Lily tried to bit me.
 

Lily ate a REALLY expensive new shoes that I got as a gift from my boyfriend. I was really upset and started to yell at her. When I got to get her she tried to bit me. I couldn't believe, and she showed her teeth several times. I don't know what to do. I'm her owner and she should respect me. I got scared. I love her and give everything that I can to her. I'm really sad.

Oh dear! How old is Lily? I know its really upsetting to have something ruined by a puppy, but shoes are shoes to her, and she doesn't understand price tag or our attachment to them. And if I remember my dog psychology correctly, puppies usually chew shoes because they smell like us, and they want to be with/near us...

Having said all that...she might have bitten out of fear. If she was caught doing something wrong (which she didn't really understand was wrong) all she would have sensed/heard was that you were suddenly angry with her and coming towards her...hand reaching out (possibly?)...Now think of it from her point of few...Big person (whom you love) suddenly gets angry and comes toward you with their hand out giving off vibes of tension and upset...What would you do? Show teeth (tell them you are afraid)...but they don't stop they keep coming....(snap)...ahhh now they are backing off....

Unfortunately this experience can damage your relationship with your puppy...however; as dogs are much more forgiving of people than we are of each other, you can fix it by trying a new approach. If you have not taught her the command for "drop" and "give"...that would be the best approach. These are essential commands for both the safety of our items (things we don't want the puppy to have/chew) and for their safety (in case they pick up something we don't want them to have outside).

Above all remember...she still loves you, and you must try to replace this negative experience with many good experiences...It is not good to be afraid of your own dog...nor should she be afraid of you...that's not "respect". It really sounds to me like Lily was trying to communicate, but wasn't making herself understood very well. Work on building your relationship and communication skills with her...through training...and you will find you will have the "respect" that you want.

Good luck!

I feel for you because I've been there, when a dog you love bites or tries to bite you it is really hard to understand and you take it very personal and it hurts to the point you cry, not from being hurt physcially but emotionally. It happened to me once or twice and I felt so sad and upset that my dog would do this to me. But I really think something else is going on. With me, and I remember it vividly even though it was 25 years ago, I was trying to take away a piece of food that he and my newer dog were fighting over. Is you boyfriend new on the scene, has something changed. I am not a dog trainer but if it happens again I would imagine most would tell you that you need to take on the roll of the alpha dog and show him who is boss. Good luck and try to remember he loves you, it was probably something else that made him act that way

good advice on the command, drop it. This is important for the safety of the dog, and for me a real struggle to teach. For some reason Lola thinks that means play and I wind up having to scream so loud that it frightens her, we are a work in progress though

You shouldn't yell at a dog it can scare them and she may have be reacting to being scared. I am guessing she is a puppy and with puppies you really have to make sure that if there not being kept in a play pen that anywhere you let them is puppy proof because puppies like to chew. Sometimes when a puppy has chewed up something you like you have to take a second to breath and then react. Tell the puppy a firm no and pick her up and put her in safe puppy place with her toys that she can chew on.

She is 1 year old and my boyfriend got her with me. I just didn't think she would have this reaction with me.

I think you scared her yelling at her and she bit you

The only form of self defence a puppy or a dog has is to bite.

They will usualy warn you first with either a growl or show of teeth or both.

Every animal has the right of self defence just as a human does.

Your task is to discover why your puppy thought it needed to defend itself it must of had a reason otherwise it would not have done it.

As much as you love your puppy your puppy will love you but the right of self defence is still there when he feels threatened.

I can not help but believe there is more to this than we are being told.

This is why Yorkies need to be trained with Positive Reinforcement.

Yorkies that are forcibly and harshly reprimanded very often tend towards developing defensive behaviors towards their owners.

My first Yorkie quickly taught me how to put my clothes away. Between shoe chewing and running through the house at the most innappropriate moments with my dirty underwear...lol.

Totally agree.

Of a morning, my wife always puts her clothes out on the bed then has her shower.

One day I had a gentleman with me in a business meeting when one puppy came in with one half of her underwear and another came in with the lower half and all four proceeded to play "tug" right in front of us.

My wife had forgotten to close the bedroom door whilst she showered.

You can't blame the dog for you not ensuring they can't do this sort of thing and no Yorkie in the world has any interest in the price tag of that which they are about to destroy.

As it was, we all had a good laugh about it.

Now that is priceless, they do train us well, don't they?:D

OMG! ROTFLMBO!

I think my worst moment was watching my male roommate trying to explain to his girlfriend why my underwear was in his room!

Please don't yell at her again...you could very well ruin your relationship and lose her trust. Only so much can be blamed on the pup - if you leave something out that she tends to chew, you are to blame. And do work on the "drop" or "leave it" command - it's very useful. Good luck to you. :)

Thank you all.