aggresive yorkie

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by jsbart

You know I've tried giving him treats when he's acting up because he is very food aggressive; but he absolutely refuses to touch it. It was a piece of chicken too. He definitely has some defiance in his attitude and when he's mad it takes a long time for him to get over it. Bless his little stubborn heart!!! The only times I've picked him up in the last week or so is when I had to take him outside, put him to bed and bathe him. Otherwise, I've let him come to me and he doesn't seem quite as prone to skitter away from me.

I'm going to disagree a little bit with you on why he won't take the treats from you when he was "acting up". Usually when dogs are what we humans describe as "acting up", they are upset or scared, running on nerves and instinct or highly excited rather than being defiant and most won't take any food in those states, so that doesn't sound unusual to me at all. My Tibbe is so excited to go outside for walks or when he's around other dogs or when he's busy barking at the garbage truck or a delivery man knocking on the front door, he will never take a piece of chicken or turkey hot dog from my hand - ever - in those situations. His excitement is so high, he's not interested in food just then - and he's a food addict! If I've done something to upset or worry him, he refuses food from me just then until he's settled in his mind that nothing bad will happen.

From years and years of working with highly troubled, traumatized, shut down or hostile, agitated dogs, I've developed a sense that they don't actually get angry or hold grudges. Dogs' "anger" is usually not them actually getting mad as humans do but just a reaction to stress or fear or acting to defend themselves or their pack member. Dogs are "stubborn" in most situations (unrelated to their inbred terrier instinct to persist in what they think is right to do) usually because they feel very hesitant about the circumstances and are unsure of the present situation, don't fully understand what is expected of them at the time or are not motivated, not because they are holding grudges or trying to get even with us. What most perceive as a dog's stubbornness or staying angry is almost always one of those type things involving them working through something that's worrying or concerning them.

Healthy, happy dogs will almost always take the chance to get food in their stomachs unless at that moment it's offered they are upset, fearful/anxious or uncertain, very excited and/or don't really trust the hand that once did things that scared or disciplined them now handing them food. The fact that he wouldn't take food from your hand when he was acting up tells me he was probably just in a heightened state of anxiety, fear or excitement and/or obviously was distrustful of your outreached hand in that situation, sensing you might be trying to lure him into a situation that he was distrustful of just then.

Don't worry - he'll move on within two - four of months of gentle, loving rehabilitation and trust in his human returning to his life. Perhaps if you just drop the treat and walk away, it will serve the same purpose for the time being. As he begins to see nothing scary is going to happen, begins to trust you again, he'll seek out your companionship and take treats from you hand again and want more! In time, when he's moved past this present state, is a more calm, assured, confident dog and when you can actually work with him to train him in some obedience and solving puzzles, etc., those activities will further increase his self-confidence and trust in and bond with you, he'll be eager to learn and please you for that very same hand reaching out to give him a treat and a pat.