Our Yorkie can't seem to be without us

[sarahjforrest]

We have a nearly 7 month old Yorkie called Muffin. We've had him since he was about 3 months old.

Since the day we got him we have crate trained him and he does really well with it in terms of not messing in the house anymore (apart from the odd occasion).

We have two problems though.

Firstly he hates when we leave him any time during the day. At night if you tell him to go to bed he does it without too much fuss and won't cry unless he needs to go to the toilet. But that seems to have become more frequent in the last month.

We when first got him he would last till we got up in the morning but we are often getting woken early or in the middle of the night with him crying. We tried to leave him a few times but on those occasions he would pee in his crate so now we are getting up each time. He does pee straight away outside when we take him at these times.

The other problem is that when we leave him at any point during the day we leave toys and treats in his crate but he won't touch them. When we come home and let him out he grabs them straight away and will then go and play with them.

We bought him a kong toy last week and he loved it at first but again when we put it in his crate he won't touch it.

Also he does cry a little still in his crate if we are away during the day.

Can anyone offer any advice to help us?

Thanks

[HarleyHOO]

Hi and welcome to YT. It sounds like he may just be adjusting. I suggest putting him on a feeding schedule if you haven't already. No food or water after 8 or 9 pm. At 7 months, he should be able to hold his bladder through the night. One thing I did for my girl, was hide little treats in her crate when she wasn't in the room and then I'd let her find them herself. Maybe try this and he will associate the crate with something good and fun.
Also, when you leave during the day, he may be having a little bit of separation anxiety. I went to Petsmart and bought this little heartbeat pillow for Harley. It's really great! It looks like a bone and has a voive box inside. When you press it lightly, it sounds like a heartbeat and it's used to sooth young puppies. It's sensitive enough that if your baby moves around or lays on it, it will begin again and beat for about 10 minutes. I never had a problem with Harley crying in her pen once I bought this.

Hope everything gets better for you and the baby. Give it time, and he'll grow out of it

[Britster]

As for the toys - a lot of dogs won't play with stuff while your away. Typically they just sleep. Jackson never played with toys, bones or anything when we leave. I come back home and everything is exactly where I left it (he has free roam).

[smallmans]

Bella does not eat, drink, play with toys, eat treats, chew, etc. when she is alone is the house. She sleeps. This always amazes us. But, as soon as we walk in the door she will eat, drink, and then begin to play with her toys. We can put a favorite treat in her ex-pen when we leave and it will be there when we return. But, she'll gobble it up as soon as she sees us return.
Bella is crate trained, too. Every once in awhile she will go through a period where she wakes up in the middle of the night to potty. It goes on for a few days and then she's back to routine.
We've come to feel comfortable with these parts of her personality. I think your little furbaby is A-ok. Just my opinion.
Oh, Bella is 14 months old, now. Good Luck and don't worry.

[EllaJade]

My dog is the same way and I wish there was something to do. I'm really starting to get frustrated...

[sarahjforrest]

We pick up his water about 8pm every night but he was still getting a little food (treats) so we will try cutting them out after 8 as well.

I've ordered the heartbeat pillow you suggested so hopefully it will help.

Nice to hear that other pups are the same as Muffin, makes me feel more relaxed about how he is progressing.

Thanks everyone

[Lioncross4]

Same here--if I could glue her to my chest i think she would be the happiest!

[macyxxx]

i have the same problem with my 9month old,
she is in the house all day with my parents she will play eat etc,
but when i come home in the evening and leave the room to have a shower or anything she will cry at the kitchen door til i come back
so i find myself having to sit with her every second of every night,
is this just a phase?she has free run of the kitchen with her toys bed and food and water,i dont mind sitting with her but this is not alway possible

[sarahjforrest]

Originally Posted by Lioncross4

Same here--if I could glue her to my chest i think she would be the happiest!

Muffin is sooooo like that. Sometimes if we move from the sofa he will watch whatever we are doing and then if we sit back down again he will be watching so that he can pounce on your lap straight away.