I need help/advice on training a 1 1/2 year old Yorkshire terrier!

We got him from a family member about 6 months ago, as he wasn't being looked after properly and i'm starting to think they have ruined him!
He is a gorgeous dog, very loving and well behaved most of the time.

The things they did to him that we know of were - Having a cat flap fitted to the front door (leading on to a main road) so they didn't have to walk him, keeping him caged in one room (utility room which they never used and had nothing in it), feeding him just the children's left overs no dog food!
They never taught him the basic commands and never showed him any form of punishment for being naughty.

I have since we got him, taught him how to sit, lay down, give paw and take treats without snatching but we still have a few problems. If he manages to steal one of the kids toys he wont let go and if you go to take it he gets very nasty and aggressive! If he is cornered he gets nasty and also if certain males in the family try to get him into his bed!

I want to calm him down, I want him to be able to play with the kids like the other dogs do without me having to watch him constantly but i dont want to have to hit him or use electric collars so please dont suggest that!

Any advice will be great thanks :help:

I see your in Hillsborough, I take my dog to a training class monday nights at the bottom of fox hill road (near halifax road)

Its very good.

I can get you the phone number if you like?

That would be great thanks. :thumbsup:

And if anyone else has good tips or advice they would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

In a similar thread someone suggested using a water spray to discourage negative dog behaviour.

put stones into a plastic botlle every time he becomes aggressive shake the bottle and say no he will then learn to leave things when told

The first thing to remember with a Yorkie, is that they are terriers, not the glove puppets/toy dogs that some people like to think they are ;)

This means that they are not necessarily the best dogs for playing with children, and should never be left unsupervised with children - even the smallest Yorkie is capable of breaking the skin, and the germs/diseases that can result mean it's just better to play it safe in the first place :thumbsup:

You have a dog which thinks like a dog... or a wolf, if that makes the visualisation easier. This explains the behaviour when males try to send him to his bed, as this is a demonstration of dominance, from his perspective. He is defending what he believes to be his territory/pack.

Things that encourage him to believe that this is HIS pack are those which we believe are 'kindness', such as sitting on knees or sofas, sleeping on beds etc. In the dog's mind, he is sleeping in the most prestigious locations as a symbol of his status as head of the pack. It wouldn't be a surprise to find that he challenges males but not females because he is allowed to 'get away with' these activities with the women of the house, but the men are more inclined to treat him like a dog and not a child ;)

I'll stop typing whilst you tell me how far off beam I am ;)

If you think I may be at least a bit right, I'm happy to carry on :)

I've sent you a pm :D

It wouldn't be a surprise to find that he challenges males but not females because he is allowed to 'get away with' these activities with the women of the house, but the men are more inclined to treat him like a dog and not a child ;)


Or, to put a different perspective on things, if the women don't let him get away with it he will see that they are higher in the pack and won't challenge them like he does males who let him sit on the furniture ;)

I think the pack training is a major issue and without being cruel to him, you need to make him aware that you are boss, that your family are of higher status than him, and that he is the very lowest member of the pack. There are loads of books on this, look out for Victoria Stilwell's book and books by Jan Fennel who is a great follower of the pack theory. Otherwise I can suggest a few ways to help him realise who's boss.

Don't feel that you're being cruel, dogs are much happier being at the bottom of the pack and once they know where they stand!

I used a rolled up newspaper. Never hit my dogs with it, just had to raise it above my head and speak sternly to them. Always gave them a tit-bit for doing the right thing, and a flourish with the newspaper for doing wrong. The only mistake I made was giving them Pork Scratchings for their treat. Ten years hence, and they’re still looking in my trousers pockets for them! I buy ten packets a week and Tesco’s till-girls always give me a funny look, thinking I’m an addict!

There are many better ways to fix this than threatening with a newspaper.
The fact is, you are still threatening to put them through pain, but then not carrying it out.

I can't see any reason why a dog would be afraid of a rolled up newspaper if it had never been hit with one previously. You are, in my opinion, getting them to do what you want through fear rather than respect.

The trick is to get the dog to respect you and do what you say because it has been conditioned to do so (ie, it's a natural response to a command). Not because it will be threatened if it doesn't do as you say.

Threatening a dog who is aggressive will only result in further aggression.

Demonstrating that aggressive behaviour is something that results in being excluded from the pack if far more effective.

Threatening a dog who is aggressive will only result in further aggression.

Demonstrating that aggressive behaviour is something that results in being excluded from the pack if far more effective.

I agree, if you remove him from the situation (either put him in a crate or in a separate room) for two minutes and let him back in again, removing him each time he's aggressive, he will soon realise that it isn't accepted behaviour and there is no punishment worse than being removed from his family.

Also, if you go to remove him, don't let him scare you off again. If you start something you must finish it (regardless of teeth!) otherwise he will know he can bully you!

Again, I'll wait for a reply to the PM I sent!

Hi again,

Sorry i've not been able to find the phone number, but the organisers are more than happy for people to just pop along :)

It's monday evenings 7pm (not bank holidays)

It's the church hall at the bottom of Fox Hill Road.

IIRC it's £5 to join then £2.50 per week.

I use Wadsley Bridge dog training club and they are very good at obedience training, but I'm not sure if that is what you and your dog need. The advice on here about excluding him from the "pack" for bad behaviour is good advice and it will make him think about what he is doing. Phone the trainers at Wadsley Bridge and talk to them, see what they think, the numbers are
0114 2301436 0114 2453678 0114 2472579
Dave..

There are many better ways to fix this than threatening with a newspaper.
The fact is, you are still threatening to put them through pain, but then not carrying it out.

I can't see any reason why a dog would be afraid of a rolled up newspaper if it had never been hit with one previously. You are, in my opinion, getting them to do what you want through fear rather than respect.

The trick is to get the dog to respect you and do what you say because it has been conditioned to do so (ie, it's a natural response to a command). Not because it will be threatened if it doesn't do as you say.

You’re possibly quite right, except for the fact that not having received any pain, ever, my dogs aren’t likely to fear any pain or believe I’m about to threaten them with pain or give them pain. In fact they don’t even flinch at a raised paper, which over the years has become a tradition rather than a threat.

When they were pups they simply shied at the sound of the newspaper because it crackled!

As for reason, with respect, neither you nor I can say for certain whether my dogs will reason that because I’m holding a newspaper I’m threatening them.

With ten years experience they know I’m not going to hit them with it, so it’s probably the stern voice that does the trick, not the newspaper.

I hope it's ok to post links here :| if not sorreeee :confused: http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm this is a really good way to train your dog naturaly and kindly and it really does work.

OK thanks for all your posts sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you all.

I wont ever hit him as it just makes him worse but when he gets agressive and I try to move him out of the situation and in to another room he really gets nasty and im scared of what he will do!

I never leave my children out playing with the dogs but if I nip upstairs for 2 mins i have to take the dog or the kids just to be safe as if they go to take one of their toys off him he goes mad!

I do think he thinks he's 'the boss' as at one point he was scenting all my stuff for example, my side of the bed if he got upstairs, my pillow, my clothes, basically anything to do with me!
He has stopped this now but he's still very protective of me!

I just dont know what to do with him, I dont in anyway want to get rid of him! :(

OK thanks for all your posts sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you all.

I wont ever hit him as it just makes him worse but when he gets agressive and I try to move him out of the situation and in to another room he really gets nasty and im scared of what he will do!

I never leave my children out playing with the dogs but if I nip upstairs for 2 mins i have to take the dog or the kids just to be safe as if they go to take one of their toys off him he goes mad!

I do think he thinks he's 'the boss' as at one point he was scenting all my stuff for example, my side of the bed if he got upstairs, my pillow, my clothes, basically anything to do with me!
He has stopped this now but he's still very protective of me!

I just dont know what to do with him, I dont in anyway want to get rid of him! :(

It sounds to me like you need a house line :) this is just a nice long lead (preferably lightweight although I have used a horse lunge rope) that you leave on him while he's in the house.

I used this when Takara went through a 'let me sit on the furniture or I'll bite you' phase! When you need to remove him from the situation, just pick up the houseline and say 'time out' while walking him on the lead into another room.

When you've said time out, don't say anything else. Be totally silent and don't look at him when you shut him in. Don't shout at him, don't mumble to yourself, and don't look at him.
This will make him very miserable because he's being ignored but he will also learn that 'time out' means 'you've been naughty and need to calm down' and he won't like being ignored so will associate the behaviour with negative things and not do it again (eventually ;) )

PeterW - I hope I didn't sound really nasty! I appreciate that your dogs have never been hurt but as I don't know what happened to this little fella before Natzzz got him, I wanted to make sure she knew it wasn't advisable in her situation!
In the same way I use a half check on Takara, but I have adjusted it to be too big to tighten on her, but so that she recognises the noise with pulling and stops. She has never had to experience it tightening on her neck, but she doesn't pull against the noise.

Natzzz - a few things you can do to relieve him of thinking he's boss of the pack (this will make him miserable and could even cause separation anxiety) - when you come into the house, ignore him. Say hello to everyone else first, and make sure he sits before you say hello to him. This way he knows the rest of the family are more important than him and you only talk to him when you're ready.
Play on your terms - not when he barks, nips or pesters you to play with him.

DON'T let him on the bed. If need be, shut the doors. He shouldn't be allowed on the furniture or beds as this gives him the impression he is important. I'm not saying no dog should ever be allowed on furniture, but aggressive/dominant dogs shouldn't.

Eat first - when feeding him, pretend to eat from his bowl before putting it down. The pack leader in the wild would get first pickings before anyone else got to eat. This way he knows he's not as important as you.

Go out of the door first. Teach him the 'stay' or 'wait' command and make him use it. Don't force him to stay where he is, try to get him to do it because you've told him to and then go out of the door first then say 'ok, come' and let him come out after you.

Take moments in the day where you simply ignore him, it's not pleasant for you or your dog, but it does help him realise that he's not as important as he thinks.

For the 'drop' command, have you tried swapping whatever it is he's got?
If Takara gets hold of something, the more I tell her off and try to get it from her, the more she wants it. He will think it's important to you (which it is, but you don't want him to know that) if it's important to you, it's important to him. You should get something, preferably of higher value and say 'good boy! bring it!!!' swap the item (either for a toy, or food whichever he responds to) and make a huge fuss of him. 'GOOD BOY!!!! WELL DONE! CLEVER BOY' he will want to swap things, at first you may get him taking things just in order to swap, but eventually that will die down a little.
Otherwise you could shake the before mentioned bottle of stones or make another noise to distract him and as he drops it say 'drop! good boy!' and reward him with something.
Have you tried clicker training? If not - I recommend it.

For sending him to bed, make sure he knows his bed is nice! Get a biscuit and always get him to sit on his bed before getting his biscuit. Eventually he'll be so eager (biscuit or no biscuit) to get on his bed, it won't be a negative thing.

Another thing - a bit mad but it works, is to make sure you sit in his bed (easier for me, having a big dog! lol)
He needs to know that everything in the house is yours and he is just borrowing it. You are letting him have it. If you sit in his bed, he'll realise that it's not 'his' bed, it's your's and you are letting him lay on it. Another way of demoting him in the pack.

Make sure that whenever positive behaviour comes through this negative behaviour give him lots of praise and make a huge fuss. You'll feel like you're going over the top but you simply can't praise a dog enough! They lavish the attention and praise and will remember that that is good behaviour.

Good luck!

I do think he thinks he's 'the boss' as at one point he was scenting all my stuff for example, my side of the bed if he got upstairs, my pillow, my clothes, basically anything to do with me!
He has stopped this now but he's still very protective of me!
Hmmm, that's a sign of posession, and distasteful as it is, he could be doing this as an assertion that you are his bitch (from his point of view, not as a name calling thing ;) ).

Don't give him any reason to believe you are 'his'. I can't stress enough the concept of 'dogs stay on the floor', especially with a breed that people like to cart around like handbags. If he is aggressive, he'll regard you as his own personal chariot.

The items you mention him scenting are also of interest. Everything that smells of you. So it is possible that he regards you as leader of the pack and is trying to challenge you for that position.

Lotti has given some very helpful advice, and I would only add to that - you need to know your dog. We have all provided different theories about his motivation, given the behaviour you have described. Further watching on your part should identify what is causing him to display those behaviours, and from there determine the best action.

It isn't his responses that need 'treating', but the situations that the people around him generate ;)


At least you are more than half way there if you have decided that things need to change for him to be able to settle down into being the family pet rather than the monster you describe :)