I may lose my yorkie if I don't get help!!!!
 

I keep praying every night that things are different in the morning but it never seems to change. You all are always talking about sweet your yorkies are and how much affection they give you, but Callie is not like that. We both work so she is in her crate during the day. (Usually no more than 3-4 hours max. at one time) We let her out to potty and she isn't doing well at that either, but as soon as she comes back in she gets mean. (We have NEVER abused or mistreated her in any way) She has a problem with biting. Not just little puppy bites, she bites everyone and hard. She breaks skin almost every time. Apple Bitter does not work...tried it. Callie rarely gives kisses to anyone, she will occassionally give a hug to me, but right afterwards she bites. She used to sleep with us, but she has gotten so aggressive that it's not a good idea any more. I can not get her to calm down or be nice, I don't know what to do. I tried the time out thing-just like with my kids all it did was make her even more mad. If I can't get her under control I'm afraid mu husband will make me give her to someone else. I love her to death and do not want to give her up, but he's a fairly short tempered man and his patience is almost gone. Someone please help me!!!!

Oh goodness I am so sorry! Have you taken her to the vet for a complete check-up? I just wonder if it is a health issue that is making her aggressive. This is so sad and I want to help but I don't know how. I am sure someone here will have experience (sadly) and be able to give you better advice.

The vet says she's fine. I trust my vet completely so I'm sure he didn't make a mistake. I don't know what to do, I keep thinking about everything and all I do is cry anymore.

Let em know if there is anything i can do. I could take her for a little bit and try to get her potty trained maybe she will take after Cosmo or something. Just let me know if there is anythink I can do to help you. Hopefully she is just going through a stage right now.

i am so sorry, really. you must be so heartbroken, i get upset at just the thought of it. has it just started recently or has it been going on for a long time?? also how old is she? i'm so sorry, i hopw things improve!

May I be direct with you? Maybe Callie is picking up on your sadness and your husband's short-temper. You mention that you had children, right? Treat Callie with the same patience as you would your children. It sounds like you really love your puppy and with a little time she will probably come around. Just be extra gentle and soothing when you speak with her. It's probably a phase she's going through and just needs some training. You should reprimand her with a "no" when she bites. I'm betting that Callie is just looking for attention -- just like our kids do.

Good Luck. I'm sure that in no time she will have "outgrown" her little nippy, aggressive stage. Hang in there...it'll get better. You can do it!

OMG! My prayers are with you...I hope someone here has some advice for you...did you try rolling her on her back and holding her mouth closed and say "NO Biting" in that classic dominance role? Do you make sure she is always "lower" than you? I'm reaching here...maybe she needs more "one on one"...or puppy classes! In any event...I hope you find a solution....I wouldn't want you to lose your baby....

Francie

she is sounding like a kennel dog...she doesnt like being crated all day and feels left alone, lonely, ignored and unloved... she is mad...if you like having her sleep with you please go back to the routine as well...two reason, for her to continue to trust you and receive affection, feel close to you at night as well she will hold her pee through the night.

During the day can you contain her in the kitchen, bathroom or laundry using a baby gate or a play pen??? she needs some space to move around, play with her toys, food and pee pads. Would'nt you be upset if you had to stay in a crate all day?

I learned from watching the Dog Whisperer that dogs feed off their master's energy. Thus, the more anxious you are, the more anxious she is and her anxiety is coming out as agression. I certainly don't know how to change things, but I do know that when I get upset or mad, my animals react in kind. I'm sure someone here will have a better suggestion that me, but in the meantime, you might google Dog Whisperer and go to the website and look over some of Cesar's information. Also, I know that sometimes my Rowdy wants to backtalk and not listen. I have to get very firm with him and sometimes I shake him gently by the back of his harness and say "NO!" This always brings him back to reality and gets him out of a frenzy. I know that there are lots better suggestions and that they will be forthcoming. Oh yes, Cesar would say that she needs more exercise than she is getting. You need to be walking her on the leash - if you are not, then you might try that. If she won't walk, then take her to training classes to learn. I know that when Rowdy would go into those wild puppy frenzies, I would take him out for a walk and he would be oh so good when we got back. Cesar says a tired pup is a good pup. Maybe your pup just needs to burn up some of that energy.

Good luck!

Hey Emily-
I don't know your baby, but I have found that the food they eat has a great deal to do with how they behave. The less quality (cheaper) the worse they act. I suggest a non fat, natural food with no additives or preservatives. Science Diet is not very good. An excellent food for Yorkies is Bil Jac frozen (about $5 a bag), and Bil Jac puppy kibble (about $5 for a 3 lb bag. If this brand doesn't work, try another brand like Royal Canin until you find one that the pup really likes. Always feed her in her crate, also put chew bones and toys like a small 'Kong' in the crate while you are away. Put a little peanut butter in the Kong that way she can try to get at it, interact with the toy, and work off some aggressive behavior.
When you put her in the crate, give her a treat - the same when you get home and let her out. After you put her in the crate, don't leave right away. Try leaving her in it for very short intervals, return and give her a treat - something of quality, not a cheap fatty treat, that will just make her spastic and possibly aggressive again. The term, "You are what you eat," applies to our pets too.
Hope this helps, please let us know.
Rizzi

During the day can you contain her in the kitchen, bathroom or laundry using a baby gate or a play pen??? she needs some space to move around, play with her toys, food and pee pads. Would'nt you be upset if you had to stay in a crate all day?__________________
That's what I'm thinking would be the best thing to do, instead of crating. I'm not a fan of crating, but I know some people who think it's the answer to everything. I just know that if I was crated up, I would be rarin' to go when you let me out. Maybe if she can move around and get more exercise she might not be so rambunctious when you got home. Just a thought...

When memphis was little I used to crate him when i was gone during the day and at night at bedtime. He got to where he was getting a little too aggressive so I started gating him off in the kitchen and it made a world of difference. He had more room to stretch out and different scenery.
Since I have gotten Preslee the only time she is crated is at nite. Otherwise she is left in the kitchen when I am gone.

I appreciate everyone's help and I hope that your suggestions will work because she is an adorable pup and I really love her. She gets walked twice a day, has lots of toys to play with, (probably more than my two kids do) always has room to run. And she's not stuck in her crate ALL day, just while no one is home and after my husband gets home he lets her out as long as he's in the house to keep an eye on her. If she's in there when I get home before I even speak to my family she is let out side...then we go for our walk. As for putting her back in bed with me, I can't...I do not sleep alone and as long as she is biting my husband all night she can't get up there. He has to be up for work at 3:00 in the morning so I need to let him sleep and she will keep him up all night until she calms down a little.

Emily - Here are some suggestions on how to work towards resolving agression in your dog. It has little to do with food, lack of exercise, or being in a crate during the day, nor lack of affection, ect. (although all of these can factor into the profile if there is some lack in any of these areas.

Please read this info: http://www.dogpatch.org/training/aggression.html

I would also suggest you look into getting a copy of any book that addresses behavioral issues in dogs. Even general books about raising a Yorkie or dog will have a chapter on aggression and how to work towards resolving it. You may even want to consult with a trainer for some suggestions, if they are willing. (you may have to pay a consulting fee).

Putting her back in your bed is a big No-No. (so I am glad this is not an option for you).

I think with a little understanding of what's going on and some training techniques, you should have a really great family pet!

Hope this helps!

Have you thought about just putting up a baby gate somewhere and leaving her in a certain room while you are gone during the day. Like maybe the kitchen or a bathroom someplace that has linolum or tile floors. Where it wouldn't be that big of a hassle to clean up after her.

I think I would try this and see if it helps her temperment any at all. Sounds to me like that maybe she hates the crate so much and she is just staying mad at you for having to be in it any at all.

Good luck. Keep us posted as to how she is doing. I know how upsetting this must be for you.

Thank you for that! That's how I see it too! I have few that hate cages! My kennel dogs have pup doors and can run in a out! Good luck ! lily

Staci - this was AWESOME of you to offer -

Emily - On your little Callie - I think some of the suggestions WILL work for you - I agree maybe she's not happy about her alone time and wish I could help with a solution too - IS doggie day care out of reach ?... where you can leave them a few hours and they get to play ...it may help socialize her We have several in Houston - but I don't know if it's feasible in your situation.

I wish I could offer more help but do want to say that this can be worked with - sometimes they bite for different reasons...pain...frustration or just because no one has shown them who's boss...it's easy to do with yorkies - they're so cute it's hard to be firm with them....I wish you the best and hope you can find a workable solution so you don't lose your girl

You have been given such great advise from so many members! I do hope to see things improve. Id sure hate to see you find a new home for your Callie if all she lacked was some training.

I wish you the best and hope to hear a success story in the future! :thumbup:

One thing you did not indicate is where you bought the puppy and what were her living conditions prior to coming to you? It sounds as if she is one really pissed off puppy and I can't say as I blame her. Crates are not meant to be used a dogsitters and constant use of them is bound to produce problems. You say she is only in there for three or four hours at a time. Add that to being in the crate all night and she is spending at least half of her days in the crate. If she came from a breeder that kept her in an exercise pen or crate then I'm sure what you are seeing is frustration and boredom.

If she was at one time loving and friendly then the changes are most likely due to her being confined and alone for too long. Have you considered putting her in doggy daycare for a couple of hours a day so she has a chance to socialize and play? Have you considered that with your working schedules perhaps now is not the opportune time to have a puppy?

Have you enrolled her in puppy classes? Do you take her for a walk every morning and evening? Do you go out and play with her in the yard?

Perhaps, I say perhaps because this may not be the case, someone is playing too rough with her. I do know from experience that too rough of play will cause these little one's to be more aggressive at a certain stage. I'm not saying they will always be that way, because I don't believe that is the case with any yorkie.

Secondly, put a big bunch of pennies in an aluminum can or metal container of some sort. When she starts to bite, shake it gently...not too hard at first. If she stops biting, fine. If she continues, shake the can harder. She should quit. They do not like this noise.

Let us know if any of these suggestions work. If nothing works, please take Staci Snyder up on her offer. She is great with these little one's. Cosmo has a wonderful and loving personality. :)

Her living conditions were great at her breeders, I have no choice about leaving her home alone. My husband and I both have to work just to get by. I didn't mean three to four hours at a time, I meant from the time I went to work until my husband got home. (He does leave her out) She isn't being confined now any more than she was before. Her breeder did not have her crated at all. Where I live there is no such thing as doggy daycare, my mother used to keep her for me but her health has become a serious issue and can not do it anymore. She was not sick when I got Callie, she just recently developed the problem. She socializes and plays with our other dog all day, as long as she will allow Callie to play.(She is an older dog so really doesn't like the hyper puppy play.) As well as daily visits to my mothers where there are two other small dogs to play with. My work load has increased after I got Callie so it isn't like I said "hey we have no free time so let's get a puppy" there have been a lot of changes in our household recently. Also there are no puppy classes in our area either. We live in a town where we may be lucky to have 2000 people and don't have anything that bigger towns have. She goes outside and plays all the time, or we go for walks.

I would like to let everyone know that she is doing better. She still bites but not as hard or as often.

glad to hear she is doing better please keep us posted.

Sorry to hear this. I will say that my yorkie doesn't give many kises only on rare occasions. She bites when she is excited instead of kissing and she does tear skin apart but this doesn't mean thats she is vicious she is just a terrier and I don't correct her so it really isn't her fault. I still love her to death.

I think in the end you will find this has just been a puppy phase. I really believe that by the time she gets through teething and she has been spayed that you will find that she no longer bites. :)

How old is she? Chloe used to bite us alot. It would really hurt. I think she was just playing, but thats all she did all day long it seemed. And I am home all day so thats not an issue. I was worried it would never end. But somewhere around 6 months she stopped doing that. Maybe its just a phase. Good luck

Please contact Dr. Stephen Blake at www.thepetwhisperer.com. He is a miracle worker at taking dogs who are aggressive and turning them around! I hope he can help you with Callie. He does phone consultations. :)

Did this behavior start after a vaccination series?

This thread is a great example of why I love YorkieTalk. Someone has a real issue with their pup, and everyone is coming up with a possible solution.

My two cents: Make sure no one is playing aggressive games with the dog, i.e., tug of war, etc.

I feel for you, I really do. We had a beautiful Pom who was just a bit evil. She was a fiesty little thing as a puppy. We thought that with love and firm training she would grow and be a sweet dog. But as she grew she just got worse and worse. To the point where she attacked my then 4 year old daughter, my son and myself. We gave her 2 years and tried very hard to train her. We ended up finding her a very good home. and elderly lady took her and would you know they are a perfact match. Natasha is so spoiled and they just adore one another.

Sometime it just doesn't work out. It doesn't matter what breed. there are sweet and well mannard where on the other hand there is that dog who just not do well in a home for what ever reason. I'm sure there are people out there that will disagree, and will say keep up with it, but in my case I just could not get through with this dog even after 2 years. I did love her and she was loving with me and my oldest daughter but if we did something she wasn't happy with she would attack us too. I'm not saying to give up at all. By all means do what ever you can to make her the loving pet you hope she can be. If not don't be too hard on yourself,,,, It just was not a good match. I do wish you luck!

I'm very sorry to hear about your situation and I sincerely hope that you can break through to your puppy. If your puppy is breaking the skin, she hasn't learned bite inhibition. Lucky used to bite a lot until we tried the following: When she bites you, yelp an exaggerated "Ouch" loudly in a high pitched voice and then ignore her. We can yell at Lucky when she bites us and she ignores us or it gets worse, but if we say "ouch!" and sound hurt, Lucky is startled back into reality and then she realizes she has gone too far and she actually seems to feel bad. We praise her when she settles down. Best of luck! Every dog is different. I'm sure you will find something that works for yours.

Have you thought about putting your husband on the couch and the puppy with you? - kidding...altho, until daisy and diesel were used to sleeping in bed with me, my husband slept on the couch every night....

check your vet, maybe they have doggie daycare. alot of people dont realize that their vet offers doggie daycare.

hope things get better....