We Need Your Help!!!!
 

I posted this thread yesterday and can't belive that there's not one single person from all you Yorkie lovers who is not able to give us some advice / help. So hear goes again. I'm hoping somebody will ready this again and be able to help us.

Hello everyone. I seriously hope that someone can help us, we have a problem!! Gabi 2 1/2 and Gina 1 1/5 are fighting something chronic. (p.s. they are half sisters)

We went away to a wedding, and had to leave them in kennels for 3 days, and since coming back, we've developed this behaviour problem.

They were always the best of friends, but since coming back from kennels on 28 August, they literally can't stand the sight of each other. It seems to be a jealously thing, in that Gabi (the older one) does not want her younger sister to come anywhere near Mom & Dad if she is on one of our laps.

I've tried yelling - to no avail, I've tried seperating them to break up the fight - to no avail, I've tried pushing them away from me when this happens - to no avail. I'm REALLY REALLY afraid to smack them, but I have resorted to flicking them on the nose - to no avail.

Does anyone have any advice as to what I can do to stop this situation. Oh by the way, they are not due to come into season either, as they have just been in season about 2 months go. When they were in season, I had no problem with them fighting. If anything, I would have expected this behaviour during their season, so I'm completely stumped as to why the change of behaviour all of a sudden, and am desperate to find a solution.

Please help Gabi to love her sister again!

It sounds like they had separation anxiety and sounds like Gabi is afraid if you are giving attention to Gina you might be leaving her. Don't know what to tell you other than maybe to hold both of them together and show they both love.

Were they kenneled together or separately??

I agree with above. it could be some separation anxiety. Do you leave them often to go on trips? Or is this the first time?

Your Yorkies may be worried and scared about you leaving them, causing them to fight over your attention. That's my guess. Hope you can solve the problem

They were kennel together. I went past my vet tonight to discuss the situation, and he has given me some Clomi Calm tablets, which he says are very successful in "taking the edge off the anxiety". I have to give them one each in the morning and evening, for 10 days. He is confident that this will sort the issue out, but has also said that if there is no improvement in the behaviour, then he will refer me to a behaviour specialist veterinarian.

Please hold thumbs for us. I just pray that they can love each other again, becuase they have always been such good friends.

Put them on the sofa next to you.One on one side the other on the other side. Give them alot of attention and praise.If you have a bully stick in each hand works great lol.

I normally always take them with us when we go away, but this time we were going to a wedding, so I could not take them. This is the second time they have been in a kennel

I agree about this being separation anxiety. I would suspect that it will die down in a few days as they get used to the idea that you aren'tl leaving them again. "Mommy I missed you so much I don't want to share you with anyone else!" Good luck.

By the way, I am not familar with the term "hold thumbs." Is this term similar to our crossing our fingers?

I'm not sure what is causing the problem, but I would put whoever is starting the fight in time out. That might help the situation.

Hi, my guys do the same thing when the get back from kennels, when they are at home they have run of the place and being in kennels restricts that so they come home with a little attitude ( our girl pixie being the instigator!!). My hubbie is alpha dog so he deals with it by sitting with them and vocally reprimanding her if she even growls or moves towards the boys!! its hard but they go back to themselves in a day or two!!

this is not rare...two dominate bitches in the same house, both are trying to be the alpha...often times you will not be able to resolve this.

Once it has started, the only safe thing is to keep them seperated when you are not home and when at home they must never be left unsupervised.

Example, a friend had this happen, she thought best way to control it is to get them both spayed, didnt help!! It continued where the last fight was so bad, bites, blood, both dogs were injured. SO she placed the younger bitch with a friend...the house got back to normal, so she allowed her friend to bring the placed bitch over for a visit, well within 3 mins they were at it again...

Please be careful, these are terriers!

This is so true!!! I yorkie sat for my breeder over the summer and she has 6 yorkies....4 girls and 2 boys...all get along together except two of the girls who are never allowed out at the same time unless closely supervised to prevent fights and the breeder also says it is a dominance thing and that they will go at each other if allowed...she just makes sure they are not alone at any time when having free reign in the house...and what is funny they both get along with the other 2 girls so i guess it is just those 2 who feel threatened and want that ALPHA status!!!

Im so sorry this has happened. I would not leave them together in a kennel again. Now that it has started next time they are crated they may hurt each other badly and one could be killed. there would be no way for the other to get away.

I would agree - just for safety - to no longer kennel them together. Perhaps they had a "disagreement" when kenneled together and by not being to separate themselves now have some remaining issues that may or may resolve themselves.

I know that if I had a scuffle with someone with no means to get away from them... well... I wouldn't be able to forget it.

Good luck and keep them safe!!