Help with Aggresive Puppy

[robyns]

I need some suggestions. We have an almost 4 year old Yorkie-Lily. She is the sweetest thing! She loves people to the point that when we go on a walk she is greeting everyone she sees sure that they want to pet her.I have really thought about making her a therapy dog b/c she is so sweet and loves people so much! We have recently gotten a 7mth old neutered male, Nuggles. He was at the Breeders until we got him with his mom, dad, brother and other Yorkies. He is very sweet, snuggly and timid. It took about a week and half for Lily to warm up to him and play. Now they are good buddies most of the time.

Problem 1- He is starting to get very aggresive, growly, snarly towards other dogs when we are walking--Lily is greeting everyone entusiastically and he is snarling and wanting to pick a fight!

Problem 2- As he has become more excitable and aggresive acting, if he gets excited about something outside and they are both running to go outside, he will start attacking Lily and nipping at her. For the most part, she submits to him. I was just doing some training with treats and he lit into her and she went back at him. They acted like they were going to kill each other I said no very harshly and put him in the crate. I know that both being so close where treats were being used could have been a problem, but until now there have been no issues over food or treats. As near as I can tell, he is always the aggresor, although I am not sure that she doesn't snarl at him first some of the time. We purposefully got a male thinking there wouldn't be problems. I am so surprised and dismayed that my sweet little Lily's home has become so scary for her at times.

Any ideas, suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! I am about ready to send him back, but he is so sweet and loving with us!!

Thanks, Robyn

[rubynrosie]

Hey Robyn

I don't have any answers for you but am responding to hopefully bump it up so someone with training experience will reply!!!

[Micah my love]

This is a bit odd as i have never seen a male get aggressive with a female...I wonder if he is jealous of her

[Clyde_Dexter]

I think you need to consider some one on one training with Nuggles.

1. Try taking him on a walk alone and work on his reaction towards other dogs. If he sees another dog and he starts growling immediately get his attention and tell him "No" (or whatever he knows that means no to him) and pick up the pace. If he won't stop turn him around and walk in the other direction, and walk fast enough where he doesn't have time to turn around and bark/growl at the other dog. Turn his attention from the other dog and reward him when he focuses on you. Eventually it just teach him to not have such a reaction when seeing another dog because when you turn his attention away from the other dog you're stopping the reaction.

2. It sounds like you should keep Nuggles away from your other dog during training, at least until he learns some impulse control. He could be jealous of your female or it might just be some bad puppy traits he picked up from earlier in life. Maybe you should consider taking him to a "dog reactivity" workshop.

If you work on commands like "No", "wait", "be patient", "Look at me" or "Focus" ... and other such words so that he can work on some control.

It sounds like these are problems that could be overcome with some consistent training. Just remember to remain patient! I know there are some other members that will have some great advice, but I just thought I'd tell you what I did with Clyde.

[yorkietalkjilly]

A lot of people with dogs with this problem would probably also start the Nothing In Life Is Free program on the aggressor - check them out on Google and read several of them - they are all free programs and very, very easy to do. This will start to show him that you are his leader and he needs to heed your every word in order to get his needs met. Keep your commands anger or force-free and stay matter-of-fact during the training and get him a bit under control. At the same time, start him on basic obedience and work faithfully at it daily and always positively with him. Keep it upbeat, fun and be very enthusiastic when training him so he will love love love working and learning. He'll knock himself out for you that way. Of course, never punish a dog during training because they don't do what you request, just say "uh oh", wait 30 seconds and retry with a smile on your face. Short, repetitive sessions which are lots of fun and positively rewarding will begin to pay off with a dog learning how to control himself and his impulses. And, he'll learn that you are his valued team member but that you are also the coach and GM, too, and what you say goes.

Walk with a bag of juicy treats suspended from your waist. You will have taught him to sit and "Watch me" already as part of basic obedience so when another dog starts to approach, tell him to sit and "Watch me" and use food if you must at first to keep him focusing on that as the other dog walks by. If he does rise, take him on his leash and walk him in circles for a time using the food treat or a squeaky toy as a lure in your right hand as you turn him while the dog passes but only do that if he rises himself. Otherwise, you want him seated during the walkby and focused on your and/or the food in your hand. Once the dog is safely past, sit him again if he rose and you circled, praise and treat and resume your walk. If he stays seated during the pass and watches you the whole time - WOW - you are really getting there. Gently praise him(not too much so as not to excite him) and give a nice treat and immediately start back walking.

Until he is older and has better impulse control and respect for you as his leader, keep the dogs separated when treats, chewies, food and even toys are out. Once he is really under your control and can always obey you, then you can relax some of your hard and fast rules and see if they can play with a few toys together, etc.

Always rebuff fighting with immediate separation, taking him from the room and leaving him in a closed room for about 15 minutes until he is calmed down. Later, when he's really trained, a fight can still happen between dogs as it even can with people, say "No!" in a low, guttural voice, use a claw-hand on the back of his neck pressing in somewhat to mimic the discipline of an alpha dog or a mother dog, hold him in place until he is calm and then remove him from the room. When placing him in the other room, meet his eyes and lock them and show by your body attitude and face that you are displeased with his behavior. Do not speak to him when you are emotional after the fight except to say the "No!" when the fight starts. Leave him in the room at least 15 minutes or until he is well settled down and then reintroduce him into the room, allowing the dogs to resume their relationship.

Further, train your little aggressor to allow your other dog to romp around in his presence. Put him in a Down, Stay and have treats. Gently play with your other dog and every so often, as long as he stays down and quiet, give your boy a treat. Over time and with repetition, this will desensitize him to accepting that your other dog is going to be playful and bouncy around him and he has nothing to say in the matter. If he tries to rise or growl, say "uh oh" and immediately remove him from the room for 15 minutes of quiet time. No less time than 15 minutes. If he's whining or barking, increase the time for 15 minutes after he has quieted down. This will help him learn that getting quiet will keep his time-out to 15 minutes but that raising a ruckus will increase it. In time, he will learn to quiet himself and wait for his release.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Sorry, couldn't fully flesh this out but had some things to do.

When having your dog sit and focus on you with the "Watch me" request outside on the walk when another dog is coming and walking him in a circle or two following a treat in your right fist (if he doesn't stay stay down as the other dog passes), he is learning not to alert to the other dog but to keep his attention on you and what you are directing him to do. Alerting to other dogs and obsessively focusing in on them can lead to excitement and aggression and trying to attack. An offlead dog will come straight for him if he's in that state and if the offlead dog is aggressive or vicious, you and your dog will be in trouble. By keeping him busy working and obeying your request or walking in circles should he rise, it is desensitizing him to the presence of other dogs outside and defusing their power over him. He'll learn in time to just sit and wait and eventually just to walk on by - no need to sit but to focus on his leader rather than the other dog. Training him in this way over and over every day will soon have him much more interested in you and that treat than the dog walking past. You can train poor impulse control out of a dog most of the time if you are persistent and use nothing but positive-reward training.

About the desensitization training to your other dog playing in his presence, you might have to start out with him in a wire crate as you play with the other dog near him. Each day move your play session closer to the crate. When you can play with her and he is lying in the crate or remaining un-alerted and calm in it and at times ignoring what is going on, then and only then, you can bring him out of the crate and start putting him in the down/stay as you play with her and treating him as long as he stays down. If he lays his head down, DOUBLE TREATS - that shows he's submitted and relaxed to the activity in his presence. Have him on the leash during that time so you can control him should he suddenly rise in excitement/aggression. Should he do that, say "uh oh" and remove him from the room during the training sessions with him remaining in the other room for 15 minutes once he's totally quiet. Then he can come out and resume his day. After a while, put him in the down/stay on the leash and back to playing with the female, giving him a treat every so often as long as he stays down. This will in time get him used to controlling himself and learning not to jump up or try to jump on her as she goes about her life. But I would leave him leashed for a good two months after he's trained as the two dogs start to play together or interact with one another. No food, chewies, sticks or toys or other resources out when both are together in a room or outside, either, until he is totally submitted to her being herself and doing whatever she wants with no input from him. With a dog that is a little aggressive in nature, you might always have to separate them when resources are around.

[robyns]

Thanks for all the replies. You all have given me some real good ideas and things to focus on!
He is really very sweet and Nuggles and Lily get along 95% of the time. They eat side by side without problems and for the most part play with toys around each other without a problem. Of course Lily backs down and lets him go first, take the toy, etc. So funny because she bossed our Oldie Golden around until Gracie went to Rainbow Bridge a year ago!! I thought Lily would be the dominate one!
He just gets so wound up and then is crazy!! A whirling dervish!!
Thanks,
Robyn

[gracielove]

Yorkietalkjilly has given you some great advise. As your guy is becoming more comfortable with his new home his need to dominate may be coming out. Sounds like your little girl is very submissive. I has a similar situation some years ago only my first dog was a male and the new pup was a girl. She became very dominate and just make my first dog's life miserable. I think it is more the personality of the dog sometimes and not so much the sex. I hope you can nip this before it gets too bad. Maybe try keeping him on a leash to prevent any more run ins with your little girl when there is any chance of a challenge.