Quote:
Originally Posted by YorkieMother  First he is a baby and give him a break he yet to understand what works with you and does not.
Growling is just talk and should not be worried about. Say thanks to you if he growls at you as he just given you a thing to work on.
Shutting of that growl can get you bit as he was not got a way to say he is not comfortable.
Work switch things.
So if he was a toy and is playing with it trade huim for one of equal or greater intrest or use a food treat.
Once he gives it up and takes the food treat give him back the toy.
Yes give it back.. what you want is to have him think that not everything that is fun to him must be given up all the time.
I can have it back.
yea they can think that way.
So now you have an item he can have and is switching it back and forth with easy.
ow comes the test.... he got something he can not have. Stop breat and make a simple trade, just like with a toy it is no big deal if you stay calm.
Then just simply walk away with the thing he can not have and put it away.
JL |
Mariah is my first Yorkie and I was very surprised at how BIG of a personalitiy she has for such a tiny dog! My Bichon never showed any of the traits that Mariah did including the growling, snapping, etc.
When Mariah has something that she should not have we do offer her a treat to get it back instead of chasing her all over the place (and never catching her anyway). We have since taught her "leave it" which helps a lot.
But when she is growling and snapping - that is a whole other situation! I do not believe that "growl is just talk". In my situation it was definitely Mariah telling us that she could do whatever she wanted and we better not try to stop her. That is just not acceptable behavior. I believe if we hadn't stopped it immediately it would have accelerated and Mariah could have really bit and hurt someone!
I WILL NOT allow my dog to think that she can do such a thing! She rarely did it to me because I think she recognized right away that she was not dominant over me but she did do it to my 13 & 18 yr old children as well as my husband. It's just not acceptable behavior! When she would do this we would tell her NO in a very firm voice and tap her bottom. My husband has gently pinned her down. After each doing this once we only had to tell her NO a few more times, doing a few "training sessions" and now she NEVER growls or snaps at anyone! She needed to be taught that it was unacceptable behavior!
Mariah is very sweet and affectionate! She is definitely not afraid of us. She has a a very close and special relationship with each member of our family! I'm grateful for all the wonderful advice I have gotten from everyone at YorkieTalk!