Advice needed/welcomed
 

As you know, I adopted a puppy mill rescue (Toby, 3 1/2 years old). He was in a VERY loving home for a year before we got him two weeks ago. He lived with three other yorkies and was a HARD 90% housebroken and very social. He's come a long way in two weeks and maybe I'm too anxious but he's had several "accidents" in the house even though he goes potty every time he goes outside and gets rewarded when he comes in. His "other mom" said he will bark when he needs to go out but haven't seen that yet. I've resorted to putting puppy pads down and he used one tonight right after we came in from outside. He goes out with our shichon all the time. He does NOT like to be scolded and runs away from me. So that idea is shot. Suggestions?

Also, he picks and chooses when he wants to be friendly towards me. Sometimes he will come up to me and not think twice about it (rarely) but most of the time I have to tell him what a good boy he is and squat down to his level and he'll come. He always has to make sure he knows what room I'm in and/or the same with my husband. But he's not a lap dog yet although I'm told he's definitely a lap dog. Maybe it's too soon. He does not like you to raise your voice towards him so I don't.

But how can I discipline him for pottying in the house and how can I get him to jump up in the recliner with me and lay next to me? If I go pick him up from where he's laying and bring him to my recliner, he will lay there.

Am I wanting too much too soon? He's such an adorable little guy I just wanna love on him when I'm home.

I know puppy mill dogs are "special" dogs and need special care so any advice you can give me would be appreciated. When I get home from work he's all over me for about 5 minutes and then he's done with me as far as getting close to me. I think he's training me instead of me training him. LOL

Thanks everyone. Am anxious to have a snuggle bunny!

Dianne

That sounds a lot like Scruffs. I got him and his previous owner said he was house trained and barked to go out. WRONG-O. It's been a year and I am still working with him. I just can never trust him. It was worse at first when he wasn't neutered, but that stopped half of the problem. Is your pup neutered or recently neutered? I suggest just crating, keeping him in site, or on a leash. For me, that's how it will always be with Scruffs, so I just had to accept it. A year later he still hasn't learned and whenever I slip he has an accident.

Also, she said he cuddled with her but he never cuddled with me. I wanted a small, loving dog that would sit on my lap while I did my homework. I had him a month before I decided to keep him... but I fell in love with him. He was SO crazy. I walked him for 2 hours everyday, for miles and miles, we jogged, went to the dog park, everything. Finally, three months later, boom. Totally changed dog. He sleeps on me, cuddles with me, listens to me... he was just about the perfect dog for a while. Now he jumps on furniture as he pleases, and jumps on people (I got lazy, walked him a few times a week only). I've started disciplining and walking again, though!

Thanks Vanessa. It sounds like I need more patience..............maybe he'll come around more. When the weather gets nice I think I will start walking him if he'll let me.

Not all Yorkie's are snuggly. That may just be his nature, but it is way too soon to tell. His whole world has been turned upside down and it will take time for him to bond with you and settle in.

Regressions in potty training are normal when you adopt an adult dog. Go back to Potty Training 101 and treat him like a puppy. Don't scold him after the fact as that will only make him fearful and he won't understand. Positive training with treats and rewards is the key. If he's having accidents, he has too much freedom. Don't allow him to roam all over your house. Keep him right with you, even if you have to tie his leash to your waist.

This is a must have book for anyone who adopts an adult dog:

Amazon.com: Second-Hand Dog: How to Turn Yours...

I think he needs more time. He's still getting to know you. You can discipline him without raising your voice. Just change the tone of you voice so that it reflects your disapproval. He still may not like it, cuz you're not letting him do what he wants. He'll know it without your yelling at him. But being able to love on him later will be reassuring. Some yorkies are quite independant, and some are real lovers. I think he'll probably improve w/time. Time & patience... the hardest part. Good luck!

I have no advice but I just have to say that you sound AMAZING, and this little guy is so lucky to have you!

Congratulations!

I just think he needs so more time..

Can you get yourself one of those doggie play pens. It's a little bigger than a crate, and more open for them to look around and see what is going on and all, but still keeps him confined and easy to watch. It could be a great training tool and also used to get him to trust and depend on you. Everytime he is out of that pen it will be either to go out and potty, or to simply be spending time with you. He will come to learn that routine and trust you and want to be with you. As he does better with the pottying the more time he could be allowed out. Just a thought. I had a dog that I never could trust to leave and I didn't like the crate all the time and this pen worked well in giving her more room but yet confined enough to control her potty habits. She was out with me as long as I could be watching her like watching tv, crafting, or in bed sleeping. Just a thought.

nneessaa: (pardon the interruption) I replied to your PM, but it says your storage is exceeded. You will have to delete some in order to get my reply.

That is odd. I only have 1msg out of 100 used.

I agree with the others, not all yorkies are snugglers. I have some older yorkies that I have raised from pups that are just content to lay just anywhere or at my feet and others that insist on being in my lap or at my side. They are all different.

The potty training issue will just take time. If it gets to be a big problem then it might be wise to get some belly bands. Another thing you can do is put down a pee pad with a jug in the middle of it and hopefully he would use that if he feels the urge to go when he is in the house. Some yorkies are just difficult to potty train.

Cleared it! Sorry about that.

To the OP, I highly suggest exercising. Like I said Scruffs would not sit still until I finally got all the energy out of him, and he just chilled out. I think walks are really important even if it is small dog.. You said you might consider walking him. To me, walking a dog isn't optional. It is something they need in order to be happy dogs.

Thank you!
 

:animal36 Thank you to everyone for all the great advice. I did put puppy pads down where he's been pottying in the house and he did do both numbers on it while my husband was gone today (he somehow got his belly band off - I guess from playing with the other dog) but he also pottied off the pad and pooped in the kitchen. But my husband was gone most of the day which he normally isn't. PLUS he has only been here for two weeks. He knows he gets rewarded when he does his business outside.

Toby will lay beside me if I bring him to my recliner and he's tired.

The only issue my husband has with the belly band and puppy pads is that it is telling the dog he doesn't have to go outside to potty. I tend to agree with him but it could just be too soon to expect him to not potty in the house. Plus I understand yorkies have small bladders and he does drink a lot of water so it could be a combination of things. It's just unfortunate for my husband that he gets home before I do because he has to clean up the mess. LOL

I did order the book that was highly recommended on this website about owning a "second hand" dog. I can't wait to get it and read it.

We have a small crate but my husband doesn't want to crate him even though that's what we have done with our previous dogs.

I've looked for a new belly band at Petsmart and Petco but all I can find are actual diapers. This one is about wore out. I may have to go on line to buy one which I will do.

I will continue to read the threads on this website as they are very helpful and will keep everyone posted on Toby's progress if interested.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the helpful hints. If it isn't better in a month I may get a small playpen and try that next.

SWEET APPLE: By "cuddler" I mean lay next to me in the chair. His foster mom said she couldn't get him off her lap so it's probably just a matter of time.

Dianne

I just wanted to add...we have a "rescue" section here...where there are several YT members who work in rescue and have a lot of experience w/ healing recscue/adoptee doggies.

So in addition to the awesome advice you've already received here, you might tap-in to them as well if you're still feeling things are moving slow. Your guy sounds adorable :)!

Hi there and welcome to YT with your new little rescue. :) To me it sounds like Toby just needs a little more time to adjust to her new environment. If his foster mom told you that he was trained, liked to cuddle etc just give him time. When I first brought Bogey home from the shelter a little over a year ago he was a total spaz, didn't know what it was like to be picked up and help, how to do stairs, what grass what, how to ride in a car, potty outside ALL the time, the list could go on forever! :rolleyes: Now he is laying in my arms sleeping while I am typing this to you. :) It will take time for him to adjust to you and his new home.

Here is a link to an excellent article that was made a sticky in the rescue and also training forum:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ll-rescue.html

I would like to suggest that for his potty issues, that you purchase BELLY BANDS and put him in one right when he walks back into the house. It is hard IMO with puppy-mill rescues to use a crate because some are traumatized by being put into that environment again. The above article addresses some of this as well and offers more suggestions.

As for "scolding" him for potty accidents this is never a good idea even if he was not a rescue. If you are giving him treats for potty, you need to be standing next to him to reward with a treat otherwise he will not associate the treat and potty. If he comes into the house after potty he will only associate the treat with coming into the house.

If you would like to try to make him your little lap dog, I would suggest that you go to him on the floor instead of trying to make him come to you. Sit on the floor with a few treats and allow him to come over and treat and praise.

It will take a lot of time and some effort to make him comfortable in his new forever home.

To this day Bogey will still run if anyone raises their voice. Good luck and if you need any more help please PM me. I will do as much as I can to help you and Toby through any rough spots. :)

You should reward outside right after he goes potty - within seconds or he won't know why he's being rewarded.

If you want to speed up his comfort level with you randomly give him treats every time you pass him or approach him. He'll love you really fast. Good luck, it just takes time.

I think you've gotten some great advice and I'm probably just repeating what others have said.... but I will say that some babies are more snuggly than others. My 1st yorkie and my little shadow is Zoe. She follows me everywhere and lays right next to me when I'm on the coach. Very rarely will she sit on my lap but always right next to me. At bedtime she's at the foot of the bed and that's where she wants to be. Now Libby is only 6 months old and she wants to be right on top of me. Literally. Right now she is sitting on my shoulder. I swear she thinks she's a parrot. She doesn't follow me around like Zoe but at night time she lays much of the night at the foot of the bed but eventually makes her way up so that she is laying right next to my face with her little head on my pillow too. They are very different. I love them both but Zoe will always have a special place in my heart even if she doesn't snuggle as much. Just concentrate on the things you like best about it him and also give him some time. On the potty training, I would be hesitant to disicpline him too much. If you catch him in the act, take him right out and give him a really good treat when he goes outside. If you don't catch him in the act, just ignore it. Are you crate training? You might have to back up and start just as if he was a new puppy..... Good luck!

Thank you SO much for the link. After reading that, it made me want to have even more patience than I already do. Toby has made great progress once again just in the past 24 hours!!! Last night instead of putting his blanket at the bottom of the bed I thought I'd try putting it beside me in the bed. He laid there all night and didn't move. He's getting a LOT better about letting me pet him today. Maybe we "bonded" during our sleep. LOL We were gone 4 hours tonight and he didn't have one single accident while we were gone. When I got home I took him outside immediately and he peed and got rewarded. Well, since I knew he didn't do anything on the puppy pad, after we were in the house for about 10 more minutes I took him back outside to poop and he did so he got another reward. (He's no dummy, huh?) I did buy a small container of training treats (they are real tiny) today at Petsmart and I've been taking them with me when I go outside with him to reward him before he comes in the house. So every day gets a little better.

His foster mom (she had him for a year) was excellent! He was raised with 3 other yorkies and a poodle plus some goats, cats, and whatever else they had. She loved this little guy dearly. I could tell she cared about him deeply because she called all my references on the adoption form and called my groomer and vet. She sold him to me dirt cheap ($75) and I asked her why so cheap. She said she wasn't looking to make money off of him but she did want to make sure he went to the right home. That comment told me she cared for Toby sincerely.

I clicked on the Rescue and Foster homes needed link and read some of the posts but nothing compares to the link you gave me. Again, thank you very much for that. It was a real eye opener to me!

:animal-paDianne:animal-pa

Thanks for telling me about this book. I ordered it and am reading it now. It makes a lot of sense!

How's little Toby doing? I think when adopting an older dog it takes them longer to adjust. I adopted my boy and got him on his first birthday (Aug 1st). Just this past week, or around Christmas time, he finally chased a ball! Getting him to settle down enough to play is a big deal. He's shy so I'm taking things real slow with him, and yes it took 4 months to get him to play with toys. It took 2 months to get him to play chase with me. He still plays with me and only me but every once in a while I catch him wanting to initiate play with my dad, even if he does lose interest 2 seconds later. :rolleyes:
Megansmomma is a great resource! I read a lot of what she posts, I don't usually respond, but I have tailored her advice to fit Kaji and my lifestyle. She's got great advice and I cannot believe how sweet she is to share her knowledge with us. She's an angel in disguise!

I guess I can't find that section. Can you give me the link to it?

Thanks!

Thank you! I will have to look at her posts. Toby is doing fine. He still has some hurdles to jump over but we will get there. I'll go into detail later but right now it is 1:30 a.m. and I need to take my butt to bed. So stay tuned.................more info to come.

Thanks!