nipping
 

My 4 year old yorkie has recently started nipping. She's always been nervous with strangers. I figured that was because of her size. She's only 3 lbs. But she's used to tolerate being petted by everyone but my son's girlfriend (jealousy issues) and eventually she did warm up. Last winter, for example, we had a two hour layover in an airport and she spent most of it being handed from lap to lap. She only got short-tempered once when a little girl rushed at her and she snapped at her though I don't think she intended to make contact.

Last month, for the first time, she nipped a woman on the street who tried to pet her and last week she tried to nip the vet which she has never done before. The vet I can sort of understand. Even though she's always been good with the vet she really wasn't feeling well, but the lady on the street was just being friendly. Today she met a new friend of one of my sons. He approached her very slowly and after 30 minutes she was in his lap and enjoying attention but I still felt she was more ornery than she used to be. I think if he'd tried to pick her up without the slow approach she would have bit him. She was growling at the beginning.

How should I react to her behavior? I say "no" very firmly. Any other suggestions?

We will be taking her on holiday again this winter. She'll be in airports and passing through customs inspectors and she really needs to behave.

First go get a vet check and make sure there are no health reasons to worry about.
Second do not say no. as your reinforcing the behaviour you do not want.

I suggest you ready On talking terms with dogs and look at what dogs see what dogs see as our rude behaviour to them as well as other end of the leash.

I just keep her away from people she does not know.
Or take along great treats and have the strangers work feed her.

JL

How does saying "no" reinforce her behavior? She doesn't like it when I tell her "no" and usually stops what she's doing and gives me a guilty look.

Any time we notice a behaviour bad or good ands resond to it we reinforce it or make that responce stronger.

So if all we say is no no no to a dog the thing we rather not happen, happens more.

If we only notice the bad and respond to the bad we get bad.

So we note in our heads the bad and catch and stretch the good. So if she looks at a stranger calm we reward that.
If she grrs at stranger, we back up and get out of the grr zone and wait for calm. We want the calm not the grrr... but if we scold her for the grr we teach her that yes indedt that stranger is scary cause Mom just scolded me. So if I grr sooner I can keep tha bad stranger away. Plus mom noticed that grr and she responded by a grr.. scold so I got to be right grrrgrrgrr.

Follow. I am burnt long day. so if this is not clear enough hang on and I will try again later.

JL

Jl,
Actually that does make sense. I will try to wait for the good. She was very sweet with my son's friend eventually, when he approached slowly and patiently and waited for her to warm up. After a day she was pawing him to pick her up, so maybe I need to give her some more dry runs in controlled situations before taking her out on the street where I don't have so much control and people approach her too quickly.
The problem with a small dog, as I'm sure you know, is that everyone rushes them wanting to pet them. At 3 lbs she looks like a puppy, which she very definitely is not. Her protection instincts are every bit as strong as a bigger dog but she does want to be good. She hates to be scolded, so I'll try to wait for positive behavior.

The more you practice the good stuff the stronger it gets.

Your right her need to protect herself is strong... if your backing her up and showing her the right she will learn that you are out to help her stay safe and will trust you and let you help protect her.

Scolding does nto help build a relationshio your know that be just not feeling good about doing it.

Your on the right track it will take longer but the end results will be so mush better... love and trust.

JL