Dog Behavior

[Gina]

As you know my Gucci is a 4 yr. old Yorkie.. She really is a sweet dog.. But yesterday and it happend a few other times in the past. She had something in her mouth and I went to pull it away and she bit me several times as I was trying to remove it. I know she didn't really mean to she was just trying to not have me snatch it.. I really got mad and yelled at her calling her a bad girl, she went to hide under my chair she knew she did wrong... In the meantime I bled and it still hurts today and I hope its not infected I put anitbodic ointment on it.


Now my question most of you have yorkies how do I stop this behavior? God forbid I have a kid over and the child would pull a toy away I wouldn't trust Gucci.. She basically like I said is good but now I am concerned...

Help any advice is appreciated...


BTW I had a tetanus shot 7 yrs . ago do I need to get another due to bite?

[gja1000]

You are OK, you only need a tetanus shot every 10 years.

About the aggressive behavior - I have Yorkies but neither have ever bitten me when I've taken things out of their mouth. I have heard of that though. I think there is a procedure where you have to make them understand that you are in control of food, not them, and that you are the pack leader.

I know this is not everything that needs to be done, and I probably have some of it wrong, but this is what I remember. You do not free feed the dog (I know I know, I free feed mine, and you probably do too). You only feed them at a certain time and you do not leave the food down, even if they don't eat.

You make them sit (in front of the food) before you put the food down and you do not let them eat until you tell them to eat. I have seen people get down and act like they were eating the food in front of the dogs while the dogs were having to sit and wait. This lets the dog know that you are in control of the food, not them.

I also think that part of the process is making them stop eating and sit for a bit till you tell them to go back to eating.

That's all I remember and I'm sure others will have better/different advice. It is a dominance thing - Gucci thinks she is the pack leader, not you, or she would acquiesce what is in her mouth without a fight. You are right to be concerned. She might bite a child if they were to try to get a toy from her.

[Marilyn]

Gina, I don't have any advice, just empathy. We have biting yorkies, too. Chase, 10 year old male, will bite unpredictably. Sometimes he wants to be picked up, you pick him up and he growls and nipps. Sometimes I'm sitting on the couch and go to get up, he's at my feet is startled and bites me on the ankle. When I brush him near his head, he will turn and bite me, and yes, he has drawn blood. I've told people that if yorkies were bigger dogs, we couldn't have them because of the biting. They are so small, they may draw blood, but can't really hurt you too much.

Even my little 3 year old, 4 lb Zoe, will bite me when I'm brushing her near her head, or when I'm bathing her and washing around her eyes. I just have to be stern with her and let her know who is boss.

Chase bites so randomly, I don't know the solution. He's just an agressive dog.

Both are neutered/spayed, so if the behavior is genetic, it won't be passed on.

Sorry this happened to you. Defending things in their mouths is instinct. It's sad that she was so very defensive that she bit you.

[gja1000]

Marilyn,
We had a Schnauzer like that, many years ago. However, she was about 25 lbs and DID hurt a lot when she bit. So, when we had our first granddaughter, we gave her up to a lady with no children. We just couldn't take the chance that she would bite the baby and since she was bigger, really hurt her.

I don't know why some dogs are like that, as you say, just genetic I guess.

[Gina]

Thank you ladies.. It is frustrating thank God I don't have little kids around.. When family children come over I watch her like a hawk.. These little furbabies are adorable but aggressive.. lol Gucci does think she is the leader oh yeah! lol

I free feed her to Gayle. She use to be picky and she had liver shunt disease and was operated a few years ago. She has the ameroid constrictor put in. So I have her on a special diet of l/d food so I am happy whenever she eats...

I will try to be more stern with her and lets see where I get. I am a pushover when it comes to spoiling and she certainly is SPOILED! lol


thanks!

[Mandy]

Gina, do you warn her prior to grabbing away whatever she got hold of?
I certainly know nothing about dog training, but maybe you can hold the palm of your hand towards her face, talk to her while you take whatever she has in her mouth with your other hand?
Be firm and tell her "watch it Gucci, bad girl" grab her by the neck, and shake gently.
Ive never dealt with this sort of behaviour, please keep us posted.

Hugs to Gucci.

[gja1000]

I completely understand the need to free feed and be thankful when they eat! I have one just like that. It is so maddening. I did find one wet food that he loves (I understand that you have to feed Gucci a special diet). It's Merrick's canned food, the variety "wing-a-ling" and "smothered comfort" (I think). Both have whole pressure cooked chicken thighs and chicken wings in the can along with brown chunks. Rowdy will mostly only eat the chicken (the bones are soft, they just melt when you cut them). But sometimes he will eat some brown chunks too. I feed Rex & Rowdy 1/2 can each in the morning and then leave dry food out during the day for them to snack on. Rowdy rarely eats anything other than the wet food. It is maddening too, because he doesn't even want any treats, so training him is very hard since he doesn't care if he gets a treat or not.

I hope someone has a good answer for you, if not, then just keeping a close eye on her should do the trick!

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Gina

Thank you ladies.. It is frustrating thank God I don't have little kids around.. When family children come over I watch her like a hawk.. These little furbabies are adorable but aggressive.. lol Gucci does think she is the leader oh yeah! lol

I free feed her to Gayle. She use to be picky and she had liver shunt disease and was operated a few years ago. She has the ameroid constrictor put in. So I have her on a special diet of l/d food so I am happy whenever she eats...

I will try to be more stern with her and lets see where I get. I am a pushover when it comes to spoiling and she certainly is SPOILED! lol


thanks!