Help!

[ckb]

I'll cut a long story short..... I took on my friends 9 year old yorkie boy in October. He was hardly walked with my friend and this is causing me problems. When it comes to getting him ready for a walk it becomes an ordeal thy makes me reluctant I want to take him out again! He becomes ridiculously excited, makes it difficult to get his harness on and once we've eventually do all that he tarts grunting and barking like a mad dog until we open the door where he proceeds to pull, grunt and eventually vomit all the way through the walk. I want to be able to take him for more walks but I dread it every time because of his behaviour!

Does anyone know how I can rectify this or train the behavior out of him?

Thanks

[ckb]

Sorry about spelling errors, it's late an I'm tired! Lol x

[yorkietalkjilly]

By gradually desensitizing him to the walks and everything associated with getting ready for one, he will more calmly accept each step. Just get out his leash and harness and lay them near the door and walk away, go about your regular business, ignoring his excitement. After a few times of doing that over a couple of days, put the gear on him and take it back off, go about your day, ignoring his wild excitement and remaining calm, matter-of-fact. He'll get very excited at first but eventually see that just getting it out, putting it near the door or wherever or even putting it on him doesn't mean anything. Don't advance to the next step, whatever step you are on, until he's calmly accepting of it.

When he will let you get the leash and gear out and put it on him and remains pretty calm, open the door and in 15 seconds, close it again, remove his leash and go about your business for a while. Slowly work up to the next step when he stops being insanely excited by each step until you take him outside and come right back in and unleash him and go about your business. Over time he will gradually adjust to each step in the walking process and accept that getting wildly excited isn't worth it and learn to control his expectations and level of excitement.

Working with this little guy in an obedience program should also help him gain some interest and sense of accomplishment in his life and help him control his impulses for your positive feedback and treats.

Go easy on him - dogs don't get much that much excitement in their lives and unless we gently and lovingly and patiently train them how to control themselves and their impulses, they are slaves to the little excitement they do have in their lives.

[ckb]

That all sounds great, I'll feel a but guilty though making him think he's going for a walk if he isn't.... I'm too soft I think. I just want a happy dog.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by ckb

That all sounds great, I'll feel a but guilty though making him think he's going for a walk if he isn't.... I'm too soft I think. I just want a happy dog.

Don't feel guilty! You are using his own canine nature to help him. He'll learn in time that excitement doesn't work that well and just because all the usual things happen, no walk ensues every time and it will help him learn how to control that awful excitement you described, especially at his age. He's a mature dog at 9 years and needs to be able to gain self-control, which this method will teach him how to slowly do it. Slowly exposing a dog a little bit at a time to things that excite or scare them is how to help them learn to react differently and become a better companion to you.

[Verbena]

Jeanie gave you great advice. I hope it works out for you