Hair and barking question... :)
 

1. I keep my boy's hair short (inch and a half no more), he still knots...can i get away with brushing once a week or do I have to do this every day??

2. He has learned not to bark in or out of the crate when I'm around (FINALLY! He's been with me for almost 2 weeks, he's a year old. Newly adopted...), when I go into the media room (downstairs) for a few hours with my fam to see a flick or two he barks on and off for the whole time. Will he eventually cease or is his "yorkie-ness" (stubbornness I've been hearing about...) going to keep him a yappy little boy forever?? He's my first terrier, among many breeds over my years with dogs....and I'm no spring chicken lol. I'm an awesome trainer (if I say so myself, sorry haha) and I know dogs eventually "get it" and simmer down...but will his terrier/terrorist ways get the best of my other dog I leave him with (shih tsu mix). She's a rock star to put up with all the racket! (btw: I leave him with a light on, a tv on and my sweet female for company...he's been pottied and he's very cozy in his perfectly sized crate. His toy keeps him company within the crate, so all is good crate wise. He has a view of the tv and his new "sibling". What do ya all think?? THANK YOU.... :confused::)

Hi. When Barkley started barking for no apparent reason, I used to spray him in the face with water. He squished up his nose, licked his face, and the barking stopped. It took a total of three times doing that. After that, all I had to do when he started yapping was put the spray bottle on the table (or wherever he could see it). The barking stopped completely. Tried it on my nephew who refused to spray his yapping dogs. When I sprayed him in the face and he stopped carrying on as well :) So you see, it works on humans as well as dogs!!! Try it.
Ronnie

LOL on humans too??? LMAOOO! Unfortunately I'm not there when he's barking...however, when I am I merely have to say "SHHHH" in a loud tone and he stops. He's quite good when I'm around. I'm very happy I don't live in a condo/apartment-type residence or I'd have SO MANY complaints...:eek:

He should be brushed a couple times a week? Daily if he has a longer coat

I brush Blazer every day. It is great bonding time for us, he loves it, and it keeps him looking great.
I could totally be misreading your post but just how long is your baby crated every day? Any chance that he is just lonely or bored without human affection? My boy seems "needy" in the love and attention department.

I wish Huey loved the brushing. It turns into a him jumping away, startling me so I jump away contest. Half the time when he jumps, the comb or brush is hung in a snarl, causing threhair to pull worse & then he yelps & acts snappy even though he doesn't actually snap at me. All it takes is getting the brush out of the drawer & the chase is on. The good thing is, even though I keep him fairly long, the only part that really tangles is his moustache, and I have to put him in the tub with conditioner to comb that out. I basically brush him weekly with his blowdry. Occasionally I have to get a small mat out, but that is because he wallows around under the bedcovers every night. On the positive side, every groomer he has ever been to says he is an angel...he is just terrible with me! :rolleyes:

LOL! Big shock there, right? Typical kids. ;)

Maybe use a spray conditioner on your dog's coat to help stop the matting. It is important to comb daily.

Yorkies are very social and tend to be lap dogs. I'm sure he would rather be with you. It may be he is accustomed to being with his family. I have never separated my dogs from the family. Gracie is always with me. She never barks except when I am a little late feeding her. Yes, they do tend to be vocal dogs.

Only been with you for about two weeks??? He's still acclimating and needs lots of reassurance and patience. For my fur-butt, we've found pairing ipod music programmed wirh continuous loop of soothing music with his playpen time quite soothing. Every time he is penned, I automatically press play. It has also become a cue for him that it is "quiet time". Someimes he grumbles at first (he grumbles a lot LOL) but quickly goes to lay down in his pillow bed in the playpen.

You're right...I need to make that commitment. I keep it very very short and put clothes on him to counteract the cold. I mean, he has ZERO undercoat so it's not like his hair has any ability to keep him warm in the winter months here in Canada. I bought his "clothes" that have arms and legs and I layer him in all different materials as tho he were a child going out to hit the hills on his snowboard. Brushing is something he hates. He'll get used to it I know and it's my job to make sure he does...and I will. It's just that he's been adjusting to his new home and quite frankly his hair and it's condition was at the bottom of the list of concerns in his adjusting experience. I'm going to begin brushing next week... I'm glad you took the time to answer my question. I know I'm long winded sometimes...I guess cus I'm new here and I want ya all to get to know me already... Take care and thanks! :)

I will hope that when I begin brushing him it will be bonding for us as well. So far I tried it and he wasn't feeling it, but he was new in the home, having only been here a couple of days. Today is his second week with us. Next week I will begin making it a part of his daily routine... Just that he needed a time of adjustment and calm all around him as he get's used to a new family.

I began crate training him the second he got into this house. By that I mean that I would put him in the crate for an hour here or there while we were all together (with him) going about our day, (ie: we'd be at the dinner table eating dinner and he'd be on the counter watching, crated). I really want him to learn to love his crate and it was clear to me that the previous owner did not teach him that his crate is a lovely space where he can go (no matter where in the world that he is...) to be alone and know it's going to be quiet and calm. We'll watch tv while he's being crated right next to us for a period of time... A few days ago I left him with my female shih tsu mix in the bedroom, tv on, lamp on and the two of them keeping one another company for 3 hours while I watched movies away from them. All this to teach him that he'll survive and I'll come back... Yesterday I went xmas shopping to the mall for 4 hours without him. I plan to do this again today. He HAS to learn that I come back...and that he's fine in his crate. He's very comfortable in a cozy crate that is perfectly sized for his 2 and a half pound body. He has two toys and he's with his new "sibling", he can see her at all times. She is a calm and relaxed energy and is teaching him how to adjust with her confidence and state of mind. He's in VERY good hands here with us, specifically me.

I'm an avid trainer and extremely good at it, (by accident) and by pleasure. My passion is dogs...and I have a huge history with them over my many years of living within a canine pack, as their alpha, of course. (Sounds funny the way I put it, but when you have 5 dogs at once it is a PACK...). We had a male german shepherd (150pds) not a thread of fat on that boy...he simply was GIGANTIC! A pony, actually! We had a male flat coated retriever (75lbs), female flat coated (65lbs), female pomeranian (3lbs) and lastly our shih tsu mix (16lbs). They all lived a harmoneous life together in the country side on many acres of land. All but one passed of old age, all older than 13 years (however our female flat coat passed of cancer and was taken at the young age of 10, sadly). I went to seminars to learn how to train hyper-type dogs as flat coated retrievers are quite energetic. It was the best of times living in the country with those dogs!

Don't worry about me or my training...I'm a dog lover to the point where they are my babies. I simply need them to have confidence and harmony...and since this yorkie is the first dog I have ever had that I didn't raise from a pup...at the moment he's in a learning curve to acquire his routine and place within this new family. It's going to be an adjustment, but I already see his improvement. He's happy here... He was a wild animal a week and a half ago. The didn't do the necessary behaviors to allow him to live peacefully as he was a burden in the previous family's home. Ultimately he was not wanted, as loved as he was he didn't have security. The young girl that gave him to me loved him enough to let him go....and come live in my warm loving home, where she's seen the way I lead, train and have quality of life with TONS OF LOVE. She wanted the best for her little boy knowing she tried but sadly failed him. Her need to work and go to school and have a boyfriend exceeded her ablility to maintain her dogs' need to thrive and have quality of life. She is a loving young woman who did her best...but in the end she HAD to choose her own life. I don't blame her. Sadly this happens all the time to dogs... It's a crying shame... Happy ending for this boy tho... I was his baby sitter when she went out of town a few months ago before she gave him to me. He loved it here! She kept calling me and asking me "why is my dog not eating now or lathargic?" He was missing us...and loved having another canine by his side to expand his lifestyle... So, no worries about my crate training, ok? It's a manditory part of life for a small dog in my opinion (if not ALL DOGS). Especially since we travel and plan to bring the dogs as they're small enough.

Sorry that I was so long winded...but being new here doesn't tell you much about the kind of person I am or what kind of doggy mommy I am. In time you'll feel less concerned about my intentions when I crate my yorkie. He's just turned a year old (and he came here to our home not even potty trained!)...so he's hasn't even earned the right to walk around the house yet. Soon...all in good time. He's has a well developed bladder so potty issues won't be an issue for long... Hope I've cleared things up. :) Take care.

SMART!!!! I love that cue idea... I also get happy and excited when I know that I'm talking to someone that really gets "associative sounds and cues". YAYYYY!! That's a good one! :D

Yea, it has everything to do with you... Just disconnect with your love for your dog and get on with brushing is my opinion. I understand what your saying but brushing is a part of his learning. It teaches him that he has to yeild to YOU. Calmly and effectively brush your baby...even if at first you do a bad job..just do it more and more and before you know it he'll be fine with your doing it and you'll be happy with the great job you did. It's a part of training. Dogs don't get a say. If grooming is a part of having this breed then they need to trust that you WILL DO IT calmly and without fear or stress. Even if you have to fake it for a while...you'll eventually like it, do it well and mostly your dog will respect you all the more. Now I'm shutting up LOL :p

Yorkies don't have fur in the traditional sense of fur. They have hair that continues to grow much like human hair. That is why it tends to mat very easily. It could be his clothing is also helping to cause the tangling of the hair. Traditional dog shampoo and conditioners that contain sulfates tend to dry the hair which also promotes matting. Using a good quality all natural shampoo and conditioner weekly will help to keep the hair smooth and easy to comb. A spray conditioner used on the hair between baths will also make combing easier.

If he has not been groomed on a regular basis by his previous owner it may take a bit of time for him to accept it. Once you and he are in a daily routine of grooming it should only take a few minutes to get him tangle free and looking good.

Thanks for helping me out... Do you have a suggestion as to which spray conditioner to use between baths? I would be interested in knowing. Also, I didn't know to bath him once a week. Do I really have to do it that often...here in Canada. It's freezing outside and not even sure if he's used to a blow dryer? Plus don't I need a doggy blow dryer? Cus mine may be too hot for him... Even after he's been washed and dried won't he be freezing outside going to potty? I mean it's below zero here...

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 :)

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!

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.

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

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... :aimeeyork

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!! :D

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! :)

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 :).

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. :aimeeyork

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. :confused: