Frustrated -- perhaps yorkies aren't for us?

[stedmansmommy]

Please don't take this as being mean or rude because I am TRULY trying to say this as nicely as I possibly can Honestly, it sounds like maybe both of your lives are just too busy for ANY type of breed of dog right now...Yorkie, or not. And puppies are puppies, they ARE going to have accidents - your babies are only 6 months old, so they probably AREN'T FULLY potty trained yet...it takes time. Also, as far as Yorkies being hard to potty train - I have heard this too - but I'm not sure why?? My little guy was a DREAM to potty train, lol...he really was! I had absolutely NO LUCK with my Mini Dachshund, and had to end up putting her outside in the backyard (she actually loves being back there anyway) because she would NOT stop peeing. So my Yorkie was MUCH easier!

I can totally understand you being frustrated, but honestly - IMO - it sounds like it just may not be working out over at your house I'm not going to tell you to find them another home - but I am asking you to think about it. Maybe THEY would be better off being with someone who can offer them more "one on one" time....more attention.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do

[remus]

I hope you keep them, and keep them both as they are best of friends by now.

Give it some time, yorkies are not the most cooperative dogs in the world.

But if you do let them go, I would be more than interested to pick them up.

[Lorraine]

Originally Posted by YorkieRose

Think about it...how happy would you be if you were with your soulmate for only a couple hrs each day..most of us would not be content. Dogs are no different. They have each other, BUT that never takes the place of their humans. They spend the day alone and sleep alone at night...
They are bored and look for things to entertain them.

If you can not put them in doggie daycare or have someone spend time with them during the day, then I would do what is best for the Yorkies...place them in a home where there are members who are with them during the day.

You having done nothing wrong, except to select a breed who needs more attention then many people can give them in order for them to be happy.

I know I sound harsh, but this is the very reason I do not place my puppies in home where the owners work...so most of mine go to people who have retired.

I agree with you completely Pat. Yorkies are not low maintanance that is for sure. They do need someone with them a good part of the time. Even then I always caution about difficulty in housebreaking and general demands of owning the breed. If that is a problem, then the YOrkie is not the right breed.
I also prefer retired or semiretired (ie maybe 20 hour or less work week) or I would consider couples where one person is home or it can also work out if they work different shifts where the Yorkie might only be home alone about 4 hours before the other person is home. However, both have to be totally committed to owning and caring for the puppy.
Some never outgrow eating feces, that you have to consider. The deterents don't always work as they are a product you should only use for a few days and have to take them off of it. I have also known of bad reactions to these things like FOrbid, and you can end up with a sick Yorkie. Often, once you take them off the additive to the food, they go right back to eating feces.
I don't recommend two puppies at once. Seldom does it work out.
It sounds like your lives are having to revolve around the dogs. That's about the way it is with YOrkies. Unfortunately, I guess the breeder didn't caution you that you bought them from or you didn't realize just what is involved with owning these dogs.
Fair enough. It might be worth considering rehoming as you could easily be looking at a year of this type of scenario. They may never completely housebreak as no one is home too much of the time.

[Maizee Grace]

I think it just depends on dogs how they will react to certain situations. It took me FOREVER to potty train Maizee and I was about ready to give up because I thought she would never learn, but I guess she was just a slow learner. She only pees on her puppy pads now and will wait to go poop outside. She cried constantly when I first got her. She whined all the time to be let out at night or when she knew I was home. I know she didn't like the fact that she was stuck in a crate, but I couldn't do much else since I couldn't trust her. I go to class everyday and work in between the times that I don't have class, plus I have a second job, so I think she was able to realize that if she whined and peed everywhere, she wasn't allowed out, but if she peed on her papers she could be free in the room and play. They're smart dogs, they really are. Just a little stubborn and you need a ton of patience. I know I can't spend a lot of time with her, but every moment I can, I am with her. It may make me sound like a bad owner, but I can't afford to give up my time and money to sit with her 24/7 or pay someone else to do that. I'm with her every evening and she sleeps with me at night, and I think she's content with that now. I would give it a while before you send them to someone else because you could DEFINITELY regret it later. Good luck!

[celstu1]

Oh yeah, you could try taking away their food & water while you are not home, this helps to control when they have to potty. They do not recommend this before they are at least 6 months old cuz its too long to go without food & water, but after 6 months of age, they say you can do this. If you feed them at certain times, then you help to control when they have to poop, this helps with the eating it issue.
When you get up in the morning, let them outside, then bring them in and feed them. Sit there while they eat it or at least be in the same room so they will eat (my boys won't eat if Im not in the room cuz they want to be with me). Leave their food down for 15 mins at most. Then take it away from them. play with them for 10-15 mins after they eat, take them out again. They should go to the bathroom. Then put them in the kitchen for the day. When you get home, immediately clean up any mess they made and take them out, put down fresh paper and feed them and give them their water, play with them for 10-15 mins after they eat and then take them out again.

Playing with them after they eat is important bc it makes the food move through their system faster and makes them have to poop & pee within 15 mins of eating & drinking. (at least this is what Ive read about dogs and housebreaking)

good luck!!

[JeanieK]

Lady Lavendar........

Not to start an argument, but you said that your dogs cannot hold it all night and you need to get up in the night. then you said they should be able to hold it 8 to 9 yours during the day.

Not quite sure I understand the reasoning behind that.

My two will run and chase and wrestle for about an hour or more, then fall asleep on our laps at about 9 at night, sometimes earlier, then I put them in their crates around 10:30 and don't let them out till 7:30 and sometimes even then they run around for a while before going out to potty.

I tried making them go out before I crated them for the night and they ran right back inside.

Ollie just turned one year and Chachi is 11 months. This has been our schedule since they were about 6 months old.

[Nancy1999]

I'm impressed with the great responses.

I just wanted to add that Joey would wake us about 3 times each night. After he used the pee pad it got harder and harder to put him back in his crate. We covered the bench at the end of our bed with pee pads, and now he sleeps with us. I think if we had used steps instead he would have just peed on the carpet and not the pee pad. He always uses the pee pads and now we can sleep through the night.
Nancy

[celstu1]

Originally Posted by RLC12345678

In my opinion, in response to LadyLavendar's post, 8-9 hours is just too long to crate a yorkie. And I don't think they should go all day wtihout food and water either. Because of the risk of a hypoglocemic attack and bladder infections and/or crystal formation in the bladder, they should get food and water regularly throughout the day.

My vet also told me it was fine after they are 6 months old to not give them food & water for 8 hours while Im at work. Not before they are 6 months though, they are too little & young!

[RLC12345678]

Originally Posted by celstu1

My vet also told me it was fine after they are 6 months old to not give them food & water for 8 hours while Im at work. Not before they are 6 months though, they are too little & young!

I've met more than one YT member who has a yorkie who had a hypoglocemic attack after they were 6 months of age and people who have yorkies who developed bladder crystals from lack of water. I don't know about you, but I'm just not willing to take that chance. Yorkies are unlike any breed and most vets are used to dealing with dogs "in general," and not specifically yorkies. Sure, it may be fine for most breeds, but I would not take that chance with an itty bitty yorkie. That's JMO.

[JCarlson2004]

Originally Posted by RLC12345678

I've met more than one YT member who has a yorkie who had a hypoglocemic attack after they were 6 months of age and people who have yorkies who developed bladder crystals from lack of water. I don't know about you, but I'm just not willing to take that chance. Yorkies are unlike any breed and most vets are used to dealing with dogs "in general," and not specifically yorkies. Sure, it may be fine for most breeds, but I would not take that chance with an itty bitty yorkie. That's JMO.

I agree. I free feed my dogs and there is always fresh water available for them while I'm at work. I could and would never leave them home ALL DAY long without food or water.

[RLC12345678]

My husband and I both work full-time, too. We crate train our babies, but never have we made them go all day without food or water. Here's our schedule that maybe you could give some thought into incorporating into your life:

6:30-7:00am -- Wake up, go on a walk

7:00am -- breakfast for the yorkies

8:00am -- in their crates, I go to work

11:30am-1:00pm -- I come home for lunch and let the babies out of their crate, they go outside to potty, come in and I give them their "lunch" and fresh water, at 1 they go back in their crates

5:00pm -- Hubby and I both come home for the evening, let doggies out of their crate, take them on a 30 minute walk, come back from walk and give them fresh food and water for the evening, play with them (things like tug-o-war, fetch, ect.), give them lots of love and attention

10:00pm -- bedtime, yorkies get to sleep in bed with us

2:00am -- midnight potty break!

6:30am -- repeat

If you cannot come home mid-day, hire someone to or get a neighbor to come over and let them out.

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by JCarlson2004

I agree. I free feed my dogs and there is always fresh water available for them while I'm at work. I could and would never leave them home ALL DAY long without food or water.

Oooohhhh, I second this! I didn't catch the post above about leaving them for 8-9 hours WITHOUT food and water I'm sorry, but - NO WAY! Stedman has fresh food and water out 24/7. I would NEVER EVER not give him food or water because I was going to bed for the night, or because I had to leave and I would be afraid of him "peeing"

These little guys are just that - LITTLE!! They need to have fresh food and water available CONSTANTLY! There is just WAY too high of a risk of them having a Hypoglycemic episode

[JeanieK]

Originally Posted by RLC12345678

I've met more than one YT member who has a yorkie who had a hypoglocemic attack after they were 6 months of age and people who have yorkies who developed bladder crystals from lack of water. I don't know about you, but I'm just not willing to take that chance. Yorkies are unlike any breed and most vets are used to dealing with dogs "in general," and not specifically yorkies. Sure, it may be fine for most breeds, but I would not take that chance with an itty bitty yorkie. That's JMO.

I agree. It may sound snobbish, but yorkies are not "just a dog". They are much more delicate and their needs are greater. I am guessing most toy breeds need the same type of care. But they definitely need more care than a large breed.

[sassypup]

So sorry to hear about your delimma....I think all dogs need human affection and constant attention. They are not as independent as cats, especially puppies. They love attention and love to play. Do you have time to take them on long walks to wear them out? Do you have a good 1 hour play time with them. Do they have favorite toys? That will help. They are definitely high maintence dogs, we spend hours a day grooming, training, playing with them, puppies certainly need tons of time. I think though that it gets easier as they grow older, they will have better control of their bowels, play w/ each other etc. My girl follows me all around the house and I don't mind it. Even if I am busy on the computer or doing other stuff, i'l reach down and pet her every now and then or put her on my lap so she gets some love. Also, at 6 months, I think they should be able to hold their bowels for a good amount of time. You just need to work at the crate training and being consistant about taking them out. A suggestion would be to try potty bells too to help them with potty training.

I hope that you can keep them...if not, send them to me I'll take both of them lol.

[Doodlebug]

Our pups would not go on pee pads either. They just tore them up. Newspaper worked great for us. We used the little water bottles that clip on the outside of their crates and they loved drinking out of those.

Daisy was the hard one to potty train. But now that she is potty trained, she will NEVER go in the house. She will woof at you until you follow her and let her out, even it it is in the middle of the night. She is so proud of herself when she goes potty outside. She always gets a chicken jerkey treat for poo poo outside and she knows it. She runs inside as soon as she poops outside. They are really smart.

There are a lot of great suggestions here. I'm glad you came to YorkieTalk for advise. I wish I had known about YorkieTalk when mine were puppies. These are GREAT little dogs and I hope everything works out for you!