How does my Yorkie behave this way?
 

Hi all - I am a newbie here and I say a warm 'hi' to all who read this.
My problem is that Cookie, my Yorkie, seems to go to other members of the family than to me. :( Example:- I can be sitting on my bed or chair and if one of my children come sit next to me, Cookie automatically gets off my lap and curls up on theirs. She also cries or does what I call 'whisper whimpers' in their direction and it is as if I am a visitor, not her 'daddy'. It does upset me somewhat and sometimes annoys me too. I never stop her, I try to keep her interested in me, but her longing gets more intense.
She will lie with or on me if we are alone though and the only 'quality time' she spends with me is play fighting or tug of war with one of her teddy's. In her mind, what or who does she 'see' me as? :confused:

How long have you had her?....Maximus will do the same thing with my bf at home and if we go to families he will ditch us to go play with the kids..but we notice when he is tired or just wants to relax and cuddle he comes back over to sit with us and if we are getting ready to leave he knows he's coming home with us and puts himself in his carrier...I just assumed this is a puppy phase..and I am happy he is social..good luck

Do you just "play" with your Yorkie? In my experience, the person who does the "every day" necessities is the one the Yorkie will bond with. Playing is just plain fun (which they truly enjoy). However, if you correct them, feed them, and take them out to go to the bathroom, you will be the one they bond with. If you correct them, make sure no one talks "baby talk" to them after you are done. They will want nothing more than to please you after they have "displeased" you in some way. Try this, and let me know how it works.

Cookie's behaviour
 

To luzangela428 - Thanx for writing and shedding some light on this subject. :)

I have had Cookie since Christmas Eve 2004 - she is 6 1/2 months old now (born November 14th 2004)
If I have been out somewhere, on my return, she hardly looks up - the most she will do is wag her tail just a little and that's it. If she has been naughty, I don't so much yell at her, I use a stern voice and she will run up to my side (if I am sitting on the bed), roll onto her back and offer me her underside (she loves her tummy or chest being rubbed) right now, I have my laptop on my knees as I sit on my bed, she is laying between my knees so I don't know what she is thinking - I want to do the right thing by her and not to be seen as a threat nor a deterrent for bad behaviour.

To Julz - thanx for writing.
I do all the things involved with Cooks, play, feed, walk, bathing and I always 'baby talk' with her. When I pick her up for a cuddle, I lay her on her back as she loves her tummy and chest stroked, but she is reluctant to look at me and she cranes her neck backwards or to the side as if she is trying to get away, it looks as if she is uncomfortable with me, but anyone else can do this and she will look at them as they talk to her - as I say, I don't want to 'force her' into loving me or liking me, it has to be of her own free will as I can't bring myself to forcibly restraining her to stay by my side.
When all is said and done, she is very intelligent and will 'listen' to me when I ask her things like "where's teddy??" or "who's my baby?" as well as just 'general talking' she twists her head from left to right and sometimes she makes me laugh. She is also very 'lippy' - if I am doing something and I need a few minutes, she makes these silly almos cat like sounds, nibbles my hand and if I tell her 'no' she just gets more lippy and tests me - but as soon as I laugh, she knows she has 'won' and gets more daring.

I do love her more than anything (next to my kids) and I am going to have another puppy from the same breeder. Holly, Cookie's mom had some more puppies 12 days ago so that will be cool to have another baby - still thinking of a suitable name for her though.
:animal-sm

She sounds almost typical to me - except that part about when you come home..lol...I get MOBBED for 15 minutes....but your baby sounds pretty normal to me - I know what you mean about getting your feelings a little hurt - but be happy she LIKES other people - some yorkies (like mine) bond extremely close to one person - I think my hubby feels like you do sometimes - Mine are so attached they're connected to my butt...

but as Julz said - I do everything for them...I think they know this which accounts for the closeness we have...Give your baby time - she's very young...

Cookie's behavior
 

Sometimes I think we are reading too much into our yorkie's behavior. They are called the velcro dogs for a reason. I have one that moves with me, everywhere, even if I get up for a second. Even if I take a shower, she's outside the shower door, waiting.I have another one that is fine without being right at my feet but she clearly would rather be with me if she isn't busy doing her own thing, like chewing a toy. I thought it was because I am the one who touches them, brushes their teeth, bathes them, trains them, takes them out, feeds and plays with them. But, there are times when my hubby gets the benefit of Chloe, by his side, good sleeping buddies. So who knows, they respond to being loved so it will work itself out.

I do all care for my babies, but when my husband comes home, he drops to the floor, plays with the babies and gives them a treat. They adore him! But they love EVERYONE - whenever someone comes to visit, they will always stay with them. Also, if Bronx gets loose, he will run as fast as he can, but if he sees a neighbor, he will race to them and stop! :rolleyes: Who knows what's up in their crazy little minds.

Have you tried bribery? My husband bribes Rocky all of the time! Needless to say, David has quickly become Rocky's best friend!

I know what you mean about bribery. For the longest time since I had her, Cookie would not eat regular puppy food and instead, preferred oatmeal and warm milk (which I call Wheatie-Bangs - long story) and she always turned her nose up at anything that is for dogs only. As I said, she goes to the kids rather than me, but as soon as daddy get his dinner POW!!!! I have a captive audience - and a hungry one too.

I have found a food that she likes, it is a multi-coloured dry/semi moist mixture called Baker's Complete and I didn't know they did a puppy version. My older dogs love it so I got her a box and she loves to jump off my bed, get a meaty cube from her bowl then jumps back on my bed and 'throws' it at me - she is a dead shot as she always hits me in the face with it. She throws other things too if she can. (is she trying to tell me something, lol)
I thank all of you who have contributed to my thread and I have learned a lot from your lovely and sometimes funny replies.

Paul, if you can try to get her off Bakers, it really is not very good for her little tummy, try her on Burns mini bites, go on to the Burns web site and ask them to send you some free samples to try Noah was on Arden Grange another very good dryed dog food but very hard to get hold of, by the way if you go into the Europe part of the forum there you a few more. English peeps about as well as in here.

If I have had a quarter every times the girls go see my brother , I would be rich by now . When I am alone with them its ok but the minute my brother arrive they go see him . If I was you , I wouldn't worry too much . He will come to you soon .

She sounds exactly like Lucy! She eventually settled on the Bakers Complete too, so she has the puppy mix (still!) and the meaty chunks. When we give her the chunks, she will run and grab them and bring them to us to break them up for her. If we dont do it straight away she will chuck them at us too! monkey! Where abouts in the UK are you?

What does Bakers do? Lucy has been on it for about 2 years and she is fine. Now Im scared!

Hi Noah's mum - well, so far, Cooks has not shown any diverse reactions to Bakers dry mix. Those foods you mentioned, I have never heard of them but I am very concerned as to what is right for her. I have had a lot of people telling me to try this and that and I have spent a lot of money and have been frustrated and helpless as she had turned down one product after another - money is not my main concern (I am not rich, far from it) but Cookie comes first. Bakers was the only one she eats, but I am sure there are more products out there that she will eat and potentially better for her digestive system and health. I welcomed your reccommendations and thank you for them - I will be going on the sites and finding out more.

Even her breeder was at a loss and even my vet was too as to what foods to give her and I didn't want to 'starve her into submission', as one 'Yorkie expert' told me to do (this was waaay before I found this site). Thank you once again for your suggestions and advice. :)

I agree with you. My Yorkies are the same way. They are cuddle bunnies with my mom and I because we are their Mommas and we feed them, discipline them, care for them, clean up after them, etc. The rest of the family members are playmates. They do like to play and cuddle with my stepdad though. He is their dad and their buddy. I do realize that our Yorkies will sometimes rather play with my brother than snuggle with me. It just depends on the relationship you form with the dog. I don't know the case with girls because I have two male Yorkies, but my breeder told me that male Yorkies usually bond the strongest with the adult female of the family. Very rarely do they bond with a man in that way unless their is no female. I don't know what the case is with a female Yorkie though. Good luck! Try to be Cookie's parent and spend more time caring for her than playing with her. You can still play with her, but let the kids be more of the playmates than you. Ya know? Cookie has to think of you as the parent before the playmate if you want her to snuggle with you, etc.

*¤*§tephanie*¤*

Boy, do I know how you feel. Had a little girl yorkie, she was my baby, hubby would do if I wasn't around though. Got hubby a little chi, she is his baby and will only fool with me when he isn't around. My little girl passed and the little chi, Cosie won't have a thing to do with me. I totally take care of her too! It's not that she doesn't like me, it's just that she bonded with him. It's getting better but I know she will always be his little baby and I am getting another for me. The reason I got her for him was because the yorkie wouldn't fool with him much and I know he felt bad not having his own cuddle pup. Sounds like you have a pretty good relationship with Cookie though, I think time will be your best ally, as she matures so will her relationships. Good luck with another pup, yorkies are so hard to resist.

I know how you feel. Jeremiah does that with my parents. He knows I am his mommy but it seems like he loves my parents more. I get jealous, I don't know why but I do. Sometimes I feel stupid because he is my baby and my parents are my parents. So why would I feel jealous. But I guess I need to spend more time with him.

Thankyou for the lovely replies. I don't know if anyone else's Yorkie does this?
Cookie will eat anything that I am eating, regardless of what it tastes like, texture or composition. When she was a tiny baby, on the advice of her breeder, I got her some Pedigree Chum puppy food. It was finely chopped up already and I put a small amount in her tiny bowl. She sniffed it and looked at me as if to ask "what the hell is this rubbish?" So armed with the knoweledge that she only eats what has been in my mouth (she was more like a baby bird than dog) I pretended to eat some and did all the "mmmmm...this is yummy, Cooks" so without thinking, I got distracted and when I turned to repeat the fake eating, I actually put it in my mouth............ever tasted that stuff?? Spitting like my mouth was on fire, I told her "daddy ate some and it tastes lovely - c'mon, Cooks, your turn" she looked at me as if I had three heads and gave me a "kiss my a$$" look. Even these hide chewy sticks that are pieces of hide rolled up into a long stick, she won't touch them, so just for giggles, I put it in my mouth (okay, now you are getting worried about me I can tell) and as sure as the sun rises, she started to chew it - of all the dogs I have ever owned, even my late Great Dane, I have never had to do anything like this.

I am glad to say that she at least likes Bakers puppy mix and no, I have absolutely no idea what that tastes like - thank goodness!!!

Paul, That was TRULY enjoyable to read! It brought a smile to my face that is still there! It really is crazy the things we do for love!!!!! Just when you think you are the only crazy out there, it is wonderful to know that you are not alone! I think you make an awsome owner and any puppy would be lucky to have you!

Paul,
thank you for this thread, up until reading this I thought I was just a jealous person and didn't want anyone to touch Mine Mine Mine like a 2 year old. Sydnee is almost 6 months old and I do everything for her, my son once in a while yells at me MOM Hello, SHE IS A DOG, but to Yorkie owners we know this isn't true they are babies with fur. Sydnee loves people, even my son's gf she will whine whine until she pets her and I get upset I don't think she whines for me like that. Until I remember when I first got her, no one was able to hold her for even a moment if I was out of the room, she cried and cried till they brought her to me wherever I was. I have just come to the conclusion that I have managed to raise a social butterfly, that enjoys a diverse mixture of people and animals. She loves everyone she doesn't discriminate, she doesn't get into excessive barking (she barks when someone is at the door that is a stranger)she won't bark if she knows the person.

I do miss the I need Mommie, I want to be with Mommie all the time; though.
As far as food forget it, she still will not eat dog food of any sort. I have tried to let her get hungry enough so she will and then I feel guilty and will cook something for her. Of course, She is the Queen of Take Out. The neighborhood drive thrus recognize her bark now as she places her order, in fact I went through the drve thru to get my prescription at the druggist and of course Syndee starting telling the lady what she wanted and when the bag came and wasn't food OMW, she was devastated. The only recourse I had was to take her to MCDonald's for her Fruit and Yogurt parfait.

Hi Julz - thankyou soooo much for your kind words, I am glad that you liked my continuing Cooks's eating and othe habbits (there is a novel in there somewhere) and she is my baby. The strange thing is, is that I never gave Yorkie's a second thought, I liked them and my elder brother, Peter, has one that he calls Titch - I bonded with her when I used to visit my mom whom he came back to live with - Titch would jump on my lap and curl up and I thought "I love this dog". At the time I had a Great Dane, Jake and I didn't want another dog, so January last year, he had to be put to sleep as he had lost the use of his back legs and was always laying down, he got pressure sores and gangerine set in and despite our best efforts, he had to leave us and I just wanted the world to end as I held him while the drug took effect. So I decided not to have another dog as I couldn't go through that again. But on another trip to see my mum, Titch did her usual jumping into my lap, so I pondered the possibility of owning a Yorkie, but I wanted to have a grieving time for Jake (Dane) and so when the question "what do you want for Christmas" came about, I said without hesitation that I wanted a Yorkie and the rest is history.
I hope to be having another one in July from the same breeder - I got Cooks for £200 (around $375 USD) and I can have my new baby for the same price.

Hi Victri - thankyou for telling me your story - I enjoyed reading it.
Yeah, well, Cooks loves anything that is for human consumption only, and she looooves Chicken McNuggets too - if I am drinking from a can of beer, she licks the rim and I have to put it out of her reach otherwise I will have a drunken Yorkie staggering round the bedrom. I will talk to her, ask her things like "what do you want, baby?" and she will twist her head from side to side as if it is on rollers. She will sit and bark at me and I will say "excuse me, madam, who do you think you're talking to???" and she will increase her volume and the verbal 'fight' goes on. Then if I am using the mouse on my laptop, she does this silly growl that sounds like an aggravated bee and at the same time will nibble my knuckle, or she will climb onto my chest and stick her butt in my face and her front paws on my hands to stop me from typing.
She has brought me many things, but one thing I overlooked was the fact that I have made some lovely friends on this site and it is all because of her.
Loooove the way she orders food for herself, I am glad she didn't order any meds while at the druggist though - not sure where that would have led. My vet told me that feeding her human food is not good for her, I told her that she should try and go around Petsmart and pick out something that she will like - although the human food I give her is limited, she has a way of sending me on the guilt trip. She will lay at my feet and if I pick her up for a cuddle, she turns her head away as if she is saying "no, ain't talking to you" or she will put her front paws into my face with that "talk to the paw, explain it to the floor" attitude.
Love the bit where you described Yorkies as "babies with fur" and I also miss the "daddy, where are you going - take me" thing

I just love this place! Oh, how we adore our yorkies. I use to think I was nuts, so did most of my family (guess they still do! ;) Anyway, Sophie was so spoiled. I kept her a bottle of cold water in the fridge and she would tell me when she was thirsty (I kept a bowl on the floor, of course). I learned how to do everything with one hand so I could carry her. She got what she wanted when she wanted it (within doggie reason). I had seen a pair of yorkies when I returned to college (at age 40 :eek: ) and though they were the cutest things I'd ever seen. I am a small woman, all 5 feet 94 pounds of me, so they just appealed to me. One year my hubby forgot my birthday, we were on our way out of the store a day or so later and someone had put up a sign advertising yorkie puppies for $150. Guess what I got for my birthday! Sadly, Sophie passed away 2/28 after almost 9 wonderful years together, she died suddenly from a defective heart. To show how we bond with these creatures, I was hospitalized for a defect in my own heart that was aggravated by the stress of losing my little girl. I have been looking for a new baby and (keep your fingers crossed) may have found a little girl! I'll keep everyone posted on that.
I tell everyone, enjoy your yorkie and spoil it as much as you can, never feel embarrassed by the love you share with your baby. They are each irreplaceable treasures!

Shhesssh..lol
 

Sheesh..if they were that afforadable in the US...I know we would proably all have 2 or 3 more..Good Luck and Glad you joined us

I know how you feel about losing a pet, I love Cooks so much that I dread anything happening to her and although I take her for long walks, I am constantly on the lookout for other dogs. One guy was walking his Jack Russel the othe day and it was off his leash and came bounding over to us so I picked Cooks up. This guy was a bit slighted by my action and said "don't worry, he won't hurt your dog" but this dog of his was really trying his best to get to Cooks - not in the fun sense either. As I won't swear on here, the only clean words I used to him were "get this.....dog away from here, otherwise I will........it's a$$" My mom used to own a Russel and it was fine with larger dogs, but smaller ones it would attack so I wasn't taking any chances

Daddy's Little Princess
 

Maggie is all lovey, dovey all day long with me. When my husband comes in, I tell her that Daddy's home. She gets a case of the super squirm. He picks her up, kisses her on the head, then puts her down. Somehow that is enough for her, because she then goes on about her business. The best part of the day is when it's nite, nite time. She will lay her head on my shoulder. I just love that. When it's bath or brush time, that's a different story. It's like----WHERE'S DADDY!!

Aaaawwww - that is so cute that she lays her head on your shoulder - these are the moments to die for, I think. When I brush Cooks, she has to 'kill' the brush afterwards and then she has to go and take her frustrations out on poor old teddy - she growls as she dives onto ted as if she is saying "what are you laughing at?"
I think I have a paranoid, psychotic Yorkie sometimes.

There is one aspect about her behaviour that spooks me out. I have a large wardrobe and both doors are full length mirrors. It was my late mum's and I had it for myself as my brother was going to break it up.
Well, Cooks will sit on my bed, look across the room at it and just make silly cat noises, barks and even the other night, she got her teddy, jumped off my bed with it in her mouth then ran over to the wardrobe, dropped ted on the floor,sat down then looked up and started yapping and nudging ted then look up again. She sits there just waiting for what or whoever she sees to throw her ted. She never ever does that for me and I have tried myself several times, but she never sits at my feet looking up at me and nudging ted. As I said, it sometimes spooks me out.

I'm sorry to have taken so long in getting back to you I-Love-Lucy, is the protein, content in Bakers, it's sky high it was my vet that said it was not good for little ones, and i don't often follow his advise when it comes to feeding my babies but it is just my personel opinion as well, my Berdie was on it, and the vet said to read the side of the packets and check what goes into them, and boy was i shocked., no wonder he was hyper the more protein that goes in the more hyper the dog its like kids and chocholate and fizzy drinks the more the have the more hyper they become.

hope this helps

Wow, I didn't know that about the hyper and Protein. I read on the side of Maggie's Greenies box and it said 33% protein. No wonder she acts like she is trying out for Superman. Faster than a speeding bullet.