i need advice asap - YorkieTalk.com Forums

mickie · 03-16-2008, 12:33 PM

please can anyone help my little joe who is a rescued baby and aged aprox 2/3 yrs old is so nasty to people especially men outside on walks
yesterday my brother came and i did what the vet had told me to give the visiter the lead and take him for a stroll but it didnt work he still went beserk and nearly bit my brother 3 times and wouldnt walk with him
later when my brother came in for lunch after restraining joe for about 15 mins he calmed enough for me to let him go and then he went for my brother i banged my shoe soles to scare joe and stop him
i am quite worried about this problem i am worried he might really bite someone and then i would have to have him put to sleep
also while we were outside and joe was on lead whilst he was going mad at my brother i tried to calm him by stroking him and touching his back and he turned and bit me twice at intervals i know the vet says its fear but i dont know what else to do
when this happened at the vets the vet took his lead and he went just like a baby please any ideas would be good and tried thanks in advance

patty58 · 03-16-2008, 12:44 PM

Oh I hope he settles down. It sounds like maybe he was abused by a man. He is probably scared to because he isn't used to his surroundings. It takes a while for them to adjust. Murfee is finally settling into our new house and it's been six months. Good luck for you and your little sweetie.

Woogie Man · 03-16-2008, 12:52 PM

My guess is that he has issues stemming from his prior owners and what he may have been through. I bought an 8 month old female that had major trust issues and had no concept of playing or having fun. It took over a year but now she is just wonderful; very playful and just a darling to everyone. My only advice to you would be to not expose your little man to situations that trigger his aggressive behavior. Poor guy, no telling what he has been through; he needs time to bond with one person and get his issues worked out before he can interact well with others. Patience will pay off. It's not his fault that he behaves this way. It's most likely a response to the way he was treated in the past. Bless you for taking on such a challenge but one day the rewards will make all the difficult times worthwhile.

4doggiemama · 03-16-2008, 02:21 PM

My 3 lb. Yorkie, Cocoa, is extremely afraid of men, especially teenagers, and I have had her for 9 yrs. Very rarely do I allow Cocoa to be in the public. If I do, she is in a closed carrier. My husband tries every day to make friends with her but it has been a failure. I usually pick Cocoa up and put her in my dh's arms, and she eventually calms down and relaxes. When he puts her down, it starts all over. Cocoa comes from a puppy mill where the owner had planned on using her for breeding, but chose not to due to her 1 lb. 13 oz. weight at 9 mo. (Yes, a surprise for a puppy mill breeder.) The little girl in the family dragged Cocoa around and into the house where there was a teenage boy. My vet feels very strongly that the teenage boy did something to Cocoa that she has never recovered from. Just want you to know that time and patience are of essence. But there may come a time when you may just have to accept the furbaby the way he is and work around it. Wishing you the Best.

jrsygal37 · 03-16-2008, 02:48 PM

Mickey. How long have you had Little Joe for? I'm mom to five Yorkies, four of which were rescues and one of which was abused. I can tell you that Noel like Little Joe was probably abused by a man. It took 6 months before she'd let my husband pet her and it took over a year before she'd go to him and she is now almost 4 years old and is still weary of strangers. She will hang back and bark at them and if they go to pet she will run, hide and bark from wherever she is hiding. She has improved 100 percent from when she first came to us at a little under a year, so it's taken just about 3 years for her to come this far.

Noel is not aggressived. She's the opposite. Very timid. The only advice and I can give you really is to gate Little Joe when he's around people that make him uncomfortable. Jersey, who was not a rescue and we've had from 10 weeks old is aggressive with strangers and I know for her safety as well as our visitors I do gate her. I think over time Little Joe will realize that no one will hurt him but it will take a lot of time and patience and I do think he will retain some of his aggressiveness toward men. It's part of the abuse he suffered.

Elaine

ash0248 · 03-16-2008, 04:17 PM

Just watched an episode of Dog whisperer about this I wish I knew where to find a link on it. Try looking on his websight. He is the best on teaching you how to be the right kind of pack leader.

mizzwanned · 03-16-2008, 05:02 PM

I'm so sorry for the little guy, my heart breaks for him. He must have been abused by a man before he found a great home with you. Are you a female? What i would suggest is try to gain his trust by doing everything with him, you feed him, you walk him, you give him a bath. If someone else does it at diff. times it might overwhelm him. When he learns to trust you then you can introduce him to other ppl little by little. Good luck, please update us and please don't give up, don't put him to sleep. There is always a solution.

For My Coby · 03-16-2008, 05:52 PM

Poor little Joe. He actually sounds quite similar to a puppy mill girl I had years ago. I did not know she was a puppy mill puppy until after I'd been "misled" into buying her from her first owners. She had several severe behavioral issues. While following all the other good advice, I would also suggest asking your vet for a recommendation on a good trainer - one who works with behavioral problems, NOT just obediance. Some of these babies' problems are very difficult to deal with, let alone solve. The fact that Joe was good for the vet is a very good sign. Joe is looking for someone to trust as his "pack leader".

Best of luck to you!!

mickie · 03-17-2008, 02:35 AM

hi guys and thanks for advice my little joe was a stray and was taken to shelter by police so know nothing at all about his past
I am married and my hubby is the only man visiting the shelter and since then joe LOVES him its so strange
yesterday he wouldnt walk past a man so i picked him up after he had snapped at me and he seemed to calm after this we stood outside the diy store and lots of people walked past and he just looked at them im wondering if its a smell he doesnt like
all other times hes so lovable to his mum and dad
does anyone think it is wrong to lift him up to pass someone he hates

For My Coby · 03-17-2008, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickie

hi guys and thanks for advice my little joe was a stray and was taken to shelter by police so know nothing at all about his past
I am married and my hubby is the only man visiting the shelter and since then joe LOVES him its so strange
yesterday he wouldnt walk past a man so i picked him up after he had snapped at me and he seemed to calm after this we stood outside the diy store and lots of people walked past and he just looked at them im wondering if its a smell he doesnt like
all other times hes so lovable to his mum and dad
does anyone think it is wrong to lift him up to pass someone he hates

I'm no expert, but like I said, we did have an extreme case in the past. I would worry that (while picking him up saves you in the moment) it would reinforce his fears or mistrust of people. "If mom picks me up, I must have been right about not trusting that person." It would be better to actually deal with the root cause of Joe's anxiety and build up his self confidence. That being said, I would be guilty of picking him up in order to just avoid a scene! I'm glad he's lovable all the other times. That makes it sound like something that could be dealt with.

xxmxaxrxyxx · 03-17-2008, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by For My Coby

I'm no expert, but like I said, we did have an extreme case in the past. I would worry that (while picking him up saves you in the moment) it would reinforce his fears or mistrust of people. "If mom picks me up, I must have been right about not trusting that person." It would be better to actually deal with the root cause of Joe's anxiety and build up his self confidence. That being said, I would be guilty of picking him up in order to just avoid a scene! I'm glad he's lovable all the other times. That makes it sound like something that could be dealt with.

my thoughts exactly...i feel so bad for Joe..hope everything works out in the end...

bbrewser · 03-17-2008, 07:19 AM

Does Joe like treats? Does he know how to sit? Maybe if you carry some treats with you on your walks and when he starts to be bad, stop and ask him to sit and be calm and then reward the good behavior.

How long have you had him?

mickie · 03-17-2008, 11:11 AM

hi guys i have had joe from the shelter on 29th jan this year
yes he loves treats and he sits and gives paw but when hes being bad he has tunnel vision and treats and requests for him to sit just dont register with him
im wondering if it may be a build up of testosterone after joe has been going beserk and bit me it seems as if the angry tension he had has gone from him
yesterday outside the diy walking past a man he kicked off and bit me he then never bothered with any of the people coming past him he sat with a slack leash just watching
any more help would be helpful

03-16-2008, 12:33 PM	#1
mickie Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: stoke on trent Posts: 40	i need advice asap please can anyone help my little joe who is a rescued baby and aged aprox 2/3 yrs old is so nasty to people especially men outside on walks yesterday my brother came and i did what the vet had told me to give the visiter the lead and take him for a stroll but it didnt work he still went beserk and nearly bit my brother 3 times and wouldnt walk with him later when my brother came in for lunch after restraining joe for about 15 mins he calmed enough for me to let him go and then he went for my brother i banged my shoe soles to scare joe and stop him i am quite worried about this problem i am worried he might really bite someone and then i would have to have him put to sleep also while we were outside and joe was on lead whilst he was going mad at my brother i tried to calm him by stroking him and touching his back and he turned and bit me twice at intervals i know the vet says its fear but i dont know what else to do when this happened at the vets the vet took his lead and he went just like a baby please any ideas would be good and tried thanks in advance

03-16-2008, 12:44 PM	#2
patty58 Donating YT 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: texas Posts: 4,875	Oh I hope he settles down. It sounds like maybe he was abused by a man. He is probably scared to because he isn't used to his surroundings. It takes a while for them to adjust. Murfee is finally settling into our new house and it's been six months. Good luck for you and your little sweetie. __________________ Patty, Murfee's Mommy Believe Everything Happens For A Reason

03-16-2008, 02:21 PM	#4
4doggiemama Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: KS Posts: 1,893	My 3 lb. Yorkie, Cocoa, is extremely afraid of men, especially teenagers, and I have had her for 9 yrs. Very rarely do I allow Cocoa to be in the public. If I do, she is in a closed carrier. My husband tries every day to make friends with her but it has been a failure. I usually pick Cocoa up and put her in my dh's arms, and she eventually calms down and relaxes. When he puts her down, it starts all over. Cocoa comes from a puppy mill where the owner had planned on using her for breeding, but chose not to due to her 1 lb. 13 oz. weight at 9 mo. (Yes, a surprise for a puppy mill breeder.) The little girl in the family dragged Cocoa around and into the house where there was a teenage boy. My vet feels very strongly that the teenage boy did something to Cocoa that she has never recovered from. Just want you to know that time and patience are of essence. But there may come a time when you may just have to accept the furbaby the way he is and work around it. Wishing you the Best. __________________ Joanne Rosie Cocoa Chipper Snowboy

03-16-2008, 04:17 PM	#6
ash0248 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Al Posts: 170	Just watched an episode of Dog whisperer about this I wish I knew where to find a link on it. Try looking on his websight. He is the best on teaching you how to be the right kind of pack leader. __________________

03-16-2008, 05:02 PM	#7
mizzwanned Donating YT 11K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: new york Posts: 12,138 Blog Entries: 2	I'm so sorry for the little guy, my heart breaks for him. He must have been abused by a man before he found a great home with you. Are you a female? What i would suggest is try to gain his trust by doing everything with him, you feed him, you walk him, you give him a bath. If someone else does it at diff. times it might overwhelm him. When he learns to trust you then you can introduce him to other ppl little by little. Good luck, please update us and please don't give up, don't put him to sleep. There is always a solution. __________________ Teddy, London & Sophia Loren too! London likes Kikko

03-16-2008, 12:52 PM	#3
Woogie Man YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 679	My guess is that he has issues stemming from his prior owners and what he may have been through. I bought an 8 month old female that had major trust issues and had no concept of playing or having fun. It took over a year but now she is just wonderful; very playful and just a darling to everyone. My only advice to you would be to not expose your little man to situations that trigger his aggressive behavior. Poor guy, no telling what he has been through; he needs time to bond with one person and get his issues worked out before he can interact well with others. Patience will pay off. It's not his fault that he behaves this way. It's most likely a response to the way he was treated in the past. Bless you for taking on such a challenge but one day the rewards will make all the difficult times worthwhile.

03-16-2008, 02:48 PM	#5
jrsygal37 YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 1,493	Mickey. How long have you had Little Joe for? I'm mom to five Yorkies, four of which were rescues and one of which was abused. I can tell you that Noel like Little Joe was probably abused by a man. It took 6 months before she'd let my husband pet her and it took over a year before she'd go to him and she is now almost 4 years old and is still weary of strangers. She will hang back and bark at them and if they go to pet she will run, hide and bark from wherever she is hiding. She has improved 100 percent from when she first came to us at a little under a year, so it's taken just about 3 years for her to come this far. Noel is not aggressived. She's the opposite. Very timid. The only advice and I can give you really is to gate Little Joe when he's around people that make him uncomfortable. Jersey, who was not a rescue and we've had from 10 weeks old is aggressive with strangers and I know for her safety as well as our visitors I do gate her. I think over time Little Joe will realize that no one will hurt him but it will take a lot of time and patience and I do think he will retain some of his aggressiveness toward men. It's part of the abuse he suffered. Elaine

03-16-2008, 05:52 PM	#8
For My Coby Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,143	Poor little Joe. He actually sounds quite similar to a puppy mill girl I had years ago. I did not know she was a puppy mill puppy until after I'd been "misled" into buying her from her first owners. She had several severe behavioral issues. While following all the other good advice, I would also suggest asking your vet for a recommendation on a good trainer - one who works with behavioral problems, NOT just obediance. Some of these babies' problems are very difficult to deal with, let alone solve. The fact that Joe was good for the vet is a very good sign. Joe is looking for someone to trust as his "pack leader". Best of luck to you!! __________________ Diane, and my boys ..... Coby and Reggie !! Striving to be a YTPP - a YT Positive Poster! In Memory of My Beautiful Mother 7/22/28-8/27/08

03-17-2008, 02:35 AM	#9
mickie Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: stoke on trent Posts: 40	hi guys and thanks for advice my little joe was a stray and was taken to shelter by police so know nothing at all about his past I am married and my hubby is the only man visiting the shelter and since then joe LOVES him its so strange yesterday he wouldnt walk past a man so i picked him up after he had snapped at me and he seemed to calm after this we stood outside the diy store and lots of people walked past and he just looked at them im wondering if its a smell he doesnt like all other times hes so lovable to his mum and dad does anyone think it is wrong to lift him up to pass someone he hates

03-17-2008, 07:19 AM	#12
bbrewser Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 162	Does Joe like treats? Does he know how to sit? Maybe if you carry some treats with you on your walks and when he starts to be bad, stop and ask him to sit and be calm and then reward the good behavior. How long have you had him?

03-17-2008, 11:11 AM	#13
mickie Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: stoke on trent Posts: 40	hi guys i have had joe from the shelter on 29th jan this year yes he loves treats and he sits and gives paw but when hes being bad he has tunnel vision and treats and requests for him to sit just dont register with him im wondering if it may be a build up of testosterone after joe has been going beserk and bit me it seems as if the angry tension he had has gone from him yesterday outside the diy walking past a man he kicked off and bit me he then never bothered with any of the people coming past him he sat with a slack leash just watching any more help would be helpful