Bite someone if they sit next to a certain person?  If me and my mum sit near each other our dog will growl and go for my mum......  Why would he do this?

Jealousy? Just a guess - could he be jealous of you giving your mum more attention than you're giving him?

Most likely the dog feels he has to protect you.

I wonder why he would think I need protecting? 

Also last night I wasnt there but he bit my mums nose and caused it to bleed, alls she did was ask him if he was tired and he lunged at her face growling and bit her.  My mum is with him all the time where as I go away for maybe 2 or 3 days at a time for work, could this be why he shows her less respect?  when I am around he behaves himself unless we sit together? 

Hi LeanneK,

Your initial post sounds like inappropriate protective behaviour but much more info is needed, such as breed, age, whether had from 8 weeks direct from breeder or older as a rescue, what other behaviours are like re. normal socialisation with people of all ages, shapes and sizes both in and out of the home and also both when you are in charge of him or someone else.  Does your mother have pleasant interaction with the dog and is she normally comfortable around him (i.e. not telling him off and not wary of him in regular day to day routine)?  Also how is he with other dogs both on and off lead and is his behaviour with them consistent regardless of who is walking him?   Basically the list could go on to infinity and beyond ;)  His behaviour is inappropriate and unacceptable but to establish what triggers the behaviour and how best to remedy the situation can take in almost limitless factors.

Re. your second post, could it be that your mum "eyeballs" him when *asking him how he's doing*?  Dogs, even the best natured and most affable of them don't like direct eye contact - it is a threat - hence dogs which have not learned that growling, baring teeth or snapping are totally unacceptable may well take this perceived threat and act on it as you describe.

If nothing else from this diatribe (apologies, rambling is dear to my heart :P ) I hope you try and assess the whole situation and can come back with more details - I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me can then give you a better idea as to how to overcome his behaviour issues as a whole - preventing him from having a go at your mum when she sits beside you on the settee is easy as you only require to put him off and keep him off the furniture but IMO far better to find a reason for the cause than simply prevent the affect.

Regards, Teri :)

cheers for your reply Teri,

He is a male (uncastrated) Yorkie of 8 months old, we were given him at the age approx 10 weeks, we are clueless to his breeder, but guess they werent the best as he is very big for his breed.  He is great with people on and off the lead, but does bark at passers by to get their attention which Im trying to stop.  He seems to prefer people to dogs and if he meets a dog on his walk he will try to get past the dog to meet its owner, showing the human more attention than the dog.  He is not aggressive against dogs that I have seen.  I dont know how he is on walks with anyone else as Im the only one that walks him (my mum has had a stroke and cant walk him).  He went to a dog minders house when we went away and she said he was fine to walk, were in contact now with her to arrange her to walk him while Im away on trips.

Mum plays his fetch games with him alot as she cant walk him while im away so keeps him busy playing games, she was comfortable around him but is getting more and more uneasy in his company and wont let him anywhere near her face.  We are going to go back to not letting him on the sofa, we went soft and allowed him on again which I think is our down fall.  Since we got him he has always been very fiesty Im not sure if were too soft with him or if its just his personality. 

He now sleeps in the kitchen at night and is never allowed upstairs and we will again keep him off the sofa and see if this helps. 

He is also scenting in the house especially where I sit does this mean anything??

Hi again Leanne,

No offence intended but it sounds that really on the whole he hasn't learned a lot of basic manners ;)  Several people I know have had similar problems with small dogs and often the main reason is that because of their size, they tend to be allowed to get away with a lot more than a larger breed of dog would and often are overly spoiled and used to being picked up quite a bit too :P  IME "little dog syndrome" should be officially identified and then erradicated (the "syndrome" not the dogs :P )

Part of the problem also may be that your Mum is a little unco-ordinated following her stroke :(  When my mum had a stroke when we went to visit my own dogs were wary of her simply because they sensed something different.  Fortunately they were well behaved around her but given the choice they would probably have stayed away altogether.

I'd work on retraining him all over again in every behaviour as though he was just an 8 week puppy.  Also between you and your Mum sort out boundaries and be fair, firm and consistent.  Don't overdo the fussing and attention of him - enjoy him and enjoy his company but also remember to introduce periods of time out and also, for the moment, I would not permit him to initiate a cuddle or play session.  Work on the basis that he earns games, treats, etc so that his mind is focussed on pleasing you rather than at the moment he's not having to think of anything (quite naturally) but his own creature comforts.

Hopefully Digger or Lindsay will be along with more detailed help - they're both better at this than me!  Regards, Teri :)  

I don't think I can improve much on what you've said Teri.  Dogs pick up on such tiny signs that we don't notice, which is why they are so good at jobs like seizure alert dogs and drugs detection.  And these can be both visual and scent.  Anything out of the ordinary can be threatening to them as well, so it's important to take time to socialise them with all sorts of things like children, walking sticks, umberellas etc - even wheel chairs if possible, whilst they are still small.

Could you Mum take part of the responsibility for giving him his meals?  And if she can reward him for holding eye contact with her without getting too close to start with, this could help.  It's one of the first things we teach puppy owners - to reward their puppies for holding eye contact - the pup then finds the simple act of looking at the owner is rewarding in itself, which is lovely to see :)

Lyndsay!!  Your turn - is there anything we've missed out?

HTH

Thanks alot for your replies. 

I agree he is a spoilt brat.  He knows all his basic stuff sit, down, paw and his recall is brilliant.  My mum feeds him already but I must admit she isnt as consistant as I am.  She also plays rough with him which I think she has got to stop.

Cheers guys I will once again go back to basics, and he will have to do sits etc to get anything from us.  Like you say hes only getting away with it because of his size, my mum has said on several occassions that if he was a larger dog and had come at her like he did (biting her face) she would be terrified of him.

He just has no manners, but he went to puppy school and has meets loads of people and animals and different situations and is well mannered with most things its just his lack of repect with my mum we need to work on.

Cheers I will let you know how it goes, oh yeah we bought a water pistol today for my mum to keep handy incase he does anything she doesnt like. 

Did he go to Puppy School, as set up by Gwen Bailey (www.puppyschool.co.uk)?  Or are you just talking about ordinary puppy classes?  I'm sure your Puppy School tutor would be happy to help you through this if you contact them.

It may be a dominance issue, maybe he is unsure in himself as to who the alpha is??? With you he may be quite sure but maybe he feels he is more "superior" to your mum. When your about he will strive for your attention first rather than your mum getting it. This probably winds him up into a frenzy and he may feel the only way to tell your mum is to use his power, which we know is wrong. I would say it would be wise to go back to basics and show him his place, ignore the bad and praise the good behaviours. Im just thinking to myself now, say you are talking to your mum and he wants to get up for a cuddle or some attention what do you do??? Is he ok at first, or does he growl straight away, Maybe hes tried to get your attention and it has failed and when he growls at your mum the attention is on him once again, even if it means being told off or scolded. Try asking your mum to eat a cracker or something over his dinner before she feeds him every time. People may disagree with me so dont "quote me" it is just my opinion. Maybe you see sense and reason or nothing at all, but i hope i helped, it has worked for my dogs, inparticular a male dominant Ridgeback. Good luck x
Jodi

A TRULY dominant dog would rarely need to use agression.  I'm surprised, considering your other post on the subject of 'amichien bonding' that you suggest a technique which has NO base in canine (or wolf) behaviour.

i suppose he's very possesive about you

Lots of small steps needed with training.  First and foremost the eye contact reward.  We did this with our boy using a clicker and some very good advice and demonstration from an excellent dog trainer.  He was threatned by direct eye contact previousley to this and would growl and snap.  He is lovely now and looks for the contact. 

Women more than men make direct eye contact and yes dogs do sense very fine deviations from the norm.  Your mums neurological signs are probably causing some confusion. 

Can your mum go training with you and may be just sit and watch and listen.

Cheers again for all your replies.

He went to normal puppy class not gwen baileys.

He only bites my mum when we sit close together on the sofa or if were both at the computer.  I can get eye contact with him no problem, im going to test later what happens when my mum gets eye contact.

Do you think his behaviour is something to do with me going away for 2 or 3 days at a time?  My mum is always here and so is not interesting therefore he takes her for granted, whereas I go away and its exciting when I come back.  (just a thought).

He jumped up again where I sit on my sofa and weed right where I sit.......  He is now sat on the chair next to me at the computer as I have just got home after going away on Monday, I think he misses me.  I know I should tell him to get down but hes asleep and I feel mean. (rod for my own back I hear you cry)

At puppy class the teacher did make the comment "that dog would be okay if it werent for you" Im not sure what she meant by this as when I asked her she just turned and walked away, I left on week 7 of the 8 week course.  I still do training on his walks tho and in the garden.

The water pistol is working wonders, you only have to reach for it and he does exactly what you want, so he knows what my mum wants him to do he just chooses to ignore her.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

He is very probably unsettled by the variations in routine (and the weeing in your place could be an indication of this ;))

Small dogs often need stronger handling than you might think - I don't mean being mean - just saying what you mean and sticking with it - so if you ask him to get off, then you must ensure he does get off and not weaken ;)  A house lead ( a short lead attached to the collar when you are in the house) can help to ensure you get your way without being confrontational - you can take hold of the lead with your head turned away, and lead him off....  Make sure he has a nice comfortable alternative place to go though :)  And praise him for being there.  Only allow him beside you if he's going to behave himself - it's a priviledge, not a right, if he starts to play up, he looses the priviledge!