Need help with 2 puppies. Please

[CrazyOnU]

Hi. I'm new here. Just found this site. I am seriously having problems at my house with our 2 nine month old dogs. They are sisters. They are small dogs. My husband said that their mother was a yorkie but not sure what their father was. My husband got them on a whim (stupid I know). He is a truck driver and came across them. The owner was gonna put them in a box and set them on the doorstep of the pound. So my hubby put them in his truck and brought halfway across the country to me and our daughters. They were so cute. I think that they were about 5 weeks old. I admit, I should have found homes for them because I am not very good at training a puppy. So they now rule the house. We love them and want to keep them, but they make life very difficult. I know it is my fault for not figuring all of this out at the beginning. They poop and pee in the house. They chew clothes. They jump up on everyone. One of them darts out the front door everytime it is opened. They have basically become unliked in my home. I feel so bad because I know that I didn't help them become well behaved dogs. We have a big backyard and for the last month, they have been out there, but now it is getting cold out. Can anyone help me figure out how to start now training them. I don't know where to start?

[gypsy]

First off, stop being so hard on yourself.......we have ALL gone thru this. Sit down. breathe. Now, hit up your local bookstore, or an online one, and get a book on dog training........there are a squintillion out there, so get one that 'speaks' to you. And then, use it. If the budget permits, a basic dog training class would be wonderful for you..........and oftentimes, they are not terribly expensive.
To address a few of the immediate problems: Housetraining. Little dogs take a little longer than big dogs, but by 6 months they usually get it. Consistency is the key. Start having specific mealtimes NOW, then you can regulate the intestines and bladder. 10 minutes after they eat, take them outside, and keep them there until they eliminate. Tell them how clever they are, and use whatever reward works for them.
Chewing clothes/furnishings. Bet you REALLY keep your house picked up now, dont'cha? Anyway, on anything you can't get out of reach.......spray with bitter apple, or the perfume your kids bought you when they were about 4 years old..............good dog repellent. Test the bitter apple, and make certain it won't hurt the fabric/wood/vinyl of what you are spraying with it.
If these dogs have yorkie in them, that means they have Terrier in them, which means they need to be busy. Twice daily walks will calm them down, and can be a family affair. We run our pomeranians around with a remote controlled car, and that works like a champ. Remember, a tired dog is a goooooooooooood dog.
For jumping up on people, try using a squirt gun. Have various people enter the house, and as the pup jumps, squirt them. Just use plain water. It really works well on our dogs.
Your backyard is not a place to store dogs.......the more they are out there, the less socialized they will be, and more of terrors than they are now. Training is easier and more effective than you might realize.
If your hubby is a trucker, he might want to take them on runs with him......plenty of truckers have little dogs in their rigs. Good company, and a good alarm system.
Hope this helped, and give yourself a break. As well as needing training, your two are going thru the terrible teenage stage.........that even well trained pups go thru.
best of luck!