I need to find a new home for my 2 yr old Female Yorkie

[jilwilliams]

Hi Ashley, I was doing everything on the list below before I got my last yorkie (Miley)
To clarify two of the yorkies belong to my dad but they are at my place most of the time
To paraphrase Buck Brannaman: I don't help people with horse problems; I help horses with people problems
This was my problem [with my dogs] and once I corrected several things my problems slowly started to dissolve -
I am still working on Miley but she has come a long, long, way
You don't know what your life will be like in a few years and it's possible you might have this problem all over again with other dogs -
Before I had yorkies I had three 65+ pound dogs (siblings) and I had several significant fights between them –
I have two left (one passed unrelated to fighting) and I started doing the things on the list below to stop my 62 pound female from being dog aggressive
As a side note all of my animals get spayed / neutered as soon as they are old enough – the fighting between my dogs was the worst when they were 4 years old
All of the suggestions below are very doable even on a limited budget and in short order - the books can be checked out from your public library -
#1 Read The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation
Jan Fennell
ISBN: 0-06-008946-6
http://www.janfennellthedoglistener.com/

This book should be at your public library - Jan is British and has many very good suggestions on interacting with your dogs
*You MUST be consistent with your behavior - you boyfriend will need to be consistent and any company you have over - this book changed my life with my dogs
This book is a very quick read and the section on leaving your dogs / greeting your dogs is an essential key for your dogs getting along
I know every situation is different but I had three 65 pound dogs fighting and just two together out weigh me - the suggestions Jan makes really made a difference
#2 Read On talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
Turid Rugaas
ISBN - 13: 978-1-929242-36-8
ISBN - 10: 1-929242-36-0
http://www.turid-rugaas.no/UKFront.htm
I'm not sure if this would be in your library but you can ask if they will order it for you - new book = $12.95 and a used one from Amazon $7.26
Turid is a Norwegian dog trainer - the book details calming signals dogs use to calm themselves around people and other dogs -
This is good info to have especially if you have a problem
70 pages
#3 I don't know what you feed you dogs but look into a species appropriate diet for your dogs - there are many recipes on YorkieTalk –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTWHxvjI_as
If you send me your zip code I will look up dog food stores near you that sell better brands of dry dog food and if you like, I can help you with your choices
A feed store near me is the most reasonably priced store that sells high-end dry dog food -
I also cook fresh meat for my dogs every day - dry in the morning - fresh in the evening
For two small dogs, making your own food is very economical - in my area:
Wal-Mart and Save A Lot are about the same $ for chicken gizzards and livers
Sam's has the best price on chicken
Wal-Mart for eggs and canned fish
#4 Get a flower essence for Jolie - this has been ~*KEY*~ with Miley - Bach flower essences are probably the most well known but I use
FES Flowers (Flower Essence Services) http://www.fesflowers.com/
If you send me your zip code I will find a store in your area -
Price $7 per bottle and the bottle will last at least 1 month

You can also try rescue remedy FOR PETS (Bach Flower Essence) in their water this will also help -
#5 Look at the products in your house that are scented - I now only use unscented products but I do know someone who had behavior problems with her cat and changed a few cleaning products to unscented and the problem stopped [the cat was urinating on the laundry everyday *I know this is a COMPLETELY different problem but I think it is worth mentioning - a bloodhound can smell approx. 1 million times better than a human]
Miley cannot handle scented products - if I use scented hand lotion and she comes around me, she will start sneezing
#6 Use a leash! Miley was very cared for and VERY loved by her previous owner - she had pretty dresses but no leash - she was so neurotic with the leash and collar that I had to buy a harness for her and get her use to it before I could go just to a leash - she also went bezerk when I put the harness on her the first few times - now she walks well on the leash - I still need to work with her but she is light years ahead of where we started
#7 Take Joli out in public - to Petsmart, Petco, small pet food stores, etc - Miley is by far the worst on a leash but I take all of my dogs – all five of them to these stores for enrichment and shopping -
I'm sorry you are having stress over this - the flower essence will be slow acting but since you don’t know how long it will be before you find a home for Joli it might be worth a shot –
The rescue remedy would also be good for you to take – it is impossible to control a dog if you are not calm yourself (I learned the hard way) – I bought some for Miley’s mom when she turned her over to me – she had never heard of it but did take it and said it helped with her stress of giving me Miley
*If you do decide to purchase rescue remedy make certain you get the type that is OK for animals to take
I know every situation is different but the above list really helped me with my large dogs and continues to help me with them and the yorkies - if you have any questions about anything I have written please do not hesistate to let me know -
Peace, Love, Yorkies

[ashley_]

Originally Posted by jilwilliams

Hi Ashley, I was doing everything on the list below before I got my last yorkie (Miley)

Thanks for the advice. I am going to purchase the books you suggested as I agree that I might have the same problems again if I don't learn to train differently, I found some low priced used ones on Amazon [I tend to buy most things on Amazon]. I did read some Yorkie training and many generic dog training books and articles before getting Joli and as she was a puppy, also before I got Somi I read a lot of things about how to introduce them and keep the peace.
I am also going to get the Rescue Remedy [the pet and people kind, I do have a lot of stress with Joli and other things so I think it might be a good idea]. Thanks for that.

I try to be consistent, but have had a hard time getting my boyfriend and roommate to do what I say [people are often harder to train than animals]. And I never blamed Joli for her bad behavior so much as I blamed myself for not teaching her correctly, with some dogs you can get away with not doing everything great and they still behave but Joli is definitely one of those dogs that needed me to do a little better.

My biggest fear with her fighting is that since she is so much bigger than Somi she will severely hurt her or even kill her since she will not fight back or even run away. Somi will just cower down and cry. If they were both fighting I feel like I would be able to handle that better.

I doubt it is her food, though it could be. Especially since I have changed food a couple of times recently and haven't noticed any differences between the foods. I have always given Joli higher end food though when she was a puppy I didn't realize all the good and bad about different pet foods and was using a higher low end food [better ingredients, but still lots of corn and grains]. Currently they are eating Wellness for Small Dogs I believe. I have been changing it just because they didn't seem particularly fond of any of the foods, so I have been buying small bags of different kinds to find their favorite. But I always get ones with meat as the first ingredient and no corn. They mostly get dry food because they have never fought over dry food, but since Joli so rarely got wet food when she was an only dog she gets very aggressive when another dog is around and she gets wet food. I think that is mostly because it is so rare because she has never growled at Somi when they are eating dry food. So I have kept with dry food to eliminate the possible problem.

I never thought about scented products upsetting her. I have many scented things to try to counteract the smells of using a litter box/puppy pad and doggy smells in general [as well as cat smells because my roommate has cats]. I can try to get rid of these and see if that helps anything.

Joli is pretty good on a leash if no one else is around. She gets really excited and barks a lot, but after the first minute or so will walk pretty well. [Especially when she has just gotten her hair done, she will prance around knowing she looks pretty ]
If she sees other dogs or people that she decides she doesn't like then she can get mean sounding. She has never attacked a person, she will usually [I'm pretty sure always] calm down when they get closer and let her smell their hand or something. Though she has snapped at [once not attacked] my niece [around 3 at the time] once because she never calmed down and let Joli get used to her. And I have never let her get close to another dog while we are out when she gets mean sounding so I don't know if she would attack an unknown dog. Though she is sometimes friendly towards other dogs. Now that I have figured out that she is probably mostly female aggressive it is probably male dogs she is more friendly with.

The hardest part about trying to help her is that she is aggressive randomly. I wouldn't really describe her as an aggressive dog, just a sweet dog with aggressive spurts. There is usually little or no warning to her attacks. They are never about food or toys and most of the time I have a hard time figuring out what she is upset about. So it is hard for me to help her when she gets upset about such random things.

I hope I can figure out how to help her especially if I can't find a better home for her.

Thank you for all your help!

[jilwilliams]

Hi Ashley, the random attacks sounds just like my dog Zoë (@ 62 pounds) - it also sounds like you already have a good handle on most of the things I've mentioned - and good for you for getting the books so quickly - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my suggestions will help -

I'm sure there are things I did that I did not mention, if I think of anything else I will post again - I will mention that I stopped playing hard rock music in the house and car - the dogs have been listening to Andrea Bocelli the past few weeks while I'm at work -

Good luck!

[Baby Teddy]

I am sorry you are dealing with this. You had mentioned that Jolie was never super friendly with other dogs aside from your moms. Did you introduce Joli and Somi before you purchased Somi? How was Joli's behavior in the house before you purchased Somi? I find it strange that you are wanting to rehome Joli vs. your new puppy. Do you think it would be easier on Joli if you searched for a new owner for Somi? Could Somi stay at your dad's?

[Baby Teddy]

I just re-read your posts and saw that you had considered rehoming Somi. Could you try having Somi stay at your dads for a bit and let Joli stay with you for a bit and introduce them back to each other slowly (similar to the way you did with your mom's dog?).

[jilwilliams]

Hi Ashley, I was thinking about you and your girls and wanted to know if you could give us an update - have you been able to find a home for Jolie or has anything calmed down at your house?

Best Wishes for the three of you

[ashley_]

Things have not calmed down at all. She spent the weekend with a friend of mine when I had to go out of town. They said that she was really good there, but as soon as I picked her up she went back to her crazy ways and attacked Somi pretty much as soon as we got home. My friends fiance has amazing calming effects on dogs and I think that is why she behaved so well. I think she will do really well with someone that knows how to make her behave better. Currently my girls just take turns being in their "room" to keep them separated.
But, Robin from YHR has helped a lot and may have found a new home for Joli. We are going to meet with her either this weekend or next. She has a yorkie-s**t zu mix male dog who is calm and doesn't demand attention. They both think that it he might be a good match of personalities, but we will see either this weekend or next.

I really hate to see her go, but I think it could be much better for her.

[jilwilliams]

I'm so sorry to hear this - I hope everything goes well when you meet the new adopter - Good Luck

[ashley_]

So we have had all kinds of excitement around our house (well apartment) lately.
This past Saturday Joli and I headed to Baton Rouge from Houston to meet with a possible new family for Joli. It ended up not working out because the lady decided she did not think she could handle Joli's aggressive episodes after attacking her yorkie mix. We met at the lady who has been talking to me from YHR's house with her other 7 dogs as well. Joli wasn't completely bad with them, but did have 3 "spats" (one being with the possible new family's dog). But I think the main problem was that I was there. She is super protective of me. Which I have realized after reading stuff here and other places is probably because I got her SOOO young.
I wasn't that comfortable getting her as young as I did, but I was young too and just wanted my puppy "now" and the guy said it would be okay so we (my bf and I) got her. I know realize there were lots of warning signs I probably should have seen about the breeder. First and probably worst he let us take her at 5 weeks which I knew was too young, but like I said was ignoring for some dumb reason. And we met him somewhere "half way" where he was meeting some other people so (a) didn't see her parents and their living situation (b) he was selling multiple dogs at once. Plus her mom disappeared off their site after I got her which I thought was weird.
So since I got her so young she never learned to socialize with other dogs even though I tried to get her out, but since I didn't really have other friends with dogs this was limited to the pet's store and when I visited my mom (which was only a few times a year). So all she ever learned to play with was people. I should have known better....

BUUT that being said since there isn't much I can do about it now, the family in Louisiana didn't work out. But ladyjane who has also been helping us, but lives in Houston had the idea of seeing how she behaves with other dogs without me or a person she knows around. So we met today away from her house or my house so she wouldn't feel territorial at all and she took Joli to her house with her 8 other yorkies. And the update I got from her an hour or so later was that Joli was doing really well. She had a small spat with one of the dogs, but then everyone was fine and she was even laying next to him later on. So this sounded very promising that she might be able to go to someone with other animals. I think as long as she gets attached to the other animals too and not just the person she would be okay. ladyjane can only keep her for a little while since she has 8 other yorkies, but she is taking her now because Somi is having LP surgery tomorrow and to make things a little easier on us.
I am very grateful for all the help everyone at YHR has given us and I hope we can find Joli a new home that loves her as much as I do, but lets everyone have much less stress (Joli, Somi, me, and the new family).

[107barney]

Originally Posted by ashley_

So we have had all kinds of excitement around our house (well apartment) lately.
This past Saturday Joli and I headed to Baton Rouge from Houston to meet with a possible new family for Joli. It ended up not working out because the lady decided she did not think she could handle Joli's aggressive episodes after attacking her yorkie mix. We met at the lady who has been talking to me from YHR's house with her other 7 dogs as well. Joli wasn't completely bad with them, but did have 3 "spats" (one being with the possible new family's dog). But I think the main problem was that I was there. She is super protective of me. Which I have realized after reading stuff here and other places is probably because I got her SOOO young.
I wasn't that comfortable getting her as young as I did, but I was young too and just wanted my puppy "now" and the guy said it would be okay so we (my bf and I) got her. I know realize there were lots of warning signs I probably should have seen about the breeder. First and probably worst he let us take her at 5 weeks which I knew was too young, but like I said was ignoring for some dumb reason. And we met him somewhere "half way" where he was meeting some other people so (a) didn't see her parents and their living situation (b) he was selling multiple dogs at once. Plus her mom disappeared off their site after I got her which I thought was weird.
So since I got her so young she never learned to socialize with other dogs even though I tried to get her out, but since I didn't really have other friends with dogs this was limited to the pet's store and when I visited my mom (which was only a few times a year). So all she ever learned to play with was people. I should have known better....

BUUT that being said since there isn't much I can do about it now, the family in Louisiana didn't work out. But ladyjane who has also been helping us, but lives in Houston had the idea of seeing how she behaves with other dogs without me or a person she knows around. So we met today away from her house or my house so she wouldn't feel territorial at all and she took Joli to her house with her 8 other yorkies. And the update I got from her an hour or so later was that Joli was doing really well. She had a small spat with one of the dogs, but then everyone was fine and she was even laying next to him later on. So this sounded very promising that she might be able to go to someone with other animals. I think as long as she gets attached to the other animals too and not just the person she would be okay. ladyjane can only keep her for a little while since she has 8 other yorkies, but she is taking her now because Somi is having LP surgery tomorrow and to make things a little easier on us.
I am very grateful for all the help everyone at YHR has given us and I hope we can find Joli a new home that loves her as much as I do, but lets everyone have much less stress (Joli, Somi, me, and the new family).

I hope it works out for Joli! Yes, LadyJane and the rest of YHR are amazing.

[roseslevi]

Originally Posted by 107barney

I hope it works out for Joli! Yes, LadyJane and the rest of YHR are amazing.

I would definately have to agree with that. Hoping things work out

[jilwilliams]

Ashley, I hope everything works out for you, Joli, and Somi - Best of luck and please keep us posted!!

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Your female couldn't be in better hands. Ladyjane will find a good setting for her. I am so glad that you contacted her and she is helping you. I know that if YHR is involved they will find the best placement for her.

[ashley_]

So Linda (ladyjane) had to bring Joli back to me today. She was doing really good all week...until today. She told me she had a small tiff with one of her 8 yorkies on the first day, but then was fine and eventually worked her way out of her shell and was playing and being friendly. Then her crazy self came out today and she attacked two of her babies. Not even the aggresive type ones, she attacked her oldest male, that is blind and deaf. I feel so bad for the poor guy he must have been so scared, he had no way of knowing what was going on, just that he was being bitten. :''(
So she is home again and we are back to room tag (rotating Joli and Somi in the crate). And since Somi just had LP and spay surgery she is mostly limited to the crate unless she is eating and such.
And the conclusion is that Joli most definitely needs to be an only dog and would be best with no small children. We thought that she was only aggressive to "protect" me or because of some sort of jealousy, but it is VERY unlikely that she got soo attached to Linda in that short amount of time. We also thought that she was only female aggressive, but since the last few dogs she has attacked were males that must also be false. BUT I might have been right about one thing, she gets aggressive around bath/grooming time because she loves it so much and is jealous seeming. Linda had given her a bath this morning...so I'm think she didn't want anyone else to get a bath? Linda couldn't figure out any trigger and I said something about grooming time and she said she had given her a bath. Besides bath time her aggression is completely random.
She really seems like a bipolar puppy......she is SOOO sweet and happy most of the time and then just SNAPS and turns into demon dog. ((( It makes me so sad.
I'm thinking she is part pit bull.....because what I hear about pit behavior is very similar to that. The most lovable sweet adorable dog, and then one day BAM kills someone.

So if she can be an only dog I think that she will stay her sweet lovable amazing self. I really just want to be able to find her a good only dog home.......
This situation is really hard on me...and it is making my productivity on my research go WAY down. And if I can't focus and make some progress we might be a homeless bunch....but at least Joli will be able to scare away the intruders!!!

[brendarash]

Hi Ashley,
First off I want to say I am so sorry to hear about your issue with your little ones. I, as well had the same issue with my Rosie attacking my newest rescue Julie. I came home to a little 6 lb yorkie bleeding to death, because Rosie decided to attack her. I was not home at the time, but let me tell you what a terrible thing it is to walk in on that. Rosie had jumped on Julie once before so I knew it was her. Not to mention the blood all over Rosie's face. I had adopted Rosie a year or so before and in the contract it said, If I could not keep her, she had to go back to the rescue where I got her. I grabbed Julie up off the floor and ran to the vet. I hour later and 98 puncture bites later, I did not know what to do.
I was not sure what Rosie was capable of. I called the rescue group and told them I was going to have to bring Rosie back. They understood. I cried for hours, because I love Rosie, and Julie along with my other two yorkies. What do I do. I returned her to the rescue group. I then talked to a dog trainer. She said, call the University of PA, talk to a animals behavorist and a psychologist, let then know what is going on. I made the call. This is what after a hour and a half of talking on the phone with the Doctor, this is what she said.

First off why did you take Rosie back? I said I do not know. She said Rosie was their first, if you have to rehome one of them it will have to be Julie. I was not prepared to here that. Then she said, you need to use a basket muzzle on Rosie at all times, and contact my vet and get her stared on Prozac. I said really, she said this fighting is very common in households with more than one dog and females that are together. I talked to the vet when I went to pick Julie up from surgery, I told her what the vet said and she said, I have to do blood work on Rosie first, then if all is good I will start her on prozac. Rosie has been on prozac now for 2 years and I have not had any problems at all. When I leave home Julie has to stay in my room and Rosie stays in the living room. That was the best, (free) call I made and after a month of Rosie being at the rescue,It took that long for the meds to start working,. and the rescue would not allow Rosie to come home until they saw them together.
I brought her home. I used a muzzle at first, in the first week Rosie tried to jump on Julie once then after a few weeks it never happened again. Now it will be 2 years this April, they are the best of friends and even sleep together. I would recommend you calling the University of Pa . They are the greatest. Hope this helps. At least give it a try. Good Luck