When to call it quits?
 

I am still new to this site but I am not new to yorkies or dog owning. I have had many animals and only gave up 2 before (a chameleon and a guinea pig) for thier benifit. I would never have dreamed of even thinking of getting rid of one of my dogs, but my new puppy is pushing every button and now I wonder if I'm even cut out to have her. Sallie is very hyper and entergetic and wears out my older dog. I have been fighting a poo eating issue which just as it seems to get better, gets worse. The other day I went to work and she ate her poo then threw up and then had diarreah and then ate that. I can't watch her all day and I really can't afford to keep her in doggie day care everytime I have to work. She is hard to walk, barks constantly for no reason and is pretty much driving me crazy. I do love her and I try and exersize her and play with her but I have to work and I was hoping I could leave her home with my other dog to keep him company. She is already 7 months old and hasnt calmed down or stopped trying to eat things. I get so frustrated, I wonder if I should give her to someone who maybe has more time or other dogs who are are entergetic so she can play more. I'm just not sure I'm doing the right thing for her or me at this point.

I can't advise you on your decision, but re the poop eating - the vet can give you something called 'Forbid' to sprinkle on her food and that might help with that issue. We had/have the same problem and using the 'Forbid' seems to have made our girl less interested in her poop. Not completely disinterested yet, but much better. The other day she pooped when I was out of the room she's confined in and she left it on the piddle pad so I'd see it and praise her. Our baby is 5 and 1/2 months old and she chews everything. The vet said to limit the things she has available to chew because she gets confused on what's ok and what's not ok. That may or may not be working :confused: Haven't had enough time to tell yet.

I can't help you with your decision but maybe if you can get a few of the behaviors under control that will help. Good luck.

Well have been there and done that with a previous pup:eek:
Can't say what would be absolutely right for your pup, but the answer for me was obedience training. Made a major difference for us. You do have to realize at 7 months they do have abounding energy and curiosity and want to play with everything. Obedience does take some of your time and energy, but it give you quality time with your pup and puts you in charge (eventually). I would trying it if you want to make the investment in your pup. Go and talk to the obedience people - local club, Petsmart etc. and see what they tell you.
Hope this helps. Probably is not an easy answer to this problem. Sometimes it takes more than love.

It sounds as though you're saying you got her simply to keep your other dog company?

She needs your time, she needs training, and she definitely needs lots of exercise. Puppies can be frustrating and require nearly constant supervision. When left to their own devices, bad things will happen. It is the same with children. Yorkies are terriers and do require lots of exercise and attention. I can't tell you the right thing to do, but it is clear that what you've been doing isn't working. By exercise, I don't mean walking a few blocks. Consider walking miles. Yorkies don't calm down by seven months. Some don't calm down by 1.5 - 2 yrs. It depends on their particular personality. Given the right environment most yorkies are pretty high energy dogs most of their lives.

That all sounds very normal. She needs to be trained not to bark. Poop eating isn't going to kill her. She can be trained to walk properly. And she should not be let around your other dog without supervision if there are issues there. Sounds like this pup has way too much freedom. Crate or xpen when you can't watch her. Separate the dogs. No need to put any stress on the older dog when you aren't home to watch. If play gets too rough for the older one when you are home, the pup can be separated. When my pup really starts aggravating my older dog (or me for that matter), he gets crated. I just won't chase a wild pup for hours and I don't expect my older dog to constantly handle it. When it goes beyond play and she is frustrated, they are separated.

You can use a product for the poop eating. Worth a try. How about a water bottle for the barking?

I am not trying to be mean but did someone give up on you when you were a bratty child or a hateful teen ager? Dogs like children do require time and energy, they are a commitment. Dogs require patience love and guidance and training! There are no easy answers here for any of the problems you are having but do not give up,trust me the rewards , are well worth it. Hugs :yorkiej::friendsh:

Puppies are hard work and its your job to teach them everything. I dont have any advice but I think its very sad to get a puppy and then get rid of it. Most great things in life take hard work. How great a dog Callie is was worth all the nights of no sleep, getting up at all hours to take her potty, cleaning up the accidents, puppy class, and all the other things. Shes has this amazing love for me even if I forget to play our game of chase or fetch, or if I forget to order her bully sticks or if Im to depressed to even get out of bed she is still there to show an amazing love that only a dog can and all the work is worth that in my opinion.

Sorry you are having these issues.
I know puppies are are a lot of work and need a lot of attention, training, and patience. As someone else said, the rewards are worth it.
I hope you don't give up on her.
Please keep us posted.

:thumbup: This is a really nice post. Lovetodream88
IMO, Even with in a family, Sometimes our personalities clash, and we have to learn how to make each other happy.
I think most puppies crave interaction and attention and they mostly just need to be taught what to do. Puppies are not bad , they just don't know the rules.
Please be honest, ask yourself, What is it that feels over whelming ? Can you do something different ? Could you get a trainer to help you ? Do you have the time, desire and determination to try to fix the problems ?
I can not answer your question, "when is it time to call it quits ?" Only you can decide that. I hope some of our ideas will help you.

The thing you have to know is you are almost over the period where the pup is the most onry the puppy period. That being said I dont find it shameful if someone admits they didnt realize all they were getting into and they need to rehome or give to a rescue. They shouldnt be taking the dog to a shelter though they need to be responsible

It sounds to me like you are tired and stressed out. An active puppy is not what you want to come home to after a long day at work and I'm sure a puppy with a high energy level will not benefit from being locked in a crate all day while you are gone. It is only going to make her even more hyper once you get home. Is she in a crate all day? That could have something to do with the poo eating. Dogs that are locked in with their waste sometimes try to get rid of it by eating it.
If having this pup is making your life even more stressful I would advise you to find a home for it where it will get the additional time and attention it needs and deserves. Hopefully with someone with Yorkie experience that is home during the day. I'm sure some will disagree but you need to do what is best for both of you. Maybe you could contact a Yorkie rescue group that will help you to place your pup in a good home. Don't feel guilty. Sometimes we make mistakes and the best thing to do is make it right.
After my other dog passed on I thought long and hard before getting another. I don't think I would have done it if I had to work outside the home. Everything takes twice as long to accomplish with a puppy that has no one there for a good part of the day. You work 8 hours or more and then there is the time it takes to commute and to stop to get things at the store and that pup is sitting home alone all that time. I hope you get things settled for both of you. I hope you find a peaceful solution soon.

I felt this way about my Westie when he first came home. He was so different from our laid-back little maltese that had passed four years earlier.

I was concerned about the Westie breed by all the 'high activity' and 'high exercise levels' that I read. But, I let my son get one anyway! All the descriptions were true. Ringo was stubborn, he would not do anything we said; he hid under the deck for hours; he dug up my yard . . sometimes I didn't really like him much and vice versa, I think.

It took some time and effort to bond with Ringo. One thing that really helped us was taking agility classes. Now, I'm not necessarily recommending this for you - but we had a great trainer who recognized right away that Ringo was the leader of our pack. Once we got used to working together in a fun way - us giving commands and Ringo following them - he was like a whole different dog. We actually had fun together and enjoyed being together. Plus, he was getting a lot more EXERCISE.

I quickly learned that Ringo needs, at the bare minimum, a mile walk per day. This helps drain some of his crazy energy and, he is just easier to live with.

Your puppy will eventually calm down. The poop eating may stop. (Though Lucy still likes goose poop). I would try getting her into puppy classes where you can do some basic obedience together and have some fun. I would try walking both dogs together to improve their bond.

Bottom line - if you see her as just another source of stress - then that bond between you two is not going to form. You have to start actively working with her to address some of your issues.

Try this:

Nothing in Life is Free

:aimeeyorkBeautiful...just beautiful!:aimeeyork

Just reading the ops first post and nothing else.

Man sounds like you have one wired for sound and then some.
Nope sorry eating own poop is not normal. Unless it a female cleaning up after her litter.

What about a vet with behaviour to talk with and see if you van get some help.
What about through a dogs ears music to calm.
What about protocol for relaxation to help with focus.
Sounds to me like anxiety to me and she needs help.
If you are not up to it yes get her a new home but be very honest with new home about her problems. She may need stay at home parents and be an only fur kid. Rescue also be a good choice.
But go see some one with a under level education not just a dog trainer..this is behavior not a training concern.

JL

It does take alot of time and energy to raise a new puppy, especially one that is showing signs that your not used to.....

As far as the feces/stool eating...here is a copied and pasted insert from pet md.com

There are several possible causes of dogs eating their own feces or other non-food items, including malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, increased appetite, or conditions such as diabetes, or thyroid disease. Parasites can be another of the causes for this behavior.

This is something that upsets me because most vets only use a bandaid, they give you something to put on the food and don't take the time to see the underlying reason a dog is eating it's stool, because this is NOT normal for any dog.

Possibly you can get some help with training...and allow someone to train your dog and then you reinforce that training.

If you feel in your heart you can't do this...I would offer this baby to someone who really wants it and is willing to take all the time it needs to get it trained.

It's really hard to work and have a new dog. I know you'll do what's best for the dog.

Awesome! :thumbup:

Fantastic post! :thumbup:

I know exactly what you are going through. When I brought my 2 new pups home I had high expectations but they were soon dashed. After finding out they had ear mites, we discovered they had mange. Their digestive system was a mess and no food was agreeing with them. On top of it all they decided their poop was mighty tasty. They came from a bad breeder whom I turned in but I rescued these precious babies anyway. I too was at my wits ends but am so happy that I did not give up on them. They are doing sooooo much better now. They have stopped eating their poop ever since I changed them to a grain free food, Natural Balance Potato & Duck to be exact. They love it and have gotten healthier since I've been feeding it to them. They have even become easier to house break, have resolved practically all their behavioral issues too. I have a pen for them and a kennel, this is essential IMO. They have also been in training classes for 4 weeks now, which is helping tremendously too. We, as responsible fur baby owners, have to put the work in to have great dogs and some just require more time and work. I have to say when I was losing sleep, frustrated & crying from all the trips to the vet & the ER, losing patience with them about house training, I was on the verge of giving up. Hang in there, things will change but you have to be diligent. They will be so appreciative that you didn't give up on them and you will be too. I love my little girls so much & they love me back just as much! :)

I have been where you are and I am ashamed to say i could not stand my dog. Not my yorkie but Shanti. I was already stressed with life and it felt like everything bad she did was on purpose to tick me off. I hired a trainer but seemed like she only respected him. Long story short, Shanti taught mea lot and i realized Shanti was teaching Choppa. She gave him his bounderies without hurting him. I cant tell you what to do but wanted to say dont beat yourself up. Just making this post shows you want whats best. I will be praying for you and your babies and thst ypur decision works for you both.

poop eating - continued
 

I was concerned to read the post that indicated there might be underlying disease causing a puppy to eat poop and saying it wasn't a normal behavior and that vets sometimes apply a bandaid. Hmm -- is that what my vet did? So I looked up the article referenced and found an additional paragraph that was not included - see below:

Sometimes a dog will eat their feces if there are undigested articles of food in their stool. Mothers with newborns will also commonly eat the feces of their newborns. As such, puppies may eat feces as an observation of the mother's behavior or as part of exploration. In addition, a dog may eat feces as a response to recent punishment, to get attention or because it desires to clean its environmental area.

So, your puppy and mine MAY have an underlying health issue or MAY be exploring - hard to tell. A vet's counsel would be wise anyway. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the 'bandaid' my vet offered seems to be working, suggesting that my pup falls into the 'explorer' category - hope yours does too, so as not to cause you a bunch of medical bills on top of everything else!

When I first rehomed Cooper, I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. She was not housebroken properly and developed dirty dog syndrome-she barked at everything-she was destructive-she ate way too fast, making herself sick, so then I had vomit to deal with a few times a day- she lacked proper social skills with people and other dogs.
**The first thing I had to do was realize NONE of these were her fault. She was only exhibiting behaviors she had developed due to lack of training. It took LOTS of work and patience to correct her behaviors. She still requires special attention and will slip up occasionally.
Your pup is going to need your attention, time, and lots of training. There is no magic or quick fix to most issues.

I cannot imagine giving away one of my dogs, BUT if I was not willing to take the time to help Cooper, I would have only been cheating her. She would have always been in "trouble" and not living the happy, healthy life she deserves. Should you see that you are not able or willing to give 110 percent for your pup, then I suggest you seek a reputable rescue to surrend to. I hope you are able to find some help and correct the behaviors your dog has developed. If you do, you will not be disappointed with the rewards. :) One look into Coopy's big brown eyes make all the hard work soooo worth it. Good Luck, please keep us posted. :)

People have given you great advice on working on the issues you have, if that is something you choose to do.

As far as your original question though- I think it is time to call it quits when an animals quality of life is suffering. If you don't have the time to exercise the dog, train the dog, spend time with the dog, etc- then maybe it is best for the dog to be in a new home. If you are too stressed when you get home, the dog will feel this and act accordingly.

In the future, I think you need to spend more time researching the type of pet you are getting and the time they require before adding a new addition to your home.

Good Luck to you and your pup.

First I have to clarify that this is my second dog. My first yorkie Tommy is 5 and was a very good puppy. He came from a rescue puppy mill so he has TONS of medical issues but one of my dear friends is a vet and I'm happy to say he is very healthy these days. He is also very well behaved, he never ate his poo or barked more than at the door or chewed on my hands or anything. I was living at home until recently so he was used to having someone home pretty much all the time so while it is true I wanted another dog to keep him company I had also been thinking about it for a while. I thought I could deal with it but I think I was maybe hoping I'd get a carbon copy of him. I am not unwilling to work with Sallie, I tried the Forbid and the water (she loves water and the can w/pennies and forbid did nothing). I just didnt want her to get more bonded to me, or have to go through training and things if it didnt work. I think I'm worried training wont work. I've never dealt with behavior issues before so I was a little hesitant but it sounds like it can be done so I will give it a try. I do love my dog I just want to do the right thing for her. I hope this is just a test of my patience and one day I'll look back and laugh.

Only reason a pup would see a mother dog clean up to the extent it was habit fomring is if the breeder was not all over cleaning up after the pups themselves.

Where did this pup come from?

Also one can research all one wants but the reality of this is that sometimes dogs do not fit. The mersiful thing is to allow it to find a place in life where it does fit.

JL

It is possible for a puppy to have personality problems because of bad breeding. I don't know what kind of line your puppy comes from but there has been a lot of indiscriminate breeding with Yorkies that could cause neurological issues and other problems that can effect the dogs behavior. If you are willing to continue working with the puppy maybe you could have it evaluated by a professional who understands dog behavioral problems. If you do decide to rehome the dog this may be something that needs to be considered anyway. If the puppy does have problems it would need a very special home that could live with it's issues.

I heard of giving the dog pineapple so their poo becomes sour. My girl used to eat her poo and it eventually stopped. I would keep the poo their and every time she went back to it I would say NO.

Dogs eating their poo is not rare. I would not be able to argue the reason they do it but it happens.

My girl used to drive me crazy as well (still does :rolleyes:). But I was able to train her to pay attention to me. Now she's still a hyper little dog but when I say come here she's by my side waiting to be picked up. I think a little bit of training will work miracles. If you don't have time to walk your pup all the time, throw a ball across the room.

Okay, I need to clarify this misinformation. Dogs do not eat poop because there is something wrong with them. It CAN be because of health concerns (and of course you should get it checked out to rule them out), but USUALLY it is not. It is a behavior that is all. My own research and my own vet and my friend who is a vet all backed me up on it too.

It is a behavior that some grow out of OR with patience and training you can get them not to do. Just like biting, barking, and chewing on things they shouldn't. Things like Forbid and pineapple help teach them not to do it. I personally like pineapple.

Putting hot sauce on top of eliminations and leaving it for them to "try" and find out it is NOT yummy, is also a method for bigger dogs (not sure if it is a good idea for little ones and I have not tried it).

Anyway, I just needed to correct the impression that poop eating means there is something seriously wrong because that is not necessarily the case.

Note: Poop eating is a common behavior for all breeds of dog.

Glad that was cleared up by those who have dealt with that! That's not something I personally have had to deal with yet. Not to say Chloe won't try it one day, as she is a little stinker! As I said in my post, I was ONLY copying and pasting what was on www.petmd.com
:-)

Puppies are a lot of work. Don't give up on her. If you do I guarantee you'll regret it. Good Luck.