I have a wonderful 4 pound chihuahua who is 15 months old. 90% of the time is a happy sweetheart of a pooch who does no wrong...but when you turn your head just WATCH OUT. He starts running and pounding his front paws on the doggie gate to get out of the room, will get into anything and everything, etc. I know that he knows the difference between what he should touch and shouldn't touch. He won't DARE touch anything (for example, a plate) on the coffee table with me in the room...but the second I leave he is all over it, pulling the plate off and making a mess. Currently I just say a quick "no" and then pick him up, show him the mess and say "no" again. He won't dare touch the mess and turns his head from it to show he wants nothing to do with it...but the moment you leave he is after it again. Short of telling me not to leave a plate on the table, what disciplinary techniques could I use? (I say this because it is not always a plate of food. It could be anything at all.
2007-03-03 19:50:48 · 5 answers · asked by just me 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
He does NOT understand what he should touch. He just knows that touching some things while you are around means bad things happen to you.
The head turning away thing is an appeasement gesture dogs offer to one another to help prevent fights from starting.
Read what Turid Rugaas, an world renowned expert in the field of dog behavior has written:
http://www.canis.no/rugaas/onearticle.php?artid=1
If you don't want him to touch things when you are out of the room, put it out of his reach. If he pounds the doggie gate when you leave him alone, he's saying he has separation anxiety and wants to be with you.
You have the bigger brain and all of the power.
2007-03-03 20:02:30 · answer #1 · answered by renodogmom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't use any discipline for these transgresses. Do begin a regular routine of obedience training, using positive methods of training. Your dog needs to receive more kudos from you for pleasing you.. I don't mean just hugs and cuddles, that are normal, but real training with real rewards.
Teach, Come, Sit, Sit Stay, Heel, Down, Down-stay...If your little guy has already mastered those, then go to fun tricks, such as shake hands, roll-over, etc..
Dogs love to learn, and they become so much more secure, if they are learning something, mastering it and being rewarded.
Keep training sessions to 5-10 minutes. I like to practice during each TV commercial..so it is several short periods.
You will see all of his behaviors improve as he learns to love pleasing you..
Do a search online for each task...such as search 'sit-stay'
Like this> http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/woof/tips/tip_09.html
2007-03-03 20:03:21 · answer #2 · answered by Chetco 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
there really isin't a way to disipline a chihuahua i have one and shes a bad ***. she barks gets on top of the tables and eat my food, picks fights with big dogs like one time she bit a pit bull and made it bleed.
2007-03-03 20:03:37 · answer #3 · answered by jim j 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
water in a spray bottle works very well with mine I have a 5 mos old one he is also a male . they are smart and will learn this bottle does something he does not like . Your will too be consistant.
2007-03-03 23:56:08 · answer #4 · answered by Kate T. 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i have read many books on training dogs they all say that repetition in discipline is key. be consistent and when you catch him/her doing some thing wrong talk in a LOUD VOICE to let them know that you are not happy with them. the next step is to ignore them for a set period of time, this also lets them know you are not happy with what they did.
2007-03-03 20:02:29 · answer #5 · answered by buffalobob 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋