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01-21-2010, 08:32 PM | #1 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: PA
Posts: 3
| Separation Rage? I'm posting concerning my mother's Yorkie, Lace. Lace is 1 year 3 months old, unspayed, and under 5lbs. Lace is a nice dog most of the time, but there is a problem when people leave the house...she attacks ankles and barks viciously. She's been doing this for at least 3 months, and she only goes into a rage when people are LEAVING, not arriving. She has bitten pant legs, but has not hurt anyone yet. I have scolded her sternly, but not angrily, when she has done this to me, and as a result she seldom comes after me anymore. However, she still does this to other people. If I'm around and company is leaving, I'll pick her up and remove her from the room so she doesn't go nuts around the guests. I'm guessing other members of my family aren't being assertive/confident enough? I've mentioned this to my mother. I'm still the only person she (usually) doesn't attack. I'm wondering if there are any training tips for this problem, as I want to get it under control before Lace hurts someone. Thanks for any advice! |
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01-23-2010, 07:26 AM | #2 |
Thor's Human Donating Member | Welcome! This is not all that uncommon. A lot of dogs act like this when their humans go to bed. It's likely to be: separation ANXIETY, resulting in aggression; herding behavior; or resource guarding. I'd recommend a technique I saw on tv: practice departures with her, but make your behavior more unpredictable. Get up, say good bye, then sit on the floor and read. Grab your keys, then get a snack. This should interrut her behavior chain as she gets worked up. "THEY ARE LEAVING ME! PANIC! Oh, wait." Gradually leaving will become less scary for her. |
01-23-2010, 11:36 AM | #3 |
YT 500 Club Member | Perhaps when you have guests before they leave you could put her on her lead, that way you can correct the behaviour by leading her to her bed and making her lie down, if she does get up you have a means to stop her and correct her with a stern no. |
01-23-2010, 12:01 PM | #4 | |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Kansas City
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01-26-2010, 08:05 PM | #5 |
CURRENTLY SUSPENDED! Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA, US
Posts: 207
| Lace, your description kinda sounds like she's is trying to dominate the pack, and separation anxiety or not maybe you are right and the family and vistors can help either way very much by cooperating with asserting a darned good NO! when she starts that nonsense, and a sit, stay, good dog, goodbye. Change the order of things. |
01-27-2010, 09:48 AM | #6 | |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: PA
Posts: 3
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I do get the impression that Lace thinks she is the boss. Like refusing to come when called unless she's pretty sure there's some benefit to obeying, trying to dart out the door first when going on walks (I've been working on this with some success), etc. I have practiced some of the above suggestions, like practicing departures and catching her doing good and distracting her with praise. I also like the idea of having her on a lead when there is a group of visitors leaving, it would provide more control. I've been paying careful attention to how she reacts to different people leaving. Thus far, she is worst when my dad leaves (I also haven't heard him disipline her...not cool). She's also pretty bad when my brother is leaving, but not nearly as vicious sounding. He does scold, but I think he's lacking the confidence thing. My boyfriend has been helping me and she's not going after him now (he's been very consistent, very confident); she evidently takes him seriously. I think I'll need to have a heart-to-heart with family and try to get everyone on the same page. PJ | |
01-27-2010, 10:08 AM | #7 | |
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01-27-2010, 09:17 PM | #8 |
Thor's Human Donating Member | I saw it on Victoria Stilwell, "It's Me or the Dog". It was really funny, actually. This tiny little Pomeranian would actually wrap his paws around his mom's leg and ride around on her foot in an attempt to keep her in the house. Another thing recommended on another thread that should help: walk out the door, then come back immediately. Walk out, wait five seconds, come back. Walk out, wait ten seconds, come back, etc. You can also provide a kong or another kind of treat as a distraction. I do want to add a word of caution to those advocating dominance training: while a lot of people still train this way, it is definitely old school. Don't turn it into a power struggle if it doesn't have to be. Dogs can be bratty, no doubt about it, and many dogs will assume that "Come" is an optional command. The way I see it, Thor cannot get off my bed without my help. He's 4 lbs. Of course he's not dominant! You can be a firm and loving leader without explicitly being "alpha". I agree with the other poster who suggested rewarding her for good behavior. Too often, we focus on correcting bad behavior, and ignore the 99% of the time when the dog is doing what we want (which can be as simple as lying in their bed, exuding doggy ambiance). Last edited by QuickSilver; 01-27-2010 at 09:18 PM. |
02-05-2010, 07:41 AM | #9 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: PA
Posts: 3
| Update I wanted to post an update. Lace is doing better. One of the things I started doing was designating a spot where she has to "sit,stay" when people are leaving. It's on a little throw rug, away from the door, and she can still watch people leave. I just taught her to sit within the last couple of weeks and she's now a pro at it, sitting anywhere she is asked to and for anyone who asks her to do it. As for "stay", I have no clue where she learned it, but she understands it...I have no complaints. "Sit/stay" must keep her occupied, since its been working pretty well in keeping Lace from going into attack-mode. She also gets praise after the person has left as long as she has stayed quietly in her spot. If she forgets and gets snippy, she does get corrected with a stern "Hey" or "No", which seems to stop her in her tracks. In the last couple of days I've been teaching her to "lay down". As with "sit" she seems to have picked up the concept pretty fast. She's "laying down" for me consistently at the moment, and I'm sure soon she'll be willing to do it for other people. PJ |
02-05-2010, 07:56 AM | #10 |
Princess Poop A Lot Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado
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