Aggression
 

My Maggie is becoming very aggressive when someone (anyone) comes into the room where she sleeps and eats. I realize this is territorial behavior, but she gets so angry, I am afraid she will bite someone. She has not been spayed yet (because of vomiting problems), but she is scheduled for next month. She is ten months old. Anyone with a similar problem and how to solve it.

This lesson will remind your Yorkie where and who all the food comes from. If your dog is crate trained you can start feeding him in his crate. I allow my dogs to own, what is in their crate. A. Give your cue, we say CRATE (use what you say crate, bed, so on) When the dog goes in his crate praise with Good Crate, then put the food in the crate and close the door. Usually 20 min.s is enough time for them to eat. Free Feeding* is no longer acceptable. Resource guarding is not good. If you have other dogs feeding them in their crates is very practical. You will know who eats what and how much. No fights over food. No one gets fat from over eating and medications and special diets are much easier. If you do not want to feed your dogs in their crate, you can try option B. B. Cue him with Sit. When he sits put bowl on the floor with like 10 kibble in it. If he gobbles them up, drop 10 more, and repeat until his normal portion is eaten. Then pick up the bowl. If he is guarding ’his’ bowl, don’t use his usual bowl. Use paper plates or several bowls with a few kibble in each. When he finishes one, bowl or plate, cue with SIT again set another bowl down a few feet away. This trade it in method, works most of the time. It teaches the dog that YOU always give them something, when THEY give up something. (Later you can teach your dog to wait on his food by doing a bit of advanced training. The cue would go like this: Sit, Wait, Eat, Good Boy !) But for now we are just retraining, He really knows many of these things already . When he is eating from the new bowl, if he is not showing aggression, pick up the empty bowl.

How to teach the cue EASY
Get a treat that can be spread like fat free cream cheese, doggie canned spray cheese, honey, peanut- butter etc. ( If you have other dogs they should not be apart of lesson time, we want to discourage competition) Sit on a chair, foot stool or floor. Call your dog to you. Pretend to lick the treat off the back of your hand. now cue your dog with the word EASY and offer the treat covered back of your fist to your dog. Praise with Good Easy. Good boy. Repeat this lesson at least three times daily for the next 7 days. And then once a week for life. EASY is a beautiful cue. It means be gentle no teeth. Your Yorkie should always take treats from your hand very gently.Retraining is so worth it, just keep at it. Be consistent

Before anyone enters "her" room, give them an extra yummy treat to give her and soon she will welcome people to enter "her" domain. lol!