Frustrated -- perhaps yorkies aren't for us?

[Friley]

My husband and I have two yorkies, Baloo & Belle. We are getting the feeling lately that yorkies are not the best breed for us. We knew that yorkies are high maintenance but knowing is not the same as realizing. Our two yorkies are still puppies both 6 mos old. There are a couple of things about them that make us believe they need more attention than we can give them.

The number one issue we have is the potty training. When we are not in the same room with them or we're not home during the day they forget themselves and urinate and defecate where ever it pleases them. They are gated in the kitchen with two pee pads, a kennel for sleeping, food, water, and toys. They have even started eating their own feces which gets everywhere cause they drag it back to their kennel. We've read that most puppies will outgrow this stage (eating their poop) and when we're home we usually clean up the feces before they begin to eat it. When we are home we do all the training we can with them, take them to the pee pad and wait for them to go and praise like crazy. They have both shown progress in finding the pee pad and using it (about 60% of the time), but like I said before when we're not home they seem to forget all their training. The other issue is at night, we got to bed around 9:30-10 & crate the dogs in a kennel in our room, when they're not in our bedroom at night they whine. So either my husband or I have to get up around 2am to let the dogs out to use the pee pad. This is cannot be a long term solution as we both work during the day, but we cannot trust them in the kitchen at night since they've proven that they'll pee where ever and they whine and bark. Since we live in an apartment our neighbors will be bothered by this noise.

Our 2nd issue is their constant need of attention, whining, & barking. Our typical routine during the evening is the dogs use the pee pad for their business before we take them out to play, since Belle will pee anywhere in the apartment. We then take them out to play or run around for 30 minutes, about which time Belle usually stops to find a corner to pee in. They then go back in the crate to rest or to allow us to eat dinner. Then we do the process all over again, if its nice outside we'll take them on a 20 minute walk. But anytime we crate them they whine and bark like crazy, even when its time for them to eat, they'll ignore their food and just sit and whine. We try to ignore them because otherwise it just encourages them to bark and whine louder and longer. I've read that whenever they whine or bark not to take them out of their crate because it teaches them to whine and bark to get what they want, which of course interrupts the routine we're trying to establish and they get less play time.

We do know these two can be great dogs, some nights when we get home we've found they've escaped the kitchen or the x-pen and when they're not penned in they greet you like everything is hunky dory. They don't go nuts on you and have to lick your face off, they don't cry or bark like mad either. But they're not at the point that I can trust them to use a pee pad on their own. When we get home we have no idea where either of them might have peed since their messes are so small.

We're looking to make the best decision for these two babies and we do want to keep them if we can. But if this is how things are going to be for the rest of their lives then I know they would be better with someone who is home all day to give them the attention they deserve. We are not financially able to have one person stay at home right now. Our thoughts are to wait 6 mos, when these two will be a year old, and see if they improve since we've also read that this is a difficult breed to potty train. And hopefully as they get older the need to whine will diminish. Its just frustrating to have them in a crate that is in the same room as us no more than 2 feet away and they whine or to have to clean up pee and poop every night, we've been doing it since September.

I'm sorry if some of you may be frustrated by this post because its so long and it just sounds like the same complaint over and over. But please help us help the pups! If what we have to give isn't enough then we're more than willing to own up to that and give them a better chance to find that. Thanks!

[joy and bella]

i know that there is somethign you can sprinkle in your food that makes them not like thier poop....i will call and ask my vet and get back to you.....hang in there....the potty training can take from 12-18 months i have heard. but if you stick with it, they will get it!!

[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.

[JESSY_RN2B]

I am so sorry the training has been so difficult. My gut instinct says to keep them and hopefully they'll change as they get older? (My toy poodle is a total angel now, but was terrible when a puppy).

I have a 6 month yorkie pup myself and you are right, they are high maintenance. Thankfully, my husband is extremely supportive and helps me take care of them (2 dogs and a cat). My pup isn't quite potty trained either.......but he wears belly bands in the house. Poop is not a problem because it's formed, easy to pick-up stool (gets flushed away).

I attempted the crate training and it did not work for me. He would bark/whine when in there. We decided to give them their own bedroom instead. We put vinyl all over the carpet, a chest full of toys, automatic water feeder, food, bed, blankets, music etc.

Believe it or not, problem solved. Usually at 10 am, I start cleaning up the house/laundry etc...and they go right into their room to play and sleep. (they crate themselves). When I leave, they stay in their room and no one cries or whines anymore. At night, they sleep with us in our room, but at times will migrate back to their own room.

Also, he works days and I go to school at night.............they are NEVER alone without one of us.

Good luck

[JeanieK]

Sorry to hear that you and your babies are having difficuty adjusting to each other

Rest assured, it does get better.
It takes a lot of patience.

Keeping them penned in the kitchen is great.
That is what I did with mine. In the beginning I put the pee pads where ever they seemd to want to pee. We had many many pads down, gradually I started moving the pads closer together troward a final destination. Only a few inches a day.

If they made a mistaske and went back to an old spot I set one of their toy boxes or beds in that spot for a while.

Eventually I got them down to just one pad.

I still keep them confined to the kitchen for most of the day.

Your dogs are whining because they are crated and they want to be with you. Let them in the kitchen and they will be happier

In the evening when we are watching TV they get to be in the living room with us, I move the pee pad there also. They still cannot be trusted 100% outside of the kitchen.

At bed time I crate mine but they are in a separate room. At 6 months they should be able to go all night and not need to get up

They may cry for a few night but they will get used to it. I carated mine in the same crate. They were happier that way.

Play wioth them before bed time to make sure they are tired and ready to sleep.

Good luck

[joy and bella]

ahhh i was just replying more to your message and it got deleted!!!! i will reply back soon...sorry about that

[Reesie]

I say hang in there also. I think all new yorkie parents get very frustrated. Potty training is a challenge, but when you get past it and most do then the rewards are endless. You are in the right place for answers. I tried to read everything thread that involved training when I got our first baby. It definately helped. Good Luck!

[RLC12345678]

I agree that you need to spend more time with them. I work all day, too, but when I get home at 5:00 in the evenings, my whole evening is devoted to my yorkies and my whole morning before work is devoted to them, too. They need to be taken on a walk EVERYDAY, at least once a day but more than once a day is ideal! This will help establish dominance (i.e. that YOU are the dominant one, not them) and it will also help to get some of their energy out which will in turn help with the training. I wake up 30 minutes early every morning so that I can take my babies on a nice walk before I go to work. And the first thing I do when I get home at 5 in the evenings is take them on a good walk.

Taking the puppies out at night to use the bathroom...welcome to the world of yorkies. My yorkies are 15 months old and 8 months old and they get up every single night in the middle of the night to potty. Yorkies are a teeny tiny breed; thus, they have teeny tiny bladders. It is simply unrealistic to expect them to hold it all night. If they are content sleeping in their crate in your room with you and they don't whine and bark, please just come to terms with the fact that they'll need to be let out in the middle of the night to potty. Another solution is to let them sleep in bed with you. One of the reasons they may be getting up in the middle of the night is to see their mommy...they miss you! Maybe if they were in the bed with you, they would be less likely to get up in the middle of the night to potty.

There are lots of people who work full-time that own yorkies. But you have got to realize that this breed is very needy. They need lots of attention and affection from their owners. If you do not have the time to devote a substantial part of your evenings AND mornings before and after work with your little babies, then it is probably best to find them a new home. They will never be potty trained unless you devote enough time and attention to training them.

[JCarlson2004]

Originally Posted by RLC12345678

I agree that you need to spend more time with them. I work all day, too, but when I get home at 5:00 in the evenings, my whole evening is devoted to my yorkies and my whole morning before work is devoted to them, too. They need to be taken on a walk EVERYDAY, at least once a day but more than once a day is ideal! This will help establish dominance (i.e. that YOU are the dominant one, not them) and it will also help to get some of their energy out which will in turn help with the training. I wake up 30 minutes early every morning so that I can take my babies on a nice walk before I go to work. And the first thing I do when I get home at 5 in the evenings is take them on a good walk.

Taking the puppies out at night to use the bathroom...welcome to the world of yorkies. My yorkies are 15 months old and 8 months old and they get up every single night in the middle of the night to potty. Yorkies are a teeny tiny breed; thus, they have teeny tiny bladders. It is simply unrealistic to expect them to hold it all night. If they are content sleeping in their crate in your room with you and they don't whine and bark, please just come to terms with the fact that they'll need to be let out in the middle of the night to potty. Another solution is to let them sleep in bed with you. One of the reasons they may be getting up in the middle of the night is to see their mommy...they miss you! Maybe if they were in the bed with you, they would be less likely to get up in the middle of the night to potty.

There are lots of people who work full-time that own yorkies. But you have got to realize that this breed is very needy. They need lots of attention and affection from their owners. If you do not have the time to devote a substantial part of your evenings AND mornings before and after work with your little babies, then it is probably best to find them a new home. They will never be potty trained unless you devote enough time and attention to training them.

Excellent post Rebecca. I was just about to respond but you said what I was planning on saying; so there's no need for me to repeat it. All I will reiterate is the importance of exercise. When these little guys aren't walked on a regular basis, they get frustrated from all that pent up energy. Try taking them outside for at least a 30 minute walk every evening. I would recommend taking them outside for a walk twice a day but if all you can do is once a day, then that's better than nothing.

[GurleyGirl]

Hey... I am home all day!!!! I'd puppysit if I lived closer to you!!!

Sorry you are having a hard time of it... they should both calm down after they get a little older (hopefully).

All the best with whatever you decide to do...

[RLC12345678]

Originally Posted by JCarlson2004

Excellent post Rebecca. I was just about to respond but you said what I was planning on saying; so there's no need for me to repeat it. All I will reiterate is the importance of exercise. When these little guys aren't walked on a regular basis, they get frustrated from all that pent up energy. Try taking them outside for at least a 30 minute walk every evening. I would recommend taking them outside for a walk twice a day but if all you can do is once a day, then that's better than nothing.

Thanks, Jen! Lack of exercise, in my opinion, is a big part of the problem here.

[JiggityJig]

To be honest, it does sound like maybe these dogs are not the best match for you. And that is NO judgment on you...it sounds like you've done the best you can with them, and that they perhaps just aren't fitting into your life or expectations...or you, theirs!

Sorry to say, the potty training issues with yorkies just ARE. You can get all the best advice in the world on that, and do your own personal gosh-darndest best, and it's still not probably going to happen any time soon.

Their other behaviors that bug you seem to me to stem mostly from lack of stimulation, and desire for your company and affection. Yorkies needs LOTS of attention, exercise, play, and LOVE. They are "companion" dogs in the extreme! There is NOTHING that they want more than to be a part of YOUR life!

So how do you resolve this with the housebreaking? They aren't happy being "contained", and you aren't happy with them piddling all over your house! I know, it's a vicious circle! I do feel your pain.

But it sounds like even some of the things that most of us LOVE about our yorkies are not appealing to you! For instance, most of us LOVE it when they go on wild kissing frenzies when we get home! etc.

The very fact that you have to ASK if yorkies are the dog for you, to me, suggests that perhaps they are not. Most of us fall utterly, unretrievably in love with them, faults and all! Again, I'm not judging you. I received my Mazie from a home that had many of the same frustrations with her that you have with yours. I do think that sometimes the KINDEST thing that we can do for our pets is rehome them, if we aren't able to give them the most mutually rewarding relationship possible.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

[RLC12345678]

Originally Posted by JiggityJig

To be honest, it does sound like maybe these dogs are not the best match for you. And that is NO judgment on you...it sounds like you've done the best you can with them, and that they perhaps just aren't fitting into your life or expectations...or you, theirs!

Sorry to say, the potty training issues with yorkies just ARE. You can get all the best advice in the world on that, and do your own personal gosh-darndest best, and it's still not probably going to happen any time soon.

Their other behaviors that bug you seem to me to stem mostly from lack of stimulation, and desire for your company and affection. Yorkies needs LOTS of attention, exercise, play, and LOVE. They are "companion" dogs in the extreme! There is NOTHING that they want more than to be a part of YOUR life!

So how do you resolve this with the housebreaking? They aren't happy being "contained", and you aren't happy with them piddling all over your house! I know, it's a vicious circle! I do feel your pain.

But it sounds like even some of the things that most of us LOVE about our yorkies are not appealing to you! For instance, most of us LOVE it when they go on wild kissing frenzies when we get home! etc.

The very fact that you have to ASK if yorkies are the dog for you, to me, suggests that perhaps they are not. Most of us fall utterly, unretrievably in love with them, faults and all! Again, I'm not judging you. I received my Mazie from a home that had many of the same frustrations with her that you have with yours. I do think that sometimes the KINDEST thing that we can do for our pets is rehome them, if we aren't able to give them the most mutually rewarding relationship possible.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Shadow's mommy]

I agree, lack of exercise. These little ones need to someone there to pay attention to them and walk them, play with them ect. Shadow is 8 months old and we are still working on the potty thing but he is getting it! I have 2 other dogs here and he won't go on the pee pads, he wants to be out there with the other 2 to do his business! lol So, thats what we do, we go out with the "big brothers" to pee and poo. We play with him all the time. (I'm home all day) There is constantly someone here that is playing with him or showing him attention. All our dogs get attention but since he is still a baby, he gets a little more than the older ones!

[Potter]

From my own experience, when I first got my Yorkie 4 months ago, it was challenging especially the first month simply because you haven't set the routine and everything else in place and you are in the process of getting to know your puppy's habits, character, likes and dislikes and trying to fit them in to your family. I did come to this forum to get advice and I hang on to them and I believe it will get better. My boy is now 7 months old, using his litter box perfectly well (just a litle sprinkle on the outside) and everything seems so much easier than when we first got him. It takes a lot of patience and time for training them, bonding. Also try to have more playing sessions, a little walk on the clean street, and training one to one session. If you ask me, I don't think yorkies are extra high maintenance as compared to other dogs..they get tired after a while and you can just play with them at home (I live in a condo too)..Whatever type of dog you get, if its a puppy, it will require a little more attention because they are still babies. I did baby mine but when he whines, I ignore him but I praise him when he is all calm. My point is, baby them but do it correctly so that it does not develop in to behavioural problem especially since you have two and are the same age, you need to know how to train them.