Quote:
Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly  Never allow a dog living in my house to be aggressive. We train that trait out of our companion pets. Yorkies are natural, protective watch dogs who bark to hail, alert, communicate their current feelings but beyond that, an aggressive pet dog is always an insecure dog, eventually becoming dangerous to himself and others, who lives with (a) human(s) without sufficient leadership skills to create the certainty in the dog's mind that his family group or 'pack' has a strong, confident leader he knows can and will keep it orderly, secure and safe, a role the poor dog then tries his best to assume - a too-heavy mantle he innately senses he's ill-equipped to wear, creating a state of inner anxiety, over-excitement and defensiveness. Aggressive dogs are often so anti-social they become increasingly isolated, something the naturally social canine completely abhors, creating even more anxiety and insecurity, often leading to a fearful dog.
Assuming the role of confident, quiet, loving leadership and training the aggression out of a pet dog is the kindest thing his human can do for him besides caring for his basic needs. A good pet watch dog is very effective and self-fulfilled in that role without needing to be aggressive. |
Totally agree. Fabian is generally well-socialized. He'll lick/kiss/play with strangers (human and dogs alike), but he'll look at me first as if asking for "permission" to do so. He also defends the house from ants, blowing leaves, squirrels, shadows, etc. <g>