Hair and barking question... :)

[gontygirl]

I think I need to remind everyone how tiny my little boy is...he's 2 and a half pounds of doggy love...that's all. It's below zero here in Canada and bathing him worries me...especially since he's not been potty trained by the previous owner. He's goes out to eliminate up to 6-7 times a day at the moment. He's been with me for 2 weeks and he's a year old. His bladder can hold it, however it's a learning curve for him to understand that we don't soil where we sleep/live... No way do I agree with pee pads, so please don't even go there, sorry but that's the way I raise my dogs. I just thought I'd make mention of this. Thanks for reading

[AngelFae]

I bathe Blazer usually only once a week. He doesn't like the blow dryer but he does air dry really quickly so I don't really worry about it. I make sure that he goes out to potty before his bath so that he has time to dry before he needs to go out again (I'm in MN so I get the cold issue.) I also make his baths as quick as possible- he doesn't love them but he no longer fights me about them. Persistence is the key to a lot of things with children and dogs, I've discovered! Lol!

[gracielove]

I use Yorkie Splash and Shine products on Gracie.Yorkie Splash and Yorkie Shine | Yorkie Shampoo and Yorkie Conditioner
I have heard good things about Pet Silk
Pet Silk Detangling Mist - PetSupplies.com
Isle of Dogs products are great, too. There is also a brand by the name of Pet Head that has a good spray conditioner and shampoo and conditioning rinse.
I take Gracie out for her morning walk and then bathe her. She is 5lbs. I do blow her dry but she has a full long coat. She has never had a problem using the same blow dryer that I use on my hair. I just put her on my lap and comb and blow dry. You just want to make sure the temp is not too hot. In the winter I turn the heat up a little to keep her comfortable. Even though I blow her all the way dry I wait at least 4 hours before I will take her outside in the cold. She wears a warm coat. Baths have never interfered with her going outside except if there is a storm or something. She is also puppy pad trained so that if the weather is really bad with deep snow I don't have to take her out. If she really wants to go out after a snow storm I have to shovel an area for her to walk in. She is just to small to manage the deep snow.

[gontygirl]

Originally Posted by AngelFae

I bathe Blazer usually only once a week. He doesn't like the blow dryer but he does air dry really quickly so I don't really worry about it. I make sure that he goes out to potty before his bath so that he has time to dry before he needs to go out again (I'm in MN so I get the cold issue.) I also make his baths as quick as possible- he doesn't love them but he no longer fights me about them. Persistence is the key to a lot of things with children and dogs, I've discovered! Lol!

True, true and true some more!! Thanks for taking the time...

[gontygirl]

Originally Posted by gracielove

I use Yorkie Splash and Shine products on Gracie.Yorkie Splash and Yorkie Shine | Yorkie Shampoo and Yorkie Conditioner
I have heard good things about Pet Silk
Pet Silk Detangling Mist - PetSupplies.com
Isle of Dogs products are great, too. There is also a brand by the name of Pet Head that has a good spray conditioner and shampoo and conditioning rinse.
I take Gracie out for her morning walk and then bathe her. She is 5lbs. I do blow her dry but she has a full long coat. She has never had a problem using the same blow dryer that I use on my hair. I just put her on my lap and comb and blow dry. You just want to make sure the temp is not too hot. In the winter I turn the heat up a little to keep her comfortable. Even though I blow her all the way dry I wait at least 4 hours before I will take her outside in the cold. She wears a warm coat. Baths have never interfered with her going outside except if there is a storm or something. She is also puppy pad trained so that if the weather is really bad with deep snow I don't have to take her out. If she really wants to go out after a snow storm I have to shovel an area for her to walk in. She is just to small to manage the deep snow.

Thanks for your help. I will be more considerate toward the idea of bathing her in the cold winter months...So I'm reading a lot of people saying that they bathe their yorkie once a week...? I can't imagine that it would be good for his skin, but that's why I'm asking ya all... Also, no offence but I'm not a pee pad person lol. I know this subject matter stirs things up but know that I'm not judging you as a negative doggy owner...I just mentioning it because using a pee pad after I bathe Boo is never ever ever an option for us. Thanks again...

[gracielove]

Originally Posted by gontygirl

Thanks for your help. I will be more considerate toward the idea of bathing her in the cold winter months...So I'm reading a lot of people saying that they bathe their yorkie once a week...? I can't imagine that it would be good for his skin, but that's why I'm asking ya all... Also, no offence but I'm not a pee pad person lol. I know this subject matter stirs things up but know that I'm not judging you as a negative doggy owner...I just mentioning it because using a pee pad after I bathe Boo is never ever ever an option for us. Thanks again...

Everyone has their own preferences concerning potty training.
If you were using a traditional dog shampoo and conditioner I would agree that a once a week bath would be hard on the skin and coat. Sulfates just strip natural oils. As I mentioned, I and many others, who bathe on a regular basis use all natural products that are actually good for the skin and coat. Many people with little dogs have them on their laps and furniture and prefer to have a clean good smelling pet. The Yorkie coat being what it is tends to need the extra conditioning. They also do not have an undercoat like many dogs do so it's good you are making sure your little one is kept warm.

[gontygirl]

Originally Posted by gracielove

Everyone has their own preferences concerning potty training.
If you were using a traditional dog shampoo and conditioner I would agree that a once a week bath would be hard on the skin and coat. Sulfates just strip natural oils. As I mentioned, I and many others, who bathe on a regular basis use all natural products that are actually good for the skin and coat. Many people with little dogs have them on their laps and furniture and prefer to have a clean good smelling pet. The Yorkie coat being what it is tends to need the extra conditioning. They also do not have an undercoat like many dogs do so it's good you are making sure your little one is kept warm.

Thanks so much for your advice. I'll make sure to get good all natural shamp&condit to keep his skin and coat in the best shape as it can be. You're so helpful!!

[celstu1]

for the hair, ask your vet for a good conditioner. I got a great conditioner from my vet (well I had to buy it) but my Dexter has a cotton coat and I groom my boys every 3 months or so, so by the time 3 months is done, Dex is matting. I do a bath every week or two and put this leave in conditioner on him. It helps a lot with the matting.

If your boy is potty trained, why can't he be with you in the media room? The one thing about Yorkies is they are PEOPLE dogs. They want to be with the family. They want to see you, smell you, hear you. I wouldn't say that you couldn't train him not to bark when you are not around, however I think you should consider that the breed he is, he wants to be with the family... 2 hours is a long time for him to know you are in the house but not with him. Poor little guy. Let him watch the movies with you! If he's like my boy, he'll actually just watch the movie literally. Or nap on your lap!

You've got a boy and you got a Yorkie. He wants his mama all the time.... trust me... I have what I call 'my entourage'. I can't move w/o them at my feet.... I love it though!

[nanahas3]

I agree with all the above advise, as a retired hairdresser I must say I cannot imagine what my hair would be like if I went even a day without brushing it. A yorkie has hair much like ours and needs daily grooming. Also be sure you brush out all the tangles before the bath. I also agree that a yorkie as with any dog needs to be included with the family. If we adopted a child I am sure we would not put them in a different room while we did our family things. Good luck .

[gontygirl]

Originally Posted by celstu1

for the hair, ask your vet for a good conditioner. I got a great conditioner from my vet (well I had to buy it) but my Dexter has a cotton coat and I groom my boys every 3 months or so, so by the time 3 months is done, Dex is matting. I do a bath every week or two and put this leave in conditioner on him. It helps a lot with the matting.

If your boy is potty trained, why can't he be with you in the media room? The one thing about Yorkies is they are PEOPLE dogs. They want to be with the family. They want to see you, smell you, hear you. I wouldn't say that you couldn't train him not to bark when you are not around, however I think you should consider that the breed he is, he wants to be with the family... 2 hours is a long time for him to know you are in the house but not with him. Poor little guy. Let him watch the movies with you! If he's like my boy, he'll actually just watch the movie literally. Or nap on your lap!

You've got a boy and you got a Yorkie. He wants his mama all the time.... trust me... I have what I call 'my entourage'. I can't move w/o them at my feet.... I love it though!

Hi, thanks for responding... I'm not really sure what a cotton coat is, tho I have heard people talk about it I have not seen it for myself. For all I know my boy has one.

He's in the process of being potty trained, it should go fast on a routine (he wasn't potty trained by his previous owner and he's a year old already). My "media room" is actually a movie theater and we keep the sound as loud. I don't want to damage his ear drums. I love that he enjoying being with me all the time, but I do want to watch movies with my family from time to time. We don't use the "media room" every day...and I definitely watch tv with him in the family room. He's my tv buddy, along with my shih tsu mix... Trust me, I'm never alone in my house and I LOVE THAT! I also can't take him food shopping (not even to sit in the car and wait with his fluffy sister cus I live in Canada and it's too cold now). He has to learn to be alone (and when I say alone I mean WITH his new doggy sibling) cus I can't always be with him as much as I'd love it. I take him to the mall, pharmacy, doggy food/cookie shopping, etc... He's with me MOST of the time. How unhealthy is it for a dog not to know how to be by himself without being upset. It feels wrong to me to not teach him that. I feel it's best FOR US that he practice learning how to self sooth in the comfort of a perfectly sized crate loaded with cozy blankets and cuddle toys...with a view of his sister at all times. I don't think I'm being abusive.

[celstu1]

oh no, not abusive. Him being alone when you go out is probably ok with him. He knows you are not there somewhere in the house and not with him. My boys went through SEVERE separation anxiety. It was killing me, financially too! They would tear holes in the walls, chew the cabinets and baseboards, shred their beds, potty pads, toys, etc.... I'd get home to a mess! Plus I heard from my condo association that they barked all day while I was at work. It was TERRIBLE!!! As they got older, they got better with the chewing and the holes in the walls, but they still barked all day.
I started turning on a radio on fairly low volume but enough to drown out the noises outside and make them feel less alone and it seemed to have worked because I never heard from the condo association again after that. Try that, a radio at a low volume, maybe that will help!

Also, my boys spend more time at home alone than I care for, but that's the way it is in New England.... they are not as dog friendly as other parts of the country. I never take my boys to the store (except the pet store occasionally), mall or pharmacy, that is just simply not allowed here.

[gontygirl]

Originally Posted by celstu1

oh no, not abusive. Him being alone when you go out is probably ok with him. He knows you are not there somewhere in the house and not with him. My boys went through SEVERE separation anxiety. It was killing me, financially too! They would tear holes in the walls, chew the cabinets and baseboards, shred their beds, potty pads, toys, etc.... I'd get home to a mess! Plus I heard from my condo association that they barked all day while I was at work. It was TERRIBLE!!! As they got older, they got better with the chewing and the holes in the walls, but they still barked all day.
I started turning on a radio on fairly low volume but enough to drown out the noises outside and make them feel less alone and it seemed to have worked because I never heard from the condo association again after that. Try that, a radio at a low volume, maybe that will help!

Also, my boys spend more time at home alone than I care for, but that's the way it is in New England.... they are not as dog friendly as other parts of the country. I never take my boys to the store (except the pet store occasionally), mall or pharmacy, that is just simply not allowed here.

Ugh! Really??? You can't take them anywhere...? Sucks!!!! I'm so lucky...cus I live in a "doggy loving town". We can even take our dogs to restaurants as long as we sit outside. I feel for you... I also adore New England...didn't know it was so dog unfriendly! Maybe I don't adore New England anymore lol.