Please help a new Yorkie dad

[MamaZiggy]

oh thank goodness! I have thought of this baby many times since reading this post! Thank you for updating us. Looking forward to hearing that the training is going well and seeing pics

[llapan]

Originally Posted by newdad

a car starting startled Jake and he wrestled out of his collar and ran away. I grabbed Roxy and tried to catch up. For a moment she had wriggled out of her collar, too, and I had two dogs on the loose in an urban area.

Thank god you got Jake back -- but I have a huge suggestion. It sounds like you are using regular dog collars on both Yorkies. If that is so, please buy well fitting harnesses for them instead. Besides making it almost impossible for the dogs to wiggle out of -- the harnesses, if they are adjusted correctly -- don't apply pressure on the Yorkies' very fragile windpipes. Recently, I had my two youngest Yorkies outside on the grass at a rest stop, where they were hunting a place to potty. Then a very loud car alarm went off, and kept going off. Thank god we had my Yorkies' harnesses and leashes on, because they would have been in the next county -- and a very unfamiliar long way from home county at that. Because of their harnesses, they both just hit the end of their leashes, and it basically clotheslined them, and threw them back my direction. Sounds harsh, but with all the pressure being applied just across the front of their chests, it caused them absolutely no harm, and I scooped them both up and comforted them while they calmed down. If it had been regular collars, I would have hate to think of the harm to their tracheas when they hit the end -- and even worse, they were so freaked I'm sure they would have slipped those collars and been long gone. All the big pet stores carry the harnesses from the tiny xx small size which have fit my pups from age 2 months to their current, almost 6 months of age. The same size fits my tiny 3 year old Yorkie - who is much smalller, at a grown weight of 3.75 lbs. These harnesses generally adjust around the body piece, the "neck/collar" piece, and sometimes on the piece that connnects between the two. You can always get a good fit -- if you buy a good harness. (They are $5 to 7 or $8 at Petsmart, I can't remember exactly.) Good luck with your Yorkie Jake, who doesn't want to be your friend right now. I totally agree with the ignore him / give him treats advice of everyone else. He'll probably be a more loyal dog to you, in the end, than you can ever imagine. These Yorkies, once they trust you, love you and dote on you like no other dog you will ever own -- at least that's certainly been my experience, and I had a lot of different breeds of dogs before I found Yorkies. Once a Yorkie owner, you can never go back to those other pedestrian breeds!!

[newdad]

L.Lapan - You are completely correct about the harness. Chalk it up to a rookie mistake on my part. We have harnesses for both Roxy and Jake, and they both seem to handle them really well.

And for those wanting pictures, check out these cuties! http://i.imgur.com/NdUJZ.jpg

You can probably instantly tell which is Roxy and which is Jake!

[newdad]

L.Lapan - you are completely correct on harnesses. Chalk it up as a rookie mistake for me. We went out and got harnesses for both Jake and Roxy and they both handle them very well.

That's very sweet that some of you were worrying about Jake. What a supportive community this is!

For those wanting pictures, check out these cuties!

imgur: the simple image sharer

I bet you can easily guess which is Roxy and which is Jake!

(Sorry if this is a double-post... for some reason, my posts aren't showing up).

[beachdog]

Oh thank goodness you found him. You must have been terrified. You are so sweet to want to be patient with this poor dog. Your girlfriend is very lucky to have you.
May I suggest a harness for the pups instead of collars? They are harder to get out of and help prevent collapsing trachea.There are several soft styles like Puppia that are great for Yorkies.

[gracielove]

I'm so glad he is home safe. Yes, the harness is a much safer thing to use, especially on a Yorkie. They are both so cute! I hope your issues with this little guy can get straightend out. They really are such great dogs once they accept you.

[navillusc]

I am soooo glad you found him! It's amazing how fast Yorkies can move! After the scare of 72 hours alone, away from home, Jake may change somewhat on his own. If he will entertain the idea, while the memory is fresh, you might want to be attentive and comforting to him...if not by touching/handling him, certainly with soft warm words and loving gazes in his direction...treats wouldn't hurt either.

Also, say yes to the harness... I like the step in kind rather than the over-the-head kind. Make sure the harnesses fit properly. Both of my Yorkies were able to step out of one set of harnesses...they can still use them but ONLY under clothes...and the first harness I ever bought was for a Shepherd/Labrador mix, Honey (Houdini), which she stepped out of on the very first use...it went back to the store.

I am anxiously awaiting posts about positive interaction and the winning-over of Jack by you!

[Gatord]

I just want to say Welcome and glad you have come here looking for help and advise. Koodos to you for trying to do everything to get alone with your new family.

All the advice already giving is some of the things I was going to suggest and more.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

[Princesa Bella]

OMG!!! I am sooooo glad he made it home safe!!! They are both such cuties!! Best of luck with the little furbaby, I am sure he will warm up to you soon!

[beachdog]

Ahh just look at those cute little faces.

[navillusc]

I know of some successes with this product. I don't know if you'd want to try it or not, but here's the link:

NatureCALM 24/7 Canine Calming Pheromone Collar:
Amazon.com: NatureCALM 24/7 Canine Calming...
It's a product that looks similar to a flea collar but gives off pheromones mimicing what mommy dog does to say everything's okay. I don't think I would put it on the dog...I think I would put a piece of it in my pocket or rub it on my hands before I reached for or touched him....and I think I'd rub it on the back of my hand so I could give treats without worrying about transferring it to the treat itself. I'd wear a piece of it whenever I'm around him and keep the rest in an airtight package. If I was holding him near my chest, I'd put the piece in a shirt pocket so he could smell it and it would seem like it was coming from me. It might be worth a shot considering what you are up against with Jake...to help get him over his fear.

There are also some calming pheromone sprays which you may be able to get locally as well as at these links:

D.A.P. Dog Appeasing Pheromone Spray:
Amazon.com: D.A.P. Dog Appeasing Pheromone Spray...
Comfort Zone® Spray:
Comfort Zone Spray for Dogs | DrsFosterSmith.com

You can spray bedding and other areas to help de-stress dogs with these...even spray a cotton ball to put in a pocket.

They make other pheromone sprays for other things...like urination cessation, so before buying a pheromone spray, read what it is supposed to do for your dog to avoid getting a 'wrong' product.

I do not know if any of these will help...just thought I'd pass along the information.

[mimimomo]

Originally Posted by newdad

We found him! He was gone for 72 hours, and other than being tired, hungry, and skinny, he was perfectly fine. He was hiding in an alley waiting to hear his mom call his name. What a relief!

Now I'm back to using the suggestions here and hopefully building some rapport with Jake. Thanks again, everybody.

Please invest in a good harness for your yorkies. Not only will it be beneficial for their health, but it will also be very hard for them to wiggle out of. Best of luck w/ you & Jake.

[newdad]

Just thought I'd give everybody an update. Again, thank you SO much for your kind, encouraging words when Jake ran away and the suggestions for creating a better relationship with Jake and Roxy.

1. Jake is much less aggressive towards me now. Maybe his neutering helped, too. He is still very afraid of me, though. When my girlfriend is gone, he hides under the bed most of the time. He generally won't let me come near him, or if he does, he just shakes or makes a screaming noise. I take him out his crate and outside for potty every day after work, but he's terrified the whole time. He will potty, though!

2. Roxy is just very wild. She barks at every noise she hears, especially at night. She potties in the house constantly. We've put a potty pad down, as she does most of her potty in the house at night while we sleep. We crate them during the day, so we don't want to crate them at night (and my girlfriend likes sleeping with them on the bed). Roxy will pee and poop everywhere except the pad, generally under my desk. We have to clean the carpet daily. When we take her outside for potty, she takes 5 to 10 minutes to go potty. She doesn't really look for a spot, she just goes wild. Running all over the place, smelling leaves and trees, barking at stuff, pulling on the leash in every direction. She eventually decides to potty after 5 to 10 minutes, where she does the "potty walk" (intense sniffing and butt low to the ground) and then goes, but it's anybody's guess where she's going to go. It's hard to praise her after that, because she doesn't seem to care if I praise or don't react at all. She just runs away to go sniff stuff and be wild. The house reeks of potty constantly, so it's been tough to get any progress with her. She doesn't seem to learn anything.

3. What's a good way to "positively reinforce" that Roxy shouldn't be constantly barking at stuff? I've read so much about positive vs. negative reinforcement, and we want to praise and nurture the pups, not punish. We shake a can of coins if Roxy incessantly barks at night, and it temporarily helps, but what's a method for praising being quiet?

Any advice is always welcome. Thank you.

[gracielove]

I would suggest you get an X-pen for these dogs. You are gone all day they should at least be able to move around a little. Confining them in a small area with the pee pad will help them learn to use it--- but the time you are home with them needs to be spent training.

The female will not get house trained by giving her free run at night. I can understand wanting them to sleep with you but when they get up they need to be taken to the potty. If your girlfriend is not able or willing to do that than putting the dog in the x-pen at bedtime is the best solution. She can also try tethering the dog to her so it is always with her. That way she will be able to see when the dog has to go and get her to the right place. These dogs don't learn these things by themselves. It is the human timing that does it.

Actually taking the dogs out for regular walks would help them to empty their bladders and get the other waste out. Walking them for at least a few blocks would be good for both of them. They have been crated all day and need exercise. In the morning the same thing. A good 15 minute walk would be good for everybody.

These dogs seem extremely nervous. I don't know if it is the breeding or their environment. Either way they need a lot of patience and devoted training to help them along.

[navillusc]

I am glad things are better, but it sounds like there is still more that can be done to put all at ease.

I agree that they need more moving around in space during the day...more exercise. Perhaps approach this from an angle of how you would want to be kept. I do not mean to give them free run of everything all the time...just more space and more choices in an area you can more easily clean...like a smooth kitchen, laundry room, or bathroom floor. It might not hurt to leave a TV or something on for them...radio, etc., to minimize the quiet and help de-sensitize them to sound. If they are quiet with TV or something going, keep praising and petting. If they bark, keep your tone low when correcting...maybe just a sssshhhhhh... You might even try environmental relaxation tapes/CD's such as wind and rain, or twittering birds, running streams, etc. as calming agents. I would skip the thunderstorms, though. I'd play the sounds first when I was with them watching their response, and mix my own sounds, using only the ones they enjoy.

Animals pick up on your emotions...I'd be as emotionless as possible with any correction...don't let it get to you. They do not necessarily understand in the manner you do...you will have to be the one who adapts to put them at ease until their comfort level normalizes. Pets are often 'neurotic' because the humans are 'neurotic' in their dealings with the animals, perhaps expecting behavior the animal cannot do or does not understand or that which goes against the nature of the animal...un-dog-like expectations, for example, on the part of the owner/handler...to keep him from seeing your actions as irrational. Put another way, if you were to scold a dog for not wiping its feet every time it comes inside from a walk, it would learn to fear coming inside because it would not understand the scolding since wiping its feet is not its normal behavior.

Besides the fear and nervousness, they might be bored...and they might be calmer if the time they spend with you was more 'fun'...play, etc. I don't mean that you don't try to make things better...just think of yourself snowed in for several weeks alone or something. I'd go stark raving mad...

I'd start praising Roxy when she starts showing signs she's going to pee/poo. Stay with her if possible and then gush with praise and love when she does.

Mia taught Brody to bark at every little sound the kitties make at night...so...we now shut the bedroom door...they sleep with us. But, closing the door diminishes the sound they hear. If they slept in another room, I'd be inclined to keep some sort of low comforting sound going so sounds weren't so 'sudden' in such 'quiet' as 'night' can be.

Good luck...keep trying.