Is There A Way To Stop My Papillon From Being Possessive?
September 6, 2009 by admin
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I’m afraid I’ve spoiled her…
My five-month-old female Papillon and my two-year old male Yorkie are great friends when they are playing with each other. But when my Yorkie tries to show affection to me (licking my chin, laying in my lap, ect.) my Papillon growls and bites him till he gets away. Then, she sits on my lap and prevents him from coming closer. These bites are never hard, but it’s not fair to the other dog.
When people she is not familiar with come over, she barks at them and sits by me. It can take 30mins or more for her to stop barking, unless I pick her up.
Does anyone have a method (aside from dog training classes) to get her to stop? My Yorkie can never properly have peace and lay by me if she keeps being so possessive over me.
Related Papillon Training & Care posts:
It’s simple – don’t let her do it!!! You can surely be the pack leader to a tiny papillon. Firmly tell her no the split second she growls, do not give her attention unless and until she is calm and behaving. The same thing with her barking at people. Does this dog get enough exercise? Lots of exercise will definitely help, then discipline (meaning rules), then affection only when its been earned. You have to stop this puppy now before this behaviour has time to escalate.
I second the advice above. You want to be the leader but right now, the pap is asserting herself and heading down a bad road. You do not need to “punish” the pap but firmly set boundries instead. When sitting down, do not let EITHER dog on the seat until invited. To be invited, they should SIT, be calm and be quiet. Then begin by taking the yorkie, spend a few minutes with him on the seat; put him down and repeat with the pap. When successful, ask both sitting, quiet dogs onto the seat but do not pet either. If one or both dogs growl, etc, push it to the floor and ignore. Repeat, repeat, etc. Teach them, one at a time, to sit if they do not know this. Teach them to be quiet when asked. ie. do not pay attention when they bark – no pets, no voice, no looking at them – walk calmly out of the room if needed. At the FIRST moment of quiet, reward, treats, and CALM praise. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat! You do want the dogs to bark at intruders, etc. so again no punishment. After dogs bark at someone at the door, use a command like “that’s enough” and TREAT, chicken, etc. lavishly until they come running to sit quietly to get their treat after “that’s enough.