I'm Really Overwhelmed.

[Potter]

I haven't been posting on Yorkietalk for a while but I am really overwhelmed today. Pao has been quite high maintenance lately. I walk him an hour a day every day. He is 8 years old and even after an hour's walk he still has a lot of energy when we get home. He barks at my husband sometimes for no reason, even trying to bite him sometimes. Usually happens when my husband is going to go out. We have been through trainings, nothing has changed. Have been told sometimes it is genetic. When we walk , he is reactive to other dogs on leash nor children so I have to be very vigilant when I walk him. I have to be on constant look out and prepared to change my walking route if I see other dogs, children, cyclists, joggers etc so it is not a relaxing walk for me.

I feel like I can't keep up with him anymore because my hip joints constantly hurt currently as I have some health issues myself. I am quite overwhelmed right now. I have had Pao since he was 3 months old and has never thought of rehoming him but I am so overwhelmed right now I am not sure what to do. I am also still paying off his vet bill since two months ago.

Also, he used to be really picky before he got sick but now he is constantly hungry eventhough I feed him 4-5 times a day but in smaller portions and will constantly bark at the kitchen counter for food.

I am just so tired and stressed out I do not know what to do. I feel like I am at my wit's end.

[Britster]

Honestly, rehoming won't solve anything "really". Your problems will just be passed on to someone else. I am sure he would be completely devastated after 8 years with you. These sound like fairly simple behavior problems and I wouldn't re-home just because you are now in a state of stress. I get it, I do... but don't do something you may regret a year from now, or 2 years from now, etc...

My dads JRT mix is almost 7 and has an attitude problem. She growls when you lay next to her while she's sleeping, she hates other dogs, she barks at everything that goes by the house, but honestly? It's our fault. We're lazy, she's set in her ways, we've just kind of accepted the fact that she is going to be her. Rehoming wouldn't even be an option at this point. Even though she acts big and tough, and can be a royal PITA, at night when she's scared of thunder, and curls up with my dad, all tends to be forgiven even if for just a moment.

Walking an hour a day is GREAT.... definitely keep up w/ that! Maybe work on some mind games. For Jackson, a high energy pup as well, sometimes he gets more tired from a 15 min training session than an hour long walk. Use clicker training, teach some new tricks, work his little mind a bit, and at the same time, re-create a bond between you. Use food puzzles, I like Kong Wobbler, but there's tons of dog toy puzzles out there. I also use a little 'Donut' as a balancing thing for him to do. A lot of these indoor activities keep him busy and satisfied and less likely to be annoying.

[lynzy420]

Has he had bloodwork? Baseline xray? Sounds like something could be bothering him? I wouldn't begin to guess without knowing a complete panel and xray results.


I'm sorry your having so many problems, you are definitely struggling, I can hear it in your "tone"....keep posting here, keep going until you find out what this is all about.


Have there been any changes in your home etc?

[Potter]

Originally Posted by lynzy420

Has he had bloodwork? Baseline xray? Sounds like something could be bothering him? I wouldn't begin to guess without knowing a complete panel and xray results.


I'm sorry your having so many problems, you are definitely struggling, I can hear it in your "tone"....keep posting here, keep going until you find out what this is all about.


Have there been any changes in your home etc?

He is back to normal in terms of his health. He did have pancreatitis about 2-3 months ago but he is all well now. Blood work has came back normal. In terms of change in the house, a neighbour gave us a few dining chairs and I know she has cats but he doesn't really care about the chairs and only checked it out the first hour we got them. I love him a lot and after 8 years, I will not pass him on to someone else but at the moment I just feel very suffocated. I feel like his constant need of attention is sapping my energy out. I do spend a lot of time with him before work, after work, weekends because I am still worried after his bout of pancreatitis and I am still on constant watch with his health and diet. I really would like a little help from the spouse but I know it'll never happen and I feel like I just can't catch a break from doing every thing and am at the point of not taking care of myself. I am just really tired. I wonder if Pao caught on to me being a little resentful of the whole situation and reacts to it...

[Yorkiemom1]

Do you have a fenced in back yard? Perhaps he just needs so outdoor time several times a day....you can relax in a chaise lounge and toss a ball or any other toy he really likes to play with...I put kibble in a plastic bottle and put it on the ground and my babies go nuts pushing that bottle around, getting the kibble that falls out! I tie a stuffed toy to a deep sea fishing rod and reel, that has really strong nylon line on it...I cast that toy out across the yard and reel it back to me....the dogs go absolutely nuts chasing that toy as it flops and drags back to me! They LOVE it! I have a bubble machine that they love to chase the bubbles, I have water sprinklers, kiddie swimming pools....all this wears my kiddos out and they sleep like logs at night and when they come in they nap peacefully....maybe your baby just isnt getting encough exercise with that one daily walk....I can appreciate your issue with joint pain....I have to use a walker when I go walking any long distance....but I can sit in a chair and throw toys and cast that toy on that fishing rod and reel, etc....and plumb wear them out!! I hate that you are sofrustrated and at the end of your roap with the situation....I hope you can solve the issue without having to rehome your baby..

[Batgirl38]

Do you ever just let him run around in the yard a few times a day? My little one is a ball of energy to. Running around in the yard seems to work for me. If you don't have a fence/gate get one of those things u put in the ground that you attach a 20ft leash to and just watch him through the window

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Do you have a fenced in back yard? Perhaps he just needs so outdoor time several times a day....you can relax in a chaise lounge and toss a ball or any other toy he really likes to play with...I put kibble in a plastic bottle and put it on the ground and my babies go nuts pushing that bottle around, getting the kibble that falls out! I tie a stuffed toy to a deep sea fishing rod and reel, that has really strong nylon line on it...I cast that toy out across the yard and reel it back to me....the dogs go absolutely nuts chasing that toy as it flops and drags back to me! They LOVE it! I have a bubble machine that they love to chase the bubbles, I have water sprinklers, kiddie swimming pools....all this wears my kiddos out and they sleep like logs at night and when they come in they nap peacefully....maybe your baby just isnt getting encough exercise with that one daily walk....I can appreciate your issue with joint pain....I have to use a walker when I go walking any long distance....but I can sit in a chair and throw toys and cast that toy on that fishing rod and reel, etc....and plumb wear them out!! I hate that you are sofrustrated and at the end of your roap with the situation....I hope you can solve the issue without having to rehome your baby..

Wonderful, thoughtful, measured advice - as usual!!!

[Potter]

Thanks everyone for the great ideas. We do have a nice yard for him to run in and hubby works from home so he goes out multiple times a day. We do throw ball outside. I do need to get that pole with a toy idea. I'm already on 3 glucosamine tab a day and is still achy so I'm going to get that toy for him.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I believe if things don't drastically change for this dog, the situation may become untenable for all of you, especially him. If you can't work with him and enrich his life more, under the circumstances it might be fairer to your precious, high-energy, demanding little dog to start to think about possibly rehoming him, after reading your posts. I'm sure he senses he's becoming something of a burden to you both and not the special joy of your lives that he once was, which usually causes a dog no end of anxiety and stress. He knows something is physically wrong with you, senses your unhappiness with his ways and is constantly trying to fix it, to stay in your face to help him frantically make it better somehow. Anxious, high-energy dogs can drive one batty if one doesn't know how or is not physically up to helping them out of their frantic stress.

Given time and patient searching to find him another owner, he possibly could be just the answer for someone who really felt up to him and had the home situation that he could get right into, especially if they kept him very busy with life-enriching activities! Dogs usually try to bite out of anxiety or fear or to try to self-manage a situation and I doubt you or your husband are up to or would be willing to do the things that it would take to try to stabilize the situation with him.

He's acting up outside on the leash because he hasn't been properly trained or motivated to walk easily beside you. That's not either of your faults - you just don't know how to do it, haven't the patience or skills to properly train him or feel like persistently doing the things it would take to correct those outside issues, so he's likely missing a lot of the walks he needs. He's probably always "hungry" because he's frustrated and bored with his life and wants to eat out of frustration/stress just to make himself feel better temporarily and give him something to do.

After a thorough vet check to be sure he's not wormy or otherwise ill or injured, someone who felt up to it could engage him in some intense obedience training or puzzle or other activities rather than feed him another meal during those times he starts begging for food and he'd just love it. And if properly motivated, all healthy dogs will respond to training! They do. I've never met a healthy dog with a normal brain who couldn't learn another way to conduct himself.

I understand it is very upsetting for most dogs to change homes and normally, I don't recommend it but honestly, I've personally known of situations when new owners got a troubled dog from his old home and he was reborn. I've fostered some quite old dogs who did wonderfully here - sometimes after a rocky start we worked through and sometimes who settled right in and happily so. Just because he's 8 years old doesn't mean he can never adjust to a new home or owner/guardian - it happens all the time.

If you could take the time to work with a Yorkie rescue group and find just the right person - someone who was looking for an older dog, someone who felt like taking him and his issues on, with the skills, time, health and energy to work with him, it might be the best answer for all of you. But if you are so unwell that you cannot do all of the things he actually needs at this time in his little life in order for him to have his best life as he ages further, it might show more caring and devotion to him to try to find him a better living situation, if you can, than if you try to keep him and things just get worse and worse.

[sandy simpson]

Sounds a lot like my dog JoJo. He will be 3yrs in September. He is high energy. I love him and put up with a lot of his monkey business. He barks at my husband. I got a barker breaker and that seems to help. I just push that button, it makes a loud sound and he stops. Dogs take a lot of time and sacrifice. All the love they give us is worth it. JoJo likes to stay busy. I give him CET chews I get at the vet. I watch to make sure he won't choke on little gummy pieces. He has his balls and we play. I hope you can find time and room in your heart to be patient with this little fella.

[Jkpal]

Everything is more difficult when you're not feeling well; I sincerely hope you're on the mend. Perhaps before your little one barks at counter for food, you could offer him a little milkbone or the like...it may help break the demand barking...? Also, do you have any friends who could help? Perhaps a trusted friend could take him to their home for a couple of hours a few days a week. I know I have to watch my tone with Piper when she's telling me something over and over and I'm not getting it. If I say, "Piper, what?" with any frustration or impatience, she reacts by freezing and staring at me. So I do get that (realizing my tone) and then I respond with joy and happiness in my question, it's all good again. She's teaching me to understand and speak yorkie. And you know what? I'm a better person for it/her...truly. Wishing you both a calmer, happier future together.

[calismama]

Originally Posted by Potter

I haven't been posting on Yorkietalk for a while but I am really overwhelmed today. Pao has been quite high maintenance lately. I walk him an hour a day every day. He is 8 years old and even after an hour's walk he still has a lot of energy when we get home. He barks at my husband sometimes for no reason, even trying to bite him sometimes. Usually happens when my husband is going to go out. We have been through trainings, nothing has changed. Have been told sometimes it is genetic. When we walk , he is reactive to other dogs on leash nor children so I have to be very vigilant when I walk him. I have to be on constant look out and prepared to change my walking route if I see other dogs, children, cyclists, joggers etc so it is not a relaxing walk for me.

I feel like I can't keep up with him anymore because my hip joints constantly hurt currently as I have some health issues myself. I am quite overwhelmed right now. I have had Pao since he was 3 months old and has never thought of rehoming him but I am so overwhelmed right now I am not sure what to do. I am also still paying off his vet bill since two months ago.

Also, he used to be really picky before he got sick but now he is constantly hungry eventhough I feed him 4-5 times a day but in smaller portions and will constantly bark at the kitchen counter for food.

I am just so tired and stressed out I do not know what to do. I feel like I am at my wit's end.

I'm so sorry. I don't really have any advice, but I can commiserate because I have a very high needs yorkie as well. She is almost 1 and there are times when I really wonder what I was thinking! But of course, the good stuff generally outweighs the bad in my case. I also can sympathize with the vet bills and the constantly wanting to eat. One goes hand in hand for me, because Cali had to be hospitalized BECAUSE she eats everything (particularly things she shouldn't) and she messed up her kidneys!

Honestly, if you are miserable and your quality of life is declining I think you should rehome him. You have to think about yourself, too. Your happiness is just as important as anyone elses.

[Lovetodream88]

Before rehoming I think everything possible should be tried because if you rehome him he is going to have the same issues and could just go from home to home or be put to sleep because no one wants him or to deal with his issues or he could be treated very badly.

[mindy10]

I feel for ya. I have a new puppy and he is so active. He eats anything and everything he can get his mouth on. So basically I watch him 24/7 when I am home because I am afraid he will swallow something. When I get overwhelmed I just go up stairs and take a break from him and that helps me. Good luck.

[Magnus]

Have you thought of maybe doing activities like dock diving, barn hunting, etc? Perhaps he just needs extra stimulus? If he likes to eat, how about those puzzle treat dispensers?

I hope you can find solution that'll benefit everyone. Good luck.