Anyone adopt and adult Yorkie? (behavioral)

[Princess Paige]

(Just in case you missed it)
I adopted Paige about 3 weeks ago from a breeder, she is 2 years old.

Personally I am not having any problems with Paige, she is such a sweetheart, but she seems shy around lots of people and/or big places. I have taken her for a few walks and once we leave the yard she gets scared and wants to be carried, if it's noisy all I can do to calm her down is put her in my shirt. I brought her in to pick up my daughter from a Girl Scout meeting and I was holding her, as soon as an adult tried to pet her she climbed up onto my shoulder and tried to bury herself under my neck.
Now, not that any of this is bad for me because she is very attached and I really rather people not touch her, I just tell them she is shy and doesn't like it BUT I am concerned about her and if there is anything I can do or that should be done.
Has anyone's Yorkies been through this? Personally I think she is just tired, tired of being shown, tired of being in strange places with strange people but if you have any insight to the yorkies thinking, do tell I just want her to be happy 24/7

[alaskayorkie]

I think your appraisal sounds right. Dogs, like people, go through a certain amount of trauma when their living situations change. She's got a new home, a new mom, a new family. Maybe she just needs a little time to realize that you're not going anywhere.

I googled the topic and came up with a Web site that might help. Good luck. She sounds like a sweetheart.

http://www.metrokc.gov/lars/animal/E.../dog/dog23.htm

[icy]

I've had Brownie since she was 6 weeks old and she's the same way, very shy and doesn't like to socialize with other dogs. She doesn't like to walk anywhere outside of the house, so I usually pick her up and hold her everywhere we go.

It sounds like I'm spoiling her, but it's very difficult to get her to walk on a leash. The park that I'm trying to train her in is very big and nice, but she just refuses to walk. She'll just sit there and stare at me or scratch my legs until I pick her up.

I don't mind, it just gives me more cuddle time with her.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by icy

I've had Brownie since she was 6 weeks old and she's the same way, very shy and doesn't like to socialize with other dogs. She doesn't like to walk anywhere outside of the house, so I usually pick her up and hold her everywhere we go.

It sounds like I'm spoiling her, but it's very difficult to get her to walk on a leash. The park that I'm trying to train her in is very big and nice, but she just refuses to walk. She'll just sit there and stare at me or scratch my legs until I pick her up.

I don't mind, it just gives me more cuddle time with her.

I wonder if it would help to get a friend who doesn't know Brownie well to hold her while you walk away from her in the park. Then shout "come" as your friend releases her. That should get her moving. If you're worried about her being off-leash, you could use a long lead.

[rnnw62]

Our family adopted Belle a 2.5 year old female just a few days
ago. While Belle is adjusting very well to her new surroundings
we try to respect that she did have another life she was not
only accustomed to but happy in as well. She also has attached
to one person more than others. I think it just takes time for
them to trust and feel safe again. For us we are trying to keep
the changes quiet for her by not doing too much or introducing
too much at one time. With time as her trust levels adjust and
she feels safer we will then work more on socializing with her.

[icy]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

I wonder if it would help to get a friend who doesn't know Brownie well to hold her while you walk away from her in the park. Then shout "come" as your friend releases her. That should get her moving. If you're worried about her being off-leash, you could use a long lead.

This will get her going, and she'll come to me, but I'm worried about putting more stress on her by leaving her with the friend and then having her chase after me??

[alaskayorkie]

Hmm, maybe start with someone she knows. And you walk only a few steps away. When she gets to you, give her a treat. Try to make it fun and not stressful.

[Raven]

Did Paige go very many places before you adopted her? If not, maybe that explains some of her behavior.

We adopted Hope in Dec. as an adult - she is still making adjustments. For example, she did not play for several weeks - now she loves to play!
She did not bark for weeks, now she growls and barks. Hang in there - I think they just need time. Good luck and keep us posted!

[ddiedre]

My female, Joy, was 5 years old when we adopted her. She was timid, shy and even rather nervous. Any time we tried to pick her up, she pulled away from us. She would jump in nervous reaction if we moved too fast towards her. Just when we thought she was comfortable, she would go through more nervous spells. I was convinced she was manic-depressive. It was just her way of transitioning to her new home.

What I did was give her as much love and attention as she would allow me to give. She's really picky with treats and wouldn't accept them at first. If she came to set on my lap, I petted her and told her what a good girl she was. The breeder I adopted her from told me she didn't like being held, but over the last 2 years, she has really become more social and even greets me at the door. She will give me a little lick here and there to tell me she's happy to see me. At night is when she really wants love and attention now. She stands by me or my husband and wants petted or her ears rubbed.

Adopting an adult dog takes time and persistence. It's amazing the little steps they take towards trusting you and becoming comfortable in their new home.

[AIM]

Congrats on your new yorkie! We also adopted a yorkie when she was 2 yrs old, although we got her from a shelter rather than a breeder. She was very friendly towards people, but scared of some new situations. For instance, she was TERRIFIED of being in the car and we couldn't get her to go in our basement.

I'm no expert on dogs, but from my personal experience, it is best not to coddle the dog when she is afraid. We've had Lucky for over a year now, and she has become a much more confident dog. She now loves the car and the basement, and has no fear entering unfamiliar homes. Although she sits on our laps at home, we almost never carry her when we are outside the house. Sometimes she is very scared at first, but it helps to let her sniff everything and check things out on her own.

It's hard not to pick her up when she is scared, but by not holding her, she learns to deal with her fears rather than hiding from them. If you coddle her, it reinforces her fears. When she faces a new place or meets new people, even though she is scared, you must be positive and reassuring. Don't constantly telll her "it's o'kay." Act like you are comfortable with the situation and like it's no big deal. She will pick up on your confidence. Every time she faces a new situation on her own and it works out o'kay, she is more confident to face the next new situation. If you are nervous or uncertain, she will also pick up on that and it will make her more afraid.

[livingdustmops]

As I have been involved with Yorkie rescue and all 10 of my dogs are rescue I can tell you that it takes time for these little ones to adjust to new situations. I think it is very important to go slow with them so they learn to trust you and new situations you put them in. Please do not rush things and learn to respect their fears. Given time and encouragement many of these little ones will learn they are safe. If you push their fear buttons to fast they could become fear biters and this is something you do not want to have happen. Many Yorkies including ones raised from puppies will get nervous with new people and new situations and it is best if you act casual with situations but if they are really frightened take them out the situation.

I don't know if Paige was pretty much always in a cage at the breeders home but I have seen other show Yorkies act like you are describing and really don't like all the attention given to them. My friend has a Yorkie just like yours and Katie really doesn't like people, loud noises etc. The reason the breeder sold her was because she hated the show ring. Kate was never taken outside so it took awhile for my friend to make Katie understand she could act like a dog and take her for walks.

I agree with your assessment of the situation.

[Princess Paige]

We have a great bond, she is a Mama's girl and I can hardly make myself leave the house without her, but darn it she cannot come in the grocery store, you know, that whole "health code" thingy lol

I am just seeing if there is anything I can do to help her adjust to outside of the home.
I will take everyone's advice and give her more time, maybe it just is too much. Maybe she needs more time, or maybe that really is her personality, time will tell.

Thanks to all for the advice, it's truly appreciated.

[alaskayorkie]

This turned out to be a great thread with good advice from a lot of experiences and perspectives. I learned a lot. Thanks everyone.