HELP! I need some advice!

[GoofysMom]

Hello guys, some of you know our story. I took Goofy about 6 months ago from a bad home. He is 4, already changed several homes and has been abused. So for the past 6 months we are trying really hard to make him trust us and feel good about his new home.

He bites anyone who will try to touch him, he even bites me and my boyfriend tho we know he loves us... Just sometimes maybe he remembers things or gets scared and just reacts.

He is much calmer tho, very much calmer. But still acts kind of weird. So I need your help, to tell me is it a normal thing Yorkies do or no? He will sit in front of me, looking into my eyes and will growl like all the time. Even if he had his meal, he went out for his walks and everything seems normal. He does that almost everyday... I just dont understand what he wants... I try to cuddle but after a few minutes he might not like it and get mad... for no reason.

I know Yorkies are very needy just dont understand what he wants! Sorry for the long post, thank you for your help everyone!!

[LilAnnCamp]

I have no advise but bumping your thread to keep this up for the day people. Best wishes.

[GoofysMom]

Originally Posted by LilAnnCamp

I have no advise but bumping your thread to keep this up for the day people. Best wishes.

Thank you!

[yorkiemom2000]

This isn't directly related to Yorkie behavior, but years ago I adopted two greyhounds. My female had been abused - apparently by a man wearing a baseball cap and carrying a stick. She would freak out whenever a man wearing a baseball cap came near her, and it took a long time for me to sweep the floor in her presence. There were other things that she had trouble with, but it took at least a year for her behavior to settle, and for her to begin trusting that we weren't going to hurt her. It just broke my heart. My advice is patience, patience, patience.

[Marhcarter]

Originally Posted by GoofysMom

Hello guys, some of you know our story. I took Goofy about 6 months ago from a bad home. He is 4, already changed several homes and has been abused. So for the past 6 months we are trying really hard to make him trust us and feel good about his new home.

He bites anyone who will try to touch him, he even bites me and my boyfriend tho we know he loves us... Just sometimes maybe he remembers things or gets scared and just reacts.

He is much calmer tho, very much calmer. But still acts kind of weird. So I need your help, to tell me is it a normal thing Yorkies do or no? He will sit in front of me, looking into my eyes and will growl like all the time. Even if he had his meal, he went out for his walks and everything seems normal. He does that almost everyday... I just dont understand what he wants... I try to cuddle but after a few minutes he might not like it and get mad... for no reason.

I know Yorkies are very needy just dont understand what he wants! Sorry for the long post, thank you for your help everyone!!

What kind of growl? Is it a mad growl or a low pitched "play with me" kind of growl? If I'm not paying Huey enough attention, he will sit in front of me and "mmmmwwwwwffff" softly until I throw his ball or play with him. It could just be he wants to play. Huey isn't a cuddler, either, unless he instigates it, but will chase a ball all day if someone will just throw it.

[Verbena]

Yes I agree what kind of growl is it.

[GoofysMom]

Originally Posted by yorkiemom2000

This isn't directly related to Yorkie behavior, but years ago I adopted two greyhounds. My female had been abused - apparently by a man wearing a baseball cap and carrying a stick. She would freak out whenever a man wearing a baseball cap came near her, and it took a long time for me to sweep the floor in her presence. There were other things that she had trouble with, but it took at least a year for her behavior to settle, and for her to begin trusting that we weren't going to hurt her. It just broke my heart. My advice is patience, patience, patience.

Yes, he freaks out the same way but with more stuff. He even freaks out when I cuddle him sometimes, he just gets scared I guess. Thank you for your reply! Makes me feel better that your female calmed down after a while.

[GoofysMom]

Originally Posted by Marhcarter

What kind of growl? Is it a mad growl or a low pitched "play with me" kind of growl? If I'm not paying Huey enough attention, he will sit in front of me and "mmmmwwwwwffff" softly until I throw his ball or play with him. It could just be he wants to play. Huey isn't a cuddler, either, unless he instigates it, but will chase a ball all day if someone will just throw it.

No its not a mad growl, its a growl like he wants something. He begs for something and I dont know what. I try to play but sometimes he doesnt care about his toys and keeps looking into my eyes and begging. :/

[GoofysMom]

Originally Posted by Verbena

Yes I agree what kind of growl is it.

Like he wants something, he begs for something.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Dogs mostly bite out of fear and over time, it becomes reactive and reflexive. Not that many are truly aggressive and want to injure. He's just very mistrusting and fearful of humans and can't come to reconcile those old feelings with you and his new family. He's like a soldier with PTSD and in only a few months, even with intense medical and medicinal help, they still have many problems. An abused dog is very like that - suffering the associations of humans nowadays with human proximity in the past and reacting as he used to do. It's a type of "muscle memory". It's always helped him stay safe in the past and he'll use it for control when he feels unsure.

I would start my dog on the Nothing In Life Is Free training concept(Google the term and read many of the sites about how best to use this training) and I would get him busy in obedience training. Again, you can Google obedience training and find good ways to start your own little program. Working actively with a troubled dog will get his mind going forward and learning teamwork with people for a positive reward. It will in time start to reshape his behavior and interactions with you. Keep the sessions short and frequent and all positive.

In the meantime, you must work on rehabbing him another way and that is the interpersonal, downtime type interactions. I would ignore him and allow him to approach me. Stay reserved, aloof, use little hand contact(as human hands could have a great deal of negative meaning to him) and let him do the touching, asking for attention - BUT DON'T GIVE it yet. Just look at him and smile pleasantly and go about your business. Make him become the one who seeks your attentions and affections in time and only give it by touching with an arm or leaning into him, a smiling look but don't engage him with eyes for a long time as some dogs are intimidated/challenged by that when in a fearful state.

He'll need at least two good, long walks a day. Let the first part of the walk consist of him sniffing and marking all he wants in order to fulfill his social and instinctive needs. The last half should be heeling-up and brisk, to work his muscles good and hard, tensions flowing as he goes.

As for the constant growling if all his needs of exercise, food, potty and mental stimulation are met for the day, redirect him with a kong toy or ignore him. For an abused dog, he's likely learned this gives him some space or gets him some attention, gives him a little power, a bit of control, etc. - who knows right now. The thing is he doesn't know how else to react to you right now or ask for what he wants and it is so hard for him to trust again so early in your relationship so try not to let him start this activity. If you see him coming to sit before you, preparatory to starting the growling, cut him off and give him something to play with, a chew toy or let him outside, take a walk, get up and walk away - anything to start to break the habit. His growling sounds like a guy with PTSD or an attack of nerves that doesn't know what to do with themselves so they chew their fingernails, play endless video games, play pool for hours and hours, pace, smoke or drink endlessly and obsessively. You've seen extremely damaged human beings no doubt and realize it can take a lot of work to rehab them. Dogs are far easier usually. Just a lot of NILIF, obedience training, getting into some agility, exercise, exercise, exercise, ignoring bad/unwanted behavior and redirection and an active life full of patience and love can help him fairly soon. Start to read up on some books about abused dogs and how to rehab and work with them.

Just remember, if you were hurt or harmed over and over by dogs for a long time, you would be very leery of them and imagine if you had to look to them for your food and well-being - how conflicted would you feel? When would you start to trust? Well, that's likely what he's feeling about humans and he can't "talk" it out. All he can do is tell you by his inappropriate behavior that there are problems and he's asking for help through that behavior.

When you take on an abused dog you take on the responsibility to help him and it goes far beyond love and food and comforting in the sense that we think of comforting. To a dog, human closeness can bring up associations of pain and fear and keeping him active, learning and redirected and staying somewhat aloof in the process of rehabbing will in time teach him to trust you. Staying remote and aloof will show him that you respect him, will give him his needed space and time and that you are willing to let him make the moves to approach you and initiate closeness. And when he does, keep it brief. Only a little, then redirect him to another activity before he has time to get worried or start bad associations. With time, patience, understanding and not letting him start his unwanted activities, you can help him to eventually blossom into the dog he was meant to be. But it could take up to two years with an adult dog to get where you want to be. But it is well worth the effort, let me tell you! You will one day know the great happiness of taking a dog destined for the needle and instead making him a little happy, healthy and fulfilled pet and loving companion. It is a great thing to do for yourself and for the dog.

[kjc]

IDK, My Biewer growls when she wants attention. It took me off guard when I first got her. She had her front paws in my lap, and I started to freak. Then I decided to make light of it and laughed and in a high voice I said "What are you doing? You silly dog." Laughing accomplishes two things, it helps me relax, and it helps the dog to relax, as she should know I'm not going to be mean to her when I'm laughing.

Sapphire will bite anything that moves. To get her out of biting people, I set a bowl of Cheerios by the door for anyone coming in to give her a treat, tossing them to her first, then out of hand once she relaxed.

Is your dog biting hard? If so, you may need to get a professional trainer to work with him. I would think some basic obedience will help him too.

[kjc]

Also, you'll need to be very slow around him until you learn what triggers him, then avoid those movements for the time being. Like: if he's been hit, you don't want to be raising your hand to him or around him. Once he trusts you, you can begin to desensitize him to his triggers.

My Tink was abused, I couldn't touch her butt even in play without seeing a mouthful of teeth and snarliness coming for me. So I avoided that area for a while till she trusted me and learned some bite inhibition, then we began working on that. I'd call her over saying 'Come here, let me beat your butt!' (this desensitizes them to those words too), then I held her in a head lock and patted her gently on the butt. Very nervous and jumpy at first, but now she knows I am not going to hurt her. My poor dogs... I say 'Let me beat your butt' and they all come for a butt rub, lol.

[GoofysMom]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Dogs mostly bite out of fear and over time, it becomes reactive and reflexive. Not that many are truly aggressive and want to injure. He's just very mistrusting and fearful of humans and can't come to reconcile those old feelings with you and his new family. He's like a soldier with PTSD and in only a few months, even with intense medical and medicinal help, they still have many problems. An abused dog is very like that - suffering the associations of humans nowadays with human proximity in the past and reacting as he used to do. It's a type of "muscle memory". It's always helped him stay safe in the past and he'll use it for control when he feels unsure.

I would start my dog on the Nothing In Life Is Free training concept(Google the term and read many of the sites about how best to use this training) and I would get him busy in obedience training. Again, you can Google obedience training and find good ways to start your own little program. Working actively with a troubled dog will get his mind going forward and learning teamwork with people for a positive reward. It will in time start to reshape his behavior and interactions with you. Keep the sessions short and frequent and all positive.

In the meantime, you must work on rehabbing him another way and that is the interpersonal, downtime type interactions. I would ignore him and allow him to approach me. Stay reserved, aloof, use little hand contact(as human hands could have a great deal of negative meaning to him) and let him do the touching, asking for attention - BUT DON'T GIVE it yet. Just look at him and smile pleasantly and go about your business. Make him become the one who seeks your attentions and affections in time and only give it by touching with an arm or leaning into him, a smiling look but don't engage him with eyes for a long time as some dogs are intimidated/challenged by that when in a fearful state.

He'll need at least two good, long walks a day. Let the first part of the walk consist of him sniffing and marking all he wants in order to fulfill his social and instinctive needs. The last half should be heeling-up and brisk, to work his muscles good and hard, tensions flowing as he goes.

As for the constant growling if all his needs of exercise, food, potty and mental stimulation are met for the day, redirect him with a kong toy or ignore him. For an abused dog, he's likely learned this gives him some space or gets him some attention, gives him a little power, a bit of control, etc. - who knows right now. The thing is he doesn't know how else to react to you right now or ask for what he wants and it is so hard for him to trust again so early in your relationship so try not to let him start this activity. If you see him coming to sit before you, preparatory to starting the growling, cut him off and give him something to play with, a chew toy or let him outside, take a walk, get up and walk away - anything to start to break the habit. His growling sounds like a guy with PTSD or an attack of nerves that doesn't know what to do with themselves so they chew their fingernails, play endless video games, play pool for hours and hours, pace, smoke or drink endlessly and obsessively. You've seen extremely damaged human beings no doubt and realize it can take a lot of work to rehab them. Dogs are far easier usually. Just a lot of NILIF, obedience training, getting into some agility, exercise, exercise, exercise, ignoring bad/unwanted behavior and redirection and an active life full of patience and love can help him fairly soon. Start to read up on some books about abused dogs and how to rehab and work with them.

Just remember, if you were hurt or harmed over and over by dogs for a long time, you would be very leery of them and imagine if you had to look to them for your food and well-being - how conflicted would you feel? When would you start to trust? Well, that's likely what he's feeling about humans and he can't "talk" it out. All he can do is tell you by his inappropriate behavior that there are problems and he's asking for help through that behavior.

When you take on an abused dog you take on the responsibility to help him and it goes far beyond love and food and comforting in the sense that we think of comforting. To a dog, human closeness can bring up associations of pain and fear and keeping him active, learning and redirected and staying somewhat aloof in the process of rehabbing will in time teach him to trust you. Staying remote and aloof will show him that you respect him, will give him his needed space and time and that you are willing to let him make the moves to approach you and initiate closeness. And when he does, keep it brief. Only a little, then redirect him to another activity before he has time to get worried or start bad associations. With time, patience, understanding and not letting him start his unwanted activities, you can help him to eventually blossom into the dog he was meant to be. But it could take up to two years with an adult dog to get where you want to be. But it is well worth the effort, let me tell you! You will one day know the great happiness of taking a dog destined for the needle and instead making him a little happy, healthy and fulfilled pet and loving companion. It is a great thing to do for yourself and for the dog.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, very very helful everything you mention. I will start a much orginized daily training and follow your sudjestions. Thank you!

[GoofysMom]

Originally Posted by kjc

Also, you'll need to be very slow around him until you learn what triggers him, then avoid those movements for the time being. Like: if he's been hit, you don't want to be raising your hand to him or around him. Once he trusts you, you can begin to desensitize him to his triggers.

My Tink was abused, I couldn't touch her butt even in play without seeing a mouthful of teeth and snarliness coming for me. So I avoided that area for a while till she trusted me and learned some bite inhibition, then we began working on that. I'd call her over saying 'Come here, let me beat your butt!' (this desensitizes them to those words too), then I held her in a head lock and patted her gently on the butt. Very nervous and jumpy at first, but now she knows I am not going to hurt her. My poor dogs... I say 'Let me beat your butt' and they all come for a butt rub, lol.

hahaha sounds nice! Thank you for your advice. Yes he usually shows teeth wneh we are playing with his toys, he doesnt know we are just playing he wants to show me he owns everything in the house I think. We are trying to make him understand the meaning of playing, first with treats but then again when we got him he was about 13 pounds!! (yes... poor baby) So we were looking for a way without treats so that we can reduce his weight. He is now 8.8 pounds.

[kjc]

My Tink is very toy possessive too. I had to get a bunch of duplicate toys, and the Hide-a-Squirrel toy (has 3 identical squirrels in it). That way she got confused, but she learned she would always have a toy, even if I had the same one. Of course she always wanted the one I had, but she got worn out trying to keep up with the multiples, lol.