Male Dog Aggressive Behavior vs. Another Male Dog

by Julie
(Hurst, Tx)

I am dog sitting for a friend. My male yorkie will not leave the male dog alone. My yorkie follows him around, sniffs/licks him, whines (loudly)and shakes. This is day two together and it's not better.

Any ideas??

Editor Suggestions Male Dog Aggressive Behavior to Another Male Dog

Dear Julie,

Thank you for your question regarding male dog aggressive behavior.

For male dogs, it is considered normal behavior that they follow, sniff, lick, bark, whine and/or act rude. They do this either due to habit or as a way to mark their territory. For Yorkies, it is usual behavior, since they belong to a bold, active and relatively social dog breed.

Though most veterinarians do not consider this as a behavioral problem for dogs, as it is more likely related to the nature of dogs, it is, since it is bothersome for owners.

It is more common for Puppies and young dogs to exhibit these behaviors. Even training procedures are usually not 100% effective in this regard.

Now, if your Yorkie is young, then you should try to properly train it for other behavioral issues as well. As mentioned, Yorkies are bold, and if they are not trained and handled properly, they might develop more behavioral problems in the later stages of their life. You can either try to train your dog yourself or consult a professional trainer.

For this problem, though we are not sure about its effectiveness (since it is considered normal in dogs), you can try a calming collar which uses pheromones to calm the dog, such as the Sentry HC Good Behavior Pheromone Collar. The collar will divert your dog's attention.

Another approach is to exert your command over the dog by asking for a specific behavior prior to every request. For example, command the dog to "sit" before you feed the dog. Provide affection when the dog obeys. After the Yorkie gets used to obeying you, use the same "sit" command when exposed to another male dog. You can try using a special training treat such as Rolled Meat when the dog complies. Use specific and strict commands as well, such as NO!

Another tip is to leave the training lead on your dog in the house. Hold the lead when the two dogs are in the same room. Be to your dogs side and snap the collar out of your dog's view when you see the unwanted behavior. This unpleasant snapping will quickly be associated with the undesired behavior.

Again, this situation probably requires the assistance of a professional trainer since the behavior is somewhat normal for a Yorkie.

Please keep us up to date on the aggressive male dog behavior problem.