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BrilliantHijinx · 09-02-2015, 12:02 PM

Hi, I haven't posted on here in quite a while but I need some advice on Alonzo.

Lonzo is almost three and has gone from very timid to very sweet to currently acting very aggressive. It started with just barking and growling at the door every time there was someone on the other side or he heard a noise similar to a knock (like the ice maker in the freezer.)

The barking gradually went from an excited greeting type bark to more growling and baring teeth. I can not get him to calm down in these situations at all. I try lifting him up and holding him far away from the door and he starts thrashing and screaming.

He also started becoming more and more territorial. He won't let our Boxer go near the Boxer's food till he's done with it and he growls and snaps at the Boxer when the Boxer is coming for a toy. (The Boxer is completely clueless and ignores these signs and continues to do what he wants, except the food he won't touch his food while Alonzo is near his bowl.)

He also became territorial over my room (he sleeps on my bed at night.) He will growl at people in the hall heading to their own rooms until they have passed my room or left the hall.

Alonzo is extremely springy and can jump from the ground to my face continuously. (I am 5''7 and Alonzo is 12 lb. if that can put the image in your head.) The jumping used to just be licking and wagging his little tail nub.
Now he jumps at strangers with the intent to bite. He got his teeth around my ten year old neighbor but didn't bite down. (The ten year old comes over almost everyday so I don't even know if he should be classified as a stranger.)

Today he ran out of the gate in front of my house to across the street with me screaming at him to stop and come back, he was barking and barking at a lady who was just walking home across the street! She was terrified. I managed to eventually get Alonzo to lie down but that was mostly because the lady managed to take out her umbrella and wave it at Lonzo who got scared.

I don't know what to do with him! I'm not really sure how the aggression started or how to make it go away so I can get my sweet boy back.

(He is not aggressive to me at all, he barks at the rest of my family and does jump on all of us, but he hasn't tried to bite any of us yet. He has bit me once or twice in play but I don't think that is from aggression.)

Any ideas?

09-02-2015, 12:02 PM	#1
BrilliantHijinx YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Miami, Florida, USA Posts: 9	Gradual behavior change leading to aggression. Hi, I haven't posted on here in quite a while but I need some advice on Alonzo. Lonzo is almost three and has gone from very timid to very sweet to currently acting very aggressive. It started with just barking and growling at the door every time there was someone on the other side or he heard a noise similar to a knock (like the ice maker in the freezer.) The barking gradually went from an excited greeting type bark to more growling and baring teeth. I can not get him to calm down in these situations at all. I try lifting him up and holding him far away from the door and he starts thrashing and screaming. He also started becoming more and more territorial. He won't let our Boxer go near the Boxer's food till he's done with it and he growls and snaps at the Boxer when the Boxer is coming for a toy. (The Boxer is completely clueless and ignores these signs and continues to do what he wants, except the food he won't touch his food while Alonzo is near his bowl.) He also became territorial over my room (he sleeps on my bed at night.) He will growl at people in the hall heading to their own rooms until they have passed my room or left the hall. Alonzo is extremely springy and can jump from the ground to my face continuously. (I am 5''7 and Alonzo is 12 lb. if that can put the image in your head.) The jumping used to just be licking and wagging his little tail nub. Now he jumps at strangers with the intent to bite. He got his teeth around my ten year old neighbor but didn't bite down. (The ten year old comes over almost everyday so I don't even know if he should be classified as a stranger.) Today he ran out of the gate in front of my house to across the street with me screaming at him to stop and come back, he was barking and barking at a lady who was just walking home across the street! She was terrified. I managed to eventually get Alonzo to lie down but that was mostly because the lady managed to take out her umbrella and wave it at Lonzo who got scared. I don't know what to do with him! I'm not really sure how the aggression started or how to make it go away so I can get my sweet boy back. (He is not aggressive to me at all, he barks at the rest of my family and does jump on all of us, but he hasn't tried to bite any of us yet. He has bit me once or twice in play but I don't think that is from aggression.) Any ideas?