefully I might have the same success with Milo. :)

When you say the shock could be "too strong," what would be the result of this exactly?

The exact result? Sorry but I'm not going to test it out on my yorkies to see what the exact result would be. I know it wouldn't be good, and definitly painful for a dog that is under 10lbs. Why subject your furbaby to pain when there are plenty of other ways of training? Besides, it's not like a shock collar is guaranteed to correct the problem.

Well, no kind of training is ever guaranteed. I'm aware of this. I've tried tons of other ways and nothing has worked so far. I think I'll try the shock collar and see if it works since other people have had success and have recommended it. I just wanted to make sure that it's not going to harm him permanently.

I also read that it can train the wrong way, for example, you might shock the dog when he does something, wrong, but in my mind he might be associating that shock with something else he sees. What kind of problems with his behavior are you having and what methods are you using to correct the problems? Have you tried training classes?

I can tell you from trying the shock collar on my hand on the lowest setting that it was strong. My son had the remote and dumb me had it in my hand not thinking, and I got shocked on 6, talk about droping it fast, I have never use it on more than 3 with my GSD...but as I said in the thread you started I wouldn't use it on my yorkies at all, but its your choice.:)

Yep, he's been to puppy classes before but they didn't work. The instructors couldn't even get him to pay attention. It's like talking at a wall.

I bought a shock collar today and tried it on my arm, but it was a bit harsher than I thought, so I don't know if I want to use it anymore. I thought it would be milder but it was really startling.

I have so many problems with him. I will list them and maybe someone can give me some suggestions.

- He barks as soon as people or other dogs stop paying attention to him. He also barks when he hears things in the hallway of my condo building. Sometimes when we're out, he just barks for no reason at all.

- When I walk around, he bites my toes to get attention and if it doesn't work, he starts barking. When I say "quiet" or "no bark" he runs away and hides under furniture where he knows I can't reach him and taunts me.

- He jumps all over people. This includes me and guests who come over. He won't let them have a moments peace and if they don't spend every minute playing with him, he barks at them.

- He doesn't know how to play without biting fingers and hands. He doesn't bite aggressively, but it still hurts and is really annoying.

- He jumps at people's faces and makes a biting motion. He never actually bites, but it freaks people out.

- He never comes when I call him. The only time he'll come is if I'm sitting on the couch and it's very clear that I want to pet him or give him a treat. He never comes under other circumstances and never when we're outside. (I had him off leash once in a secluded area with some other dogs in the neighbourhood who were very friendly and tame. He handled that alright and didn't wander off too far, but I had a hard time making him come back to me at times. Sometimes he'd come when I called him and other times he wouldn't. That was the first and only time he ever came when called while outside).

- He seems super nervous and shakes constantly when he's outside.

- He's really awkward when interacting with other dogs. He's either really submissive and lies down, or hops all over them. If they stop paying attention to him, he barks at them continuously.

- If he knows that he's in trouble, he either hides under furniture and won't come out or runs around like crazy and taunts me. He knows he's faster than me.

I have tried positive reinforcement, like praising him or giving treats. I have tried crating him. I don't think he has any clue why I did any of those things, though. He's not very bright. It's hard to communicate with him. He's really unresponsive and seems confused.

So, as you can see, I have so many problems with him. Any suggestions?

This is what can happen if something goes wrong:
how electricity is used
HelpingAnimals.com // Animals @ Home // Caring for Dogs // Electronic Fences and Shock Collars
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/21472

Yeah I tried it on my hand before I was going to put it on my dog and it was kinda sharp, so I returned it today. Guess I'll have to find other ways to make him stop barking and listen to me.