My yorkie snaps and bites me, HELP!!!!
 

My yorkie is about 8 weeks old and for some reason everytime I pick him up he snaps and growls and bites me. When we got him he didn't do this and I don't know if it's because he's a puppy and he's trying to play or if there is something wrong with him. I've tried snapping my fingers and telling him NO, but this doesn't seem to phase him. I don't want to spank my baby, I just don't know what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions? HELP PLEASE!!!

he is probably playing... 8 weeks is very young to be taken away so he done'st know what is ok and what is not.. you need to let him know it is not ok.. when he does that.. yelp and ingnore him.. put him down and walk away...

I'll put him down and then when I go to play with him he does the same thing. He doesn't do this with my husband or even my kids, just me. It's so frustrating.

if he is going too far you need to either flip him on his back (so he knows YOU are in charge) or just press on his back and hold him down.. this is what his siblings or mom would do.... he'll get the hint... he just needs to be told over and over that HE is not in charge. you are... make sure you are asking him to sit before you go outside and he gets a meal or treat.. this will also let him know you are Alpha dog.

Okay, I'll try this and see what happens. Thanks for all of your help!!:) This is my first and only yorkie right now so I'm trying to get everything right.:D

no problem! we've all been there and we've all made mistakes :) thank god for Yorkie talk :) hope this works!

Welcome to YT.. Remember he is only 8 weeks old......... He is a Baby.

It's so nice to be able to have so many different people to talk to about the same thing. I love my fur baby so much and I would hate it if he didn't love me back.:(

dont' worry.. he loves you! he is just learning! usually his littermates would show him how to play.. now you just have to do that instead :)

I try to remind myself that he is a baby and that he'll more than likely grow out of it. I just want him to be a sweet boy:)

my rescued little joe is doing the same thing one minute he loves me like mad and the next when excited or agrevated nips he also keeps banging his teeth not at me just while he is running around after we come home
today he went to bite me when i asked him to come down from the back of my chair because he was so angry at the person in our back garden
he could see him through the window whilst sitting on chair back it scared me and i didnt want to love him before i went to work
this is not good joe was a stray so we dont know the history but every time we get a brush out he cowers on his belly and is terrified please can anyone help

My husband and I had the very same problem - our Yorkie did nothing but bite and snap! It was so frustrating that I ended up in tears a few times because I thought we had an uncontollable and unruly dog and that we'd never be able to let people near him - he was THAT BAD. What really ended up calming him down was neutering (4 months old). Until then, what we found most effective was misting with water (not a stream - could injure eyes). The results werent great, but better than anything else we tried. Some of these tactics have worked for others:

1) Roll dog onto back and hold until he relaxes
2) Say ouch very loudly and retreat from play
3) Ignore the dog and refuse to play for a while after a bite
4) Bitter Apple spray can help
5) Some people bite back (SERIOUSLY) - I DO NOT recommend for your and the dogs safety

The above tactics did not work for me until our baby was neutered. 3 weeks later I noticed a sharp decrease in the number of times he would bite me. Also, if he did bite and I said "Ouch!" he seemed concerned rather than intrigued. So, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As an FYI - it takes about 3 weeks to a month or so after being neutered for all the testosterone to leave their body, so you may not see him calm down for a few weeks (ours didnt). Take heart - I know that the problem is more frustrating than people realize! :)

I dont think your puppy knows "Biting" ...

Omgosh hes only 8 weeks old,just a baby...
Hes just playing:)

Bark Back
 

I had this problem too. My vet said bark in a high pitch sound back at them... it should startle them....if you do this a couple of times he will stop. Its what dogs in their pack and there mother would do if he was still with them. Try and see if it helps

The growling back seemed to work with my archie, but I think that it's really just a matter of him growing up a little, give him a few weeks and he will get over this stage. My archie is much better now and if he givesme too much attitude I put him on his back and look at him in the eyes and he understands right away ;)