weird aggression!
 

Hey all!

So the strangest thing happened last night while Dexter and I were laying in bed.
I was half asleep and suddenly my leg jerked and accidentally my foot nudged dexter's face and he WENT crazy! He growled and bit my ankle. I was SHOCKED!! He has NEVER EVER growled at me and certainly has never bitten me or anyone else for that matter; He has never even growled at anyone before.
I am not sure why it happened, but it scared me.
The only thing that I could think of is that he was asleep and it startled him and he reacted before he knew who/what it was.
Anyone else have this happen? He will be 2 in February. Do Yorkies go thorough a terrible 2 stage ? :)

Yes my girls burrow in at night and sometimes they get in my way, and I roll or change position and they let me know...it sounds ferocious, I am certain mine only do it when in a deep sleep...I've never been bitten enough to be injured, however. I keep trying to tell them its my bed, but they don't listen....!

Exactly... don't take it personally... my 16 year old still does this.

oh ok good!
I was really hurt by it, haha.
The only thing that is still puzzling is that he just started to do this and he is almost 2 and has slept with me in the bed since day 1.
I have recently started to use belly bands on him and I was thinking maybe he was mad at me :)

Georgie does this too! He just started about 4 years ago (he is 7). Don't mess with him when he is comfortable or you will be in trouble;)

Your bed? hahahahaha No..it's their bed...they only let you sleep there!

Tell me.....would you be quite so sanguine about this if the dog had been a Rottweiler or pitbull who growled and bit you after suddenly surprising it? No, you would be worried sick.

No naked aggression should be tolerated from any dog, whatever size. I would have jumped up, snatched those covers off and placed me hand over the back of my dog's neck, given it a clawlike clasp, perhaps even a bit of a scruffshake of the skin only - being careful not to pull against the dog's throat as I did it - and then in
a very firm voice said a good, strong "Noooooooooooooooo!!!". Then that dog would have been escorted from the room, not allowed my bed access for two weeks and I would start the Nothing In Life Is Free program for a good two weeks, to show your baby who, in fact, is the real leader in your family.

If he is secure enough of his partial leadership role in your little family pack
to consider biting you, he's secure enough to start to not mind you or listen to you in other areas - and one day, in some dire situation, this could cost your dog his life or getting lost if he disobeys you and runs away while outside, not coming back on recall, that sort of thing. And don't discount what he did as surprised reaction done in haste! I've had many rescues in this house and my own dogs for years and years and each one of them had many surprised reactions to things I've done and not one of them growled and bit me! And I've had some nervous, reactionary dogs used to living on the edge in my care but not one of them ever made that mistake of thinking I was another predator in the night and bit me! And I've slept with most of them at several points, once they were groomed, pest-free and oriented into the household, especially as they neared "graduation" time to go to new homes. I wanted to be sure they were ready for all aspects of living with another family safely.

No canine pack member growls and dispenses capital punishment to his pack leader. As I said before, I have had many, many dogs in this house and never have I had a dog bite me and I surprised many in many areas of their daily existence, including during the night as I turned in bed. My dogs wouldn't think of ever trying to aggress against me. Perhaps in a crisis situation of a dog in acute distress of pain/illness/injury one might but not in any other situation.

Let you baby know who is the actual leader of your little family in a gentle but firm no nonsense manner and with love and a kind hand, show that baby who is boss - and it's not him! The NILIF program that you can Google and read all about it is very easy to do, requires no expense and works wonders. A good positive-reinforcement obedience training program will start behavior modification for you little one also, teaching him to respect you, look to you for direction and do what you say and in the process, you form a tight team bond and a great positive working relationship. Always stay positive, loving and gentle in your training and above all, keep it short, repetitive and fun.

But be quick and firm in your discipline of any biting or aggression. Never hurt or hit the dog during discipline and don't go postal. Just stay firm and decisive, keeping your emotions out of it. A fearful dog is a dangerous dog so don't scare him in any way during the discipline for any further biting. And, if it happens again, get a thorough vet examination including x-rays for possible painful medical problems first and foremost before you start any training programs or anything else.

But if your little one has just lost his way a bit, forgotten who is leader, after the NILIF and during gentle and fun training sessions, your little one will begin to see you as leader and no longer take the liberty of aggressing against you after you've simply move your foot in bed.

I tried to break PeekA Boo of this, but I have concluded that he is truly sound asleep when he does it. When he realizes what he has done, he showers me with kisses and wears his 'I'm sorry Momma" face. After a few weeks of trying to break this habit, I stopped for fear of causing him a heart attack.

Hmmm, my Blacklabs, Giant Poodle, Sheepdog, Pittbulls, St. Bernard, Pointer etc., all slept with me and all did this as well, heck I've spent most of my life fighting with one dog or anothr over sleeping space and blankets!!! LOL....again I think its a startle reflex action, should they cause actual injury then I would become concerned and not allow them on the bed, but as one poster pointed out usually my pups would "apologize" upon awakening (or nudge, pull, push from me or hubby)!!!


e.t.a. I had one dog Shine that literally use to wait till I fell asleep and take my blanket from me....bugger...

[QUOTE=yorkietalkjilly;4088865]Tell me.....would you be quite so sanguine about this if the dog had been a Rottweiler or pitbull who growled and bit you after suddenly surprising it? No, you would be worried sick.

No naked aggression should be tolerated from any dog, whatever size. I would have jumped up, snatched those covers off and placed me hand over the back of my dog's neck, given it a clawlike clasp, perhaps even a bit of a scruffshake of the skin only - being careful not to pull against the dog's throat as I did it - and then in


A voice of reason for responding to toy breed misbehaviour. My boy Yorkie has never, ever showed me any aggression what so ever. Just last night, and he should have been in his crate (but he wasn't), hubby I guess wanted him to sleep with him; I came to bed and sat down.... on Razzle, and no I didn't use all my weight cause I felt a funny bump under me; Razzle woke up and moved! didn't growl or heaven help me bite me on my derriere:D He was then put into the crate where he should have been.

If Razzle is up on the bed, and sometimes what happens my big male walks over for a kiss or a cuddle, Razz will aggressively growl at him. I say NO, get up and immediately put Razz in his crate. This has to be repeated ever so often. But he does learn.

Naked Aggression?
 

I've never heard that term before, but we need help! We have three Yorkies, but I'll focus on the one with the issue. ANYTIME she is startled, even if she is awake, she basically 'jumps' on either of the other two Yorkies (whoever's nearby) and snaps at them. She is the smallest and in turn the other Yorkie (either one), briefly turns on the initial aggressor. Most of the time they back down, but their have been a couple times we have had to break up the fight. The bottom line is the aggressor 'starts it' even though she may get the short end of the stick. Why would she do this if she knows the others are stronger than her?


Sometimes its like others stated below, we roll over on the bed, or barely move. Sometimes I just get up from a chair, it startled her and she jumps on one of her 'sisters'; briefly!


Thoughts??


Thank you!