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Originally Posted by kjc  Another warning: Yorkies can be very defensive of their owners in the bed! (Sorry, seems you found this out) Mine still chases and attacks the cats and others Yorkies on the bed, and when he does this, he gets put on the floor. Another Yorkie thing. Don't take it as a set back, she just isn't comfortable with you yet enough ... some never get over it.
That behavior may carry over even on the couch, if you're too close to DF, or if you move too quickly around DF. That's a whole separate issue and will need work. For now, have DF gently place her on the floor whenever wherever she reacts like that, as DF is the one Bdog is protecting. This would be one reason for you to take over feeding Bdog for a while. Also best for you to be non-reactive, you don't want to let her know that her agression has any effect on your behavior. When they see something doesn't work, they stop doing it.
The first Yorkie I got from the shelter would growl whenever I tried to move her from the bed or couch, when I tried to pick her up. I was so shaken the first couple of times, I left the room so she wouldn't sense my fear. After I composed myself, I went back to her and when she growled again, I acted shocked, and laughed a little, and said 'What, you're going to growl at me? Yeah, right!' It was enough of a distraction and kept me relaxed enough to pick her up without getting bit. Growling is definitely a warning and a bite may follow. Best to diffuse the situation, rather than to let it escalate.
When you are all on the couch, and Bdog is accepting your presence, she can have a treat, from DF. You can do that in the bed too. If she gets nasty, DF should put Bdog on the floor, until she relaxes and is friendly again. With Yorkies, this is a form of stress and can cause innappropriate elimination, so I wouldn't push Bdog too far too soon.
The easiest and quickest way for you all to bond is by taking walks together. |
When we sit on the couch, Bdog will sit up there with us, but usually on the other side of my fiance or on my side...or up on the headrest area...wherever she wants basically - unless she has a chew treat, then it's right next to you and as I said before, if you move at all - it's bare teeth and growling. Oh, and it's not just with me, if my fiance moves or anything, she does it to her too. If you pick her up, she FREAKS, but you don't get bitten because she keeps her jaws locked on the chewy. She even freaks out if you push her over to the edge so she has to jump down herself (we never just shove her off the couch). My fiance will take the chewy away when she acts like that, but she has to pretty much stick her fingers in the mouth and (for lack of better word) pry and work it out of the mouth to get her to release it. She doesn't just rip it out or anything. I don't deal with that, I don't push my luck in that department.
When you do take the chewy away, she goes neurotic though. If she sees where you put it, she will circle the table or wherever forever. Also, when she whittles the chew treat down to a dangerous size, you have to get her quick and slip your fingers in her mouth to get it or she will try and swallow it whole. Again, I try to get it when she's sleeping or has left it somewhere so I don't have to stick my hands in her mouth or push my luck.
For the time being, she's not getting those treats. She really likes them though. Maybe after we get some real good time together and she starts making some good progress, we can start working on not getting so crazy with them.
I have asked my fiance if I can have one time of feeding per day. Would you suggest if I did all of the feedings for a while? I know the food giver is often the one of most respect so I wonder if me taking over for a while completely would be a good idea.
Oh, I have been meaning to ask you all, what size of pup(s) do you have in pounds and how much do you feed them (and how often) do you feed them. I have read a good number of posts on schedules to feed, but I could use some pointers on how much. I read that an adult Yorkie needs between 1/4 cup to 1/3 of a cup of kibble per day. That doesn't look like much food at all. The fiance wants to feed her about 1/3 to 1/2 a cup in one sitting, and that looks like too much.
I completely forgot to ask her about the dog food too....I know they have a blend specially for Yorkies because I remember looking it up a few months ago looking for the nutrition label online. While we are on that, does anyone have a suggestion on preferred brand for this breed? If, by chance, the food she's laying down isn't the best - how much of a problem is it to change food types? Does a person have to start mixing them and transition or can it be a pretty bad shock to them?
One thing that is really shocking with the behavior I have seen is she doesn't chew shoes or anything like that on the floor. If the remote falls off the couch, she doesn't get into it. Magazines, cushions...nothing. What she goes after is if you hang your coat off the back of a chair, she gets into the pockets and will pull out tissues, gloves or coozies that I will use at school for my water and such. She is also a pretty big fan of snagging my fiances underwear through the laundry basket and dart under the bed. It's hard to not laugh at times with that one. My fiance will giggle about licking my mouth and I poke back and say "at least my undies are safe..."
I wish winter wasn't so close and the weather turning uncomfortably cold. The dog park and walks are a great idea together, but with her on second and my school schedule in the mornings and early afternoons, and studies in the afternoon/evenings - it's hard to meet up in our schedule, let alone in a time of day when it's nice and warmest. We'll find some times though, especially when springs starts showing up.
Back to the bed and being defensive...she has been set in her kennel overnight (she has a spacious kennel and a crate bit enough to turn in and lay down) when I had started sleeping over and leading up to me living there. On the weekends she is allowed to sleep on the bed with my fiance since I have to come home to work. Lets just say she doesn't do the lick in the mouth thing and is allowed to roam at night...if I roll over, have a leg spasm, shift in the night or have some romance - will there be a high risk of aggression? Would it be best to just keep the routine of the kennel in the evenings?
Thanks a bunch