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Cujo comes out when the lights are turned off. When Gucci, aka Crab Bait is on our bed and the lights are out, sometimes he is a different dog.... pretty aggressive, growling, charging, biting, if he is petted or waved at in the darkness. He NEVER portrays this behavior in the light. He is very reserved in the daylight...but seems happy. We just got him a few months ago, he's about 12 years old..... I was wondering if this is more likely to be the breed behavior or learned behavior. He was getting a bit better, he used to charge and growl just when I entered the dark bedroom....when he was already in bed with his mamma. Last night, it got a bit worse... His teeth are bad, so it doesn't hurt at all when he bites, but I'd prefer that this aggressive behavior disappear. Sure, if I don't pet him in the dark, I wouldn't see Cujo pop up but it just doesn't seem normal. So, breed characteristic or something from his past? Thanks! |
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Have his eyes been checked. Maybe when the lights are out, he can't see so well, so finds movement unnerving. |
Just a thought. We got Anna at 6 years old a few months ago. The longer she has lived with us, the more possessive she has become. She growls, nips and bites when people go near our living room door or when they come near me. Is it possible that Gucci is becoming possessive of the bed and your wife? Instead of this being a behavior brought on by darkness, could it be a territorial issue? One thing that we have been doing that has helped is we have changed the trigger. People going near the door would send her into a full blown fit. Knowing this, when our guests are preparing to leave, my husband picks up Anna, carries her to the door and opens it for the guests. This has helped a lot. Maybe you could start carrying Gucci to bed at night. Having said all of this, there are some great people on here with much more experience than I've had. Hopefully, they will provide some suggestions. |
When my senior rescue Nikki's vision and hearing was going he startled easily in the dark and I had to approach him slowly and talking to him. He would go after my one female when she went by him. He didn't have any teeth so he couldn't hurt her. When he went completely blind and deaf he was much more skittish and would snap at me until he realized it was me. I would have his eyesight checked into and see if he is losing some vision. |
Try a night light at night, if that doesn't help, it may be a guarding issue or a vision problem, as Patti and Oddsock said. My Peek was the same way, to the point he no longer sleeps on the bed with us. I could never completely break him of this habit. He is very content in his own bed on the floor at the base of our bed. To correct him, an 'Ah, ah' and gently placing him immediately on the floor for a time-out will let him know this behavior is not acceptable in your bed. To help avoid this reaction, try speaking to him before touching him in the dark. It could be fear or guarding, as we don't know much bout his history. I do know it does happen to rescues, as well as pups raised in the home from early on. If it's always you he goes after, have your wife do the correction, as she is the one he's protecting. Little exercises can be done also, like feed him after you and your wife are done eating, you feed him (or put your hand in his food to give it your scent), you always go in or out of a door before him, etc. Also basic training, sit, stay, etc, reinforces that you're giving the orders, not him. |
I agree with the other posts on this - either something physical like his sight is going bad or his hearing is going. This is not a Yorkie behavior. I would have him checked by the vet first. I like the idea of a nightlight also. If that doesn't help then maybe you will have to have him sleep somewhere other than your bedroom. |
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Thanks to the insight others have provided.. He is great with visitors and dogs. It's strictly darkness and the bed... may be the protective of mamma thing but not sure...might be the eyes but the personality split doesn't occur else where in our home. Yes, seems to just be me that Cujo appears for. I was wondering if it had to do with what yorkies were originally bred for, guarding lunches in the coal mines(at least that's what I'm told). OR if it had something to do with his puppy mill life..... Even after he is aware it's me, he will charge my hand if I attempt to pet him. Not every time. This only occurs in the dark and in bed. It sounds like it is unusual but may have roots in the breed.... We had used the method that he would wait till I went to bed before he gets to go...That worked really well in curbing the attitude. Robyn wants him with her when she goes to bed though. hmmmm:animal-pa |
I have problems on the bed with Wallee too. He isn't allowed to sleep with me as he sleeps on a bed on the floor however if I go to bed early to watch tv I will let him lay with me for a bit. If I happen to fall asleep and move my leg under him he will growl and go after my leg. I have seen episodes of trainers where the bed becomes a very bad spot for being possesive. I would say if this continues the bed would be "off limits". Just a fyi, my parents had a springer spaniel who became possesive of their bed and one day when my father went to get him off his bed, he lost his lip from the dog..I know a yorkie could never inflict this type of damage, but it has made me ever aware of how possesive they could be on a bed where all your scents are. |
At his age, I'm thinking it's a vision issue, plus, the short time he's been with you. I'd do progressively lowering a light source in that or the next room until he got comfortable with his new environment. |
Guarding lunches?? Lol Yorkies were originally bred to catch rats. |
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He is a precious docile old man. His display of spunk is limited while awake. He is alert, happy, interactive, social... and he can walk quite a distance, 3 miles a few times a week. He doesn't play with toys. He is bonded to both of us but mamma is his favorite. LOL |
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