Behavior Problem

[Formula86]

hello. i have been wondering about something for a while now, and since i'm now on paw-talk i thought that maybe someone could help me.

my little yorkie, penny, has a behavioral problem. she is 10 months btw.

she is a really sweet dog - never growled at anyone or hurt anyone. she loves anybody she meets and is always great with all other animals, even cats.

the problem is this:
if she has something in her mouth that isn't supposed to be there (ie, piece of plastic, piece of paper, etc) i am going to take it out of her mouth, of course. but when i try to do this, she snaps and bites at me - hard. she has broken skin. i would never let that stop me from getting the object out of her mouth, but it still hurts. i scold her verbally and tell her "no mam!!", but she doesn't flinch. she isn't sorry or scared. i don't know where she got this from. i bought her from a breeder, so i don't think its food aggression like some dogs have when they are starved. is she just a spoiled brat?

thanks!!
-jane

[Bar B]

I don`t think she is a spoiled brat but I do think she needs to be taught that what you say goes. You need to be her alpha dog image. Not sure if this will help you but this is how I handle mine. First if I see they are about to get into something that they are not suppose to have: With a tone of voice I can utter the noise huh uh and they move away. No, has to be said with a controlling tone of voice that sounds as if you mean it. Then if the dog persists I reach for whatever slowly saying no, not yours, no put it down, No the dogs name, etc. If it still tries to bite:::TIME OUT IS ENFORCED HERE. I still have one rescue dog that wants to try my position as aplha dog but he is learning and I haven`t had to punish but when I can get ahold of him he sits quickly for he knows I disapprove of what he is doing. I know the little dogs have such a snappy attitude sometimes cause my Moms Chihuahua did but the only time he play snapped is when he was agravated to do so and we stopped that kind of play because it did start habits. Even after a confrontation where one of mine picked up something they weren`t suppose to have I could try to turn it around to be a fetch game and have them to bring it to me. But then again you have to change your voice tone to a play fetch tone so the pooch knows this is for fun and praise galore when it lets you take. Also you could try exchanging the plastic piece that the pooch is not suppose to have with a toy. If it is a favorite it probably won`t hesitate. Hope this helps!

[DirtySouthChins]

I agree with what Bar B said above... We had a dog that we adopted from a shelter (had to find her a new home) but anyway she was a pitt mix, and it was obvious from the beginning she had no discipline of any kind. For the first 4 months of having her I think she thought her name was "no" After 7 months of working with her, she became a great dog, unfortunately because of our move it was best to find her a good home, as she still needed some work ect...anyway, time out works wonders, because if you don't show the dog that you are the one in charge then this will never stop. Biting is never good, because it will only lead to bigger problems. A dog should never bite their owner especially breaking skin. Yorkies from my understanding are very dominant type dogs, they like to push buttons, and be in charge. It is time you show her your the one in charge and that biting will NOT be tolerated. I would suggest, telling her "no" with a firm voice then placing her in a crate or kennel for time out. Do this for 5 minutes the first time, then increase the minutes as she continues to do this. I would also suggest getting her enrolled in some type of obiedence course (as it sounds like she could use it). I wish you the best of luck, have patience and show her that you love her, but your in charge!!

[Formula86]

thank you for all the responses.
btw - she graduated from obediance school months ago. she will sit, lay down, stay, jump up and come. she is only mean when there is something IN HER MOUTH. most of the time what i do when she has something bad in her mouth is i call her to her treat bowl and give her a cookie. she'll drop the bad thing and i pick it up. i'm just worried about what will happen when we are outside or at someone's house and i don't have treats. the crate idea is awesome cause she hates being locked up most. it is unfortunately, back home with my parents. i will have them bring it up here to Denton.
again, thanks!!
-jane

[SharonM]

Can I be a brat and say it's just a yorkie being a yorkie ? I swear, they can be the most bull-headed little buggers ... My boss has 7 of em that are her "office dogs" - and she has such a time with them ! LOL My dog's half yorkie and I always joke that I'm glad he's only half, I couldn't handle a whole one !!

Where's Deja ??? DEJAAAAA !!?? She's up on all the training stuff. I wish I could help, but I'm terrible when it comes to training dogs - pitiful actually.

[Laurie]

I have a yorkie/shihztu mix who behaves the same way and then some! We got her when she was three years old and is going on six. She is mostly that way when she snatches food from us(the kids leave something to get a drink and she grabs it)one time we went camping and she found an old chicken bone and would not give it up. She has broken skin before.

She is a happy dog and loves people, except when it comes to food. Another thing, when we say it's time for bed we can hardly tell our daughter goodnoght and she is almost ripping our heads off.

Otherwise she really is a good dog!

I hope you have better luck than I do.

[BrendaLynn]

I am a huge advocate of the kennel. It serves a huge role in our home for disipline as well as security.
I have a Schipperke that does the same thing with growling if he has something he isn't supposed to have, however he hasn't bitten me, he looks like he is going to, but I do go into major alpha dog role and he backs down quickly and without too much fuss.
I learned from my Rottie that if I didn't take control of what I wanted to do, i.e. trim nails, check teeth, take food, bones what have you then rotties can lock their jaws around what they bite and it takes physical lifting of their bodies off the ground to release the jaws if they don't feel inclined to let go. I didn't want that to be my hand!
So I studied how dogs think in terms of packs and I have since always taken the alpha dog role where ever I go. This includes all of my families dogs as well. Dogs tend to sense who is in charge and they have always backed down. (Mind you I am not challenging every dog I meet, but the ones I have relationships with know I love, adore them even, but that I won't take any aggression from them.)
I guess a time out in a kennel is probably the best solution to adjust this behavior, Moose gets kennel time too if he is aggressive or naughty, of course he sleeps in his kennel just because it is a way to get away from any situation that is annoying him. He also sleeps there because he feels safe there. He actually opens the door to get in by himself. I love the kennel! It was the best way to get through puppy hood and he travels great in it. He is 7 now and we've had him since he was 10 weeks old. He has always had the crate and it is his. It is the one place I do not allow my kids to mess with if he's in it.
I think your puppy would learn that it is a great place to be once she gets used to it. Plus you can show her that you are always in charge without causing her physical harm.

[Bar B]

Quote: Originally posted by formula86 thank you for all the responses. btw - she graduated from obediance school months ago. she will sit, lay down, stay, jump up and come. she is only mean when there is something IN HER MOUTH. most of the time what i do when she has something bad in her mouth is i call her to her treat bowl and give her a cookie. she'll drop the bad thing and i pick it up. i'm just worried about what will happen when we are outside or at someone's house and i don't have treats. the crate idea is awesome cause she hates being locked up most. it is unfortunately, back home with my parents. i will have them bring it up here to Denton. again, thanks!! -jane

I have on occasion put treats in my pocket or carried a little baggie with me in my purse. My ownly worry would be when you are at a friends house and the pooch is with you, would it nip a child??? Children don`t know (especially with a little fuzzy pooch) that they can be biters. I`m not experienced with the terrier breed but from all that I have watched on animal planet, Breed All About IT, and other animal type shows, they are like dynamite in small packages. NOT saying that is a bad thing but most were used for hunting out rodents, badgers, etc. That is where the temp comes from. It was apart of their breeding but the little tyke should know what to be snappy with and what not to be... MY opinion!

[Formula86]

she does NOT bite people and she bows to anyone knew or sneezes. i would NEVER tolerate a dog that did that. like i said, its ONLY when she has something in her mouth that she knows isn't suppossed to be there. she doesn't even nip when i take her raw-hide, just when she knows she's being naughty. i let her go up to 2 yr olds cause she just licks them.
i don't want you to think she is a bad dog! she is perfect in all areas except what i mentioned and her potty-training (she's learning, haha).
thank you all,
jane

[Bar B]

Sorry formula86 I didn`t mean to offend. I was just thinking of a child and your pooch having something in its mouth that it might nip...

[DirtySouthChins]

Bar B I know what your saying about a child having something in their mouth, that is why my hubby refuses to get Dobies (although I love them), he witnessed as a teenager a dobie attacking his 2yr. old neighbor girl because she was teasing the dog with a lollipop, and she put the lollipop in her mouth and the dobie went for the lollipop not intentially the girl, and unfortunately the dobie got the lollipop and 1/2 of the little girls face.... In NO way does this relate to formula86's situation, I was just saying I know what Bar B was saying

[Deja]

hi! I think your problem is really interesting because you mention that you can remove toys from Penny's mouth but you have the problem with things she gets in to.
I have to agree with Bar B when she says she doesn't believe the dog is spoiled. My thoughts on this is that she's testing you. At 10 months she may have figured out that taking certain items is a sure-fire way to get your attention and test you.
Food aggression doesn't stem from being starved and has nothing to do with the dog's breeding. It stems from the dog assuming an alpha position over you. If she's bitten hard enough to break skin, I'd be very concerned.

Can you put your hand into her food bowl while she is eating without her growling or showing distress?
Can you pick her food bowl up off the floor while she is eating?

If you don't correct this now it does have the potential to turn into an aggression issue.

By *trading* the item she shouldn't have but has taken possesion of for a *treat* you are reinforcing the behavior. I have a basic problem with using food rewards on a consistant basis - I do believe in positive reinforcement in the form of physical and verbal praise. If the dog is so "food motivated" she's only going to obey for that morsel. Food rewards are fine on an inconsistant basis - meaning - the dog doesn't always know it will be a food reward, and accepts physical and verbal praise with the same enthusiasm she does the "treat".

There are a few things you can try that might break her of this bad habit.

First- make it impossible for her to have access to anything she's not allowed to have.
Set up situations where you can reinforce *MINE* - everything the dog gets access to - has to be yours - and the dog has to know that. Her toys, when you take them out of her mouth - say - *MINE* - when it's in your hand without a struggle - PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!! and give it back. Repeat this often until she's conditioned to know everything is yours.

Do this with her food. Stick your hand in the bowl and even feed her some out of your hand. This will help her learn to rely on you - the Alpha - for food- the most basic need.

When you know for sure you can take her food, toys, etc. away from her- PRAISE - then return them to her, you can move on.

Remember - you want her to succeed. You also don't want her to think negative correction is coming from you or instill a fear response because that has the potential to create fear biting. Here are some things you might want to try.

Set up a situation where you are carefully watching her, and there is something off-limits within her grasp. Anticipate her moves and when she looks at the item - shake a soda can full of pennies, hard. Startle her. When she backs up or turns her head- have the *shaker* out of view. Go to her and PRAISE - "Name - Good Girl!" She's avoided the item - and also didn't get the chance to battle you over it - and win by biting. Remove the off-limits item right away.
She may learn to avoid the item totally- this works well with dogs who like to get into the kitchen garbage!!

When you play with her - is she still "mouthy"or exhibit "play biting?" If she does - this is another great place to start- "NO BITE". If she uses her mouth on you at all - gently grab her snout and loudly, and firmly say "NO BITE" - then turn away from her and totally ignore her for a few minutes. The worst punishment for a dog is to be ignored by her pack, especially her leader - which you must be at all times. You can anticipate a play bite and give her the "NO-BITE" command - and ignore her - this should get the message across! When she is calm and quiet- PRAISE!

Now for the tough part-
Back to the power struggle over something she isn't allowed to have. "MINE" and "NO BITE" - should be familiar to her by now.
Under no circumstance should biting ever be tolerated.
When she has the off-limits item in her mouth - don't grab it and start a tug- of - war for it- this is classic dominance behavior - in fact- never play *tug* with her at all- this is how puppies vie for dominant positions in the pack! If she wins - she's learning you are submissive to HER. This should never happen.
With the item in her mouth - alpha roll her - hold her down on her back and growl as loud as you can (I know it sounds silly -but it's what her mother would do to correct her and it's language she understands!)... when she is on her back and you are growling "NOOO" or "AAAAAAAH" "MINE"!! Make sure you are making eye contact and hold your gaze, don't look away- remove the item from her mouth- if she resists (which she shouldn't because if you've never alpha-rolled her she'll probably be caught off guard and the item easily removed) - let her go- Calm her down with PRAISE!

Encorporate the staring contest into your day to day - stare into her eyes and do not look away - she should always look away first - this is a sign that she accepts you as leader.

Yikes - I've totally bombarded you with my response... I'm sorry I get so long winded!

I hope you can get that biting under control - you need to know you can trust her around anyone and everyone.
I have everyone who enters my house take food, chew bones and toys away from my dogs - starting when they are pups - they have to be submissive to any and every human. God forbid a child innocently takes something out of their mouth and they assume because the human is small - they are dominant over them - and respond with an aggresive bite- YIKES!

Good Luck! I hope I was able to help a little.

[axl]

I'm quite a Yorkie fan, as Ive had a few in the past. I believe what you need is a well taught "drop it" command.