1yr old Yorkie is VERY VERY aggressive -- What to do?

Question

My 1-year-old Yorkie-Poo (50% Yorkshire Terrier, 50% Poodle Mix) is a sweet puppy, some of the time. He loves human contact, being walked, being played with, and curling up next to you at night.

However, he is VERY aggressive when provoked -- even to family members he's closest to!

After barking incessantly around 3:00 AM, recently, I yelled "NO!" and tried to discourage him away from the window, at which point he growled, showed his teeth, and began lunging toward me and biting me.

^ Versions of this episode are happening *all the time*, close to 3 or 4 times EVERY DAY, and I am so frustrated! I love my dog, but he is an absolute nightmare of late.

~~~

My infant niece and toddler nephew are always here at our house, and I can't help but fear for their safety, now that he is so aggressive when... 1) reprimanded, 2) around food.

He does have a crate, but it's a huge task just trying to successfully get him in it, without being bitten beyond all belief.

HELP?!

Answer 1

show him who is boss!

when he barks or growls at you or any clap your hands once and hell no! it might scare him but dont feel bad, you have to regain control of your household.
if he is aggressive around his food stand in front of it and dont let him near it until YOU think he has earned it. you might have to take your time but it works. it shows him I feed you and this my food i will let you eat it when I am ready!

if continues to be aggressive make him go into his cage, but put him on a leash. (not a 20 ft leash but a 5-ish foot one) keep his collar near the back of his ears, tightly (like what they do at the dog shows.)

if he tries to bite you nudge him right in front of his hip bone. this is a pressure point and wont hurt but kind of calls him to attention. while this is happening if he still tries to bite or growl at you, tug once on his leash this will also get his attention. you can also use these if you are on a walk and he barks. i have a doxie and a pug mix and they are more responsive to the leash tug, but the hip nudge also works better if your niece or nephew is playing with him, but i will come back to that.

give him a 5 min or so in the cage and during that time sit or stand near his food reinforcing your power. after the time is up let him out but still stand near the bowl. wait until he sits and/or looks at you kind of asking for permission with his eyes and then let him eat.

concerning his howling let him sleep near you or if you can with you. he is proably barking because he is in secure of where you are. if you cant do either or if have been doing either and that doesnt work , rope off the window where he looks out with a shutter or towel so he has nothing to bark at and let him sleep with your dirty undies...gross i know but i swear it works! (oo a let them be not your favorite because he might tear them up. you also dont need to change them ...just let them be his.)

also let him have a "safe place." either a pillow or dog bed that is totally his. put his toys in it so he knows it is his. if it is a pillow you cant use it on your couch or any where else it is his and let him scratch at it and move where ever he wants. it is like his room. while he is in his "safe place" dont bother him and dont play with him or pick him up when he is in his safe place. this is where he can go to relax and be alone. (this is also where you can put your dirty undies.)

with your niece and nephew. i think if you show him who is boss he will get alot better, but he doesn't make him do the same thing as if he isn't obeying with his food. also explain to your niece and nephew about his safe place and how they cant play with toys. when you feel he is ready, let them play with him with you right there. if he starts to play to hard or rough you can do the hip nudge or the clap, but it might scare the baby.

well that is all i know. gIod luck! sorry it is so long. oo one more thing if he starts to chew too much on his safe place or any thing else get him a chew toy. my dogs like the skinny raw hides (the ones that look like long cigarettes.) but if you can take him to the store and let him smell each kind. i think you will know which he likes. just a word of advice the colored ones will proably stain ...everything!

good luck!

Answer 2

It sounds pretty normal, since when she is held down on her back she submits. She is probably just trying to establish that she is the dominant one in the relationship which you must let her know she is NOT! But she may also think this is a game you are both playing so be sure not to give in to it like that at all. When she tries it, turn your back on her or leave the room. She may just need a little more exercise as well. Or in a worst case scenario you should check with your vet about what to do since we did have one of our dogs that actually was mentally disturbed I'd guess you'd say and became extremely aggressive despite our efforts. You can also withhold her food my vet was explaining to me for aggressive dogs and then when it's dinner time make sure you are the one that "pretends" to eat first (like in a pack) and then you "allow" her to have the remaining food after you pretend you are done. So basically imitate the pack and make sure she sees you as the alpha dog. Other than that it sounds like you are doing well with her. Good luck! Signed, a fellow dog lover!

Answer 3

Dog aggression is very hard to solve. At one year of age, your dog is reaching maturity and that is when the problem starts to really show up. The fact that he is biting without restraint is very very bad. Dogs have a choice - run away or bite when they are frustrated or upset. Yours bites. Not good.

My normal response is to work with a professional trainer ASAP before the dog gets any older - it will only get worse with time and maturity and if he has not been neutered do so immediately. Check with your vet or local humane society for recommendations. Keep in mind that training does not always help aggression problems, especially as severe as these.

But with small children in the household you must absolutely keep him away from the kids at all times (hard to do) or get rid of the dog. But being perfectly honest with you, no no-kill shelter or humane society is going to accept him with his aggression problem because he is a poor adoption candidate and a liability issue. A County animal control shelter would euthanize him. Since he is a mixed breed, there is no rescue group that will take him. You can try and rehome him yourself, but you need to be honest about his problems or you may have a liability issue yourself and it is not right to pass your problem to someone else without telling them. You may not have many options for your little dog. To protect your niece and nephew, euthanasia may end up being your only option. I'm sorry to tell you this, but this is often the only answer owners in your position have.

Answer 4

Having a trained dog isn’t the same as having a balanced dog, but if your dog knows a few basic commands, it can be helpful when tackling problem behaviors — existing ones or those that may develop in the future. Learn here https://tr.im/7q5sH

So where do you start with dog obedience training? You could take a class, but it’s not necessary; you can do it yourself. In fact, with the right attitude, it can be fun for both you and your dog!
Step 1 : Sit
This is one of the easiest dog obedience commands to teach, so it’s a good one to start with.
• Hold a treat close to your dog’s nose.
• Move your hand up, allowing his head to follow the treat and causing his bottom to lower.
• Once he’s in sitting position, say “Sit,” give him the treat, and share affection.
Repeat this sequence a few times every day until your dog has it mastered. Then ask your dog to sit before mealtime, when leaving for walks, and during other situations where you’d like him calm and seated.
Step 2 : Come
This command can help keep a dog out of trouble, bringing him back to you if you lose grip on the leash or accidentally leave the front door open.
• Put a leash and collar on your dog.
• Go down to his level and say, “Come,” while gently pulling on the leash.
• When he gets to you, reward him with affection and a treat.
Once he’s mastered it with the leash, remove it — and practice the command in a safe, enclosed area.
Step 3 : Down
This can be one of the more difficult commands in dog obedience training. Why? Because the position is a submissive posture. You can help by keeping training positive and relaxed, particularly with fearful or anxious dogs.
• Find a particularly good smelling treat, and hold it in your closed fist.
• Hold your hand up to your dog’s snout. When he sniffs it, move your hand to the floor, so he follows.
• Then slide your hand along the ground in front of him to encourage his body to follow his head.
• Once he’s in the down position, say “Down,” give him the treat, and share affection.
Repeat it every day. If your dog tries to sit up or lunges toward your hand, say “No” and take your hand away. Don’t push him into a down position, and encourage every step your dog takes toward the right position. After all, he’s working hard to figure it out!

Answer 5

All yorkies are like that... Yapping, barking,etc....
You may be fed up i know........ My friend hates her yorkie poo when she does that!!! Take her to obedience class!!! My friend did that and when the yorkie poo came back, she was very quiet....... Weird but will work!!!! You cannot beleive how many hours she does all that aggressive stuff!!!!

Answer 6

Well, you could try training first. Make sure he knows that you're the boss. If that doesn't work, we had to put my dog on Prozac. She's much more mellow now, and hasn't bitten anybody in months. :) Ask your vet about it. It's actually a pretty common thing for doggie depression/agression. Hope I helped!

Answer 7

Is he fixed??? You didn't say, and that could be a major part of the problem...if he is neutered, then he definitely needs some obedience training - and SOON - before he bites one of the little ones.

Answer 8

yorkie bred with poodle mix..... there ya go.... chances are very very very high that the parents of this dog had lousy temperaments,, i say this because, NO ONE would intentionally breed a show quality (meaning conformation, temperament and health to be outstanding) dog purposely to create mutts....... poster dog for irresponsible breeding of poor quality dogs.... sorry....

Answer 9

obedience training it helps alot my dog went there and its a pit bull and was biting and not letting go but it wouldnt bite at all when it was finished with obedeince training and sorry for the misspelled words

Answer 10

Obedience training. This will teach you about dog behavior, how to teach your dog, and it will give you the tools to correct bad behavior. Your dog is displaying unacceptable behavior and needs to be corrected.