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Originally Posted by Boo2188  I just got a new Yorkie. 2 1/2 yrs old male named Boo. How do I get him to stop trying to pounce on my Persian cats? They hiss but don't attack him calmly check him out. It has been less than a week. Am I expecting too much? Kay |
1 week (especially less) is not quite enough time for this pooch to completely settle in. It can take at least a month to a year for most dogs to completely settle. Of course, there can be exceptions to the rule. He's probably just excited exploring and learning his boundaries. Also, consider how he's pouncing, is it playful or aggressive? If it's aggressive, you'll have to start conditioning him to the cats by keeping them separate but able to contact each other, like a doggie gate, crate or pen. Allow them time to get used to each other or at least for him to get use to the cats. Always praise or treat with good behavior.
If playful, then you'll most likely just need to train him in the "leave it" command. There's lots of good training tips you can find on various ways to do it. As mentioned, praise/treat when he does good, like letting the cats pass by him without him pouncing. If he is about to pounce you can try the distraction method by taking his attention to something else, like a toy or playing with him. Some may squirt with a water bottle, some may put them in "time out", whichever seems most effective, but do not shout/scream or use too strong a negative reaction as that can make them more anxious and cause a negative behavior to come out more or in some cases makes them fearful. If you don't even time it right they won't even know or remember why you're mad at them. Every dog is different and react differently.
I use a short "eh!" (mimicking the sound of a "X" buzzer) as my command that what she's doing or about to grab with her mouth is a no-no. I've been doing this since she was itty bitty and she's a 1 1/2 years old now and listens pretty good. As with just about everything, the key is consistency and patience.