Yorkie aggression - YorkieTalk.com Forums

my3kiddos · 04-30-2008, 03:45 PM

Hi Everyone! I need some advice. My yorkie, Hercules, is 1 1/2 yrs old and is so sweet to all of us in our family. He would never hurt us, and smothers each of our faces with kisses on a daily basis. He bed hops at night to spread his love. When we got him last winter, I made sure to get him socialized with our neighbor kids since they would be around him often. I took him to kids outdoor practices, games, etc. He was always friendly to everyone, but definitely timid if anyone tried to pick him up.

This winter he seems to have lost some of his socialization skills. He now is showing signs of aggression (barking,growling, nipping) at people who come into our home. He does this when they initially enter, and he does it again when the door opens for them to leave. I don't want him to hurt someone. Now I hold him tightly when people come and go, and let him sniff their arm. He usually calms down after he has sniffed them. But when they go to leave, I have to have him in my arms again.

He also barks profusely when he sees people outside.

None of this behavior is exhibited if we are not at home. I take him for cars rides to pick kids up, and he never barks at anyone who walks by our car. I've started taking him to kids activities again, and he lets people pet him, and doesn't make a sound.

Is this just protecting his territory? How do I get him to ease up so no one is ever bitten? We also don't do aggressive play with him, so I'm not sure why this is happening now. He was neutered at 6 mo.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

marcerella02 · 05-02-2008, 04:13 PM

my best guess.. and i'm sure the guess of many others... is that he feels he is alpha dog.. and needs to protect you and the house from anyone who comes in or even comes close. You said he sleeps with you.... does he get to go on your furniture? is he free fed? does he pull on the leash when you walk him, does he have to sit for treats and/or food... does he get to go first out the door? also when you hold him, you are telling him what he is doing is good and you are going to give him attention because of it. Layla used to have alpha issues and they can be tough to break but it IS possible...

Katys mom · 05-02-2008, 04:27 PM

I agree he must think he is the alpha dog. Here is a link to cesars web site. I hope it helps. http://http://www.cesarmillaninc.com...aggression.php

lily's mom · 05-02-2008, 04:32 PM

Wow, that is exactly how Lily acts. My kids can't have friends over for fear she will bite them. I can't wait to hear the good advice you get.

my3kiddos · 05-02-2008, 07:46 PM

Thank you for the replies. Yes, Hercules is allowed on the furniture, but mostly he just sits on someones lap--usually mine. I keep a few dry kibbles in his dish most of the day, so yes, he can eat whenever he wants to. If we feed him table food, he eats after we do. He does sit to get treats. When he is in my arms as people are entering or leaving, he is barking and I am verbally reprimanding him with a stern "no" or "naughty." We haven't taken a lot of walks lately due to the cold. When we do, I will sometimes just let him freely explore on his leash so he can experience all the sights and smells of a dog. This is probably sending him a mixed message that he is in charge. Hercules goes potty indoors in a litterbox, so during the winter he doesn't get out much. As for who goes out the door first, we have a heavy, self-closing fire door, so I usually carry him for safety reasons.

I'm sure he does think he is the alpha dog. He is so darn cute, and I know he is spoiled. I just heard my husband say in another room, "Hercules, do you think you are one of us?" Could that statment right there indicate we are creating a monster?

So now, how do we stop it? I know one thing I've been thinking is we have to get better with teaching "stay." If he would stay, and be quiet, he wouldn't get so worked up.

Any suggestions for breaking the alpha dog???

Thank you!!!

LoveMyJake · 05-02-2008, 09:16 PM

When we brought our second yorkie (Jackson) home, we had a slight issue of Jackson wanting to be "alpha" to my then one-year-old yorkie, Jake. I stepped in to show that it was ME that is the alpha. When he would show aggressive behavior toward Jake, I would immediately say "NO" firmly and just touch him as I said it. I taught him "sit" and "stay".....these two basic commands are essential to your dog learning that you are the alpha, in my opinion. He learned these two commands in a snap, so when I would tell him "NO" and touch him lightly, I would then tell him to "sit".....then, I would praise him and give him a treat. I also read that it is important that you eat first, then feed your dog second. Again, "sit" and "stay" are very effective here. Some people say to kinda stir your dog's food with your finger so that your scent is on the food, which helps makes them realize you are alpha. When you feed your dog, don't let him jump up or run around. Have him sit and stay, then put the food down and give him praise and tell him to eat.

Lots of praise and rewards when they do something good is important. Believe me, I KNOW how easy it is to spoil these little ones! I have two spoiled boys!

But, I feel like I have the best of both worlds. They both are well behaved and listen really well. I can take them places and not have to worry. And, they are also my spoiled babies. You can have both, you just have to learn how to balance it and make them see your affection as a reward to their good behavior. They love to please their owners. The key is consistency, as they learn by repetition.

I have had so much fun training mine! I hope you have just as much fun!

my3kiddos · 05-03-2008, 05:27 AM

Thank you for the advice. We will really focus on getting him to sit and stay. I really want other people to see what a sweetie pie he truly can be.

ckuz13 · 05-03-2008, 07:26 AM

this reminds me of the thread I posted last week about a breeders dog. I went to see some 9 week pups and the dam was showing the exact same behavior. Barking and acting nervous and fearful. And then showed some alpha-dog behavior as we left. Nipping at my leg. The breeder was quite embarrased. I was worried that this might be a trait that could be passed down to her pups so I have not bought one yet..She swears she is normally sweet. So this could be the same problem she is having too..

my3kiddos · 05-03-2008, 08:04 AM

Hercules is normally sweet too. When we are out in public, he never has these behaviors (knock on wood) and everyone tells me how sweet and cute he is. He only does this upon other people entering and leaving our house. If I don't pick him up, he nips at their pants too. Obviously I don't want it to escalate. However, once the person is in the house and he has sniffed them, he is good. My kids have had friends over and Hercules has sat in their laps. As for the puppies you are considering, if you buy one, make sure you really teach "sit" and "stay." That's what I'm going to be working on here.

ckuz13 · 05-03-2008, 08:18 AM

yeah..that is what I was hoping..Some of the breeders on here were saying it is a temperament issue and I should not buy the pup. But I thought the pup was sweet not too shy or timid just nice. So I will still think about it thanks so much. Good luck.

missashlee28 · 05-03-2008, 07:33 PM

Maybe you could try giving your dog treats when visitors come over, knocking at the door, etc. And when the vistor comes in, you can give them a toy or a treat to share with your dog. Maybe then your dog will view the vistor as something more positive.

romeos mommy · 05-03-2008, 07:35 PM

my york gets aggressive sometimes too. i think he's trying to protect me. i should have done obedience training early on.

ckuz13 · 05-04-2008, 08:20 AM

I did see an episode on animal planet where redirection was applied to an aggressive dog. He did like men. So every time he encountered a man, the "man" was to give him a treat( chicken) . They kept this up for a while with different men until the dog no longer felt that the men were a threat.

Ines3185lyorkie · 05-04-2008, 09:08 AM

My Nina does growl ONLY at my other dogs because she wants to be petted and no one else.

Your furball sounds like it's a territorial issue

VeeeB · 08-18-2013, 05:52 AM

I am so unhappy, I have tried everything to stop the aggression shown by my pet to no avail.I have been advised by behavourists and trainers that he will NEVER,in their opinion,become the loving family pet I wanted.Possibly he would improve after months of intensive training but only to a degree.Having been very recently widowed,I cant face such a prospect of months dreading friends' visit as he is a nightmare the whole time they are in my house.I now have to hold him on a lead as he has bitten a couple of friends...and,if I crate him,he barks constantly.My Grandchildren are unable to enter my house freely as he goes for them,and I have had to fence off my daughters adjoining garden for safety.I honestly cant cope with it any more..and have had to make arrangements for him to be returned to his breeder tomorrow,which has devastated me.He adores me and is so good when we are alone,but,I must have a dog I can leave with family when I go away...as I am hoping to take frequent trips.I feel so guilty but trainers,family and friends assure me I am doing the right thing for him and my own sanity.I did so want a dog for companionship,but am now worried to look for a replacement..as this experience has caused me to feel as tho I am facing another bereavement tomorrow. He could have had such a happy life with me and my family.

04-30-2008, 03:45 PM	#1
my3kiddos Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: slater Posts: 20	Yorkie aggression Hi Everyone! I need some advice. My yorkie, Hercules, is 1 1/2 yrs old and is so sweet to all of us in our family. He would never hurt us, and smothers each of our faces with kisses on a daily basis. He bed hops at night to spread his love. When we got him last winter, I made sure to get him socialized with our neighbor kids since they would be around him often. I took him to kids outdoor practices, games, etc. He was always friendly to everyone, but definitely timid if anyone tried to pick him up. This winter he seems to have lost some of his socialization skills. He now is showing signs of aggression (barking,growling, nipping) at people who come into our home. He does this when they initially enter, and he does it again when the door opens for them to leave. I don't want him to hurt someone. Now I hold him tightly when people come and go, and let him sniff their arm. He usually calms down after he has sniffed them. But when they go to leave, I have to have him in my arms again. He also barks profusely when he sees people outside. None of this behavior is exhibited if we are not at home. I take him for cars rides to pick kids up, and he never barks at anyone who walks by our car. I've started taking him to kids activities again, and he lets people pet him, and doesn't make a sound. Is this just protecting his territory? How do I get him to ease up so no one is ever bitten? We also don't do aggressive play with him, so I'm not sure why this is happening now. He was neutered at 6 mo. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

05-02-2008, 04:13 PM	#2
marcerella02 Loved by Layla Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 11,257	my best guess.. and i'm sure the guess of many others... is that he feels he is alpha dog.. and needs to protect you and the house from anyone who comes in or even comes close. You said he sleeps with you.... does he get to go on your furniture? is he free fed? does he pull on the leash when you walk him, does he have to sit for treats and/or food... does he get to go first out the door? also when you hold him, you are telling him what he is doing is good and you are going to give him attention because of it. Layla used to have alpha issues and they can be tough to break but it IS possible... __________________ http://misscanam.blogspot.com/ Layla 's Simon

05-02-2008, 04:32 PM	#4
lily's mom Lily Loves Maximus Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,633	Wow, that is exactly how Lily acts. My kids can't have friends over for fear she will bite them. I can't wait to hear the good advice you get. __________________ Lily and Dawn

05-02-2008, 09:16 PM	#6
LoveMyJake I love Jackson too! Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,905	When we brought our second yorkie (Jackson) home, we had a slight issue of Jackson wanting to be "alpha" to my then one-year-old yorkie, Jake. I stepped in to show that it was ME that is the alpha. When he would show aggressive behavior toward Jake, I would immediately say "NO" firmly and just touch him as I said it. I taught him "sit" and "stay".....these two basic commands are essential to your dog learning that you are the alpha, in my opinion. He learned these two commands in a snap, so when I would tell him "NO" and touch him lightly, I would then tell him to "sit".....then, I would praise him and give him a treat. I also read that it is important that you eat first, then feed your dog second. Again, "sit" and "stay" are very effective here. Some people say to kinda stir your dog's food with your finger so that your scent is on the food, which helps makes them realize you are alpha. When you feed your dog, don't let him jump up or run around. Have him sit and stay, then put the food down and give him praise and tell him to eat. Lots of praise and rewards when they do something good is important. Believe me, I KNOW how easy it is to spoil these little ones! I have two spoiled boys! But, I feel like I have the best of both worlds. They both are well behaved and listen really well. I can take them places and not have to worry. And, they are also my spoiled babies. You can have both, you just have to learn how to balance it and make them see your affection as a reward to their good behavior. They love to please their owners. The key is consistency, as they learn by repetition. I have had so much fun training mine! I hope you have just as much fun! __________________ Selina, mommy to Jake and Jackson. RIP baby Lily Coming soon: Gracie

05-03-2008, 07:35 PM	#12
romeos mommy YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Pennsauken , NJ Posts: 4,068	my york gets aggressive sometimes too. i think he's trying to protect me. i should have done obedience training early on. __________________ Bernadette & Romeo

05-02-2008, 04:27 PM	#3
Katys mom I love yorkie kisses Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,751	I agree he must think he is the alpha dog. Here is a link to cesars web site. I hope it helps. http://http://www.cesarmillaninc.com...aggression.php

05-02-2008, 07:46 PM	#5
my3kiddos Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: slater Posts: 20	Thank you for the replies. Yes, Hercules is allowed on the furniture, but mostly he just sits on someones lap--usually mine. I keep a few dry kibbles in his dish most of the day, so yes, he can eat whenever he wants to. If we feed him table food, he eats after we do. He does sit to get treats. When he is in my arms as people are entering or leaving, he is barking and I am verbally reprimanding him with a stern "no" or "naughty." We haven't taken a lot of walks lately due to the cold. When we do, I will sometimes just let him freely explore on his leash so he can experience all the sights and smells of a dog. This is probably sending him a mixed message that he is in charge. Hercules goes potty indoors in a litterbox, so during the winter he doesn't get out much. As for who goes out the door first, we have a heavy, self-closing fire door, so I usually carry him for safety reasons. I'm sure he does think he is the alpha dog. He is so darn cute, and I know he is spoiled. I just heard my husband say in another room, "Hercules, do you think you are one of us?" Could that statment right there indicate we are creating a monster? So now, how do we stop it? I know one thing I've been thinking is we have to get better with teaching "stay." If he would stay, and be quiet, he wouldn't get so worked up. Any suggestions for breaking the alpha dog??? Thank you!!!

05-03-2008, 05:27 AM	#7
my3kiddos Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: slater Posts: 20	Thank you for the advice. We will really focus on getting him to sit and stay. I really want other people to see what a sweetie pie he truly can be.

05-03-2008, 07:26 AM	#8
ckuz13 YT Addict Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sunny Arizona Posts: 351	this reminds me of the thread I posted last week about a breeders dog. I went to see some 9 week pups and the dam was showing the exact same behavior. Barking and acting nervous and fearful. And then showed some alpha-dog behavior as we left. Nipping at my leg. The breeder was quite embarrased. I was worried that this might be a trait that could be passed down to her pups so I have not bought one yet..She swears she is normally sweet. So this could be the same problem she is having too..

05-03-2008, 08:04 AM	#9
my3kiddos Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: slater Posts: 20	Hercules is normally sweet too. When we are out in public, he never has these behaviors (knock on wood) and everyone tells me how sweet and cute he is. He only does this upon other people entering and leaving our house. If I don't pick him up, he nips at their pants too. Obviously I don't want it to escalate. However, once the person is in the house and he has sniffed them, he is good. My kids have had friends over and Hercules has sat in their laps. As for the puppies you are considering, if you buy one, make sure you really teach "sit" and "stay." That's what I'm going to be working on here.

05-03-2008, 08:18 AM	#10
ckuz13 YT Addict Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sunny Arizona Posts: 351	yeah..that is what I was hoping..Some of the breeders on here were saying it is a temperament issue and I should not buy the pup. But I thought the pup was sweet not too shy or timid just nice. So I will still think about it thanks so much. Good luck.

05-03-2008, 07:33 PM	#11
missashlee28 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lompoc, CA Posts: 25	Maybe you could try giving your dog treats when visitors come over, knocking at the door, etc. And when the vistor comes in, you can give them a toy or a treat to share with your dog. Maybe then your dog will view the vistor as something more positive.

05-04-2008, 08:20 AM	#13
ckuz13 YT Addict Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sunny Arizona Posts: 351	I did see an episode on animal planet where redirection was applied to an aggressive dog. He did like men. So every time he encountered a man, the "man" was to give him a treat( chicken) . They kept this up for a while with different men until the dog no longer felt that the men were a threat.

05-04-2008, 09:08 AM	#14
Ines3185lyorkie Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Yorkietown Posts: 634	My Nina does growl ONLY at my other dogs because she wants to be petted and no one else. Your furball sounds like it's a territorial issue

08-18-2013, 05:52 AM	#15
VeeeB YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: England Posts: 8	I am so unhappy, I have tried everything to stop the aggression shown by my pet to no avail.I have been advised by behavourists and trainers that he will NEVER,in their opinion,become the loving family pet I wanted.Possibly he would improve after months of intensive training but only to a degree.Having been very recently widowed,I cant face such a prospect of months dreading friends' visit as he is a nightmare the whole time they are in my house.I now have to hold him on a lead as he has bitten a couple of friends...and,if I crate him,he barks constantly.My Grandchildren are unable to enter my house freely as he goes for them,and I have had to fence off my daughters adjoining garden for safety.I honestly cant cope with it any more..and have had to make arrangements for him to be returned to his breeder tomorrow,which has devastated me.He adores me and is so good when we are alone,but,I must have a dog I can leave with family when I go away...as I am hoping to take frequent trips.I feel so guilty but trainers,family and friends assure me I am doing the right thing for him and my own sanity.I did so want a dog for companionship,but am now worried to look for a replacement..as this experience has caused me to feel as tho I am facing another bereavement tomorrow. He could have had such a happy life with me and my family.