[sanlyd]

Hi everyone, I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has any suggestions. My zoey is my everything. However, she is becoming more aggressive with me, especially when she doesn’t want me to do something i.e bathe her, put booties on, clothes on etc. From day one she has hated clothes and I posted here and I understood that is not so uncommon, so I have purchased clothes that work better than others. I also had one-to-one training with her for months. I have tried to show her I am the Alpha but I do not think she believes that. It use to be a growl and then a little nip. Now it’s full on Biting where she has broken my skin. I do not know what to do. I am afraid it is only going to get worse and the last thing I want is to be afraid of my little 6 pound mostly bundle of love 5 year-old. I love her so much but I am at my wits ends. I am lucky because so far she only goes to bite me but I do not trust that she wouldn’t bite someone else. I am truly devastated that she does this to me, it’s not like she doesn’t get my attention because she does. I spend my entire day with her. I also have been crating her for about an hour or 2 just to get her use to being by herself once again. Please if anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it. Thank you so much.
Sandra, zoey’s mom☮

 

[Snuggle's Mom]

I am sorry to see that your little one has been having some issues with her behavior lately. And I am sure that you are quite anxious to know why she has changed?? Have you tried making an appointment with her Vet??? That might be a start since he/she might be able to advise you what might be bothering her?? Perhaps some others from SM will come along and give you some suggestions as well. Please keep us posted as we are here for you and hope that everything works out for the best.

 

[sanlyd]

I plan on making an appointment with the vet on Monday. Hopefully she will be seen next week. Thank you so much because I am really, really worried that it is going to get worse. I love her so much but I cannot have biting me or worse somebody else. I will keep you posted. Again, thank you. I appreciate it.

 

[Coster]

Hi sorry to hear your baby having this behavior. Sometimes my Molly gets alittle rough when shes super happy and playing she never bites or nips but once in a while she mouth plays. And one day she bit down to hard and ouch. Basically I do that, I let her know she hurt me and she literally stops and then I ignore her for a few minutes. But that’s certainly not for long like 5 minutes. Just to get her calm. Then we go back to playtime. Also I suggest
It's a good idea to keep a dog chew toy at hand at all times, so you can anticipate biting behavior and substitute the toy for your hand. They also have those Tug Toys (rope kind) which you can Re-Direct the biting behavior which turns into play. They love that. Good idea to bring your baby to the Vet in case there is something else bothering her.

 

[sanlyd]

Hi sorry to hear your baby having this behavior. Sometimes my Molly gets alittle rough when shes super happy and playing she never bites or nips but once in a while she mouth plays. And one day she bit down to hard and ouch. Basically I do that, I let her know she hurt me and she literally stops and then I ignore her for a few minutes. But that’s certainly not for long like 5 minutes. Just to get her calm. Then we go back to playtime. Also I suggest
It's a good idea to keep a dog chew toy at hand at all times, so you can anticipate biting behavior and substitute the toy for your hand. They also have those Tug Toys (rope kind) which you can Re-Direct the biting behavior which turns into play. They love that. Good idea to bring your baby to the Vet in case there is something else bothering her.

Unfortunately with Zoey I am sorry to say she is biting to bite. She has so many toys available everywhere she goes but her biting is very specific and it’s not when we are playing. Like your Molly when we are playing she knows the difference when I say ”don’t bite” and she clearly stops and then just softly grabs my hand. But her biting me is intentional. For example, just this morning she did not want me to clean her eyes and she clearly went to bite me. I was able to move my hand quick enough so that she didn’t catch me like yesterdays bite where she broke skin and I bled. I plan on calling the vet tomorrow but I am also going to look into a behavior therapist, any suggestions, because I feel if I do not put a stop to it now it’s only going to get worse from here. I love her too much and do not want our relationship to spiral down. She is my world. Thank you for taking the time out to respond to me. I appreciate it. I need all the help I can get because I am afraid, not of being bit but of Zoey becoming a real biter. Thank you.

 

[mss]

A vet to make sure she is not in pain or has some other medical reason for the behavior. Then probably a behaviorist. I personally avoid trainers who use "alpha" and "dominance" ideas and terminology and I favor positive, rewards-based training.

 

[sanlyd]

A vet to make sure she is not in pain or has some other medical reason for the behavior. Then probably a behaviorist. I personally avoid trainers who use "alpha" and "dominance" ideas and terminology and I favor positive, rewards-based training.

Yes! First thing tomorrow the vet and I will only use a rewards based trainer. Thanks for that tip because I will never subject my little one to any type of fear training. Never!!! Just the thought makes me shiver. Thank you <3

 

[Moochie]

Hi everyone, I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has any suggestions. My zoey is my everything. However, she is becoming more aggressive with me, especially when she doesn’t want me to do something i.e bathe her, put booties on, clothes on etc. From day one she has hated clothes and I posted here and I understood that is not so uncommon, so I have purchased clothes that work better than others. I also had one-to-one training with her for months. I have tried to show her I am the Alpha but I do not think she believes that. It use to be a growl and then a little nip. Now it’s full on Biting where she has broken my skin. I do not know what to do. I am afraid it is only going to get worse and the last thing I want is to be afraid of my little 6 pound mostly bundle of love 5 year-old. I love her so much but I am at my wits ends. I am lucky because so far she only goes to bite me but I do not trust that she wouldn’t bite someone else. I am truly devastated that she does this to me, it’s not like she doesn’t get my attention because she does. I spend my entire day with her. I also have been crating her for about an hour or 2 just to get her use to being by herself once again. Please if anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it. Thank you so much.
Sandra, zoey’s mom☮

Wow, can I relate! It was just a few weeks ago I posted on this board for a similar reason; my 8 year old male bit me for the first time ever when I was trying to apply his eye meds. I was heartbroken and in fact I cried all that day. In his case, he was seriously injured by a vet and now has PTSD, and his bite was a "I've just had it!" with the eye meds kind of bite. My vet said to go the food rewards route with him and it worked out. However, I bought a special little muzzle on Chewy that is perfect for Maltese and when I sense he is stressed and I have to put his meds in, I will put the muzzle on him so that neither of us has to deal with the issue. He is just fine with it, and it's on him for only a minute. Trainers always warn us that small dogs get outrageously spoiled because they are so darn adorable, and I have to agree. What's funny is that my big bad Marine husband cannot get our little guy to do anything except when he uses his drill instructor voice. That big booming voice stops our baby in his tracks. Then of course my husband feels bad and apologizes to him with kisses and treats! On a serious note, I felt like I lost trust in our baby after he bit me, and I hated that feeling, but slowly we've rebuilt it and it's all good. Best of luck to you!

 

[sanlyd]

I just want to give an update on Zoey’s vet appointment, everyone has been so helpful and I really appreciate it. Zoey saw the vet today and she got a clean bill of health. I explained everything. He just thinks her licking her paw(s) is her way of soothing herself. She has no signs of allergies at all. He suggested I continue to do what I have been doing, which is telling her to stop, which I do and she does stop for a little while. Interestingly, before going to the vet she gave me a hard time putting on her sweater and harness so much so she went to snap at me. Putting on clothes has been a problem since she was 10 weeks old but she did not bite or at least I didn’t think she was trying to since she was a puppy. I realize when she doesn’t want to do something that is her first defense, to bite. I thought for sure she was going to try and maybe snap at the vet when he touched her paws but she didn’t‘, she just stared at me with pleading eyes to get her out of there Lol. She is actually excellent at the vet. I had a feeling her aggression is all behavioral. I started to look for behavior specialist in my neighborhood. There are a few. I just do not know how to choose. When I first brought her home I had her attend puppy classes and then I had someone come to my home weekly, for a few months to work with me about the clothes situation. It was always such a battle. Obviously it didn’t work or I wasn’t trained properly. In the meantime, until I find someone who I can trust that they really know what they are doing I have read that article, that was suggested on another post, NILIFF. I am trying to really follow through with that. Any suggestions what to look for in a behavioral therapist? Again thank you.
Peace…Sandra

 

[sanlyd]

Wow, can I relate! It was just a few weeks ago I posted on this board for a similar reason; my 8 year old male bit me for the first time ever when I was trying to apply his eye meds. I was heartbroken and in fact I cried all that day. In his case, he was seriously injured by a vet and now has PTSD, and his bite was a "I've just had it!" with the eye meds kind of bite. My vet said to go the food rewards route with him and it worked out. However, I bought a special little muzzle on Chewy that is perfect for Maltese and when I sense he is stressed and I have to put his meds in, I will put the muzzle on him so that neither of us has to deal with the issue. He is just fine with it, and it's on him for only a minute. Trainers always warn us that small dogs get outrageously spoiled because they are so darn adorable, and I have to agree. What's funny is that my big bad Marine husband cannot get our little guy to do anything except when he uses his drill instructor voice. That big booming voice stops our baby in his tracks. Then of course my husband feels bad and apologizes to him with kisses and treats! On a serious note, I felt like I lost trust in our baby after he bit me, and I hated that feeling, but slowly we've rebuilt it and it's all good. Best of luck to you!

Thank you for sharing with me. I too cried I was devastated because like you I wasn’t expecting an outright bite that broke skin. I will look into the muzzle because I need to be able to trust her and if I am honest with myself right now I do not trust that she will not bite again. She has already tried to snap at me when she doesn’t want me to do something. I do not know what to do. I do not want this type of a relationship. I love her so much and she is really a good girl in every way except this new behavior. Thank you.

 

[maddysmom]

I have a biter, my Ling Ling, once a maltese, now sporting a shave and looking more like a chihuahua, lol.
My girl switched a switch right after her spay. She had a tough recovery, not from the spay but from her matting from the gel the vet used.
She has bitten me, the vet, groomer, groomers assistant, her internist and neurologist.
I just recently shave her because she got very stressed , and the more I attempted to brush her, she progressively got worse over the years.

I know for me, If she senses how scared I am( Im petrified of Ling), her behavior escalates tenfold. If she can get away with it, she will push It, until I leave her alone. Not a great situation, especially if I need to take her to the vet or something that could be an emergency.

The one thing you dont want to do is reprimand her if she growls. This is how they warn us, otherwise they will go right to biting vs.growl first ( warning ) and then bite.
I watched or read every behavioral training method and one mentioned training gloves.
So, I bought these very thick grooming/training gloves, and It worked. She might growl but she wld never attempt to bite me if I had them on. In fact, I could do anything now, and she will sit quiet for me, because Im less fearful, and she knows she cant get away with scaring me.
I really do feel for you, and sorry you have to deal with this. It can be very stressful having a dog that is fearful, growls or bites.
For me, I have contemplated so many times on rehoming the little stinker, but (1) I would miss her way too much, and (2) I fear, as well as our internist and neurologist that if she bit someone, she would be euthanized. I, at least know her triggers and how to handle her to avoid anyone getting bit.
I hope you find a solution 🙏🏻

 

[edelweiss]

Joanne, if she gets to that just call me & I will pick her up & she can come for a vacation! Really!

 

[Moochie]

Thank you for sharing with me. I too cried I was devastated because like you I wasn’t expecting an outright bite that broke skin. I will look into the muzzle because I need to be able to trust her and if I am honest with myself right now I do not trust that she will not bite again. She has already tried to snap at me when she doesn’t want me to do something. I do not know what to do. I do not want this type of a relationship. I love her so much and she is really a good girl in every way except this new behavior. Thank you.

You might want to look at the muzzle on Chewy. It really is perfect for Maltese because it does not come up to the eyes and cause discomfort, and it's easy to get on and off. It's called "Four Paws Walk- About Quick-Fit Dog Muzzle, size XXS". If it's any comfort, my baby has greatly improved with regard to the growling, snapping and attempted biting. My vet told me in his experience the food reward method worked the best, and he was right. When I am trying to put in my baby's eye meds or dress him (he doesn't like this either) I hold his favorite treat in front of him and sweet-talk him. If he growls or tries something I say NO and remove the treat. Then I try again a little later, holding the treat in front of him, and if he behaves he gets the treat and a lot of praise. It really didn't take much time for this method to change his behavior. There are still lapses, but it is much better.

 

[sanlyd]

I have a biter, my Ling Ling, once a maltese, now sporting a shave and looking more like a chihuahua, lol.
My girl switched a switch right after her spay. She had a tough recovery, not from the spay but from her matting from the gel the vet used.
She has bitten me, the vet, groomer, groomers assistant, her internist and neurologist.
I just recently shave her because she got very stressed , and the more I attempted to brush her, she progressively got worse over the years.

I know for me, If she senses how scared I am( Im petrified of Ling), her behavior escalates tenfold. If she can get away with it, she will push It, until I leave her alone. Not a great situation, especially if I need to take her to the vet or something that could be an emergency.

The one thing you dont want to do is reprimand her if she growls. This is how they warn us, otherwise they will go right to biting vs.growl first ( warning ) and then bite.
I watched or read every behavioral training method and one mentioned training gloves.
So, I bought these very thick grooming/training gloves, and It worked. She might growl but she wld never attempt to bite me if I had them on. In fact, I could do anything now, and she will sit quiet for me, because Im less fearful, and she knows she cant get away with scaring me.
I really do feel for you, and sorry you have to deal with this. It can be very stressful having a dog that is fearful, growls or bites.
For me, I have contemplated so many times on rehoming the little stinker, but (1) I would miss her way too much, and (2) I fear, as well as our internist and neurologist that if she bit someone, she would be euthanized. I, at least know her triggers and how to handle her to avoid anyone getting bit.
I hope you find a solution 🙏🏻

Thank you very much for sharing your experience especially with the growling. I usually say no and then she does try to stop. When she growls and shows teeth I become afraid of her too. I try not to show it but these pups are super smart and I am sure she senses it. I am lucky she has never bitten the vet, the groomer or anyone else besides me. I always warn the groomer when I drop her off and when I pick her up I ask if she tried to bite. The groomer always looks at me a little complexed and stares at me and she says “no she just tries to lick me constantly” lol that gives me some relief. I made that decision to keep her groomed more frequently with a top knot puppy cut. She has an appointment on Tuesday. I will definitely look into the training gloves do you know where I can get them because I feel like you, if she senses I am afraid then she has more power and she knows it. I am very optimistic that we can get a handle on this before it gets way out of control. She is the sweetest pup ever, except for this trying to control me, and she is super affectionate. I absolutely adore her. I have been following the NILIFF training. I make her sit before she sits on my lap or anything else that she wants from me. If she doesn’t I walk away and come back and I will do the same thing over and over until she does what I ask. It usually takes about 3 try’s. I have lots of patience. Wish me luck because I am trying really hard and I am really determined to make this work for both of us. I cannot imagine my life without her <3

 

[sanlyd]

You might want to look at the muzzle on Chewy. It really is perfect for Maltese because it does not come up to the eyes and cause discomfort, and it's easy to get on and off. It's called "Four Paws Walk- About Quick-Fit Dog Muzzle, size XXS". If it's any comfort, my baby has greatly improved with regard to the growling, snapping and attempted biting. My vet told me in his experience the food reward method worked the best, and he was right. When I am trying to put in my baby's eye meds or dress him (he doesn't like this either) I hold his favorite treat in front of him and sweet-talk him. If he growls or tries something I say NO and remove the treat. Then I try again a little later, holding the treat in front of him, and if he behaves he gets the treat and a lot of praise. It really didn't take much time for this method to change his behavior. There are still lapses, but it is much better.

Wow! I am so happy to hear about your little ones progress. That really gives me hope. Thank you for letting me know where to buy the muzzle. I will definitely purchase one. I had read so may articles about reward base training with food especially with the Maltese. But guess what!?I have such a picky little girl for some reason it does not work with her. She is super stubborn and she doesn’t care what I am offering if she doesn’t want to do something she just will not budge. But i will keep on trying. Thank you.

 

[Moochie]

Wow! I am so happy to hear about your little ones progress. That really gives me hope. Thank you for letting me know where to buy the muzzle. I will definitely purchase one. I had read so may articles about reward base training with food especially with the Maltese. But guess what!?I have such a picky little girl for some reason it does not work with her. She is super stubborn and she doesn’t care what I am offering if she doesn’t want to do something she just will not budge. But i will keep on trying. Thank you.

My little guy is beyond picky. I can't tell you the different foods we have tried with him over the years. For instance, if I poach him a chicken breast, he will eat it IF it has just been cooked. He will not eat the leftovers the next day. I have tried every fresh shipped food program like NomNom, etc.- no luck. There is one treat he will eat and is enthusiastic about it- Paul Newman's Grass Fed Beef Jerky. They are extra stinky! I don't like the added smoke or sugar in it, but when push comes to shove to train him, this is what I use. My vet just recommended adding fresh goat's milk to his food and he loves it! In fact his poop is now normal looking after years of irregularity. Also, for the last 3 weeks we have had him on "JustFoodForDogs" Pantry Fresh Chicken and White Rice Fresh Dog Food. It comes in shelf stable pouches. They make a sampler pack of a variety of different meals but the chicken was his favorite. I pour a little goat's milk on it and he gobbles it down. First time ever!! I buy it on Chewy. You just always have to remember that your little girl loves you totally and she will eventually follow your guidance.

 

[sanlyd]

My little guy is beyond picky. I can't tell you the different foods we have tried with him over the years. For instance, if I poach him a chicken breast, he will eat it IF it has just been cooked. He will not eat the leftovers the next day. I have tried every fresh shipped food program like NomNom, etc.- no luck. There is one treat he will eat and is enthusiastic about it- Paul Newman's Grass Fed Beef Jerky. They are extra stinky! I don't like the added smoke or sugar in it, but when push comes to shove to train him, this is what I use. My vet just recommended adding fresh goat's milk to his food and he loves it! In fact his poop is now normal looking after years of irregularity. Also, for the last 3 weeks we have had him on "JustFoodForDogs" Pantry Fresh Chicken and White Rice Fresh Dog Food. It comes in shelf stable pouches. They make a sampler pack of a variety of different meals but the chicken was his favorite. I pour a little goat's milk on it and he gobbles it down. First time ever!! I buy it on Chewy. You just always have to remember that your little girl loves you totally and she will eventually follow your guidance.

Thank you, lol your little one sounds like mine. I use to make her venison and there is only one store by me that sells it and it’s super expensive but I didn’t care until she started to snub her nose at it if it didn’t come straight from the pan, no left overs for her either. I stopped feeding her chicken because of the tear staining. I feed her Stella and chewy lamb meal mixers, dinner patties and this wet food made by Weruva called Lamborghini but unfortunately I end up throwing it out most of the time. I have been talking about feeding her a more homemade type of diet so I will look into the “Just for Dogs” I will buy her anything as long as she eats it. As far as treats right now I give her the Stella and chewy lamb treats. I have to be careful with her because she has stomach issues and doesn’t tolerate a lot of foods. She is not on any medication and if she has a bad belly sometimes I give her a little Pepto Bismol. I end up with a little pink dog for a while since she hates me giving it to her and she wears most of it. Haha never a dull moment. I wonder if the goat milk would help with that. These are all really great suggestions and I appreciate it. Tomorrow I am going to look into the Paul
Newman’s Grass Fed Beef Jerky And the “Just for dogs” wish me luck. Thank you.

 

[edelweiss]

Do be careful w/Pepto Bismol (Dosages of OTC Medicines That Are Dog-Friendly) Animal Essesntials makes a product called, I believe, Daily Digestion that you may want to try.

 

[sanlyd]

Do be careful w/Pepto Bismol (Dosages of OTC Medicines That Are Dog-Friendly) Animal Essesntials makes a product called, I believe, Daily Digestion that you may want to try.

Thank you . I do not give it to her often only if she has a really bad belly. When she was having a lot of stomach issues with diarrhea and vomiting blood after all her tests came back negative, the vet prescribed omeprazole and the pepto Bismol 1.5ml. I will look into your suggestion as I do not like giving her the Pepto she ends up wearing most of it anyway lol. Thanks.

 

[edelweiss]

Amazon.com : Animal Essentials Fresh Breath & Daily Digestion/Digestive Support for Dogs & Cats, 1 fl oz - Made in USA Organic Ginger & Mint, Alcohol Free : Pet Supplements And Vitamins : Pet Supplies

Amazon.com : Animal Essentials Fresh Breath & Daily Digestion/Digestive Support for Dogs & Cats, 1 fl oz - Made in USA Organic Ginger & Mint, Alcohol Free : Pet Supplements And Vitamins : Pet Supplies

www.amazon.com

I have an older bottle but checked it out & it is still available.
I also use the Equate dye free, no staining, infant's dose of Simethicone -- 20 mg from Wallmart for antigas. So as to not overdose it includes a small syringe for exact dosing. Since Lisi has intestinal cancer I have found both to be helpful.