I'm worried, what should I do???

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Pup-e-Love

Okay, I'm starting to get worried ever since last night Reesie has been acting more aggressive toward my middle son (7). Reesie seems like he is trying to take charge of my son or something. When I go over to Reesie and tell him "no" he gets a little snappy with me too. I put him on his side until he calms down. What is going on??? I'm really stressing over this. I want Reesie to be a good little guy, but ever since last night he seems to have an attitude. Is he going through puberty or something?? Do you think the bully stick could have triggered this?

I'm thinking he probably sees your son as a litter mate.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

NEVER EVER GIVE YOUR DOG HAM...YOU COULD KILL IT

Don't mean to yell but many a yorkie has been rushed to ER because of ham..

Just give him another dog treat..

I honestly did not know this. Why is ham bad?

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Pup-e-Love

I'm really not sure what is going on. Reesie seems to have changed over night. Today he has snarled and growled at my son once or twice and he did it to me two or three times. He does it if we move him from something that he is doing, and tonight he did it pretty bad when I tried to wipe his paws after going out. He has always done the play bite thing and we have been working on that, but today he has done it twice as much and harder, it almost seemed like he was doing it out of spite and not play. When we are interacting with him he constantly trying to get his teeth on us. I'm always telling him "No Bite", but he is just not getting it. Like I said, he is 17 weeks old, and has been happy go lucky pretty much the whole time. I don't know what to do with him. Why is he changing?? What can I do to help??

What we did when Callie was a puppy and nipping and feet when we walked, we would say no and squirt her with water and she got to the point where if she saw the water in a persons hand she wouldnt nip and eventualy the water bottle was not needed any more

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I honestly did not know this. Why is ham bad?

I believe any meat that is high in salt and fat is not good for a little yorkie. It only takes a bit to harm them since they are so small. So stay away from ham, hot dog, bologna, hamburger, bacon, sausage, steak.

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I honestly did not know this. Why is ham bad?

Read post #13 ....Ham is very high in fat and salt. Dogs really should not eat human food. They can eat human grade food but not what we eat.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

I believe any meat that is high in salt and fat is not good for a little yorkie. It only takes a bit to harm them since they are so small. So stay away from ham, hot dog, bologna, hamburger, bacon, sausage, steak.

thanks for letting me know I always grew up thinking it was ok to give them meat so sometimes my grandma will give Callie a little bit of the meat we are having if we have steak or hamburgers or bacon. Thats gonna have to stop now. I guess I should have done more research on it before I let Callie have any

[Pup-e-Love]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

Good for you for recognizing that Reesie has a problem. Dealing with it now can keep it from becoming full blown aggression when he is an adult.

What Reesie is doing is called "resource guarding". You need to take charge of the resources. I highly recommend the Nothing in Life is Free program.

Nothing in Life is Free

Nothing in Life is Free Gaining control of your dog humanely

Dogs: Positive Reinforcement Training : The Humane Society of the United States

Thanks for these links. They are good. This morning Reesie was good. He played nicely in my lap for about an hour before the kids got up. Once the kids got up he started going crazy and getting hyper and biting again. When the kids are around he does not obey when I tell him no bite. When it is just him and me, he listens better. Why?

[Ladymom]

Play biting and growling and biting while resource guarding are two different issues. All puppies play bite with their littlermates and if they are taken from their mom and littermates too soon, they never learn bite inhibition. How old was he when you got him?

Resource guarding is true aggression and much more serious. He needs to learn that you are in charge of the resources, not him. That's why the NILF program is excellent.

[mstippy]

I keep hearing about these bully sticks, where do you get them from?

[Pup-e-Love]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

Play biting and growling and biting while resource guarding are two different issues. All puppies play bite with their littlermates and if they are taken from their mom and littermates too soon, they never learn bite inhibition. How old was he when you got him?

Resource guarding is true aggression and much more serious. He needs to learn that you are in charge of the resources, not him. That's why the NILF program is excellent.

It is a long story, but we did get him too early, I know. We got him at 7 weeks. He has been very good up to this point. He has always done the play biting, but we were working on it. But, ever since the other night when he had the bully stick he seems more aggressive when he plays. I don't know, maybe I just worry too much. I just want to do all that I can to help him be a good boy.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by Pup-e-Love

It is a long story, but we did get him too early, I know. We got him at 7 weeks. He has been very good up to this point. He has always done the play biting, but we were working on it. But, ever since the other night when he had the bully stick he seems more aggressive when he plays. I don't know, maybe I just worry too much. I just want to do all that I can to help him be a good boy.

Try the NILF program and no more bully sticks. Since you are going to deal with now, hopefully it won't be a problem later on.

Too many people give puppies a pass when they start behavior like that, figuring they have a right to guard their food or toys. Then they end up with a big problem when the puppy reaches adulthood and becomes very aggressive.

[Pup-e-Love]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

Try the NILF program and no more bully sticks. Since you are going to deal with now, hopefully it won't be a problem later on.

Too many people give puppies a pass when they start behavior like that, figuring they have a right to guard their food or toys. Then they end up with a big problem when the puppy reaches adulthood and becomes very aggressive.

Thanks for all your help Ladymom! Do you think that we could try the bully sticks again when he gets a little older, and we get this other stuff under control?