[yorkietalkjilly]

Tell me.....would you be quite so sanguine about this if the dog had been a Rottweiler or pitbull who growled and bit you after suddenly surprising it? No, you would be worried sick.

No naked aggression should be tolerated from any dog, whatever size. I would have jumped up, snatched those covers off and placed me hand over the back of my dog's neck, given it a clawlike clasp, perhaps even a bit of a scruffshake of the skin only - being careful not to pull against the dog's throat as I did it - and then in
a very firm voice said a good, strong "Noooooooooooooooo!!!". Then that dog would have been escorted from the room, not allowed my bed access for two weeks and I would start the Nothing In Life Is Free program for a good two weeks, to show your baby who, in fact, is the real leader in your family.

If he is secure enough of his partial leadership role in your little family pack
to consider biting you, he's secure enough to start to not mind you or listen to you in other areas - and one day, in some dire situation, this could cost your dog his life or getting lost if he disobeys you and runs away while outside, not coming back on recall, that sort of thing. And don't discount what he did as surprised reaction done in haste! I've had many rescues in this house and my own dogs for years and years and each one of them had many surprised reactions to things I've done and not one of them growled and bit me! And I've had some nervous, reactionary dogs used to living on the edge in my care but not one of them ever made that mistake of thinking I was another predator in the night and bit me! And I've slept with most of them at several points, once they were groomed, pest-free and oriented into the household, especially as they neared "graduation" time to go to new homes. I wanted to be sure they were ready for all aspects of living with another family safely.

No canine pack member growls and dispenses capital punishment to his pack leader. As I said before, I have had many, many dogs in this house and never have I had a dog bite me and I surprised many in many areas of their daily existence, including during the night as I turned in bed. My dogs wouldn't think of ever trying to aggress against me. Perhaps in a crisis situation of a dog in acute distress of pain/illness/injury one might but not in any other situation.

Let you baby know who is the actual leader of your little family in a gentle but firm no nonsense manner and with love and a kind hand, show that baby who is boss - and it's not him! The NILIF program that you can Google and read all about it is very easy to do, requires no expense and works wonders. A good positive-reinforcement obedience training program will start behavior modification for you little one also, teaching him to respect you, look to you for direction and do what you say and in the process, you form a tight team bond and a great positive working relationship. Always stay positive, loving and gentle in your training and above all, keep it short, repetitive and fun.

But be quick and firm in your discipline of any biting or aggression. Never hurt or hit the dog during discipline and don't go postal. Just stay firm and decisive, keeping your emotions out of it. A fearful dog is a dangerous dog so don't scare him in any way during the discipline for any further biting. And, if it happens again, get a thorough vet examination including x-rays for possible painful medical problems first and foremost before you start any training programs or anything else.

But if your little one has just lost his way a bit, forgotten who is leader, after the NILIF and during gentle and fun training sessions, your little one will begin to see you as leader and no longer take the liberty of aggressing against you after you've simply move your foot in bed.