Anxiety/Aggression My Buster is 3 years old (will be 4 on September 30th) and I've come seeking advice for his anxiety/aggression. He gets anxious when he hears other dogs barking or people talking outside. He'll pace around the house and cry/growl/bark... and when he sees some people and all other dogs he goes NUTS! DH and I took him to obedience classes and aside from being distracted by and trying to attack some of the other dogs he did well. We've noticed this since he was about a year old and have tried to correct it ourselves with discipline and the classes. He listens to commands DH and I give him but when he sees a stranger (particularly men) or another animal it's like a switch flips and he is an entirely different dog. He looks and sounds ferocious and there is nothing DH and I can do to calm him aside from removing him from the situation. He actually bit and drew blood on DH's leg during a walk because we were walking by another dog and DH tried to keep him walking and his leg got in Buster's way and he bit. I'm afraid to take him to places like PetSmart or PetCo for fear of him seeing another dog and acting out. I know I definitely can't take him to the dog park. He goes ballistic when he sees neighbors/neighbor dogs and the neighbors just stop and stare at him like he's crazy (which makes it worse). He also has this reaction when he sees any animal on TV... However, that has gotten better over time with DH and I telling him to stay during commercials/shows with animals in them. I want to take him to the dog park.. I want to enjoy walks with him... I don't want to live in fear that he is going to bite someone someday and he's going to be taken away from us. DH and I are really trying with him.. he's our boy and giving up on him isn't an option. He's usually as sweet at pie with us but like I said sometimes it's like a switch flips and he's not the same dog... I feel like maybe we are coming at it the wrong way? I'm just not sure what to do and would love some shared experiences/advice. Thanks! |
Also, he has bitten two other people. Both of those individuals tried to pet him when either DH or I were holding him. Luckily, the first person he bit when I was holding him was really only a warning bite and didn't break skin. The second person however was an older man who tried to pet him while DH was holding him and Buster bit and broke skin... he is a family friend and blamed it on himself for approaching Buster while DH was holding him. So we learned the hard way not to let anyone (stranger or not) to approach him if we're holding him. :-/ |
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There are no quick fixes, see my thread and posts please about my little Yorkie and life's events, look at what I say, are you doing what I imply regarding boundaries and defined roles, are there any similarities? Feeding him, do you alter his diet give him anything but water to drink as food and drink affect Yorkies make them withdrawn, anxious and aggressive. |
From reading your post, I'd say perhaps some of the training tips I've given Rob regarding his Toby on his thread could help you get a start on changing your little guy. I'd be sure his daily life is enriched with regular obedience training at home x5 mins. twice a day(an absolutely necessary tool for reshaping the behavior of dogs who are extremely headstrong if you keep it fun and upbeat for them), he gets time with puzzle games you invent for him and toys, his food is served in kong or other toys where he has to work to get his meals out as terriers love to seek/hunt out their food, plenty of extra exercise to work out his stress/tensions and is started on one of the Nothing In Life Is Free programs which he will grow to adore as dogs just love to show us they can perform smartly in order to get what they want. They really get into NILIF and it makes both your dog and you so proud of how quickly they come to obey your command or request in order to get their needs met and, in the process, your pack/family leader roll is strongly reinforced in his eyes through this program. Then, I'd practice the training tips on the thread below with your little Buster and show him new boundaries are now in place and gently but firmly and persistently retrain him into finding a new way to accept dogs being in his presence. Walking him on the lead is a wonderful way to teach these techniques initially. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ks-please.html Once he's made advances with accepting other dogs, then we can work on his accepting humans in much the same way with some tweaks but one thing at a time. |
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