Attacking when I go to bed - YorkieTalk.com Forums

emmalee1489 · 02-04-2016, 12:36 PM

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum but could use some help since I'm not familiar at all with yorkies. I have 2 neutered, male pugs that are 6 and 7. We have now just acquired my bfs 6 year old female, unfixed yorkie.

Background: My bf bought this dog at 12 wks old and lived with her for the first year or so of her life. Since then (she's 6 now), she has lived with his ex and his kids. He has seen her over time at least once a year though, so she knows him very well. She only just met me a little over a month ago. His kids and the dog were with us for Christmas and he made the decision to take back the dog since she was so badly matted, it appeared she wasn't being well taken care of and probably never groomed. She has gotten to know me well since she's been here, since I'm home all day with her while my bf is at work. I also always walk her and she knows that, although my bf feeds her.

The problem: Just in the past week, she has attacked me 3 separate nights when I try to go to bed after my bf is already sleeping. She's been here for a month and this behavior just started. The first 2 times, the light was off so I could have just been a stranger in the dark, or she got startled when she woke up to the noise of someone in the dark, or maybe she thought I was already in bed.. who knows.

My bf suggested turning the bedroom light on so she sees that it's me. So last night I did that. I turned on the light before I even walked in. She was awake and looking at me so I walked in, walked over to her, let her smell my hand, scratched her head and her body, then proceeded to shut of the TV that he'd left on and go in the closet to put on my nightgown. I came out of the closet and saw that she was still looking at me, so I know she was still awake and still saw that it was me. I shut off the light and started to walk across the room to my side of the bed and she full-on, viciously attacks just as aggressively as she has the previous 2 nights she did this. (She sleeps in a dog bed on the floor on my bfs side of the bed.)

My bf seems to be very much in denial about her aggressive behavior. He insists I must not have turned the light on (because it didn't wake him up) or that she didn't see me or didn't know it was me, or for whatever reason.. But I know 100% that she knew it was me this time and yet she still tried to attack. She is totally normal all day long when I'm home with her, always asks me to take her out, plays with her toys with me, etc.. this is literally the only time she has shown random aggression toward me like this.

I'm 6 months pregnant and am very worried about when the baby comes, since baby will be in our room as well, and my bf insists the dog stay in our room rather than sleeping in the "dog room" with the other dogs. He has said that he kind of likes her aggression, but I've had dogs (mostly big) my whole life and have never dealt with aggression like this. It doesn't seem healthy and especially worries me knowing we'll have a newborn soon. Also, since I'm approaching my 3rd trimester, I know I will be needing to make bathroom trips at night very frequently again soon (she wasn't here when I was in my 1st trimester) and I can't deal with her always attacking me. My bf is so in love with this dog that he always seems to act like I must have done something wrong. This dog is causing me a lot of stress right now and problems with our relationship and I hate that he always acts like I must have done something wrong whenever she misbehaves.

Can anyone please help with why she might be doing this lately and what can be done to correct the issue? I need help ASAP with this girl..

Yorkiemom1 · 02-04-2016, 09:15 PM

I am not a dog trainer....I can tell you how I would handle this....you are 100% right to be concern about the arrival of the baby....as far as I am concerned, her behavior with you, even if it is just in this one circumstance, you can not trust this dog especially around your other little dogs OR the new baby when it arrives!

I would be curious to know if the pup would attack your bf if YOU were in bed and she was in the room with you, and HE entered and came to bed..... I would need to know that reasoning in her mind....if she is "protecting" the person already "down" or if she is just attacking YOU....

Beyond that, I would enter the room with a spray bottle or water....just carry it at your side, not overtly demonstrative with it.....go thru the steps you did that triggered her attack, only this time, when she attacks, you squirt her right in the face and sternly voice, "NO!!" I would think a couple of times having this done, she will not continue with that behavior....but in my mind, she cant be trusted around the baby.....and that is a problem in my mind.

emmalee1489 · 02-05-2016, 09:56 AM

She did it again last night even when I didn't turn the light off at all (as if I were going to bed with the light on). That makes 4 times in the past week but she's been here for about 6 wks and this behavior just started.

I don't think she would ever attack him if the roles were reversed. Mainly, she's always in whatever room he is and follows him around, as my pugs do to me. Also, she's known him her whole life and only known me for 6 weeks or so.

After last night's atrack, he insisted I must have done something to her when he wasn't around, but I know 100% I've never mistreated her. And the fact that she's totally normal the rest of the day and only acts like this when we go to bed at night is strange. I don't think he'd let me use a water bottle cause he thinks everything is "mean." I got a crate for her and he refuses to even use it (my pugs are crate trained and always have been). Being pregnant especially, I don't want to lose my relationship over this dog but I'm completely lost as to why she's acting like this toward me all of a sudden..

Yorkiemom1 · 02-05-2016, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emmalee1489

She did it again last night even when I didn't turn the light off at all (as if I were going to bed with the light on). That makes 4 times in the past week but she's been here for about 6 wks and this behavior just started.

I don't think she would ever attack him if the roles were reversed. Mainly, she's always in whatever room he is and follows him around, as my pugs do to me. Also, she's known him her whole life and only known me for 6 weeks or so.

After last night's atrack, he insisted I must have done something to her when he wasn't around, but I know 100% I've never mistreated her. And the fact that she's totally normal the rest of the day and only acts like this when we go to bed at night is strange. I don't think he'd let me use a water bottle cause he thinks everything is "mean." I got a crate for her and he refuses to even use it (my pugs are crate trained and always have been). Being pregnant especially, I don't want to lose my relationship over this dog but I'm completely lost as to why she's acting like this toward me all of a sudden..

As long as he thinks YOUR are "mean" because you are trying to train his dog to stop attacking you, and he sees no harm in the dog attacking you, then I suggest you sleep in another area.....the dog does not want you around him at night, and he approves of the method used by his dog to establish a "no go zone" around the dog and her best friend....so dont go there until he realizes this is NOT funny and poses a threat/danger to you as well as the baby, if allowed to continue. Since he puts his dog and her bad habits/BEHAVIOR above you and what YOU want, let him sleep with his dog......
KISS MY GRITS, BUDDY!

canana · 02-05-2016, 11:52 AM

This sounds so unfortunate! And dangerous for you and your upcoming baby. If you're having to pee at night, I think Yorkiemom1 gave excellent advice - just sleep in another room.

What about if you guys take afternoon naps during daylight? Would this still happen?

KairaPup · 02-05-2016, 12:57 PM

The dog is guarding "her" resources. The bed, and your boyfriend. They are hers, and in her mind, you want to intrude. Which you do, so you can sleep!

She does need to be crate trained or otherwise trained AWAY from the bed. This behavior is going to escalate if she continues to be able to guard the items (or person) that she is possessive of.

To give an example- move her bed to a different part of the room. When she leaves it, say NO to her firmly, say "go to your bed". Enforce the appropriate behaviors with praise and a cookie. Your boyfriend MUST be part of this, or she will continue to claim him as hers.

My chihuahua was protective of the couch toward my other dogs. Also my lap. So when he behaved poorly (showed teeth, etc) before he would snap, I would boot him to the floor. Take away the thing he is guarding, and only gave it back when he was being decent. It works like a charm as long as I keep up on it. Now, this is a dog with aggression issues aside from this, but he was able to stop the guarding behavior.

Yorkiemom1 · 02-06-2016, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KairaPup

The dog is guarding "her" resources. The bed, and your boyfriend. They are hers, and in her mind, you want to intrude. Which you do, so you can sleep!

She does need to be crate trained or otherwise trained AWAY from the bed. This behavior is going to escalate if she continues to be able to guard the items (or person) that she is possessive of.

To give an example- move her bed to a different part of the room. When she leaves it, say NO to her firmly, say "go to your bed". Enforce the appropriate behaviors with praise and a cookie. Your boyfriend MUST be part of this, or she will continue to claim him as hers.

My chihuahua was protective of the couch toward my other dogs. Also my lap. So when he behaved poorly (showed teeth, etc) before he would snap, I would boot him to the floor. Take away the thing he is guarding, and only gave it back when he was being decent. It works like a charm as long as I keep up on it. Now, this is a dog with aggression issues aside from this, but he was able to stop the guarding behavior.

This is great advice.....problem is the boyfriend does not see there is a problem with the DOG, the problem is with his girlfriend in HIS mind....he wont let her do anything about the dogs behavior! Any changes in behavior are going to have to be made with the girlfriend......and the coming baby when it is born......and any OTHER influence that pup believes is a threat to her relationship between her and her master.....the dog is running the show around the house, and our member's boyfriend is encouraging it.

emmalee1489 · 02-06-2016, 09:21 AM

Yorkiemom1 is exactly right. I slept in the living room last night since he had taken the dog in the room again. He was not happy about that either. I just don't know what to do about this situation. I don't want to leave him and ruin our future over this dog, but I'm lost because it feels like he's defending her over me & baby. I worry about when the baby is in my arms instead of my stomach, or even her attacking the baby to "guard" her property.

@canna -- I don't think daytime would be a problem. She loves me the rest of the day and is always excited that I might be taking her out or giving her treats. The problem seems to be only at night.

@KairaPup -- Her bed was about 3 feet from the bed, I think she was just guarding him. He moved our sides of the bed around so I have the side closer to the door now, but I'm still worried if that will be enough. She actually runs from her bed very ferociously and attacks my feet, so it's an instant and quick type of attack, it's not like she just growls or shows teeth or something. Luckily she hasn't actually sunk a tooth in yet but now I'm starting to wonder if she "got me" if that'd help him realize the severity of her attacks. He does use the exact phrases of "NO!" and "go to your bed" but that's all the 'discipline' she gets, even the times she has attacked me..

gemy · 02-06-2016, 11:21 AM

You have a baby on the way - so very important to safeguard Mom and Baby. This dog should be crated or xpenned trained Now! Also you can use a toy doll to carry and cuddle to expose the dog to when you are are out and about during the day in preparation for when your baby comes.

My dogs do not have access to our bed most especially if one growls at either hubby or I when we come to bed. It is never allowed the dog is removed from the bed and crated! No ifs and or buts.

Start or recontinue obedience training with this dog. Basic commands Sit Come Stay Down Stop etc and reward for a task well done.

I may sound harsh - but now is the time to nip this bad behaviour in the bud so to speak.

Let us know how it goes.

Yorkiemom1 · 02-06-2016, 12:34 PM

Gail, I think the problem is the boyfriend will not allow the member to do anything about the dogs behavior at night! He refuses to allow the dog to be crated or removed from the room! The member is being run from HER bed so boyfriend and his dog are in control of the room and situation.....our member is religated to sleeping in another room!

I am going to tell you what I would do about this situation, "Emmalee".....it will be harsh and tough, but it will in my opinion, force some difficult decisions and choices to be made....if the choices are not in YOUR best interests, it is best you know NOW where this partner's loyalty lies.

If I were you, continue to be the loving and caring partner you are....but that all stops at night. YOU have been relegated to sleeping in the guest/spare/extra room by your caring partner, because his DOG will not allow you to move about in the MASTER bedroom at night. No "play time" for or between momma and daddy, until you are allowed back into your master bedroom at night! Overprotective, jealous pup must sleep elsewhere in the house, either in a closed room or in a crate.....master bedroom is for the masters, period. You are going to have to address the issue with the dog, through actions you take between you and your bf. Cut him off and see how quickly he reconsiders different sleeping arrangements for the CURRENT "love of his life", his pup!
If this man cares anything about you and what is important or safe for you and his CHILD you are carrying/going to have, he will understand he can manage this behavior in his dog, and he is NOT being cruel or harming the dog. He has to do something to address this jealous behavior in the pup....God forbid the pup attacks the newborn out of jealousy....and it only takes a second for a dog to do serious damage to a baby.....

emmalee1489 · 02-06-2016, 01:42 PM

Gemy -- Thanks, that's a good idea that I can do. I don't have a doll but I could wrap something up in a blanket and carry it around and use my cell phone for baby noises. As long as I don't let her smell it up close, she'll never know. Also, cool that you had a dog named Karma! One of my pugs is Karma and I feel like people always think that's such a weird name! I have never heard of another dog Karma yet though!

YorkieMom1 -- Thanks for the advice. At this point, anything is worth a shot! I hope he'll come to his senses but I really just don't want to be the immature one who walks out on a relationship because if a dog. He doesn't like everything about my dogs either but at least they don't attack him! I really pray that he will come to his senses soon and realize how this makes me feel. I had no idea this little yorkie was going to cause so much trouble... I'm a dog lover but never have experienced this breed before.

gemy · 02-06-2016, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emmalee1489

Gemy -- Thanks, that's a good idea that I can do. I don't have a doll but I could wrap something up in a blanket and carry it around and use my cell phone for baby noises. As long as I don't let her smell it up close, she'll never know. Also, cool that you had a dog named Karma! One of my pugs is Karma and I feel like people always think that's such a weird name! I have never heard of another dog Karma yet though!

YorkieMom1 -- Thanks for the advice. At this point, anything is worth a shot! I hope he'll come to his senses but I really just don't want to be the immature one who walks out on a relationship because if a dog. He doesn't like everything about my dogs either but at least they don't attack him! I really pray that he will come to his senses soon and realize how this makes me feel. I had no idea this little yorkie was going to cause so much trouble... I'm a dog lover but never have experienced this breed before.

A heart to heart with BF is probably overdue. First of all if things do not work out it is not *because* of the dog but because of your BF's attitude/response to very real concerns you have. You know BF's really don't know how we feel or for that matter good friends until we let them know how it is for us. Yorkies can be territorial and sometimes bullies ( not an attitude unique to this breed).

My heart goes out to you and I hope and pray that you and BF can figure things out bef0re Baby is born. But IMO you have your priorities right in so FAR as to bringing your baby into a safe home environment.

Kerryn915 · 02-06-2016, 05:43 PM

Speaking from experience with an over protective yorkie it does get worse when the baby comes... I had my boy since he was a puppy and when he was almost 3 I had my first baby. The roles are switched on my scenario as he was my dog and when my husband came into the picture he established right away that he wasn't going to put up with my dogs bad behavior. He also would attack in the bedroom and even sometimes just when my hubby was walking by. So out of the bedroom he went... This was tough for me but I knew I had to solve the problem. Then fast forward to the baby and he was fine until my daughter started crawling... Then he would sneak under coffee tables, hide around corners and stalk her! I had to watch him like a hawk bc he hated her! He did nip her once and broke skin and I never told the hubby bc he would have wanted to rehome the poor soul. Once she was walking though and higher than him I think he just finally got it. He's still not good around children and if my now 12 year old (the baby that he bit) runs past him or does anything unexpected he does give the side eye and growl... He doesn't have the energy at this age to attack... But it was an ongoing issue over the years and involved a lot of close watching and reprimanding on my part. Your boyfriend needs to be on the same page... She needs to be removed from the bedroom or gated off somehow so she can't attack. You can also stop the attack and hold her firmly down in place on the ground if she comes at you and sternly say "no!" It's key that you don't show fear and don't back down. She needs to know that you are not below her in dominance. Lay her on her side as this is a submissive position and she will be embarrassed and know you are dominant standing over her. This is what I made my daughter do many times and he finally started to back down. To the level that if he was attempting anything slick I could sternly or she could tell him "no"! And he would back down. Best of luck to you... It's very hard breaking a stubborn dominant dog. You have to put in the effort though and the house needs to be united on that. It was never an option to rehome my stubborn boy! But I do see why, when some people have a baby and the dog becomes an issue they get rid of the dog... That's such a sad outcome for the dog... Who just needs to be reminded of its boundaries.

emmalee1489 · 02-06-2016, 06:20 PM

Gemy -- You're totally right. I probably haven't approached the situation well so far because my response toward him has always been more of an anger/extreme frustration rather than calm and talking about what to do. That probably has to do with the pregnancy hormones too though. I feel like I'm already being a super protective mom of this baby, and her bad behavior tends to anger me quickly, especially when I see him not even discipline her or anything. I'll try being more calm and see if we can make progress. My ideal situation would be to crate train the dog, but if he won't then there's nothing I can do. Even if I got him to take her out of the bedroom, I wouldn't want her loose in the dog room with the pugs. They're such babies they would be defenseless if she attacked them. But locking them in their crate for no reason and leaving her loose I kinda feel like wouldn't be fair. I'd have no problem with her in the bedroom of he'd just start crate training her with the crate I got. For years he's seen me use the crate for my boys and they actually live their crate. I don't see why he is all of a sudden so opposed to it now that it's his dog we're talking about.

Kerryn915 -- Thank you! That is helpful to know your story. I think the main reason he isn't worried as much as I do is because he thinks of the dog as "his kids' dog." His kids are 6 & 12 but the dog is also 6, so she was a puppy they got right after he was born. She is fine with his kids and very protective of them, but I'm sure it'll be a whole different ball game now that she's an adult dog.

Sassy Puppy · 03-09-2019, 08:18 AM

emmalee1489 I am also at a loss, as far as understanding the behaviour issues very much identical to what you are going through. My girl just turned one year and all of a sudden she started this aggression crap in the bedroom. I'm still sitting on the fence as to whether it is a jealousy issue or a protection issue. Our girl will not come when I call her (bit of a jerk she is) but will come when he calls her, she has to sit ON him or right beside him almost at all times that she isn't playing, but when it comes to the bedroom....he CANNOT touch me - she full fledge attacks with aggression like I've never seen with her. It now has progressed to if we sit beside each other on the couch etc. She will start to show aggression if I touch him - sort of - but NOTHING like she shows towards him if he touches me.... I tend to let her get away with more than I should because she has been a very sick puppy ... which I am aware and acknowledge (FOR ALL READING - LOL) that it has not helped the situation..... I can't even imagine bringing a baby into my bed with her - I hope you found a solution and things have worked out for you!

02-04-2016, 12:36 PM	#1
emmalee1489 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Brandenburg, KY Posts: 13	Attacking when I go to bed Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum but could use some help since I'm not familiar at all with yorkies. I have 2 neutered, male pugs that are 6 and 7. We have now just acquired my bfs 6 year old female, unfixed yorkie. Background: My bf bought this dog at 12 wks old and lived with her for the first year or so of her life. Since then (she's 6 now), she has lived with his ex and his kids. He has seen her over time at least once a year though, so she knows him very well. She only just met me a little over a month ago. His kids and the dog were with us for Christmas and he made the decision to take back the dog since she was so badly matted, it appeared she wasn't being well taken care of and probably never groomed. She has gotten to know me well since she's been here, since I'm home all day with her while my bf is at work. I also always walk her and she knows that, although my bf feeds her. The problem: Just in the past week, she has attacked me 3 separate nights when I try to go to bed after my bf is already sleeping. She's been here for a month and this behavior just started. The first 2 times, the light was off so I could have just been a stranger in the dark, or she got startled when she woke up to the noise of someone in the dark, or maybe she thought I was already in bed.. who knows. My bf suggested turning the bedroom light on so she sees that it's me. So last night I did that. I turned on the light before I even walked in. She was awake and looking at me so I walked in, walked over to her, let her smell my hand, scratched her head and her body, then proceeded to shut of the TV that he'd left on and go in the closet to put on my nightgown. I came out of the closet and saw that she was still looking at me, so I know she was still awake and still saw that it was me. I shut off the light and started to walk across the room to my side of the bed and she full-on, viciously attacks just as aggressively as she has the previous 2 nights she did this. (She sleeps in a dog bed on the floor on my bfs side of the bed.) My bf seems to be very much in denial about her aggressive behavior. He insists I must not have turned the light on (because it didn't wake him up) or that she didn't see me or didn't know it was me, or for whatever reason.. But I know 100% that she knew it was me this time and yet she still tried to attack. She is totally normal all day long when I'm home with her, always asks me to take her out, plays with her toys with me, etc.. this is literally the only time she has shown random aggression toward me like this. I'm 6 months pregnant and am very worried about when the baby comes, since baby will be in our room as well, and my bf insists the dog stay in our room rather than sleeping in the "dog room" with the other dogs. He has said that he kind of likes her aggression, but I've had dogs (mostly big) my whole life and have never dealt with aggression like this. It doesn't seem healthy and especially worries me knowing we'll have a newborn soon. Also, since I'm approaching my 3rd trimester, I know I will be needing to make bathroom trips at night very frequently again soon (she wasn't here when I was in my 1st trimester) and I can't deal with her always attacking me. My bf is so in love with this dog that he always seems to act like I must have done something wrong. This dog is causing me a lot of stress right now and problems with our relationship and I hate that he always acts like I must have done something wrong whenever she misbehaves. Can anyone please help with why she might be doing this lately and what can be done to correct the issue? I need help ASAP with this girl..

02-05-2016, 11:52 AM	#5
canana Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Canada Posts: 1,903	This sounds so unfortunate! And dangerous for you and your upcoming baby. If you're having to pee at night, I think Yorkiemom1 gave excellent advice - just sleep in another room. What about if you guys take afternoon naps during daylight? Would this still happen? __________________ ~ laughter is an instant vacation ~ https://scottieandcasie.com/ :: Custom Pet Portrait Paintings

02-06-2016, 11:21 AM	#9
gemy YT 2000 Club Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Huntsville,Ont,Canaada Posts: 12,335 Blog Entries: 2	You have a baby on the way - so very important to safeguard Mom and Baby. This dog should be crated or xpenned trained Now! Also you can use a toy doll to carry and cuddle to expose the dog to when you are are out and about during the day in preparation for when your baby comes. My dogs do not have access to our bed most especially if one growls at either hubby or I when we come to bed. It is never allowed the dog is removed from the bed and crated! No ifs and or buts. Start or recontinue obedience training with this dog. Basic commands Sit Come Stay Down Stop etc and reward for a task well done. I may sound harsh - but now is the time to nip this bad behaviour in the bud so to speak. Let us know how it goes. __________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018

02-06-2016, 12:34 PM	#10
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	Gail, I think the problem is the boyfriend will not allow the member to do anything about the dogs behavior at night! He refuses to allow the dog to be crated or removed from the room! The member is being run from HER bed so boyfriend and his dog are in control of the room and situation.....our member is religated to sleeping in another room! I am going to tell you what I would do about this situation, "Emmalee".....it will be harsh and tough, but it will in my opinion, force some difficult decisions and choices to be made....if the choices are not in YOUR best interests, it is best you know NOW where this partner's loyalty lies. If I were you, continue to be the loving and caring partner you are....but that all stops at night. YOU have been relegated to sleeping in the guest/spare/extra room by your caring partner, because his DOG will not allow you to move about in the MASTER bedroom at night. No "play time" for or between momma and daddy, until you are allowed back into your master bedroom at night! Overprotective, jealous pup must sleep elsewhere in the house, either in a closed room or in a crate.....master bedroom is for the masters, period. You are going to have to address the issue with the dog, through actions you take between you and your bf. Cut him off and see how quickly he reconsiders different sleeping arrangements for the CURRENT "love of his life", his pup! If this man cares anything about you and what is important or safe for you and his CHILD you are carrying/going to have, he will understand he can manage this behavior in his dog, and he is NOT being cruel or harming the dog. He has to do something to address this jealous behavior in the pup....God forbid the pup attacks the newborn out of jealousy....and it only takes a second for a dog to do serious damage to a baby..... Last edited by Yorkiemom1; 02-06-2016 at 12:36 PM.

02-04-2016, 09:15 PM	#2
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	I am not a dog trainer....I can tell you how I would handle this....you are 100% right to be concern about the arrival of the baby....as far as I am concerned, her behavior with you, even if it is just in this one circumstance, you can not trust this dog especially around your other little dogs OR the new baby when it arrives! I would be curious to know if the pup would attack your bf if YOU were in bed and she was in the room with you, and HE entered and came to bed..... I would need to know that reasoning in her mind....if she is "protecting" the person already "down" or if she is just attacking YOU.... Beyond that, I would enter the room with a spray bottle or water....just carry it at your side, not overtly demonstrative with it.....go thru the steps you did that triggered her attack, only this time, when she attacks, you squirt her right in the face and sternly voice, "NO!!" I would think a couple of times having this done, she will not continue with that behavior....but in my mind, she cant be trusted around the baby.....and that is a problem in my mind.

02-05-2016, 09:56 AM	#3
emmalee1489 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Brandenburg, KY Posts: 13	She did it again last night even when I didn't turn the light off at all (as if I were going to bed with the light on). That makes 4 times in the past week but she's been here for about 6 wks and this behavior just started. I don't think she would ever attack him if the roles were reversed. Mainly, she's always in whatever room he is and follows him around, as my pugs do to me. Also, she's known him her whole life and only known me for 6 weeks or so. After last night's atrack, he insisted I must have done something to her when he wasn't around, but I know 100% I've never mistreated her. And the fact that she's totally normal the rest of the day and only acts like this when we go to bed at night is strange. I don't think he'd let me use a water bottle cause he thinks everything is "mean." I got a crate for her and he refuses to even use it (my pugs are crate trained and always have been). Being pregnant especially, I don't want to lose my relationship over this dog but I'm completely lost as to why she's acting like this toward me all of a sudden..

02-05-2016, 12:57 PM	#6
KairaPup YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Idaho Posts: 275	The dog is guarding "her" resources. The bed, and your boyfriend. They are hers, and in her mind, you want to intrude. Which you do, so you can sleep! She does need to be crate trained or otherwise trained AWAY from the bed. This behavior is going to escalate if she continues to be able to guard the items (or person) that she is possessive of. To give an example- move her bed to a different part of the room. When she leaves it, say NO to her firmly, say "go to your bed". Enforce the appropriate behaviors with praise and a cookie. Your boyfriend MUST be part of this, or she will continue to claim him as hers. My chihuahua was protective of the couch toward my other dogs. Also my lap. So when he behaved poorly (showed teeth, etc) before he would snap, I would boot him to the floor. Take away the thing he is guarding, and only gave it back when he was being decent. It works like a charm as long as I keep up on it. Now, this is a dog with aggression issues aside from this, but he was able to stop the guarding behavior.

02-06-2016, 09:21 AM	#8
emmalee1489 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Brandenburg, KY Posts: 13	Yorkiemom1 is exactly right. I slept in the living room last night since he had taken the dog in the room again. He was not happy about that either. I just don't know what to do about this situation. I don't want to leave him and ruin our future over this dog, but I'm lost because it feels like he's defending her over me & baby. I worry about when the baby is in my arms instead of my stomach, or even her attacking the baby to "guard" her property. @canna -- I don't think daytime would be a problem. She loves me the rest of the day and is always excited that I might be taking her out or giving her treats. The problem seems to be only at night. @KairaPup -- Her bed was about 3 feet from the bed, I think she was just guarding him. He moved our sides of the bed around so I have the side closer to the door now, but I'm still worried if that will be enough. She actually runs from her bed very ferociously and attacks my feet, so it's an instant and quick type of attack, it's not like she just growls or shows teeth or something. Luckily she hasn't actually sunk a tooth in yet but now I'm starting to wonder if she "got me" if that'd help him realize the severity of her attacks. He does use the exact phrases of "NO!" and "go to your bed" but that's all the 'discipline' she gets, even the times she has attacked me..

02-06-2016, 01:42 PM	#11
emmalee1489 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Brandenburg, KY Posts: 13	Gemy -- Thanks, that's a good idea that I can do. I don't have a doll but I could wrap something up in a blanket and carry it around and use my cell phone for baby noises. As long as I don't let her smell it up close, she'll never know. Also, cool that you had a dog named Karma! One of my pugs is Karma and I feel like people always think that's such a weird name! I have never heard of another dog Karma yet though! YorkieMom1 -- Thanks for the advice. At this point, anything is worth a shot! I hope he'll come to his senses but I really just don't want to be the immature one who walks out on a relationship because if a dog. He doesn't like everything about my dogs either but at least they don't attack him! I really pray that he will come to his senses soon and realize how this makes me feel. I had no idea this little yorkie was going to cause so much trouble... I'm a dog lover but never have experienced this breed before.

02-06-2016, 05:43 PM	#13
Kerryn915 YT Addict Join Date: May 2014 Location: Fishkill, ny, USA Posts: 487	Speaking from experience with an over protective yorkie it does get worse when the baby comes... I had my boy since he was a puppy and when he was almost 3 I had my first baby. The roles are switched on my scenario as he was my dog and when my husband came into the picture he established right away that he wasn't going to put up with my dogs bad behavior. He also would attack in the bedroom and even sometimes just when my hubby was walking by. So out of the bedroom he went... This was tough for me but I knew I had to solve the problem. Then fast forward to the baby and he was fine until my daughter started crawling... Then he would sneak under coffee tables, hide around corners and stalk her! I had to watch him like a hawk bc he hated her! He did nip her once and broke skin and I never told the hubby bc he would have wanted to rehome the poor soul. Once she was walking though and higher than him I think he just finally got it. He's still not good around children and if my now 12 year old (the baby that he bit) runs past him or does anything unexpected he does give the side eye and growl... He doesn't have the energy at this age to attack... But it was an ongoing issue over the years and involved a lot of close watching and reprimanding on my part. Your boyfriend needs to be on the same page... She needs to be removed from the bedroom or gated off somehow so she can't attack. You can also stop the attack and hold her firmly down in place on the ground if she comes at you and sternly say "no!" It's key that you don't show fear and don't back down. She needs to know that you are not below her in dominance. Lay her on her side as this is a submissive position and she will be embarrassed and know you are dominant standing over her. This is what I made my daughter do many times and he finally started to back down. To the level that if he was attempting anything slick I could sternly or she could tell him "no"! And he would back down. Best of luck to you... It's very hard breaking a stubborn dominant dog. You have to put in the effort though and the house needs to be united on that. It was never an option to rehome my stubborn boy! But I do see why, when some people have a baby and the dog becomes an issue they get rid of the dog... That's such a sad outcome for the dog... Who just needs to be reminded of its boundaries.

02-06-2016, 06:20 PM	#14
emmalee1489 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Brandenburg, KY Posts: 13	Gemy -- You're totally right. I probably haven't approached the situation well so far because my response toward him has always been more of an anger/extreme frustration rather than calm and talking about what to do. That probably has to do with the pregnancy hormones too though. I feel like I'm already being a super protective mom of this baby, and her bad behavior tends to anger me quickly, especially when I see him not even discipline her or anything. I'll try being more calm and see if we can make progress. My ideal situation would be to crate train the dog, but if he won't then there's nothing I can do. Even if I got him to take her out of the bedroom, I wouldn't want her loose in the dog room with the pugs. They're such babies they would be defenseless if she attacked them. But locking them in their crate for no reason and leaving her loose I kinda feel like wouldn't be fair. I'd have no problem with her in the bedroom of he'd just start crate training her with the crate I got. For years he's seen me use the crate for my boys and they actually live their crate. I don't see why he is all of a sudden so opposed to it now that it's his dog we're talking about. Kerryn915 -- Thank you! That is helpful to know your story. I think the main reason he isn't worried as much as I do is because he thinks of the dog as "his kids' dog." His kids are 6 & 12 but the dog is also 6, so she was a puppy they got right after he was born. She is fine with his kids and very protective of them, but I'm sure it'll be a whole different ball game now that she's an adult dog.

03-09-2019, 08:18 AM	#15
Sassy Puppy YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Regina, SK Canada Posts: 1	emmalee1489 I am also at a loss, as far as understanding the behaviour issues very much identical to what you are going through. My girl just turned one year and all of a sudden she started this aggression crap in the bedroom. I'm still sitting on the fence as to whether it is a jealousy issue or a protection issue. Our girl will not come when I call her (bit of a jerk she is) but will come when he calls her, she has to sit ON him or right beside him almost at all times that she isn't playing, but when it comes to the bedroom....he CANNOT touch me - she full fledge attacks with aggression like I've never seen with her. It now has progressed to if we sit beside each other on the couch etc. She will start to show aggression if I touch him - sort of - but NOTHING like she shows towards him if he touches me.... I tend to let her get away with more than I should because she has been a very sick puppy ... which I am aware and acknowledge (FOR ALL READING - LOL) that it has not helped the situation..... I can't even imagine bringing a baby into my bed with her - I hope you found a solution and things have worked out for you!