Whining Dog

It make take a little time, but when she isn't whining make sure to stop and tell her what a good girl she is and maybe give her a treat. That lets her know that quiet behavior is good behavior. Try to just ignore her when she is whining and get about 3 seconds of quiet and tell her what a good girl she is and a little attention. If she has any toys that keep her busy, like a kong with peanut butter or kibble in it, that may help when you first put her in her area to distract her for a few minutes. If she knows a quiet command you can use that, or start reinforcing with the word quiet when she is and then good or some form of praise. If she whines at your mom's house too, part of it is she may get attention when she is whining thus increasing the whining. It's great that you can take care of her yorkie for her and hope you Mom heals quickly.

Welcome to the world of dogs! The Yorkshire Terrier is a nice breed, and I bet this nice dog misses your mother.

I'm assuming your mom's dog is healthy; if you and your mother aren't sure about that, take her to the vet to make sure there isn't a physical problem.

If she's on leash most of the time in the house, can you make time to take her to your fenced yard (or a dog park, if she's used to that) and give her a little more freedom? Can you or somebody in your family take her for a walk around the block every day, or twice a day? She must stay on leash for that, since you're not her owner.

At your mom's house, are there any doggy toys? Any special blankets? She might feel more comfortable having some familiar things with her. Do your know what her home routine is like? Ask your mom. Familiar routine may help; she may be saying, "I'm supposed to be doing (something) right now - why aren't I?"

What sort of obedience training has she had? Can you run her through her paces every day? Would the rehab center allow you to take her along when you visit your mother?

Believe it or not, dogs are like little children! You know what a child would do if removed from his/her home and family and plunked down somewhere else. Dogs need attention - who doesn't? - and, being pack animals, they need to know that their leader (that's you, temporarily) cares about them. So talk to the dog and give her attention. Pretend she is a three-year-old human house guest who eats very strange-smelling food. It may surprise you, but she really needs this attention. If she feels more secure of her status in your home, the whining may diminish. There may be habit involved, too, but I think attention will help.

I wish I lived closer to you. We're a very "doggy" family and we would love to have her over to play!

Get a blanket from mom's house and give that to her in her cage. Also a hot water bottle might help. She is missing her mommy. PLay the tv like suggested on whatever channel your mom had on. I'm assuming you won't have Yorkie forever. YOu are so kind to keep her while mom is recovering. can you bring Yorkie to the rehab center where mom is? Maybe that's going overboard

Do you take her for walks? This may sound crazy, but I have been watching back seasons of The Dog Whisperer (got them at the library) and he attributes a lot of a dog's mental state to having walks where the owner is the leader and controls how it goes. Basically, it establishes in the dog's mind who is the leader and creates security. When dogs think they are the leader (Alpha), and a member of the pack is missing (your mom), they get anxious and act out because in the dog world, other dogs don't leave the Alpha. If you establish yourself as the Alpha, it creates a calmer, more secure dog. I have been applying things taught on the show to my dog and it has been working well. I hope this helps.
Denise posted about not giving her attention unless she is calm...in a state that you desire. If she whines and is given attention that reinforces the behavior and will cause more of it. Look for times when she is relaxed and quiet and then give her a lot of love. The more you do that and ignore her when she whines, the more she will get the idea and change her behavior.
The more you understand how a dog's mind works, the more you can teach her how to act and be. They respond to leadership and follow strength (not harshness, but a calm, leading energy), but will try to lead anyone who does not offer this. If you have stations that offer it, watch The Dog Whisperer. I've learned a lot from the show, more than I did from taking my dog to 8 weeks of dog training.

Can you turn on a radio or tv near her? Maybe she's used to noise.

Do you have something of your Moms like a pillow or blanket from home you can put in her dog bed with your Mom's scent? Somehting like this may comfort her little dog. I'm sure she is just lonely an dnot used to the new surroundings. My Dad was in a PT rehab facility for about 4 months after breaking his leg and heart attack, ask at the rehab place, sometimes they allow small dogs to visit patients. Good luck

You might want to take the dog to the vet to have her checked out.