Oliver ATTACKS me!!

[4chippy]

I have a male yorkie who is 11 mos. Whenever myself or my husband go to pick him up (he is usually behind a chair hiding) at night to crate him, he goes ballistic on us and literally attacks us. He is really good when I touch his own food, he doesn't attack. But if I give him a treat/chewy bone, he frantically searches for a hiding spot, then he guards it and attacks me every time I walk even close by the spot he hid it. This has been going on for months now.

This last week we have had my sisters' two cats (they all get along for the most part) with us temporarily and we put the cat food out for them. Well, he will start eating their food and so I take it and put it higher up so he can't get at it but as I take it away.....he attacks me!!! Also, he does this attacking when he gets into something he should not be into, E.g...tissues, q-tips, garbage or anything on the floor that he finds that could be dangerous to him, and I try to take it away from him. He COMPLETELY FREAKS......I mean vicious! Then 2 minutes later he is fine and kissing us. My husband and I are thinking of having children and I want to break him of this nasty habit early on. Anyone gone through this???

[maybeiloveyou]

Right now, your dog sees himself as the "top dog" and sees the things that he gets aggressive over are HIS things, not yours.

This would've been an easier thing to train him out of when he was younger because his teeth wouldn't have been too sharp (lol, it's always a plus when training!), and it wouldn't have been too embedded in his mind.

I'm not sure what to do, but this link might help some to understand the behavior: click!


edit: I've skimmed a lot of sites and they all pretty much say at this point you need professional help, like a behavior specialist or a trainer. Good luck! Hopefully someone here has some other answers/info for you.

[Sallyvine]

My darling departed Mac was like that when we first got him. He needed to learn I, not he, was alpha dog. First put a leash on him. Please use a harness not a collar because of his delicate little throat. Next get yourself a squirt bottle. When Oliver starts his act, gently pull the leash, and in a stern voice say "come." If he doesn't, in an equally stern voice say "water in the face" then spritz him. This will not harm him. If he won't drop the treat, gently turn him on his back and pin him to the floor. Say "drop it" if he doesn't repeat "water in the face" and spritz him. He will drop it then. I learned all this from a trainer. Everything is done gently. It is the tone of voice and the water that communicate the message. You won't have to do this more that 10 times. These Yorkies learn fast.

Give him very small treats that he can easily consume. If you give him something big, the natural instict is for him is to try to bury it. Occasionally I would give my baby a big bone for his teeth. After he had finished chewing he would stand at the patio door because he wanted to go out and bury it.
Bait and switch is great. I'd get one of his little regular treats. When he saw that he'd drop the bone, which I whisked away. He'd look for a few minutes and then forget it. How I wish he were here to play that game.

Remember they are just like kids, they need limits with gentle discipline.

I raised two wonderful daughters and taught school for 25 years. Now my daughters have grown and moved, and my precious Mac is gone. On Wed. we go to look at a 5 year old female. Please pray this works out. I cannot bare the loneliness much longer.

SV

[FirstYorkie]

4chippy, your Yorkie desperately needs some obedience training. Classes are really fun to do. He needs to learn basic commands like "leave it" and "drop it". It would also be useful to teach him "go to bed".

Here is a link to an awesome article about object guarding (which is what your pup does with bones and forbidden articles):
http://www.clickersolutions.com/arti...ctguarding.htm
The whole ClickerSolutions website is wonderful. You might have a look around for more advice.

[omega]

I agree that he thinks he is the pack leader. Caeser Millan has some great advice on exactly this kind of situation. Plus, the basic training would help tremendously.

I have one dog who runs to hide under the couch when it is crate time. I got tired of pulling her out so I started using tiny treats and asking who wants a treat. Now when I ask that, she usually runs into her crate.

[Donna Jean]

I agree Cesar's Way, by Cesar Millan, also known as the Dog Whisper, is an great book, and many tips on how to train an aggressive dog! He also has videos, i highly recomend his books and Viedio's that can be rented at the library.

Good Luck, you really need to turn things around, he thinks is the pack leader, and you need to let him know you are the Alfa Dog! Cesar will help a great deal with these problems.

[Ashley V]

Chip did that for awhile when he was a puppy. He thought he could dominant us and especially me. The vet's office plays videos while waiting for the doctor and there was one about training. It said to hold them on their back and say no and hold them there until they stop fighting. When they settle down, let them up and praise them.