I new at this I need help
 

:aimeeyork I just got a 1 1/2yr old female yorkie and the main problem that I am having is that my dog is aggressive towards other animals. She attacks my cats, barks at my horses and my pot bellie pig. I have told her no in a stern voice and and had to grab her by the scruff of the neck to hold her back. How can I get her to stop being aggressive. :confused: She is a very affection it and loving and very well behaved most of the time, but i love my cats to be around me alot of the times and she will not let them. What can I do to stop this behavior?

First of all I don't think you should get rough with your dog by grabbing it by the scruff of the neck to reprimand it. I don't know how long you have had her but if she is new to these kinds of animals you have to slowly introduce them to her. If she is new to your home you want to make it a comfortable and safe environment otherwise she is going to act out and you don't want to ruin her sweetness by being rough with her or scolding her all the time.
Remember she needs to feel love and security so that in return she will be a good dog. She has come into a new home, and everything is new and different for her how would you feel if you were put in a home that was all new and animals that you had never seen before? Good luck, take it slow with her and be understanding.

I agree with spiritwings1201.

Dogs bark for 2 reasons: to alert you or fear

If she's new to your home and the other animals - there's both reasons.

Be gentle - Yorkies don't tend to respond to the firm handling approach.

Comfort her then introduce the other animals slowly. She'll come around.

Good Luck!

:wavey: Norma and:welcome4: to YT! I agree with the others, you should never grab a dog by it's neck and do the whole alpha roll thing...that's very old advise that people did years ago to get their dogs to listen to them. Kind of like smacking a child was acceptable 3o years ago. IMO They both do better and respect you more if you teach them with love and respect, not with abuse.

I recommend you do an internet search for Victoria Stilwell. Her official website is: Official Victoria Stilwell Website - author & host of 'It's Me or the Dog' She has a show on Animal Planet called, "It's Me or the Dog" that I think you might be able to watch some small out takes of on the web. I'm not sure so I'd google it. I love her approach and I think you'll agree. She's also got a book out call the same and it's wonderful.

It sounds like your little girl is very nervous over these other animals. Please, try and look at this through her eyes. Think about how she's seeing the world, she's so small...lay down on the ground and look up at your horse...that's what she sees. Of course that'd be scarry if one has never been around a horse before and is only a foot high.

Now add to that your action of grabbing her neck when she's defending herself. You whom she's turning to for love and protection, you grab her by the neck (a very scarey thing to her) and you're fussing at her. It's all very scarey. I'm not trying to sound mean in anyway as this is an old technique that many people believe in. I'm just trying to get you to look at this differently.

Everyone has the natural instinct of fight or flight...she thinks she's in danger so she's acting out. You need to distract her fear when the other animals are around. And you're going to be surprised how easy this is with Victoria's methods!

First have her on a leash, get some yummy treats (that will be special treats only for this training so small bits of cooked chicken or hot dogs something like that) and toss her a small piece of it on the ground when she sees the other animal, and calmly tell her that she's a good girl. If she doesn't want the treat than you're starting her too close to the thing that's scaring her, so take her away and come back a few minutes later, but not as close this time and try this again.

You'll slowly move them closer together...if she starts barking turn in the opposite direction of the animal she's barking at and walk her way...don't say anything, just walk her away. Then you'll come back and do the treat thing again, but if she barks don't treat, walk away. Hope that makes sense. You're trying to catch the good behavior and rewarding it. By tossing these overly yummy treats when the other animals are around she will start to associate the other animal with the yummy treats and want them to be around.

I hope this helps as a starting point until you can start reading this book or getting a good positive personal trainer to help you train her. Please, keep us posted on how she's doing.

PS: I'd love to see some photos of your little girl.