New Yorkie Mom
 

Hi everyone, I had no idea this website was even here. I first want to tell you about my little girl named Lacey. I work at a specialty animal hospital in which Lacey came in abused back in November, we fixed her up and sent home with AWEFUL owners. She came back again in March (barlely alive). I was so upset I told the doctor this owner need to surrender Lacey or so won't be so luck. We even called Animal control. I told our doctor if this owners agree to surrender Lacey Im going to take her. To my surprise owner agreed. So now Lacey is mine and I can't be thrilled. I love her so much. Even my cairn terrier does too. I think she thinks its her baby. I had Lacey since March and she goes everywhere with me including work. She is so scared of people, but she is realizing people aren't so bad and isn't going to hurt her. Poor thing doesn't even know how to play. When I try she runs into her kennel and hides. BUT lately Im having trouble with her eating habbits. She has always had a wonderful appetite (she was under feed) but since last Saturday when I feed my girls Lacey goes and hides with tail tucked under her and ears down. My other dog doesn't bother her ( I watch them when they eat). I haven't changed any dog food on her. I even had one of my doctors look into her mouth to see if it might be a tooth issue going on. NOTHING. But here's the twist. When I bring the food to her and sit on the ground with her, she jumps into my lap and eats her food like a champ. OR she wants me to hand feed her. I don't want to get her into this habbit. But I don't know what to do. If I don't do this she won't eat at all. I know she's not sick because shes jumping around like a crazy dog and wanting to go on car rides. Please help a desperate Yorkie owner. Any suggestions:aimeeyork

Welcome to YT. I don't have any suggestions but I am sure someone will soon. I just wanted to thank you for taking in this baby. She must be so happy to have a loving owner now. Good luck with her.

Betty

I wish you the best of luck with Lacey. You've done a wonderful thing rescuing her and it sounds like you are doing everything right. I'm sure you will get great advice on here. I agree with you about the hand feeding. I started that with my Yorkie when he was recovering from liver shunt surgery and I wanted him to eat, and it does turn into a bad habit.

Welcome to YT!! Lots of great info here about Yorkies. My mom started hand feeding hers. And it is a problem sometimes. If mom is gone, they will eat out of their bowls, if she is home they will not! Hope someone has some good advice for ya:):animal-pa

Food problems
 

Okay everyone, I have upgraded her food to Evo's. Lacey seemed to be intersted in it then again puts her nose up to it UNTIL I sit down on the floor with her and hand feed it to her. I have no idea why she is doing this. I know she is hungry. Everybody laughs at me saying "She's has me wrapped around her little paw" and she is doing this on purpose. But still the poor dog has to eat!!!:aimeeyork

Hi! Welcome! And thank you so much for giving this little girl a chance at having a good life.

My only thought is that perhaps she got scared by the bowl and now she's to warry of it to eat out of it. Try a different bowl, if the current on is glass, try a plastic one. Could it be light weight and tipped up and startled her? Even try a small plate or paper towel.

Long story short, my Sadie got startled once by her tags clinking against the edge of a glass bowl and from that day on would not eat or drink out of glass bowls, even if she wasn't wearing her tags.

Good luck and please keep us informed of her progress. :)

First, welcome to YT. I am a new YT'er who rejoined after a two year separation from YT. And great job on giving Lacey a good home. She is lucky that is for sure. Must give you lots of satisfaction knowing you have saved her life from abuse and misery.

OMG....She's got you trained, lol. You know that's how it starts. I was thinking that too what the prior post said about the bowl being tipped if its too light, especially if there's moist food she is trying to get from the bowl. One of my yorkies gets startled when that has happened in the past and I've since changed his bowl. We don't know anything about her past experiences with the previous owner, but maybe if she didn't eat she was abused or hit. Maybe food is associated with a negative experience. Just a thought.

I would try to at first moisten her food with something she likes. I give different foods to my dogs, and give them human chicken chunks which come with their juice, so maybe the juice in it to help stimulate it. And then as she gets more into a routine with your Cairn, then you could gradually stop with the chicken juice. Just a thought.

Please let us know. Enjoy your baby!

BTW, you live in my fav State. Even though I don't live there, I visit quite often on business. Where in CO do you live?

I live in Fort Collins which is an hour north of Denver. Its a great place. So I took the advice about the bowl. So I changed it out. AGAIN I said to night are you hungry she runs into the kitchen (I call it dancing, she's on her back legs) but when I put the food down she looks at me with like "Are you kidding" and runs away. I put it in another room I saw her approach it and small it and then runs away into her kennel (home) She finally came out and I gave her some by hand and she sat there and ate it. Isn't this wierd. I guess you can say she is a princess now.

I made that hand feeding mistake as well but have stopped that habit by feeding him a small piece next to the bowl with my hand only just above bowl and next little bit is even closer to bowl then my hand was virtually in bowl holding his food, if he wanted more he'd have to get it himself, next night was the same but only 2 bites, next night only one bite from my hand, by then he was getting hungry and decided to feed himself

Welcome to YT!

That what my friends say..Just leave it out and when she's hungry enough she will eat it. My only problem my Cairn thinks...YAHOO FOOD!!! Is it my birthday.. HAHA

I want to thank each and everyone of you in trying to help me out with this food sitiuation. I know its the wierdest thing (especially when this has came on so fast) It really means alot to me and Lacey...I mean Princess Lacey that we have a place to come too for advise.. Again thanks everyone:aimeeyork

You could always try dropping a piece of food on the floor, point at it tell her to get it. When she does give praise.

Drop two pieces, ect. Keep doing this, when she gets the hang of that start dropping them in her bowl.

I remember having to do this with Buddy.

Good luck!!!

aww congrads on the new baby...good luck with the food.

I don't have any advice for the food issue, but I just wanted to tell you that you are amazing. Thank you so much for giving this little precious one a good life.

I do love her so much...Every morning after my breakfast she comes up too me turns her rear end around and wants me to pick her up and hold her like a baby...Actually she wants me to rub her back and ears..LOL...She's amazing. Poor little thing was so scared of the world. When my cairn comes up to her and drops the ball in front of her (she wants her to play) this poor little thing jumps. Whoever had her never gave her a chance to play with toys. She's so scared with people (But she is getting braver). I just need to give her time!!!

Hi there, and Welcome to YT ! You have done a amazing, wonderful , thing, taking in a scared, little abused yorkie baby. How heartbreaking for little Lacey , to think about what her life must have been like before she came to live with you and your family .
You must have so much love and patience for her. She now trusts you. ANd this is why she is allowing you to let you feed her, and now she loves it. Little one has gained her trust in you, and you only, for now that is. Which is a heavy burden . In a way it is a compliment, however, I agree that she is taking advantage of the feeding issue. SHe's not a newborn, and can learn how to eat on her own. If it is the other dogs that is making her feel uncomfortable, can you place her food and water in a different place , away from the other dogs>? Just so she has enough space and feels more at ease and not so stressed ? A dog who is stressed will not eat. When she is with you she is not stressed . SHe needs a quiet room , where she is not bothered by any noise or other dogs to eat. See if that will help her eat on her own without you having to feed her by hand all the time.
My Suzi has not been abused , however, is skiddish at times, when she is scared, her tail goes down too . Then she hides. She does not like to be brushed, and somehow always knows when it is time to be groomed. So SUzi will hide behind the kitchen table. My son has to help me go and get her, when I have her, she is fine. But , she always does this . Yorkie's can become scared easily by the smallest things, and remember . Then it will bother them again . My Suzi is just 18 months old, and this is what she is like, but she is non aggressive. And she is not fearful of too many things. Just a few things.
I am certain Lacey is going to be fine after she learns that her new home is safe and she is safe from being harmed. What a lucky little yorkie, Keep working with her, and I know she will come out of her shell. :thumbup: