MEAN disabled puppy!?

Question

I have a disabled chihuahua who is about eleven months old.
When I first got him he was the sweetest loveliest little puppy and everyone adored him.
Because of his disability he has been receiving special attention from the whole family: everything is done for him he is cuddled and kissed constantly, he eats special home cooked meals and even has his own room, toys etc.
And now he has finally become spoiled and mean! (no surprise there)
All he does is snap and growl when you do something he doesn't particularly like. If you pick him up when he would rather walk or if you move him around on your lap its almost definite that you will receive a nip or a growl.
I have no idea how to stop this, I would usually send a normal dog with his behavior right outside and verbally reprimand them - even a small smack on the but BUT he is just so delicate and small. I am absolutely sick of his bratty nature and I want him to stop.
Any ideas on how I can teach him to quit the bighting?

I have tried telling him "NO" in a firm and angry voice but it doesn't work, he just goes on being a little brat and acts lie he didn't even hear me, I have even out him straight on the ground when he bights but once again, it doesn't register with him. It's really hard to find ways to reprimand him, ways that will actually make him realize that his bighting isn't acceptable.

Just to clear up his disability and the cause for his special treatment:
His disability is hydrocephalus, he has an open fontanel (hole over the top of his head)
He is extremely delicate, thin, runty and needs alot of care and special foods to keep his brain sugars and motor cortex working properly
He is actually pretty healthy at the moment -but goes through stages- most people wouldn't know the difference- until they feel the top of his head!

Answer 1

First off, stop spoiling him.
Second he needs training just like any other dog, small, disabled whatever they all need training.

Third implement NILIF. Nothing In Life Is Free. You and your family are supposed to be in control, not your dog. You have essentially told him he is the boss, and he says goes. You need to reverse that. Everyone in the house has to do it in order for it to work.

Before you pet him, play him, walk him, feed him, etc. he MUST do something for you first. Be it a simple sit or whatever. You tell him to do it, he does it, he gets his want or need. Even if he comes up to you and wants to play or be petted, he has to do something for you first. This tells him that YOU control everything he needs or wants.

No more sitting in laps or getting up on the furniture until his behavior is getting better. If he won't move when you ask him to, then he's not allowed there. There's nothing wrong with a dog on the couch, or on your lap, as long as when you tell them to move, they do so without a fuss.

Its a long road, and you and everyone else will have to stay on it, or you are going to end up with an even more aggressive chi as time goes on. That's not fair to any of you, including the dog.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Your dog isn't "mean", he's "dominant" -- and your family has trained him to be that way.

At our shelter, we specialize in aggressive Chihuahuas and see this kind of behavior all the time.

We suggest getting him some one-on-one training with a trainer who specializes in "aggressive dogs". (Sometimes the trainers at Petco or PetSmart will do a free evaluation of the dog in order to see what its needs are before training starts.) The trainer can show you and your family members how exactly to approach each of this dog's issues, while still being careful not to aggravate his health condition.

As an aside: the Humane Society of the United States recommends that dog owners do NOT rely on the so-called Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan for training information or techniques, because some of things he does to dogs are archaic and abusive. Example, he once kneeled on a dog's neck until it passed out from a lack of blood to its brain in an attempt to get it "under control".

Congrats for taking in a special needs dog, by the way.

Answer 3

OK i think you have to be patient with it till its death. The brain is very delicate and needs a good insulation to maintain its proper function. So given its skull defect, it is not surprising that it will snap due to small things. Well, you know, the brain is in contact with the surrounding and ions in the air can disrupt the electrical transmission of the brain. So whenever a sudden feeling is raised, its brain cannot think properly to behave appropriately. So I think there is no way to curb its unsurprising behaviour to a strong feeling, he is born like this, no choice. Unless you feel it animal depressants which I think for its case is unnecessary.

Answer 4

Well for one I am glad you know why is a brat..

To start with you need to not let him win or anything --- and keep him from being in laps for awhile and let him walk (you didn't say what his disability is but you said he does walk) Try not just feeding from a bowl ..feed him breakfast from YOU by hand and ONLY when he works for it ..not sure if he can do a sit or anything since not know whats wrong with health wise...but basically make him work for his food so he learns you are in control....this will help you teach some basic obedience (can get a book from library if need or consult a trainer for your special needs dog)......main thing is you can't back down from him ever...that will make him "stronger" at being dominate...set some new rules for him and stick to them..and praise him ONLY when he is calm and submissive....you will certainly need a lot of patience this took awhile to get bad so will take awhile to get good......

sorry if this is short but I hope it gives you some basics to get started with.....

special homecooked meals are ok but hopefully your vet explained to be sure its well balanced for your dogs health...reg human food should be supplemented for your dog ..check out Dr Pitcarns book at the library for nutrition and recipe ideas......

Answer 5

You've definitely created a monster. He no longer thinks of you as pack leader, and has made himself one instead. I would suggest that you get the book or CD by Cesar Millan on being a pack leader so that you can understand the psychology behind your dog's behavior. You're dog definitely needs to be rehabilitated. He doesn't need smacking, he needs to be treated like a dog. Placing him in a subservient position on his back until he submits is one way. Not letting him get on the furniture, jump on you, climb on your lap is another. He shoud never be allowed to walk in front of you, go out a door before you or back in without permisison. He should not get his food until you give him permission either. Why do you feed him special meals? A dog needs only a good quality food to keep him healthy along with regular exercise. The fact that he is biting you is a dangerous sign and you need to work with a professional dog trainer to change his behavior before he injures someone. Check out this site:
http://dogpsychologycenter.com/
Read over the site, read over Cesar's answers to questions. Maybe there will be someone near you that can help you.

Answer 6

Do not give up getting an answer on this board. I've seen two service dog trainers answer related questions. (I am not a service dog trainer and the closest thing I have to a dog is a stuffed animal, so I can't help you. lol) Extend the length of time for this question on the board. (Check the menu under your question to figure out which one lets you do that.) And then also ask on a military board. There are differences between "military disabled" and "disabled," so there's quite a bit about the military most folks on this board (including me again) don't know. Also, don't assume people are going to mess with you. (The whole pity/don't think I deserve this thing is usually unnecessary on disability or military boards, because...well, think about who is going to answer questions like this, and of course we don't think anyone thinks like that, because we don't.) 90% of answers you'll get are trying to be helpful (and again like me lol) or are helpful. 10% of any board will be idiots spamming, trolling or otherwise trying to become nuisances of themselves. As long as you remember you cannot kill them (little military humor there), you can do what the rest of us do--stick your tongue out at them and ignore them. ;)

Answer 7

First off stop the special treatment from everyone in the family. It is a dog it needs to understand that it is not in charge of the family. Sounds odd but watching the dog whisperer might give you some good ideas. or check out his website. Maybe contact him. This sounds like something he'd like to help out with and make a good episode.

Answer 8

Well, your dog is acting exactly how you trained him to act, like he is king of the house!
Seriously though, you need to re-establish you (and other people in the house) as the boss. There is a great training method called "Nothing In Life Is Free" which helps to teach your dog that you are the boss. As long as you (and EVERYONE in your house ) are consistent, it works very well.
These links help to explain the technique:
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm
http://www.sspca.org/Dogs/TANSTAAFL.html

Answer 9

Small dogs tend to be snippy because they are treated like babies. Dogs are dogs, babies are babies. Sounds like you need to retrain the dog and the family. Dogs eat dog food, not human food, you aren't doing him any favors there. Quality dog foods have all the nutrients dogs need, so unless your family has knowledge of dietary requirements for a dog, stick to the dog food. Many, many small breed dogs are euthanized when owners get frustrated with the biting dogs they created. Retrain would be my suggestion

Answer 10

Take away his own room,home-made meals,and most of the toys to discipline him.And when he growls tell him that its very bad to do that.But don't be too harsh on the little fella.
Good Luck:)