Is your full-bred Chihuahua mean to people?

Question

I have a Chihuahua that only likes 4 people in the entire world - everyone else, he barkes and or nips at. Is your Chihuahua like this? If you have had this experience and have been able to fix it, please let me know how.

Answer 1

None of my chihuahuas are aggressive to people. I have a couple who are pretty shy (want to get away but don't bite to do so). My oldest chi had people he didn't like though (white men and black people for example). First we had him nuetered (don' really know if it helped or not). Second we took him out of his territory to meet people. We get treats that he (and the shy ones) like and give them to people to give to our dogs. It took time working with him but now he loves everyone. I had a couple of strangers in one of his groups he didn't like as a young dog over and after a short time of barking (less than a minute) he was ready to love on the guests and show off his tricks for them. It can be done. You have to make up your mind that he's going to like people and make it happen. I'd recommend you watch the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic Channel. I have used his techinics with my dogs.

Answer 2

We have owned chihuahuas for over 30 yrs. Beem raising them for over 8 yrs. Our dogs so not bite, except a couple of our mama dogs did nip a bit when they had pups. They need to be well socialized from the start. Lots of owners make them mean because they think it is cute to have a tiny dog with a killer personailty. The one thing people always remark about my dogs is how well behaved they are. They have some of the best personailities of any dogs anywhere. My dogs do bark at people when they come in but within 5 minutes they are up in their laps, giving them kisses. By the way, I would rather a chihuahua bit me than a pitbull.

Answer 3

My chihuahua is very sweet, she loves everyone, she will bark but she will lick their face and be in their lap. Sorry your little guy is this way, that has to be tough when company comes over. Hope you get good answers.

Answer 4

It's not the breed, it's your lack of training. It's not 'cute' and if you don't correct the behavior now, you're likely to have a lawsuit on your hands in the near future! Your dog thinks it's Alpha because you let it behave that way. You need to study and learn pack drive.

Many people think that we should only be concerned with dominance in a large dog and not a small dog - this is also wrong. While a large dog can put you in the hospital, a small dog can put your child in the hospital. Dominance of any kind needs to be dealt with and if not eliminated at least controlled in ALL dogs.

One of the biggest mistakes new dog owners make is to fail to realize that their family pet is a pack animal. The fact is most dog owners don't even have a clue what this means, much less understand how strong pack drive is in their family dog. Their lack of understanding of this very important issue is what gets them in trouble.

One of the best ways to start to learn about dominance is to study pack behavior in wolves. Look at the research done on wolf packs. A wolf pack always has a dominant pair of animals. Wolves don't maintain their dominant position by fighting with pack members every day, they do it through subtle means. Body posture and attitude play a major factor in maintaining a dominant pack position.

Rank within a family pack is a huge, huge thing to a pack animal. A lower ranking pack member would not challenge the pack leader for food, or act aggressively towards a higher pack member when they tried to get into the bed that the lower pack member was sleeping on. Pack leaders eat first and they get the better sleeping quarters.

What this translates down to is this "if your dog growls at you when you go near his food bowl or if it growls at you when you go to bed and it's laying on the bed - or if it growls at you when you try and take its toy away from it - the dog does not feel that you are a higher rank in the pack than it is." When a dog growls at the wife or kids in the family, it sees itself as a higher rank than family members. When that happens there is a problem brewing.

When the Alpha wolf issues an order - pack members listen and mind or they don't survive. When dogs choose not to mind their owner they are in effect saying they do not respect that person giving the commands. Dogs that don't follow commands think that they are an equal or higher rank within the family pack.

Dogs are extremely observant. It does not take them long to determine that you, or your wife, or other family members are not consistent in how you expect them to mind. Once a dog figures out that it only has to mind under certain circumstances it is a short step for the same dog to start to think that it only has to mind when it wants to. This empowers the dog and elevates pack drive.

They begin to think they can ignore commands that they choose. With some dogs (thankfully not all) this translates into challenging an owner or family member when their confidence has been built to the point where they want to challenge for a higher rank in the pack.

This is the exact place where dogs start to show their teeth, growl at the owner, nip at the hand that tries to take a toy away etc etc etc.

Had this same dog gone through training for correction and distraction at a young age the odds are this situation never would have evolved because dogs that are brought up properly look at the owner as a clear pack leader.

This is the reason SO MANY DOGS seem to live happily with the family up to 12 to 18 months of age and then suddenly change into CUJO. It's when the flowing hormones and raging pack drive and lack of proper obedience training take over the family pet.

When a dog shows aggression to certain visitors to the house this is a form of dominance. People with small dogs think this may be cute, while others are pleased that their dog is acting protective. Both are wrong. This behavior needs to be controlled. The dog needs to be taught that this behavior is unacceptable.

The easiest way is to verbally scold the dog and put him in his crate or put him in a different room. When you show him that you control his environment all the time you are establishing yourself as the leader. In a pack, the pack leader is the one that determines who fights and when. If we allow our dogs to determine who to attack on their own, we are allowing his dominance to take hold.

Answer 5

I havent but i have heard horror stories from my parents and grandparents who had 2 that were very 'selective' in who they liked. They barked or bit everyone apart from my dad or my grandparents but whenever my mum or anyone else tried to even touch them all hell broke loose. My mum never found a way to fix this and i doubt there is because it seems to be their temperment. x

Answer 6

thats the huahua nature, i always advise people that if they want a huahua to find a good breeder who breeds for the personality. we have huahuas come in the shop all the time...........and we get bit 9 times out of 10

Answer 7

SHE BITES ME!!! it hurts but you just have to tap them o the nos and say in a stern voice "NO" and each time they nip do that and they learn over time not to nip

Answer 8

yes mine is now but only cause she was abused in her last home.

Answer 9

Grrrrrrrrrr....
THERE'S ***NO SUCH THING*** as "full-bred" OR "Full blooded" OR "pure beed"!! OR>>>THROUGHBRED!!!

It's PURE BRED!


*&* NO....but it often APPEARS that way because MOST are owned by GUTLESS WIMPS who REFUSE to train /DISIPLINE THEM!!!

Answer 10

Typical problem with small dogs. You must change the way you treat your dog. Stop spoiling him, don't pet, coddle, or talk babytalk to him when he is bad.
You CAN fix it!
Here is a very similar question and answer for you!
Q: Help! Our one year old dog doesn’t seem to have any respect for us. He’s been to obedience class but he seldom obeys our commands. He’s always grabbing our hands or head butting us when he wants something. He’s become very demanding. He never seems to get enough attention even though we give him attention all the time. He even body slams us out of the way at the door so he can get outside first. He’s a very loving dog but we need to get him under control. He’s too big to be telling us what to do!

A: You’re absolutely right! It sounds like your dog has a dominance problem and is on his way toward becoming the leader of your family – his pack. He has also reached the age of adolescence where, similar to a teenaged child, he’s testing your limits. Now is an ideal time to nip these problems in the bud.

A dog’s social system has a pecking order. The leader of the pack is the “alpha.” He (or she) gets the best of everything – the best food, the best place to sleep, the best toy, etc. The alpha also gets to be first in everything – he gets to eat first, to leave first and to get attention first. All the other dogs in the pack respect the alpha dog’s wishes. An alpha dog doesn’t ask for what he wants, he demands it. He lets you know in no uncertain terms that he wants his dinner, that he wants to go out, that he wants to play or be petted and that he wants these things right now.

Your family is your dog’s pack.Most dogs fit easily into the lower levels of their human pack’s pecking order and don’t make trouble. They do what they’re told and don’t challenge authority. Other dogs don’t fit in quite as well. Some are natural leaders, others are social climbers always looking for ways to get a little closer to the top of the family ladder. These dogs can become problems to an unsuspecting family that’s not aware of their natural pack instincts. Some families unknowingly encourage their dogs to take over the pack. They treat their dogs as equals, not as subordinates. They give them special privileges like being allowed to sleep on the bed or couch. They let them get away with disobeying commands. In a real dog pack, only the alpha dog would get this kind of treatment.

Dogs need – and want – leaders. They have an instinctive need to fit into a pack. They want the security of knowing their place and what’s expected of them. Most of them don’t want to be alpha – they want someone else to give orders and make decisions. But if his humans don’t provide that leadership, the dog will take over the role himself. To reclaim your family’s rightful place as leaders of the pack, your dog needs to learn how to be a subordinate, not an equal. He knew this once, as a baby puppy, because his mother taught him. She showed him very early in life that she was alpha and that he had to respect her. It’s time to refresh his memory!

Before you can remove your dog from his alpha position, you must become alpha and earn his respect. Alpha is an attitude. It involves confidence, dignity, intelligence, an air of authority. A dog can sense this attitude almost immediately – it’s how his mother acted toward him. Watch a good trainer or obedience instructor. They stand tall and use their voices and eyes to project the idea that they’re capable of getting what they want. They’re gentle but firm, loving but tough, all at the same time. Most dogs are immediately submissive towards this type of personality because they recognize and respect alpha when they see it.

Stand up straight with your shoulders back. Walk tall. Practice using a new tone of voice, one that’s deep and firm. Don’t ask your dog to do something – tell him. There’s a difference and he knows it! As alpha, you’re entitled to make the rules and give the orders. Your dog understands that instinctively.

Since your dog has been used to getting what he wants on demand, it’s likely to take more than just a change in your attitude to make him mind better. He’s been getting a free ride for a long time but you’re going to teach him that from now on, he has to earn what he gets. This will be a shock to his system at first but you’ll be surprised how quickly he’ll catch on and that he’ll actually become eager to please you.

Your dog already knows the command SIT. Now, every time your dog wants something – his dinner, a trip outside, a walk, some attention, anything – tell him (remember don’t ask him, tell him) to sit first. When he does, praise him with a “Good Boy!” then tell him OKAY and give him whatever it is he wants as a reward. If he refuses to sit, walk away and ignore him. No sit, no reward. If you don’t think he understands the command, work on his training some more. If he just doesn’t want to obey, ignore him – don’t give him what he wants or reward him in any fashion.

Make him sit before giving him his dinner, make him sit at the door before going outside, make him sit in front of you to be petted, make him sit before giving him his toy. If you normally leave food out for him all the time, stop. Go to a twice daily feeding and you decide what time of day he’ll be fed. Make him sit for his dinner. If he won’t obey the command – no dinner. Walk away and ignore him. Bring the food out later and tell him again to sit. If he understands the command, don’t tell him more than once. He heard you the first time. Give commands from a standing position and use a deep, firm tone of voice. To keep him from body-slamming you at the doorway, put a leash on him. Make him sit and wait while you open the door and give him permission – OKAY! – to go out.

Alpha dogs are used to being fussed over. In a real dog pack, subordinate dogs are forever touching, licking and grooming the alpha dog. It’s a show of respect and submission. Until your dog’s attitude has improved, cut down on the amount of cuddling he gets. When he wants attention, make him sit first, give him a few kind words and pats, then stop. Go back to whatever you were doing and ignore him. If he pesters you, tell him NO! in a firm voice and ignore him some more. Pet him when you want to, not just because he wants you to. Also, don’t get down on the floor or on your knees to pet your dog. That, too, is a show of submission. Give praise, petting and rewards from a position that’s higher than the dog.

Don’t allow wrestling or rough-housing with your dog. These games encourage dogs to dominate people physically. In a dog pack or in a litter, these games are more than just playing – they help to establish pack order based on physical strength. Your dog is already stronger and quicker than you are. Rough, physical games prove that to him.

Where does your dog sleep? Not in your bedroom and especially not on your bed! Your bedroom is a special place – it’s your den. An alpha dog thinks he has a right to sleep in your den because he considers himself your equal. Until your dog’s alpha problems are fully under control, the bedroom should be off-limits. The same goes for sleeping on furniture. If you can’t keep him off the couch without a fight, deny him access to the room.

If your alpha program is successful, your dog should start looking to you for directions and permission. He’ll show an eagerness to please. Watch how your dog approaches and greets you. Does he come to you “standing tall,” with his head and ears held high and erect? It may look impressive and proud but it means he’s still alpha and you still have problems! A dog that accepts humans as superiors will approach you with his head slightly lowered and his ears back or off to the sides. He’ll “shrink” his whole body a little in a show of submission. Watch how he greets all the members of the family. If he displays this submissive posture to some of them, but not others, those are the ones who need to work harder on their own alpha techniques.

Once your dog has begun to accept this new way of life and his new position in the family, you should take him through another obedience course with a qualified trainer. Obedience training is a lifelong process. Obedience commands need to be practiced and incorporated into your daily life. In a dog pack, the alpha animal uses occasional reminders to reinforce his authority. Certain commands, like DOWN/STAY, are especially effective reminders of a dog’s place in the family pack order and who’s really in charge here. A well-trained dog that’s secure in his place within the family pack is comfortable and confident. He knows what’s expected of him. He knows his limits and who his leaders are. He’s free to be your loving companion and not your boss!
Vicki DeGruy