@gemy, thank you for taking the time to respond. I'm so sorry about your girl. Thankfully she met someone who could meet her needs and do what's needed for both owner, family, and dog.
No worries about being blunt. You're preaching to the choir! I don't have a Yorkie, but a Chihuahua and had a GSD (bless his soul) and just like there would be zero tolerance for my GSD if he displayed food guarding or any unwanted aggressive behavior (his job was to protect us so, we were a-ok with him chasing someone that may do us harm out of the house, which he did twice, but not family or friends), there's zero tolerance for my Chi to do the same. He might be "my baby" but, he's a dog. Full stop.
Unfortunately, my mother is very different. And I doubt she will change even if Cujo kills one of her other dogs. And I don't ever see her PTS, even if sued and ordered to. She's very head-in-the-sand to how serious Cujo's aggressions are. I'm just hoping because she worked with me on Cujo's food aggression, we might be able to work something out to save Cujo, her other dogs, and herself. Preferably with a behaviorist or trainer. She doesn't crate, playpen, or otherwise restrict her dogs unless a fenced in yard counts. Though, to be fair, I only crated the GSD and playpened the Chi for puppy training and for highway road travel. The Chi is now strapped in the seatbelt with one of the hookups for dogs, like a harness. But, only because he's very good with car travel and people really respond to him as well as he to them. He's a real people dog.
However, if one or both dogs ever needed training and a crate was suggested, their butts would be in one. When mum was trying to work through the aggression between Cujo and her rehomed Chi, the vet recommended crating, and she did try. But, "it wasn't fair on Cujo" and "she was unhappy", but her Chi was alright with it and Mum would send her in there to keep them separate. Meanwhile Cujo was on the bed, getting full attention.
Now, my mum is an absolute sweetheart and a I love her dearly. I'm only "dogging" (sorry) on her so much because it's so frustrating for family to see a trainwreck coming, but not be able to stop it. Especially with someone so close to our hearts standing directly in its path.
Hoping it's not that Cujo is wired wrong and instead it's a training / behavior issue. I fear you're right and it may be part of it. Unfortunately, if it is, I don't see the situation improving. Mum will not take the steps required. But, I'm learning more about behaviorists thanks to you both in this thread and the forums and will politely show my research to mum to try and get her to, at the very least, talk to someone. Fingers crossed! |