Yorkie acting aggressive and weird toward me and I am pregnant!

[GrayC25]

Hello! We have a 3-year-old male Yorkie named Samson and in the last few months, he has started becoming aggressive with his food and toys around me. He does it with my husband sometimes, but it's usually just me.

We had a trainer/behaviorist come into our home a week or so ago and we are working on the food aggression. He tends to growl when he hears us coming down the stairs or walk into the kitchen while he's eating. He has gotten better since we started working on this. He is 100 % better with my husband, but still unsure of me. He will still growl or try to get away from me if I touch him while he's eating.

However, the worst is just beginning. Lately, he has taken to showing his teeth to me when I try to pet him around his ears/face. It first just started happening at night, when the three of us were lying in bed, watching TV and winding down. He will snuggle right up to my husband and want nothing to do with me. If I try to pet him, his eyes get real big and he looks away. If I put my hand around his ears or side of his mouth, he shows his teeth. If he is by me, he will get up and walk away from me or go into his crate.

Recently, this seems to be happening more and more, not just in the evenings. It is so upsetting to me. I cry all the time because I can't figure out what I've done to have him so upset with me.

I am 5 months pregnant with our first child and wonder if these recent behaviors have anything to do with my pregnancy. Does Samson know? Does he sense that something is different? Whe is he so unsure and fearful of me?

Any help or advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I am torn up inside and hate that he doesn't want to be around me. Is there anything I can do?

[BlueBelle]

That is really scarey and sad. You are smart to deal with a behaviorist. Maybe he is jealous of you and he wants to be possessive of your husband. In any case it needs to be settled before the baby comes as I KNOW you know.

[GrayC25]

Yes, we are definitely wanting to get this worked out before the baby arrives in February. I am terrified that it's getting worse, not better. Thank you for your words.

Does anyone have any advice or any idea of why this is happening? I am desperate!!!!

[Taryn0405]

Hello fellow Michigander!

With regards to your little guy, it sounds like he is sensing something. How is he around kids? Have you guys exposed him to children?

What have you been working on with regards to not growling over his bowl. Whats your body language or tone when you're petting him and he's behaving? Or misbehaving?

Sorry alot of questions.

[Teresa Ford]

Being preg. can cause mood swings and some dogs get frightened by this. Not only do hormones go crazy, we smell diff. to them too. You are doing the right thing by getting a Behaviorist to help. I don't like to give advice about aggression on line because I can not see what is triggering the aggression. I know a lot of pet owners will not like this but, for now get him OFF your bed. Hubby needs to correct him at once by putting him on the floor, when he acts in anyway aggressive toward you. Two Excellent books to read are: 1000 Best dog training secrets by Robyn Archey and Bill Gorton and Dog Perfect by Sarah Hodgson Best wishes, Teresa

[Ringo1]

Awww. I'm sure you can get this under control before baby comes! Especially if you have a trainer/behaviorist working with you.

Lucy gets a little possessive with her food bowl but that's mainly with our other dog.

Has your trainer mentioned Nothing in Life for Free? I love that training program; it's just an all-around, very gentle way of reinforcing who is in charge.

That's about all I have to offer other than my best wishes.

Nothing in Life is Free

[GrayC25]

Originally Posted by Taryn0405

Hello fellow Michigander!

With regards to your little guy, it sounds like he is sensing something. How is he around kids? Have you guys exposed him to children?

What have you been working on with regards to not growling over his bowl. Whats your body language or tone when you're petting him and he's behaving? Or misbehaving?

Sorry alot of questions.

Hello! Samson has been exposed to children before and he is pretty good with them, as long as they don't chase him. He doesn't care for that. He has shown his teeth before when they get right in his face, but has never snapped or bitten. I'm not saying that showing his teeth is good by any means, but do you think it means "Hey, get out of my face!"

As for the eating/growling part, the behaviorist tried to do a few corrections with him, but it seemed to make the aggression worse, so we are just sticking with one of us (me or DH), standing by his bowl and leaning over every so often to get our hand by the bowl and rewarding him with a tiny piece of cheese. I have been able to touch him and pet him while he's eating during this time. sometimes he still growls and seems unsure when I do this, but I was told to just give him another tiny piece of cheese so he learns that my hands near him or his bowl is a good thing, not bad. It seems to slowly be getting better.

Usually when I'm petting him, I say things like "Good boy" or "Samson's such a good boy" in a positive tone. I admit that, lately, I have been a bit hesitant in reaching for him because I am afraid of him showing his teeth. Not that he will do anything more, just that he will show teeth. I don't think showing hesitance is good, so I am trying to be a bit more sure of myself in that area. It's difficult, though. When he misbehaves, I try to do a stern "No!" or (what we call) the game show buzzer sound "EEEEHHHH!" Does that make sense. We definitely notice, though, that when DH and I get into a fight, Samson does NOT like it and will go someplace and hide. It's so upsetting, but fights happen.

We spoke to the behaviorist last night and he told us "NO MORE ON THE BED" for Samson for now. He said to remove the stool he uses to jump up and down from the room completely so there is no confusion to Samson. Last night, we removed the stool and pushed our big down comforter to the floor because it was too warm. A few minutes later, we see Samson's head peaking over the edge of the bed and a minute after that, he jumped up! I can't believe he got on the bed without the stool. He's a determined little bugger. It took us a second to recover after he did that, but we told him to "get down" and then my DH put him in his crate for the night.

The behaviorist also said, in regards to him growling toward me more, that I have to do more. I will have to work harder then my DH. He said to initiate play time and work with him on sitting and rewarding him with tiny pieces of cheese and to really encourage him and praise him. Lots of praise and encouragement! When we got home last night, I took him for a short walk and then did some play time fetch. I first made him sit and said "Good boy!" really enthusiastically and gave some cheese. Well that just did him in! He became my best friend after that. It took forever to get him to start fetching once he knew I had cheese, but he finally got it. He did so good! No teeth showing and he was letting me scratch his ears and face! He played for so long, much longer then ever before. I will do this every day/night from now on so we have some positive time with just the two of us. I also plan to walk him more then before, even though it's getting colder and darker earlier. I just know how much he loves to walk. I work 10 hour days, so it can be difficult to get out there at times (especially as I progress in this pregnancy) but I just love letting him out there to exercise and explore.

My DH even said last night while we were playing "We haven't played with him like this in a while and that could certainly be part of the problem. We should do this more" so I was happy to hear that.

What do you all think of this so far?

[Harrysmum]

Well - I think you're doing brilliantly It must be awful for you, during one of the happiest times of your lives, to be encountering this. I realise exercise is good - but on top of a 10 hour working day - please, please don't exhaust yourself Sally + Harry x

[LunasMomma]

It sounds like you're all on the right track Be consistent and it'll work out

Congrats on the baby!

[Taryn0405]

I agree with the others. It's good that you're using rewarding with training. Too often, people-because they're scared or upset- first resort to yelling or spanking just like they would react with a child that is out of control. But it seems like you're on the right track.

It's the little steps that'll be rewarding with him. Just like when you potty trained him and made a fool out of yourself when he would potty outside, you're going to have to make a fool out of yourself when he's going through behavior boot camp!

One thing we did with Gizmo, which I wouldn't recommend for your little guy until he's a little more comfortable, was expose him to people and we exposed him alot. We have an outdoor mall close to us and since he's been vaccinated, we've had him there and had little kids touch him, and play with him, etc. So, it's that constant reassurance that needs to be established with your little guy that you guys are there and it's going to be okay! He needs to have his trust re-built, which sounds like you and your DH are doing good!

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[Potter]

Samson probably sense that you are pregnant and probably knows what is going on. He might be insecure and sense that he has to compete for attention when the baby is born and maybe that is why when you pay more attention to him, he behaves a lot better.

[Teresa Ford]

I am glad you are working with the trainer/ behaviorist. There are many methods that will work the trick is finding the right one for the family and the dog you are helping. Week End Exercise # 1 :When a dog is being aggressive at the food bowl. Make a point of eating your meal FIRST in front of him. Even if it is just a cup of coffee.You can skip feeding him for one day from his bowl. Call him to you ( with a Yorkie you can sit on the floor or a small low foot stool.) Hand feed him a tasty piece of boiled chicken (tiny pieces about the size of a pea) drop about 3 kibble in his bowl and a tiny piece of chicken (it helps if he is hungry) when he eats that ,call him have him sit and give him a piece of chicken. Repeat until he is looking at you to put food in his bowl. Pre-measure his normal amount of food into a bowl on the counter out of his reach , so you know when he has really eaten enough. Please check with your own trainer before doing this exercise.He / She may think your dog is not ready for it yet. I have found this very affective. This teaches him ALL food Belongs to you first and that he can trust you to keep feeding him. If he barks at you, or jumps around or on you, Do not treat. Just walk away and ignore him for about 3 min.s. Then try again.