Frustrated -- perhaps yorkies aren't for us?

[everestgirl]

I think it?s really depends on the dog personality.
I had Airedale terrier that was potty trained in 10 days, and she never did it at home (for 14 years).
My yorkie is one year old, and he still pee and poop on the house.
He know it?s not ok, but he still keeps doing it.
I got chihuhuahua puppy , and they are also hard to potty, same as yorkies?but my girl learned it in 5-10 days !

If the problem is only potty training, I think it will be ok in the future.

[Friley]

Thank you everyone for your opinions and constructive criticisms and I agree with most of you, I'm truly overwhelmed by the amount of responses we received. I can't possibly respond to everyone's post but I keep re-reading them for encouragement or ideas on what we can fix.

I agree the pups are bored and need more attention. Hubby & I are trying some different ideas. I like the suggestion that we use the bathroom instead of the kitchen, but our kitchen is a high traffic area and right next to the living room where we spend our evenings.

I'm also going to use the suggestion that we hide treats throughout the kitchen to help keep them occupied. Belle has a purple ball that when you roll it around it drops treats, its her favorite toy. She's really good at getting them out so they go really quickly and can't keep her attention all day. Baloo has gotten smarter he lets her work for the treats while he picks up whatever she misses. We do have another toy they both like but they can only play with it while supervised, its a plush tree trunk with 3 holes in it where you insert the 3 squirrels, the idea is for the dog to get the squirrels out of the tree trunk. Or you can put treats in there. They have to be supervised because they get their heads stuck in the holes trying to get to the squirrels. It's really comical; Belle will be fine and run around with it on her head but Baloo gets really scared and starts to run around like crazy.

And yes Margot we got a second yorkie to help Baloo with his separation anxiety. And it did work, he isn't super sad when we leave. And yes we knew he might regress in his training when we brought Belle in because she didn't have any. It's mainly his potty training that has regressed. Belle is currently in a puppy training class and Baloo graduated last year. So we're still working on them with sit and down and stay and leash walking. As for the bonding to each other vs us it works in odd ways. If Baloo wants to rough house he and Belle play, when he wants to tug-of-war it's usually half & half, but when he wants to cuddle theres no question who he goes to!

As for the future hubby and I are still planning on waiting six months and changing ourselves to accommodate more to the puppies. However, I might be fighting a losing battle since hubby is pretty certain that these dogs are not the ones for us and that dogs just may not be in the near future either. Although he changes his mind like a light switch; in the morning he doesn't think it'll work and during the evening he can't imagine not having them. I'll try to keep updates coming every so often. Thank you

[Doodlebug]

YIPPEE! I'm glad you are giving them another chance. I am hoping for the best for you and the puppies!

[margot.]

Originally Posted by Friley

Although he changes his mind like a light switch; in the morning he doesn't think it'll work and during the evening he can't imagine not having them. I'll try to keep updates coming every so often. Thank you

My boyfriend can get morning frustration too! The other day he called me at work, exasperated when he couldn't get the new water bottle to work, to tell me Banksy was getting water in a bowl. I get home to them snuggling on the couch and he tells me what a great day they had and that he was sorry for calling me at work to bitch about the water bottle.

[bedington]

There are days when I put Cody's jammies on and hold him close and snuggle for a whole hour. He needs that attention and I love giving it to him. Yorkies are lap dogs and love attention. They need it.

[bedington]

Oh, and for potty training. Cody was 1 1/2 for he finally ALMOST got it. Are there any neighbor kids (older teenagers) that could come and play with them. We had company who had a 15 year old daughter who was here for a few days and she was such a big help with keeping Cody busy playing with his toy and she even snuggled with him.

[judyeve]

Good luck to both of you - I think changing some things and giving it 110% effort for a certain amount of time is a great idea. I also think you're both being very honest and realistic.

There are so many people who would love taking them. To rehome them if you're not really happy after a while makes sense for you, the dogs and the new owner, whoever that may be.

Judy

[wnturner]

Wishing you luck

[heidiho]

Friley,
Please don?t feel bad about thinking your Yorkie may not be the best breed for you. I feel your pain. I am head over heels in love with my Sullivan. I had never had a dog growing up and hesitated getting one when my (then eleven year old) daughter begged me for a dog. I wasn?t willing to get a big dog because I am a huge clean freak, so I thought a little breed would be easier to clean up after. We have had Sullivan for THREE YEARS and I have not had a full night?s sleep since unless we are out of town and he is at the kennel. I never had any luck at all crate training him. I had a small crate, just the size suggested, and he would poop and pee in it every day. I did have some luck with him using pee pads, but eventually, he started tearing them up. I work outside the home nine hours a day, my daughter is in high school all day and my husband owns his own business. Although he can stop in occassionally throughout the day, poor Sullivan is confined to a laundry room when we are not home because I don?t trust him enough to give him the run of the house. The laundry room has his food, water, toys, bed and pee pad. We tried giving him the run of the house, but discovered that he had been peeing on our brand new carpet in front of the couch. I have frequently wondered if he would be better off with a family that is home more as well. I can?t imagine another 10 years without a full night?s sleep. But I love him so. . .I would have to find a pretty spectacular family for him to go to. Sorry for your inner struggle. . .I completely relate.

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

good luck!

[Repunzel]

I suggest the dogs be walked 30-45 minutes prior to eating (and before you and yours go to work) as the Dog Whisperer advises, they earn their keep, so to speak. As for eating their poop I have no idea. I hope you're able to get some advice that'll enable you to keep your dogs.

[milomlo]

Don't know if anyone has suggested this as I didn't read all the pages , but I have a 3 year old yorkie and a 4 month old yorkie.

The puppy now sleeps crated all night. I blocked off a large portion of her crate so she could only turn around in it. This way she doesn't want to go to the bathroom where she sleeps. Sounds mean but it works. It took about 3 nights of whining for her to understand that she sleeps in the kennel. Now she will go in it all by herself. I actually would put her kennel in the guest bathroom at night and shut the door so I wouldn't hear her crying. At first I did get up twice each night to take her to potty. Then I starting doing it once - then not at all. Please stick with it. You will LOVE your yorkies.

As far as during the day potting with our puppy. I just try to take her out as much as possible. When she is inside and I can't watch her all the time she has a diaper on. Gotta do what ya gotta do to save the carpet.

Good Luck to you both

[milomlo]

OH also, for eating poop. My vet suggested 1/4 tsp Accent (human food seasoning bought in the grocery store) on the food. Worked like a charm for me. Only had to do it once maybe twice. That was when my 3 year old yorkie was a puppy. Hasn't eaten poop since.

[stewartslucy]

I have heard that big dogs are easier to potty train than small dogs.

My first yorkie did take a few months longer than we expected to become potty trained, but she eventually got it and was a very good girl from then on. She earned the run of the house.

Because I am a flt att, my schedule changes all the time. I am home for different blocks of days all month long. I am married to a man who has a normal schedule. Our girl Molly would sleep a lot during the day when I was home, so I wouldln't feel too badly about working during the day. Especially because your two have each other.

We would go on our walks in the evenings most of the time, to accomodate my husband's schedule. That way our girl got her walk whether or not I was working. (We lost our girl in January )

We will be getting a new yorkie in about a month. We thought of getting two, but I won't do it at the same time because I just don't think I can potty train two simultaneously without sending my husband over the edge.
I have also heard that it can be easier to train your second dog bcuz it will imitate the first dog. So I will hold off on getting my second until then.

Good Luck.

[milomlo]

Originally Posted by stewartslucy

I have also heard that it can be easier to train your second dog bcuz it will imitate the first dog. So I will hold off on getting my second until then.

Good Luck.

Sorry about your loss.

Boy I don't know about the second dog following suit with the first. Izzy sure doesn't seem to be getting it at all. Well I can't really say that. She is doing better.

Cody uses a doggie door. That was our life saver because he just wasn't figuring it out. As soon as the doggie door was installed that fixed the problem right up. She is now starting to use the doggie door. But I don't know if it is to go play or go to the bathroom