Originally Posted by tika  Okay, first off.. I need help, and lots of it. Instead of getting into the heart of the trouble, let me tell you a bit about my darling little Koko and all the great stuff that he does.
He is about 10 years old and I've had him since he was a wee little booger. He's been around lots of dogs, cats and ferrets. He has never met a dog or any other animal that he didn't like. He shares his food bowl with 2 other dogs, and his water bowl with 2 dogs AND 2 cats, so fair enough to say that he is not in the least food aggressive. Now with toys, he will horde his and the bigger dog loves to steal them when he isnt looking, but it never turns into a fight.
He is the BEST little guy that anyone would ever want... except, he has a split personality and is super neurotic when it comes to people outside those in the house hold!
As for those in the house, it's Mom, my son and myself. That's it.. My son did date a girl for a very long time (almost 4 years) and after a while he got use to her and would pay her no mind, though at first he did growl and I would have to put him into time out (closed door bedroom or his crate).
He has nipped my son's girlfriend, didn't draw blood but he has bitten my cousin one time in the past. It happen so quick, that no one seen it coming. One moment he's at my feet, next he bites off her big toe nail and he's back to my feet sitting like he didnt do nothing.
In the last year, he accidently bit my mother on the back of the leg when she answered the door bell to get a package from the mail carrier. Koko thought he was biting the mail carrier, but he got mom instead.
He has NEVER been aggressive with me and the family, only with people he perceives as not part of his 'pack'. He has been like this since he was a puppy.. I remember my sister coming home, picking him up and him growling and spraying pee all over her. At the time, my sister was away at college and he didnt know her. Since that happen, she refers to him as the "Devil Dog". He has never liked her!
I have been too afraid to take him anywhere, out of fear of him biting someone.
Now, he had the normal issues that Yorkie stubbornness is known for! He never was house trained, no matter how hard I tried.. and let me tell you, I tried hard! I resorted to having to use fleece belly bands on him during the day. He now knows that the moment he gets out of his crate, he will wait for his band to go on and then its playtime for the rest of the day. His 'pads' get changed several times during the day, and luckily I sew so he has many bands to go through.
He didnt always like his crate and he cant be crated during the day or he will poop in it and then wallow around like a pig in mud until he gets out. He sleeps in his crate only at night, and he nows goes to it when he's ready for bed.
I give him the most horrid home grooming cuts there is, but hey he is getting groomed! And he will let me groom him, except for touching his feet and that is pretty much hit or miss.
So my problem is this. In the next week, I will be moving out and he, a cat and the ferrets will be with me, in a one bedroom apartment. I am sure that he is gonna miss his fur buddies, and my mom and son (who is leaving soon too).
I plan to get him lots of toys to keep him occupied, the thing is.. the apartments have a dog park! And it's like right outside of my apartment! He would love it! .. except not love the people. How do i go about letting him enjoy the dog park, should I get him a muzzle and how do I go about getting him use to seeing other people each day. He is only a barker when the others start to bark, so I dont see him barking alot on his own.
Please help my poor little Senior Koko! |