I'm Literally Going Insane!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!
 

I'm Literally Going Insane!!!!!! HELP!!!!!! Oh my god where do i start. I feel so bad but i'm so tired and stressed out. :mad: I love my baby he's 8 months but he his beginning to become a monster. He's out of control. Literally. :eek: He chews on everything. My dressers no longer have knobs thanks to Toto. Don't get me wrong i love this little guy to death, but lately i feel like just giving up and selling him. I would think he would settle down maybe he just going through a terrible stage in his life. I hope thats it. He barks aggressively if you tell him no in a stern way. And i can't have him barking because then my new neighbors will tell the landlord (knock on wood) and then i really will have to give him away. He attacks my brother because my brother plays rough with him and then when Toto wants to play rough my brother doesn't want to so Toto ends up getting yelled at, or me and my brother will get into an arguement. Today before my brother was going to school he ripped my brother's report card up. He is just horrible. Couple of weeks ago he wasn't this bad. Actually he is beginning to bark and growl at me when i tell him no. I won't stop biting my sisters feet when she's walking. I just don't know what to do anymore. :confused: Really. I'm sorry its so long but i'm frustrated. Please i really need some advice. Before i go insane. I don't want to give him away because i love him and i'm still paying for him. Somebody please help. Do those barking devices help? If so which one do you recomend? I don't want to use one but if its my last resort on keeping him then i have to. Please HELP. :(

My goodness! It sounds like you are very overwhelmed. First of all, Toto is still a puppy and is just being playful..but you know that. I think Toto needs to get neutered. I'm not saying that is the cause of all this hyperactivity, but it may help a little with the aggressive barking (those male hormones and all) However, yorkies are known for their barking. Most little dogs do bark alot.
Also, please tell your brother not to yell at him when he wants to play..he is only doing what is natural for him..just distract him with a mylabone or some other play thing, like a squeaky toy. People have suggested today buying a tiny kong toy (the blue/white one is rubbery and great for teething puppies) fill it with the squirt filling they sell for them and freeze it. This should keep him entertained for awhile and may exhaust him.
He is way too young for a citronella anti-barking collar and may never be big enough for one. Yorkies are very very playful and hyper as puppies..unfortunately it just has to run its course.
P.S. Getting a puppy without your landlord's permission is not fair to the puppy. (sorry, I dont mean to lecture, but I had to say it.) Good luck

That's really too bad - I'm sorry you're having such a hard time. Have you brought him to puppy classes? Maybe a professional trainer could help? I'm lucky that my dogs are pretty well behaved (most of the time!). Good luck & I hope everything works out!!

Oh yeah forgot to mentioned he is neutered. Thank God.

Oh yeah and he has all his grown up teeth.

First of all the roughplaying,, has to stop... it creates the aggression!
keep all valuable item,, out of reach! Its not his fault if its in his range! I learned that also..
My neighbor had a female 11 month old that is BAD too, she ate a hole in the drywall at bottom of doorways, ate a hole in lenoleum (SP) and bites and jumps and destroys things.. and for the longest time I couldnt figure it out,, then I realized she is hardly ever home! She has a older male dog and this 11 month old and they are NOT crated , and have run of the house,, and they take advantage of it BIG TIME,, then she doesnt correct them ,, I think cause she feels guilty for not being home!
I dont know if this helps. but she had alot of problems and was a wit end also, and threatened to give her away also....
Is Toto alone alot? Is he crated? Gotta stop the rough play!
Good luck!!

Me again. I really liked the suggestion of a dog trainer or behavioralist. Also, I keep my 5 month old Yorkie in a playpen while we are at work. He is in there from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. But he gets plenty of attention and play when we are home. On the weekends he is only in there for maybe 2 hours on Saturday and that's it. It's important to me that he is only 'penned' when absolutely necessary. We have 3 other dogs and a bunch of cats, but they really dont want to do puppy play and Benji is still puppy biting them. But, fortunately, it stops at about 1 year. Benji is also a wild one, so I can sympathize with you. He chews on everything and bounces around..I've never seen a puppy or kitten so crazy (of course, I'm getting older!). We just love him up and play with him and walk him as much as possible. He sleeps with us too.

Actually Toto has never been crated. And my brother has calmed down on the rough playing. We do pick up all the stuff out of his way. He mainly likes the wood, my moms tables and chairs look like we have termites. My dresser knobs are complety chewed down to the bottom. He only has the run of the hallway, and my bedroom when we are not home. I gone from 11am-10pm. My brother comes home 12am-3pm then my stepdad his home after 3 all night. My mom comes homes from 4 all night. So he is pratically only alone for 5 hours at the most. He gets into all of these problems when were there. He is scared of my stepdad he won't bite anything or destroy anything in front of him he'll act like a complete angel. if he starts to bark he'll look at my stepdad & my stepdad will look at him and he'll stop. He is disciplined we just don't let him go wild it just seems as though he trying to push our buttons because my stepdad is not there. Could it be that he wants attention. Even though he gets more than enough. My brother said that when he comes home he acts like an angel he won't even bark at him or play rough with him he'll just lie down next to him follow him around. I just don't understand.

I agree with Rhonda. Your brother is helping create the problem. You have to get him to stop playing rough with him. You want to be constantly teaching him not to bite, growl and act crazy. He won't understand that it's okay to behave this way when your brother is playing with him and not all the other time. It is unfair to yell at a dog for something he is being taught to do. I know siblings can be difficult to get through to...Good luck.

He does sleep with me. And he does not lack any attention or affection that's for sure. He does go for walks. But he is really active and crazy, jumping and running all over the place.

:rolleyes: For a second there I thought you were talking about my Toby. He has the very same issues....biting feet, hands, arms, whatever is available, chews on carpets, barks at us when we say no and oh yeah, one more thing you didn't mention....pees a little bit everywhere. Sigh..... He is 5 1/2 months old and I am hoping that when he is neutered he will settle down. I always try to devert his attention, when he is biting, to something other than skin. That doesn't always work. If I catch him peeing and say no harshly, he barks at me. I used to be uptight about all the above stuff but now I just go with the flow and take one day at a time. If I look back to two weeks ago, I think things are a little easier, or I just learned to accept it. :rolleyes:

They are just like a little kid, I know they are little and cute, but you have to be firm and consistant. You do not want a dog that know one wants to be around. There are several good books on training, and how to stop bad behavor.

I was typing my response the same time as you. That is good your brother has stopped. I think you need to be consistent and patient, he sounds like he is getter better. Are you sure he has lost all of his baby teeth? My dog is seven months and has never chewed furniture while losing his puppy teeth. He just started about a week ago and I think it might be because he has one tooth left that needs to come out. Have you tried the bitter sprays? Some people say they work great.

Bailey did not chew on anything he shouldn't, I dont know if I was lucky or it was because I had TONS of things for him to chew on,,, do you have chew stuff for him? Thats an idea?! :confused:

Toto does sound like a sweetie though! I guess he is just extra hyper when stepdad is gone because he keeps it all in when he's home. Stepdad must be Toto's 'alpha'. Someone here also suggested using rollon deodorant on the wood furniture to stop the chewing, the gel kind. I am going to try it in my house this weekend. He's also lucky to have you!

He has alot of chew toys. He pratically has every puppy chew toy possible.

He has loss all of his teeth the vet checked them because when he got neuter @ 6 months he also got 4 teeth pulled out. My brother has stopped with the playing rough. Do you think the deodrant will work? It won't do anything to the wood? I don't want him to get sick. I'm just waiting maybe when he turns 1 he'll be alot calmer. Toby does sound exactly like Toto. I love him and he does have his moments where he is a sweet boy, but i just don't know what has gotten in to him.

wow.. you've answered all my questions... now I have no more advice.... Maybe just PRAY!! :D
My cats name is Toto! hehe

Do you think he will get better?

Gotta get better,, sounds like it cant get much worse! ;)

Sounds to me like some of his baby teeth didnt fall out, so the vet pulled them. That happened to my previous yorkie, Angel Muffin. I have not tried the deodorant yet, but will starting tonight. It shouldn't hurt them, because the smell should deter him and if he should take a lick, I'm sure that will stop. A lick or two won't hurt, it's sure better than swallowing a splinter of wood or plaster (Angel Muffin had a choking accident). I tried the bitter apple and my Benji loves the stuff, even the bitter apple gel he would eat off of the wood! So much for that! If we let Benji out in the yard, he eats the concrete pieces and stuff. When we walk him he eats stuff off the street. But I know he will stop eventually. Like I said, I have found that the first year is always the worst..puppies and kittens. If we survive the first year, it is all down hill after that. Thank Goodness!

Antiperspirant
 

I am the one that suggested clear stick antipersipirant. I saw it on Good Dog, Bad Dog, and used it with my two male yorkies. Go to the 99 cent store and purchase the cheapest clear stick type. Rub on the places of wood that your dog can reach and chew. Petco sells the same darn stuff under the name "Stay way stick" for $10. ingredients are teh same. If you use the clear stuff it is not even noticeable, and does not have to be reapplied very often, do mine about once every three months or so and it definitely stopped my boys from chewing. I don't have any chewed spots in my house (except the two that happened before I found out about this). Think about it, it has to taste yucky and my boys do not like yucky. As for the barking, I had a rescue yorkie that was four when I got him (I had him for 10 years til he died two years ago), he had an awful barking problem. I kept a newspaper rolled up with a rubber band around it handy at all times, immediately when he started barking, I would hit the paper agains the wall, cabinet, whatever and say (very strongly) NO BARK, NO BARK. It took about 6 months of being consistent, but he did not bark, I did this with my two boys from the day I got them, they only bark when someone comes to the door. Good luck and please let us know the final outcome, perhaps we can help you find a new home if that happens, by the way, I too agree, having a dog in secret from your landlord is not a good idea, I know I did it once, it makes you too stressed whenever the dog does normal dog things, not fair to you, the pup or the landlord. Good luck.

I'm going to try the deodrant. I got Toto because i feel in love with him and i felt so bad that he was in the pet store. ( i know the whole deal w/ pet stores) And my mom said that were planning on moving in about a year or two. My other neighbor also has dog in hiding. Tried the newspaper he just got a hold of it and shredded it to pieces. All baby teeth are gone. I guess i'll just have to take it day by day. I refuse to get rid of him though.

April,

I think the fact that he is "good" with step-dad is a BIG indication that he is capable of being good with everyone else!
The reason Toto does all these things with you and the others ...(and not with step-dad)...is BECAUSE HE CAN.....he has learned who he can boss and who he can't!!! That shows you how smart he really is!

My first suggestion would be to find the TV show "Dog Whisperer"....with Cesear Millan.....or some good articles about dog behavior on the internet...one that was suggested to me was Warren Eckstein...("the pet show"). My learning began with My chihuahua, Apple, when she was just 4-5 months old....she was wild and completely "out-of-control" to the point she actually BIT ME...a real dog bite with blood and everything!!!I wanted to KILL HER!!! Fortunately for me (and her) I found The Dog Whisperer on Tv soon after and the 1st show was about a HORRIBLE chihuahua.....Cesear had control of that devil-dog within minutes.

It is all about control and "dominance". Toto MUST see you and the others as the "pack leader" or he will rule the house....and world!

Many suggestions:
1) You really must try to get him in a crate of pen.....I bought a 3 foothigh "play-yard" at pet-smart.....Apple stayed in it when no one was home...she had a nice bed (fortunately she did not tear it up)...food bowl, water bowl, a few chewies and pee pads..I also fixed her bed with a heating pad because she tends to be soooo cold...and a "sound machine" to drown out some of the outside noises...less likely to bark!

2) We stopped her from jumping up and playing with someone whenever she felt like it...if she jumped up in ANYONE'S lap we just lifted her up and sat her in the floor or on the sofa next to us...she could not get up in a lap unless she was invited. Trust me...if you do this over and over and over and over and over and over.....he will learn!

3)barking....DO NOT YELL BACK AT HIM!!! He just thinks you are barking also and you agree with him.....ignore him...I mean don't even look at him.....I did also use a squirt bottle and gave her a short blast at the face if she would not quit. I let her bark when someone is at the door...but if I said "enough" and she continues...she gets a squirt......now if I even walk towards the bottle she curls up on the couch and stops.

4) Teach him some commands....even basic ones....."sit" or "down"....I will tell Apple "down" at any given moment and wait for her to lie down....she must respond before I give her food...pick her up.....get a treat....before I will throw a toy...

5) STOP the aggressive playing.....I know kids can be rambunctious...let your brother take him outside and RUN and RUN and RUN if they have some extra energy!...If you do not have a safe place to run (fenced area)...take him to a tennis court.....a fenced ballfield.....a fenced school yard on weekends...and let him run....ALOT!

6) Does he get to spend good time outside....not just pee and poo time but some good time sniffing around and just being a "dog"??? Any dog loves to be outside on the grass sniffing and exploring...it is what dogs do!!!

7) Take him for a walk....(with a harness....just safer)...and make him walk beside you...do not let him pull...(you will learn alot about walking from The Dog Whisperer)....this really does establish a great bond. At first, when he walks well for 15 minutes, then let him sniff around for 5 minutes or so...then back to walking right. But DO NOT let him pull you (or anyone). Toto just wants to be with you and bond with you....his trouble making is his way of getting your attention.....bad attention is ok with him....

8) WEAR HIS BUTT OUT......my favorite saying is ...."a tired puppy/dog is a good puppy"!!!!!!! It may seem like his energy is endless...but believe me they do wear out....he is still young and he just has energy he needs to get rid of...somehow! And trust me, HE WILL!!!!!!

I learned all this with Apple, so....when I got Lil Bit we just fell into the same routine and she has learned alot from Apple...She really does sleep alot during the day..under the heating pad with Apple. They play and wear each other out (thank goodness for that)... Lil Bit rarely barks, but does occasionally get carried away when she want in the bathroom door or something...I blast her with the squirt bottle...she is getting better.

Oh yeah,....sleeping with you is something that makes the dog think they are "equal" to you....I do let Apple sleep in the bed on occasion.....it is just sooooo sweet. But when she starts following me to bed like she "automatically had the right" to be there....then I leave her on the couch.

Good luck..I know Toto is going to make you soooo proud!!! But be firm and BE CONSISTANT..do the same thing EVERY TIME!!!! or he will continue manipulating you and the others!!

ONE WORD: BARKBUSTERS.COM

If you have the cash, they will change your life :O)

The ignoring them advice works. Trace has decided he does not want in his crate when in the car, he goes to work with me. The first couple of days, I would tell him to hush and he stopped for 2 seconds. Then someone posted that puppies want attention....good or negative.....so now I ignore him. So far he may start but when he doesn't get a reaction he's quiet and settles down.

Good luck

Call a dog behaviorist, go to the vet or even call the ASPCA (they have a behaviorist that will walk you through your problem)

Neutering should help. My little boy was VERY HYPER. We neutered him and there is a HUGE difference. My boys were playing with him, not rough, but close enough. We've stopped that and that has made a difference too. That really does have to stop because like someone else said, that's where the problem probably is. I think you should look into training. Baxter is 1 1/2 and he hasn't been to training, but I am taking him. I have a trainer that I spoke with, and she said that he isn't too old for sure. I think this would be a very good thing!

Get you a squirt bottle and when he is chewing squirt him and say no. it wont hurt him mine know now if i pick the bottle up i mean business and all i have to do now is pick it up. :aimeeyork

Wow! Some great advice! I learned a lot!