My Yorkie is Showing me his Teeth aggressively, need advice
 

Hi and welcome. I am sure someone will be able to give you great advice. Could little squirt be hurt or in pain and acts out so as not to be touched?

If after you have him vet checked to make sure nothing is wrong then he is just being a terrier. They can be a grumpy lot.:p

Thanks for the welcome!

No, he's not in any pain....he's just being "testy" and "terrier"-ish I think.
Am hoping to find out ways to put that behavior pattern in check so he doesn't think it's acceptable and remembers who's The Pack Leader ;)

Why dont you show him your teeths too:D this way he'll know you are been serious.:p


Na just kidding i dont want you guys end up figthing every day.:D

I agree there maybe something wrong with him! get him checked out...

Chewy HATES to be disturbed when he sleeps. if you try to move him, he will do the same thing. I talk calmly to him and tell him to be a good boy as I move him... It seems to help. He is just cranky when tired that's all....;)

Punkin used to growl every once in a while when he moved her. i.e. If she was sleeping on the couch when this happened we would set her on the floor and she wouldn't be allowed back up for a while. We only had to do this a couple of times and she has stopped completely. In fact if we say we are getting up or moving she jumps up and moves herself. They are pretty smart
little dogs :aimeeyork

showing teeth???
 

All you have to do is this... There is nothing wrong with the dog...

Next time yorkie shows teeth, roll up a mag or newspaper and wack him(her) on the butt... its that simple. :)

Have the vet check him thoroughly as you have no idea what may be going on causing this - he could be ill and this is the only sign so far. Please don't assume he is okay.

Once the vet check is complete and totally clean bill of health, I would try this. Stop the growling and teeth showing at once. If you must and he won't respect you any other way, say "No"(please no anger/frustration), place your hand in the dog's back neck skin, gather it up and hold - just like another dog will do when disciplining a fellow dog. Don't choke or hang the dog - just grab and hold, being careful not to pull on the trachea from too much tension. If he hasn't enough skin there to hold it without causing throat tightness, just gather up the hair w/out pulling it. Say "No" first and then just sit there calmly and hold until the dog gives in and looks away or relaxes. Allow him to move away from you if he wants after that so collect and calm himself. Keep eye contact with the dog at all times until he looks away while you are holding him by the neck skin or hair and don't hurry the session. He must back down and not you. You are not hurting him just teaching him you have ultimate sway in any situation and it is a good thing for him to quietly learn. Once he has given in, break the eye contact, get up and matter of factly go about your business. This let's the dog know that once he gives up, all is okay and the scene is over and no continuing tension - live just flows on nicely. He will learn that once your hand touches his neck, a look away or give up and all will go back to normal. Eventually, he will learn not to growl/show teeth in the first place as he knows it will lead to a moment of correction and he will strive to avoid that.

That technique is for emergency situations only but a better way is to engage in a good behavior modification training program there at home(you can ready about it on the net and here in our Library) and get the dog used to looking to you, and not itself, as leader. Plus, this type training forges a close bond with you and your dog, is fun and rewarding for both and teaches the dog to automatically respond to your command so a simply "no" or "uh oh" will stop any aggression.

I hope this doesn't anger or upset you and I posted just what I would try if I were in the situation. So many people seem to ask for some help and then get offended for giving one's thoughts. But I would not think that a growling/teeth showing dog is normal and would have him physically checked out first. We do not need to and should not want to live with aggressive dogs. It sure can escalate from there when they see no one disagrees with that type of behavior.

Another thing you might try at the first sign of aggression and I mean the first - is to clap your hands sharply, say "no" and slide over and take the dog's position on the couch or chair away from him so that he has to give way and get down each time he aggresses. Use a small couch pillow or something like that if you prefer to move his body off his place on the couch/chair/bed but the idea is to show that you are disagreeing with this behavior and administering a correction, which begins with his first sign of aggression and ends immediately when he backs off. He will get the idea that aggressing leads to his having to leave his place of comfort and be removed to the floor every single time it happens. Once he's himself again, you will be able to cuddle your baby again. Dogs often get quirky about their little chosen domains and decide they are in control - a notion best swiftly cleared up by you.

But I can't urge you strongly enough to get your baby checked to be sure his aggression is not because he is ill or hurting and cannot show it any other way. Sick dogs are often quite cranky and don't want to be approached or hurt. You would feel terrible if you try correction, etc., and later find your baby was in awful pain all that while and you didn't know it or at least check him out with the vet. Best wishes to you.

this is a 3 year old thread :) hope Squirt's mommy got the problem solved

I usually post just the same for anyone to read on a topic if it comes up.

showing teeth
 

Are you supposed to take the dog to the doctor everytime he/she shows teeth???

cmon people... wake up. :)

Oh, no, just the first time a regular, well-behaved dog exhibits this kind of behavior. Dogs are often aggressive when ill or in pain so you want to rule all of that out before you start to train him not to aggress.

What we do whe nthey go to the vet is rul out that there is a health issuse causing pain so that they do nto want to get touched.
I sure if you had a sore shoulder or a tummy ach you would not want to be touched poked lacked around but to be left alone.

All showing teeth in a dog is dog talk there is nothing wrong with it or even a grrr to say hay leave be be today I do not feel well.
Called repescting thier needs.
If you stop that teeth show or the grr you end up with a dog that has no way to say no but to bite and that is not good.

Smaking them cause they show teeth is just teaching them not to trust you and that you will not listen and you do not care and they will be afraid and they may just end up with true aggression.

grring and teeth showing is talk IT IS NOT AGGRESSION.

JL

Hi...My Dustie..who is 2 and a half years old..has always been very feisty...he still has his moments..when he doesn't want to be corrected or he doesn't want to do something etc. Sometimes he will turn and snap at me...if I have hold of him I just keep hold and wait...saying "Don't you Dare" he usually backs down now..so he is a lot better...He still thinks he is top dog though I reckon...it is taking a lot of patience with him..but it is just his nature..he won't win folks...we all just have to keep letting them know who's Boss..x

IT is FEAR it is not I want to be boss. It is what you said I do not want to do that that scares me or makes me uncomfotable or causes anxiety or I may loose it to you and I want to keep it. FEAR should not be punished.

JL

So, if my normally cuddly, happy, go lucky 3 year old, who doesn't even bark, suddenly growls at me when I reach for him, I should hit him with the newspaper? What if all I have is a fly swatter, will that work? You just saved me $50! :p

Sorry, but I think when a dog exhibits uncommon behavior for them, something must be wrong. If a dog is normally testy, and aggressive, the human should reach for the newspaper to look for a trainer.

It depends on what you as an owner are ok with. I personally am ok with my testy aggressive girl but 9 years in and I understand what sets her off so we manage. This new baby i have is strange to me she send me no info at all about her likes or dislikes and it a massive learning curve... my old girl you totally know where you stand all the time. aggression is nothing at all to be afraid of it is just info and ised right nothing bad needs to happen.

Love the newpaper comment of yours or if you do not reach for it to call a trainer at least use it on onesself for not getting a trainer ..

JL

You're right. It is all about what we're willing to live with. Kaji is my first dog, and I don't know/understand why a dog would show teeth and growl at it's owners. Hence, my trainer comment. If it can't be "fixed" at least it can be understood.

I agree it just language and it is us as humans that get bent that they are using thier language not ours to pass info.

JL

I've been hanging out in the training section for the past few days and found this one, sure glad I did thanks for posting this gave me a few more ideas in working with my Gizmo in our battle for leadership...lolI've been hanging out in the training section for the past few days and found this one, sure glad I did thanks for posting this gave me a few more ideas in working with my Gizmo in our battle for leadership...lol


Cynthia:)

Update... Squirt is now pushing 8 yrs old. He has done this pretty much his whole adult life if he is bothered when he is comfy, in one of his "clubhouses" under a bench or bed, or especially if he is woken up. He is just grumpy and persnickety at times. And I usually tell him NO then affirm for him he is safe with some strokes on his back or head.
He makes "Snoopy talk" type sounds too if moved or unwelcomely disturbed.
Small dog, HUGE personality. :)

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

My dads JRT mix is like this. She is very testy. At this point it's just... how she is and we live with it. She can be an absolute sweetheart 80% of the time, but if you go to pet her while she is laying down at night on the bed, she shows teeth aggressively and will take out her frustration on the pillows or blankets (by grabbing them and shaking them violently). If you accidentally hurt her in any way she will attempt to bite/attack you. But in the 6 years we've had her, she has only broken skin once or twice and once it was by accident (she got into with Jackson, and when I separated them, she bit me). She actually shows great restraint because even if you're in her face while she is growling or near her, she just growls. Sometimes I almost think it's just a show she puts on.

It's hard to explain because she's not inherently aggressive. It's not something we really worry about too much but we don't let strange kids pet her just in case. Really I think this came from lack of training, very early on she was spoiled and never trained, and she was also tormented by my brother who was young (3, maybe?) at the time. He is now 9 and great with her. She loves him and chooses to lay with him and cuddle all the time. But it's just become so engrained in her, I think she's used to acting out, and as she's gotten older and grumpier it's gotten worse.

The thing is I know my dad and stepmom won't do anything about it, or try to change it anyway, so it's unfortunate. If it were my dog, I know a lot of things would be different and change, but it's not going to be... so yeah...

I had a little dog that did this during night time. If she was disturbed or even petted she would growl. Very cranky.

This is an adult dog that has not exhibited this type of behavior before this? Sounds like there is something wrong with your dog. I would have him checked out very carefully by a good vet. Dogs don't just suddenly change personalities. Could he have hurt himself without your knowledge? Has he been around someone who may have treated him in a way that challenged him. He could very possibly be having some sort of pain, especially if he does this when you touch him.

The fact that this is a new behavior is troubling and not likely a behavior issue. I'd get him to a vet ASAP.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: I am so glad you said something I was so upset when I read the post to roll up a newspaper and whack him. What the heck???

Original post 5 yrs old
 

The original post (mine) was from over five years ago - when he was 2. the behavior isn't new anymore. Squirt has been to the vet annually every year since, and only once for being sick with something - an upset tummy. He is perfectly healthy. Just Mr Attitude at times.

Vet is one of the top general practice docs in Orlando. He has never found anything wrong with him and referred me to see a behavior trainer for this issue. We did.

Squirt just has an attitude when he is disturbed from his beauty sleep or if he gets possessive about a super tasty treat or food and he asserts himself by doing this. Very rarely now. He does fine with proper correction and positive reinforcement for good behavior. For many dogs who do this, it really can be as simple as they just have an attitude in need of healthy correcting. Any swrious problems can an should be ruled out by a good vet, of course.