If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

I might have to strangle her !!!
My 8 lb Yorkie is seriously wearing the pants in my house -
She turned a year old in February - She's still peeing and pooping in the house (And she KNOWS she's bad b/c when she sees me go into the room she's done her thing in she runs for her bed ..........) She barks CONSTANTLY, she doesn't listen for sh*t and I don't know WHERE she's getting her energy from, but if I could bottle it - I'd be a billionaire !!!

We walk her in the morning, if I don't walk her at night, I run around the back yard with her - I throw the damn ball back and forth for what seems like hours playing "fecth" .........
I feel bad to crate her b/c we're out of the house for at least 11 hours a day so I have her blocked off in the kitchen, but she skips the wee wee pads and opts to go on the floor instead .......
I am seriously at my wits end w/ this little pooch - I know we're obviously doing something wrong - But I don't know what it is !!! - and shes's damn adorable and lovable it's SO hard to yell at her !!! -
ANY suggestions would be SO SO appreciated !

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

I would probably suggest seeing if you could hire a dog walker in the middle of the day. 11 hours is a long time for such an energetic pup to not have a chance to run around. Maybe they could take your dog out for like a 1/2 hour walk midday and see if that helps? Good luck!

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

Sounds like needs more exercise.
can you or dh come home during the day and walk her quickly? If not could a trusted friend do it for you?

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

Does she have things to do during the day? We give Katie a Kong with a treat in it in the morning and it takes her a while to get the treat out. Also, we leave the radio on.

Have you tried a laser pointer? We can use it while we watch TV and it gets the energy right out of her.

ETA: Katie was VERY slow to housebreak and I attribute it to lack of exercise and companionship. We have a play date 1x a week for her with my parents dog.

Message edited 4/25/2007 4:22:07 PM.

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

Here is what I learned from my trainer about housebreaking. The smaller the dog the smaller the initial area you need to keep them in. Dogs learn not to go in the house only because they learn to think of the house as their den, and you never poop where you sleep (even in nature!). So big dogs are naturally accustomed to larger spaces, and so pick up on the "house as den" concept quicker. You'll note a manifestation of this in big dogs if there is a room in your house that you don't really use, but for some reason that seems to be where all the "accidents" happen (unfortunately for a lot of people that's usually the "nice" room that they don't use all the time, like a formal living room with a really nice carpet) - the dogs has learned that this is not part of the den.

So, the idea is to keep the pup in a small enough area (hence one reason why a lot of people choose to crate train) so they know not to poop there, and then as they learn that to increase the area until they learn the whole house is the den and isn't to be soiled.

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

I have a tiny yorkie too (6lbs), she is now 3yrs old and she is trained to go outside but while we are at work she cant hold it all day long so we put down Wee Wee pad in the kitchen and she goes on that (dont get me wrong occasionally she will miss it by a few inches but she has the idea). If you want her to use the pad while you are gone - have you tried to dab the pad in her urine so smells it an knows that is "where" to go?

BTW my yorkie is not as energetic but she sure is a barker too!! It drives me nuts when people pass the house, other dogs, squirrels!! It is a terrier thing I guess.....if I call her name or yell at her she shuts up.

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

I would have to say 11 hours is a long time for your dog to have to hold it in.
That's almost half a day.
We feel pain when we hold it in. I am sure our pets do at some point as well.
I know you probably don't have much of a choice. Most people have to work and don't have someone to walk their dog for them.So please don't take my oppinion the wrong way.
If I left Mia for 11 hours,I would not be surprised if she had an accident.

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

We put the pad in the bottom pan in the pic, it works well for us.

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Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

also, is she spayed?

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

I definitely know what you mean about mixed opinions because we get them all the time with our new puppy and it's so hard to know what to do because of it.

Can you hire a dog walker?

Also, i've heard you should never punish a dog for having an accident because really... they don't know any better. They need to be taught what to do because otherwise, they think the whole house is their potty.

I understand how you hate to crate her, but maybe cut down the space in your kitchen that you give her. And until she starts going on the wee wee pads, then increase the space you give her. Also i've found that in most cases, the dogs will go to the same spot so maybe make sure you consistently put the pads down where you know she goes.

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

Maybe you could try a large crate and put the weewee pads in one corner. Then, if she starts to use them you could gradually expand her space.

Honestly, we crate Misty for 10-12 hours a day and she is usually fine. I do keep some towels and blankets in her crate so if she wets I can just throw them in the wash (it rarely happens, but it does). Besides the towels and blankets help her stay comfy when she is in the crate.

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

i would think its most definatly because of the 11 hours she is home alone.

she may be being spiteful or she may just not care or know better.

i would NOT crate her that long if i were you. just keep her to a confined area.

Re: If I didn't LOVE this little beast SO much (LONG)

Thanks for your suggestions ! - I'm going to try crating her again.

I need to start treating her more like a dog and less like a person. - I'm sure it's my own fault for not being stricter with her from the beginning. -

Unfortunately, her being alone 11 hours a day is just a reality - DH and I have to work - and we work in the city -

Wish me luck !