A couple of other ideas that are mine (the others were from the dog trainer
professional - LOL!).
When my dogs were little, we spent a lot of time socializing them and
they are friendly with everyone and absolutely love everyone. One idea is
to have a few people in the house and have them each have a bag of treats so
they can give him yummy food. Maybe nice long stinky treats like Beggin
Strips so he'll know it is there before he gets close enough to get pissy.
Like " oh treats! oh no - icky person ... treat ... person? Treat!
person? Treat!!! And hopefully the yummy bacon smell will overcome the
fear and he'll go around eating from the scary people. It might even be
good if the people basically ignore him - since people looking at him might
be scary. Just people talking to each other holding treats around, and
treats sitting on their pant legs and shoes might be good - not looking at
any dog that might wander by to eat a treat.
Once he's comfortable with that, I would take him places like Petco and
Petsmart and bring treats along to let other people feed him if he seems
okay, or pick him up whenever anyone comes near and give him a treat. It
has to be something irresistable - like those doggie bologna rolls, or those
beggin strips or lunchmeat or something like that.
When you have a bird that is scared, that's pretty much what you do -
they'll bite out of fear so you're supposed to just open the cage, and sit
nearby in a chair and ignore them. It drives them crazy. They can't stand
to be ignored. Well, if they're really scared they can for a few days, but
pretty soon, you'll look up to hear a bird tweeting at you from nearby
furnature, like look at me, I'm cute! Or, it will hop onto you and you'll
be like " oh! ignore the bird ... ignore the bird" and pretty soon it will
be preening you and acting like you're it's best friend. Before you know
it, you can take it out of the cage and pet it.
Shell
On 6/16/07, Michele Burr <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Oh Oh Oh!!!! I know how to help!!! It was on "me or the dog" a few nights
ago and I TiVo'd it!!! I have to do the quickie version because company is
coming and I can do a better version later! the small dog on the show had
all of these problems.
So, for barking you have to desensitize him. You do this by having a
friend come over who is planning on being really patient. They ring the
door bell and you sit with Max in the room and you don't walk to the door
until he quits barking, if he starts barking again you turn around and go
back to the first room. Eventually you'll make it to the front door. Your
friend will have to know it might take a LONG time. You repeat over and
over until he doesn't bark anymore. You might have to do it 20 times or
more, each time should be better. Also a few days might be needed.
For people. You put him on a lead. Every time he starts barking at a
person (probably your friend again), you turn around and walk the other
way. When he is calm, you try again. If he barks, you turn around and walk
the other way again. Each time you should get a little closer, until
EVENTUALLY you'll be able to walk by without him noticing the person. The
same with strangers. Then you go practice around strangers, every time he
acts aggressive, turn around and walk the other way, and then try again.
It's fear making him bark and by walking the otherway, it lets him be in
control so he doesn't need to bark or try to bite.
Gotta go!
Shell
On 6/16/07, Sheila <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hello, my name is Sheila and I have a very serious problem that I
> need some advice on.I have a 3 year old Chihuahua named Max, and I
> am very seriously thinking of giving him up today because he just
> bit a young girl at my apartment complex. I am sitting here shaking
> and trying not to cry because I can very easily see myself getting
> sued over this.
>
> Max can be loving with me sometimes, but he hates everyone else. He
> chases and bites at people where I live, for the simple crime of
> just walking by him. He does not listen to me when I call him and
> when I try pulling him back he just lunges after the person again.
>
> This is not the first time he has lunged at someone, barking and
> with teeth bared, and he has destroyed the vertical blinds in my
> apartment from jumping up and down barking at people passing by. I
> can't have visitors to my place because he is so awful. It's to the
> point where no one can understand why I keep him.
>
> I'm not sure if I can afford to get him trained. I live paycheck-to-
> paycheck, and I'm a part-time student. He is neutered, so that's
> been taken care of. I just don't know what to do, I'm at wit's-end
> with this dog. I jokingly asked my vet last year if they made doggie
> Prozac.
>
> My family had a Chihuahua when I was growing up, and she was the
> sweetest, most obedient dog. It's because of her that I accepted
> this dog when he was being given up by my brother. He can be loving
> at times and sweet with me, and it's for those brief flashes of
> sweetness that I continue to deal with the aggravation. I just don't
> understand his behavior, and I'm not sure how much more of this I
> can take. I would give him to someone if I felt sure they could
> correct his behavior problems and he would have a better home than
> the one I can give him.
>
> Can someone knowledgable about Chihuahas give me some advice on
> this? I realize there are not enough good homes for the dogs that
> are out there, let alone one with such aggression issues, and I'd
> rather not give him up. But I am fast seeing that I may have to for
> both of our benefits. Please help!
>
> Sheila
>
>
>
