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Location: Pittsburgh--Home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions!
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I have a yorkie/maltese mix--only 11 months old. He is a very friendly dog, but this past week, he started snapping at me. If I am not paying 100% of my attention towards him, like now for instance--I'm on the computer. If I put my hand down to pet him, he snaps at me.
How do I STOP this behavior? I just put him in his kenneled area for now--but not sure if that is the right thing to do...PLEASE, only constructive feed back and solutions, not brow beating or throat slashing replies. I hesitated to post here because of past brow beatings.
Location: Pittsburgh--Home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions!
11,310 posts, read 12,367,988 times
Reputation: 4938
Well I took him out of "time out" in his kenneled area after about 10 minutes and he seems like his normal self, but he cowered away from me!!! Mind you--I have NEVER struck my dog--wouldn't even think of raising a hand to him. So why did he cower from me?
OK...my phone rang and when I answered it...he started to bark and I reached down to pet him and he snapped again!! It's almost as if he is jealous when I divert attention away from him to something else. This behavior just started this past week.
Last edited by TexasGirl@Heart; 03-26-2010 at 04:48 PM..
Cesar Millan would have you enforce your dominance (and that's what I would do as well). Don't try to impress him - just do it. He's at that age where males can test you for the best seat in the house, which of course is yours.
Location: Pittsburgh--Home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions!
11,310 posts, read 12,367,988 times
Reputation: 4938
I want him to know that I am the Alpha Dog, that I'm in charge. At first I thought it was due to not getting enough exercise--I had worked several days in a row and he didn't get out to walk/run in the park. But today when it happened, we had just returned from being at the park for over an hour walking and running.
Well, he could've been worked up after returning from the park - especially if he was confronted or on the defense while there.
As for your role, let him know with commands that you mean what you say. The little guy is higher energy than big dogs, and sometimes you have to - well, put them in their place until he's accepted your correction.
Dogs live in the moment, so if it's for something that happened earlier, he won't get it. You have to address good and bad behavior instantly, imo.
Location: Pittsburgh--Home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions!
11,310 posts, read 12,367,988 times
Reputation: 4938
Quote:
Originally Posted by little elmer
Well, he could've been worked up after returning from the park - especially if he was confronted or on the defense while there.
As for your role, let him know with commands that you mean what you say. The little guy is higher energy than big dogs, and sometimes you have to - well, put them in their place until he's accepted your correction.
Dogs live in the moment, so if it's for something that happened earlier, he won't get it. You have to address good and bad behavior instantly, imo.
I do correct his behavior immediately and it isn't often because most of the time he is well behaved...it's just this past week where he has gotten snappy with me. It's happens when I am focused on other things, such as the computer or when I'm talking on the phone.
Absolutely nothing happened at the park...he had a grand time and only ran into one older gentleman who petted him and was talking to him---no others at the park today while we were there.
What do you mean by "put them in their place until he's accepted my correction"? I tell him NO forcefully. My sister said "slap him on the nose". I can't do that--I can NOT and will NOT strike my dog.
do NOT hit your dog ..... that will only make him fearful and possibly more aggressive.....
i can't remember..... is he neutered??
when you go to pet him, is your hand coming towards him from over his head? this is frightening for some dogs and they must be approached from the front and underneath the chin....... my bailey doesn't like hands coming at her from over her head.......
i wish i had more words of wisdom for you ..... i'm sure that others here have more experience with these little fellas and will offer you some good advice soon.....
Location: Pittsburgh--Home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions!
11,310 posts, read 12,367,988 times
Reputation: 4938
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasGirl@Heart
My sister said "slap him on the nose". I can't do that--I can NOT and will NOT strike my dog.
Quote:
Originally Posted by latetotheparty
do NOT hit your dog ..... that will only make him fearful and possibly more aggressive.....
i can't remember..... is he neutered??
when you go to pet him, is your hand coming towards him from over his head? this is frightening for some dogs and they must be approached from the front and underneath the chin....... my bailey doesn't like hands coming at her from over her head.......
i wish i had more words of wisdom for you ..... i'm sure that others here have more experience with these little fellas and will offer you some good advice soon.....
good luck with him......
Please read what I bolded above in both mine and your statement. I would NEVER HIT my dog!! I told my sister that as well.
Yes he was neutered at 7 months of age. This snappy behavior just started a week ago. It always occurs when I'm not paying 100% attention to him, ie: when I'm on the computer or on the phone. It's almost like he is jealous.
When I do reach down to pet him, my hand is over his head SOMETIMES. Sometimes, I will just put my hand down and he will come at it...never growling but snappy. Is this him telling me he wants to play? Sometimes he will get a hold of my sleeve and tug on it like his chew toys when I play with him. I read somewhere I should stop playing tug of war with him--so that form of play stopped immediately.
When I'm not involved in other things--computer, telephone--he jumps up on my lap and into my arms and flips himself over onto his back so I will rub his chest. He really is a very loveable dog and well behaved for the most part. It is only when I'm on computer or phone that he acts like this.
Practice Nothing in Life is Free - it's a very kind way of asserting yourself as the one in charge (or the pack leader so to speak.). It's all about having the dog sit before he goes out; sit before he gets his food. . . . little signs of respect like that. Google NILF and you will find the specific guidelines for how to . . well, really live this way. I love it. It's just mainly a gentle reinforcement of who is the boss on a daily, mannerly, basis.
What do you mean by "put them in their place until he's accepted my correction"?
When he's acting like that, lay him down and hold him there - if he gets aggressive and tries to bite you, then you've found the area of disrespect. Hold him there until he gives up, letting him know that's what you want from him.
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I told my sister that as well. 
