I have a 6 year old male chihuahua. He's sweet as can be with me, but agressive to anyone else. Even to my 2 yr old son. He has never bit him, but growls anytime my son goes near him. And I really just don't want an indoor animal anymore. Should I get rid of him or keep him until he dies of old age? My hubby wanted to get rid of him long ago, but I don't want to unless I was sure he had a good home. What are your thoughts? Serious answers only please.
2006-09-05 04:23:38 · 20 answers · asked by Kajunfriend2006 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I just wanted to respond to those who keep saying the thing about the life long commitment. I've had pets all my life, Dogs, cats ferrets and kept them all till they died of old age. I am a pet lover and love my animals. However, I've never had a dog like this. My mom has a chihuahua (female) and she loves kids. This dog is sweet with me, but doesn't like anyone else. Including my hubby or kids. So, he's not just mean to my son, but other kids as well. And as much trouble as he may be, I do care about him and would never give him to a shelter. I'd want to find a home for him, in which I knew he'd live out his life. So, I'm not just trying to dump him off. If I can't find him a home, he stays with me. And as far as my son goes, I have a big cage indoors where I lock my chihuahua up and he spends some time in there when I can't watch him.
2006-09-05 05:57:50 · update #1
Chihuahuas are a ONE PERSON DOG. I have one pure-bred and one mixed and the pure will only let me pick her up where as the mixed is great all around. Your dog will eventually bite your son and even your husband. Ninety nine percent of the chihuahua breed are like this. Try looking for a chihuahua rescue on the net in your area they will find a good home for your little boy. Don't just drop him at the pound as they will probably just euthanize him.
2006-09-05 05:15:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, if your son is in danger you need to find a good home for the dog..but it sounds as if you have just grown tired of spending any time on the dog-do you realize that when you got him you committed yourself to caring for him until he dies? Pets are not little toys that you can just throw away..they don't understand that or deserve it. If you can't invest the time to find a solution to this problem through an animal behaviorist you must take the time to find a good home for the dog! It's your job to make sure he is happy wherever he ends up. Make sure the new owners know that he is aggressive towards children, that will prevent further problems...please do not give up and drop him off at a shelter to be killed...that is the NOT the way a responsible pet owner acts!
2006-09-05 04:58:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That is such a sad situation. You got the dog when he was a cute little puppy, and now you "just don't want" an indoor animal anymore. The reality is, if you don't take the time/money to get a behaviorist to look at him and work with you and him, the dog will end up at a shelter and probably be put down if they see that he is aggressive.
I really hope you call a behaviorist and see what help they can offer!! That little guy has many years left in him - my mom's chi is 13 years old and still going full force. Don't cut his life short for lack of trying!!
2006-09-05 04:59:30 · answer #3 · answered by ontario ashley 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
As much as I love dogs, I love my daughter more. If I felt that any dog was capable of inflicting harm to my daughter, I would do what a good mother would do, remove the dog to keep my child out of harm's way. The dog is 6 and the child is 2, so the dog has had plenty of time to get adjusted to the child.
Before I had a child, I probably would have answered this differently. Now, I realize just how precious a child is and it's your job to protect your son.
As a fresh vet tech, right out of school, I saw many people have the same problem. The dog would be their baby and then the human baby would arrive and problems would sometimes result. Before I had my own child, I would get so PO ot these people for getting rid of the dog in favor of the child....once I had my own child, I finally understood!
I know I will receive a lot of opposition to my reply, but until you have a child of your own....you can't say that you would love the dog more than any child and just keep your fingers crossed that the child is not hurt by the dog.
Saying that....please locate the dog an owner who will love and care for it. There are a lot of elderly people who want canine companions, but don't want to start with a puppy and the housebreaking issues.
Of course, please make sure that the any potential owners realize that the dog is not child friendly! Warn them and make sure that they understand.
2006-09-05 04:49:29 · answer #4 · answered by Free Bird 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Get the canines neutered then get a abdomen band, and start up off elementary training. take a seat stay come, you pass by way of the door first, she sits until eventually you launch him to consume his dinner. Get a crate and a leash. Hook the leash on your belt and watch the canines while ever he's with you, if not hook to you the canines is interior the crate. walk two times an afternoon for no less than half-hour. you have a dominate canines, and you're able to desire to show him which you are the boss, no remember what he thinks. it is between the justifications maximum of chihuahua's finally end up in shelters and rescues, human beings think of they're cuddly little handbag canines, while rather they're what I call "3 lb pit bulls" which rather isn't honest on account that maximum pits are be responsive to contain greater clever behaved then the chi's i be responsive to. Chihuahuas could be great canines, yet they desire sturdy vendors, and to be dealt with as canines. verify with the community human society to work out in the event that they have loose or low value training. it is not your canines fault it is your fault for not training precise.
2016-10-01 08:24:49 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm thinking this dog was the "only child" until your son was born. Did you introduce the baby to the dog, and remember to include him when the baby came home? Your dog may be jealous of the attention you now give your son that might have been directed to him in the past.
It sounds like both you and your husband are not interested in this dog anymore, and in fairness to him, i think you should try to find him a new good home. Dont abandon him somewhere, I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who would love to give him a good home.
2006-09-05 04:28:53 · answer #6 · answered by helpful mom 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You might need to let the dog get use to your son little by little, if the dog is still aggressive after a while. Then you need to find a good home, maybe a single female or older lady that has the time to spend one on one time with the dog.
2006-09-05 04:49:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Get rid of the dog. It's wonderful that he's so loving to you, but it's an animal, and animals are never predictable.
You'll feel much more guilty if your son gets attacked by a dog than if you keep in your house than you will if you give the dog away or put him up for some sort of adoption.
2006-09-05 04:34:20 · answer #8 · answered by dinochirus 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Please invest in a dog behaviorist to come work with him. Not a trainer- but a certified behaviorist. (A trainer is like a teacher in human terms, while a behaviorist is more like a psychologist. They can figure out what motivates his aggression, and teach him how to curb it.) If your son was acting out at school, you'd find a way to help him. There is no feasible way you'd put him up for adoption. And, there is not a lot of homes jumping to get a middle-aged, aggressive chihuahua. Indoor dogs who are well-behaved are an asset to a family, not a burden. Please get help for him to make him a loved part of your family.
2006-09-05 04:31:45 · answer #9 · answered by Vet Tech Steph 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe that this poor dog shouldn't have to live out the rest of his life where no one wants him. Find him a new home or take him to a shelter where he'll at least have a chance.
2006-09-05 04:54:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋