Please help!! Our puppy is getting way too wild - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Ahoo · 06-18-2009, 12:47 PM

Hello guys,

Our 8.5 week old female yorkie came home last week Tuesday so she has been with us for 9 days now. She was with her brother and sister before that. At first she was a quite adorable little puppy but as time goes by she's getting way too wild to handle. If we try playing with her on our lap she tries to run away to the floor and if we try to hold her she bites, growls and puppy barks. We try not to keep her outside after pee and poo so she understands she goes out to do business only and we don't let her roam around the house so she doesn't pee and poo anywhere. We try to play with her on the floor she runs away and if we try to catch her we get the growling and biting again. So we keep putting her back to her crate when she behaves this way and it becomes hard to deal with. Anything we can do before she becomes this aggressive and wild pet? We tried giving her toys to bite when she bites us but after 2 bites she'll get bored of the toy we even got the chill bone but no luck.

KJLive · 06-18-2009, 12:55 PM

Hi there and Welcome to YT! Sounds as if your little one is challenging you already? It sounds to me that if she's gone from adorable little puppy to holy terror that she is feeling comfortable in her new home and is now pushing the envelop to see just how much she can control. Although a fairly new Yorkie owner myself (Sophie is a little of 9 mths) I did pick up a few things along the way. First...please don't use her crate a "punishment" for bad behavior. This is their safe haven..their home. You don't want to make it into a "bad" place. Certainly you may use it as a "time out" if she's done something that requires your immediate attention and you can't keep an eye on her..ie: piddled on the floor and you need to clean it up. As for the play time...it sounds as if she needs a small area to run and play in under your supervision. When you get her out to play instead of on your lap maybe in a spare bathroom/bedroom/kitchen area? Lastly, you MUST assert yourself as the boss or "pack leader" in your home. This is what the barking, growling, etc is all about. She's trying you to see how far she can go with it. They are very spirited dogs and although most times it's cute how they "challenge", you still need to be the boss. Good luck!

erickajm · 06-18-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ahoo

Hello guys,

Our 8.5 week old female yorkie came home last week Tuesday so she has been with us for 9 days now. She was with her brother and sister before that. At first she was a quite adorable little puppy but as time goes by she's getting way too wild to handle. If we try playing with her on our lap she tries to run away to the floor and if we try to hold her she bites, growls and puppy barks. We try not to keep her outside after pee and poo so she understands she goes out to do business only and we don't let her roam around the house so she doesn't pee and poo anywhere. We try to play with her on the floor she runs away and if we try to catch her we get the growling and biting again. So we keep putting her back to her crate when she behaves this way and it becomes hard to deal with. Anything we can do before she becomes this aggressive and wild pet? We tried giving her toys to bite when she bites us but after 2 bites she'll get bored of the toy we even got the chill bone but no luck.

She is being a healthy playful pup. I think one thing you may want to consider is that you may start to have problems with her going to the bathroom if you make her come inside right after she is done. It is okay to let her play for a bit... or she may start trying to hold it longer so that she can play.

It is not okay to bite. Maybe she would be good with playing tug with you. How much time are you allowing her to play before being put in the crate? Have you tried to contact the breeder to ask what she liked playing with or some ideas from her/him..

chachi · 06-18-2009, 01:06 PM

You could have been describing my Chachi when he was that age. Wen she bites make a loud sound like "youch" then put something she can chew on in her mouth. If that doesnt work gently hold his muzzle and say no bite. By the way they outgrow this in time and its not a sign that there will be aggression problems

FlDebra · 06-18-2009, 01:22 PM

I am going through this right now with my puppy. He bites harder than any of the others when he plays. I am not sure why some bite hard and others seem to know from the start tohold back. I thought maybe he bit harder because he never had a mother to nip gently when he got too rough within the litter. I hand-raised this litter. But since others go through the same thing, maybe it is just a case-by-case trait.

I find Chachi's advice is working best for me so far. At least when I yell like I am hurt, Rocky stops biting and just looks at me. Then he starts licking so I know he is not meaning to hurt -- he just has to learn how hard he can bite without hurting. I have also been using the "No Bite" sternly spoken and the distraction with a toy. He still keeps doing the same thing on each play time. But I am sure with persistence he will lighten up.

I agree about not using the crate as a punishment place. You want him to like his crate. I would also get an exercise pen or a play yard. That way he has some place to play and get some of that energy out. Mine now has run of half of the house -- just not down the hall to the bedrooms. That way he is pretty much in my sight at all times, but is not penned up. I also have the advantage of other dogs to help work out some of the extra energy -- they chase each other in a big figure eight through out house. Hilarious unless you are trying to concentrate on something.

I had also read about one behavior modification practice, especially for my situation with no momma dog to teach....the idea was to nip gently with your fingers right around the top of the puppies neck, like a momma dog would with her teeth when she wanted to correct a behavior. Since yours is so young it might work. I did not have much luck with it, probably because I was too reluctant to make the little nip hard enough to do more than make the puppy think I was playing more. But I can follow the logic of why it would work.

The biting when playing is really a pretty common thing to deal with -- I won't even call it a problem. It is just that some seem to instinctively know how hard they can go better than others. Good luck!

JoeyP · 06-19-2009, 09:46 AM

Haha ... barking already at 8.5 weeks
You got yourself a little firecracker

This one has a real sense of herself
and she's likely getting used to the new household
and might be missing her siblings ..... you chasing after her and holding her in place is probably scaring her
and you might do better with trying to entice her into play rather than picking her up and making her play

This way she will see sooner that interaction with humans is a good thaing rather than something to be afraid of

With a puppy this headstrong it's best to start treat training sooner rather than later

But barking and biting should never be tolerated
NO! .... and she gets left alone

06-18-2009, 12:47 PM	#1
Ahoo Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: chicago Posts: 11	Please help!! Our puppy is getting way too wild Hello guys, Our 8.5 week old female yorkie came home last week Tuesday so she has been with us for 9 days now. She was with her brother and sister before that. At first she was a quite adorable little puppy but as time goes by she's getting way too wild to handle. If we try playing with her on our lap she tries to run away to the floor and if we try to hold her she bites, growls and puppy barks. We try not to keep her outside after pee and poo so she understands she goes out to do business only and we don't let her roam around the house so she doesn't pee and poo anywhere. We try to play with her on the floor she runs away and if we try to catch her we get the growling and biting again. So we keep putting her back to her crate when she behaves this way and it becomes hard to deal with. Anything we can do before she becomes this aggressive and wild pet? We tried giving her toys to bite when she bites us but after 2 bites she'll get bored of the toy we even got the chill bone but no luck.

06-18-2009, 12:55 PM	#2
KJLive Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lebanon, PA, USA Posts: 708	Hi there and Welcome to YT! Sounds as if your little one is challenging you already? It sounds to me that if she's gone from adorable little puppy to holy terror that she is feeling comfortable in her new home and is now pushing the envelop to see just how much she can control. Although a fairly new Yorkie owner myself (Sophie is a little of 9 mths) I did pick up a few things along the way. First...please don't use her crate a "punishment" for bad behavior. This is their safe haven..their home. You don't want to make it into a "bad" place. Certainly you may use it as a "time out" if she's done something that requires your immediate attention and you can't keep an eye on her..ie: piddled on the floor and you need to clean it up. As for the play time...it sounds as if she needs a small area to run and play in under your supervision. When you get her out to play instead of on your lap maybe in a spare bathroom/bedroom/kitchen area? Lastly, you MUST assert yourself as the boss or "pack leader" in your home. This is what the barking, growling, etc is all about. She's trying you to see how far she can go with it. They are very spirited dogs and although most times it's cute how they "challenge", you still need to be the boss. Good luck! __________________ Sherry, Sophie, and Ivan

06-18-2009, 01:06 PM	#4
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 26,868	You could have been describing my Chachi when he was that age. Wen she bites make a loud sound like "youch" then put something she can chew on in her mouth. If that doesnt work gently hold his muzzle and say no bite. By the way they outgrow this in time and its not a sign that there will be aggression problems __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427 Last edited by chachi; 06-18-2009 at 01:08 PM.

06-18-2009, 01:22 PM	#5
FlDebra Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FL Posts: 5,079	I am going through this right now with my puppy. He bites harder than any of the others when he plays. I am not sure why some bite hard and others seem to know from the start tohold back. I thought maybe he bit harder because he never had a mother to nip gently when he got too rough within the litter. I hand-raised this litter. But since others go through the same thing, maybe it is just a case-by-case trait. I find Chachi's advice is working best for me so far. At least when I yell like I am hurt, Rocky stops biting and just looks at me. Then he starts licking so I know he is not meaning to hurt -- he just has to learn how hard he can bite without hurting. I have also been using the "No Bite" sternly spoken and the distraction with a toy. He still keeps doing the same thing on each play time. But I am sure with persistence he will lighten up. I agree about not using the crate as a punishment place. You want him to like his crate. I would also get an exercise pen or a play yard. That way he has some place to play and get some of that energy out. Mine now has run of half of the house -- just not down the hall to the bedrooms. That way he is pretty much in my sight at all times, but is not penned up. I also have the advantage of other dogs to help work out some of the extra energy -- they chase each other in a big figure eight through out house. Hilarious unless you are trying to concentrate on something. I had also read about one behavior modification practice, especially for my situation with no momma dog to teach....the idea was to nip gently with your fingers right around the top of the puppies neck, like a momma dog would with her teeth when she wanted to correct a behavior. Since yours is so young it might work. I did not have much luck with it, probably because I was too reluctant to make the little nip hard enough to do more than make the puppy think I was playing more. But I can follow the logic of why it would work. The biting when playing is really a pretty common thing to deal with -- I won't even call it a problem. It is just that some seem to instinctively know how hard they can go better than others. Good luck! __________________ FlDebra and the Gang Ben Candy Katie Rocky Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail." - Henry Wheeler Shaw

06-19-2009, 09:46 AM	#6
JoeyP YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Miami, FL,USA Posts: 875	Haha ... barking already at 8.5 weeks You got yourself a little firecracker This one has a real sense of herself and she's likely getting used to the new household and might be missing her siblings ..... you chasing after her and holding her in place is probably scaring her and you might do better with trying to entice her into play rather than picking her up and making her play This way she will see sooner that interaction with humans is a good thaing rather than something to be afraid of With a puppy this headstrong it's best to start treat training sooner rather than later But barking and biting should never be tolerated NO! .... and she gets left alone __________________ Mike and Zach's Dadd