Rage syndrome in Chihuahuas?
I have a Chihuahua I got from a shelter. He's around 8 years old. At first we thought his behavior was possibly an indication of abuse. I was looking around online, since his behavior seems almost bipolar. For example I would be just sitting on the couch doing nothing with him on my lap and he'd all of a sudden stand up and start growling, snarling, attempting to bite, etc. Yesterday was really dramatic, I was sitting next to the computer with my husband looking at some hay prices and he suddenly ran over, growled and bit my arm three times, I had to grab him by the scruff and hold him down. 2 minutes later he crawled on my lap, tail wagging, begging for belly rubs as if nothing happened. All of his episodes have been like this, completely unprovoked and then back to normal in minutes as if nothing happened. I found canine rage syndrome, but can't see if it has been seen in Chihuahuas, so I was wondering if any of you might know if it's a possibility? I'm not asking for a diagnosis here, just want to know if it's something I should bring up to my vet.
What is it like to have a pet chihuahua?
I never liked small dogs. They are yappy, demanding, evil, snobbish, and impossible to train. I liked working dogs. The bigger, the better. But then I had to move to the big city and lived in a small apartment. Later on, I saw a shelter posted pictures of senior dogs that needed a furever home. This little girl -then she was 8yo- caught my attention. God knows why, but I adopted her.Glad I did.She is very quiet, calm, well mannered. She sits like a lady. Not once she barks and/or yaps for no reason to strangers or other dogs. She loves to acquaint with other dogs. They will exchange sniffs and 2 minutes later she will just go about on her own business. ‘Hello, nice to meet you. Good bye”. She is polite but she knows she is small and too old to deal with the much younger and bigger dogs.She is not a yapper either, altough she is not a mute. Every yap is calculated and well reasoned. Such as when she is picked up in the wrong way. She is small (1.8kgs) so she has all the rights to protests any mishandling. She is friendly -unless you meet her for the first time and you pat her little head right that moment on; then she will snarl and show you her gums (she has no teeth left), and she is very affectionate.She loves to cuddle with anyone,but she only sleeps with me.To own a Chi makes you feel special because they love big. All they want is to be close to you and to love you. Ochan my pup is also very independent. She doesnt have separation anxiety, I come home to a clean house, she does her business on her mat, and she follows the command to pee or poop before bedtime. she is very clean, no drool, no body odor, minimal grooming as well. Economic dog for busy people. She is also travel friendly and she earns her rogue passenger and illegal dweller stripes. She could be trained in the Canine Intelligence Agency once. Very good at hiding and shadowing. Very picky eater, and only eats when the food temperature is right, and the texture is right. She is the master of my cupboard, and she is rightfully so.Edit to add photos.Ochan is also fine without leash outdoor. Even sometimes I worry she may hurt herself or being snatched away. She is the happiest when we’re hiking or go to the countryside. Either she walks alone or has to be carried because she’s too small for the challenging terrain.
Is my chihuahua aggressive or just playing?
I recently adopted a 6 week old chihuahua from a shelter. Yes. I know she is very young and too young to be separated from her mother. She is very sweet and tend to sleep a lot, like most puppies. Our family tries not to baby her much and train her correctly from a young age. However, all puppies teeth and for that, we give her lots of toys to chew on. But sometimes she growls and shakes the toy while playing which I have always assumed it was a normal thing, so correct me if I am wrong. But sometimes she gets distracted by toes and fingers and tries to chew/bite them. She growls at us sometimes when playing with toys. She's not possessive though. I feel like she gets too excited and with the combination of her teething, it's hard to manage. What is the correct way to respond in these situations? I do not want this turning into an aggressive behavior . I try to act like I am her "leader" and not let her get her ways, but she whines and cries if she is not given attention. What should I do in this situation? Is she just playing or could this be a potential aggression?
My Chihuahua is vicious (PLEASE HELP)?
Your Chihuahua is behaving as a belligerent teen.. He's feeelin his stuff, and has decided that he is his own boss. This is common behavior for a strong-willed yet fearful puppy. This is very easy to allow to happen with the tiny toy breeds. They are just so adorable and harmless as puppies, that many owners neglect the basic training that they would give a larger breed. Loving, cuddling, and codling just doesn't get the job done. Your puppy wants and needs a strong leader. If he was a large breed, you would have taught him from the beginning: "Never put teeth on a human". This problem is actually easily fixed. Read and study this thoroughly, and ponder about where you can use the method throughout the day: " No Free Lunch", or "Non-Confrontational Dominance Training": http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/... If you are consistent, you will have a respectful dog in just a couple of weeks. This web-page goes a little deeper into the 'why' it works, and how a dog thinks: http://www.pbrc.net/training_nfl.html I would also recommend that you read and learn this method to teach him tasks. He needs to know basic obedience. COME, SIT, DOWN, STAY, DROP-IT. http://www.clickerlessons.com/ Teaching him tasks that he can master and thereby please you, will boost his confidence/security. Keep lessons short and fun, so that you set him up for success. Meanwhile, keep your face away from him. He isn't needing the cuddly and close contact until he has learned respect. Until he has learned respect, don't allow him on your bed, even if he cries. Be firm, but quiet and calm. Just a note: Chihuahuas have sensitive systems, and shouldn't have most of the commercially made dog treats. I like to use Chicken breast for my Chihuahua's training treats. Boil or microwave a chicken breast, and then shred it into tiny pieces. I put mine in the oven for a few minutes to dry it good, and then refrigerate in zip-lock bags to use as needed. One chicken breast lasts a long time. Also, check his dog food label, and don't feed anything with food coloring. .
General Chihuahua questions, and noise level!? (Yappy?)?
I am a Chihuahua owner and lover! Chihuahuas are my favorite breed and i cannot picture my life without one. First off the myth about how there yappy and bark all day long - is 100% WRONG. I have 3 small breed dogs, one which is a Chihuahua. He hardly ever barks. He only barks to tell me when someone is at the door and that is it. He is very very sweet. He loves everyone! He loves kids, men, just anything and everything! He is protective though. Very protective of me. Chihuahuas are also Velcro dogs, they want to be in your lap or by your side 24/7! They are generally a one person dog. They love everyone and are sweet but there is usually one person in the family they are attached too and love the most. If you train your chihuahua right and discipline your chihuahua she will not yap or bark or whatever uneducated people say about them. There very intelligent dogs! Fast fast learners. 1) Do they get injured really easily because of their small size ? Yes anything small can get hurt. I would not say easily there tough little dogs but with enough force yes. 2) In general, are they a fun loving companion ? YES! They are sooo much fun and sooooo funny!! There such clowns! 3) Are they good dogs, like - Are they loyal, and a good breed ? Very very loyal dogs! Velcro dogs is what i call them. They will fight a Pit bull off for there owners in a heart beat. 4) What should they generally eat, I know dog food - But what kind? They can eat any brand of dog food but in small breed. Any high quality brand is fine but make sure it is in small breed so that the kibble is smaller for them to chew. And 5) (This question is for those who have owned BOTH of these dogs) What would you prefer, a shih tzu or a chihuahua, like in general? My friend has a Shih Tzu that comes over ALL the time - he is very sweet like my chihuahua but his hair is too much for me! It always needs to be brushed, he always needs to be groomed every 6 weeks etc. There basically the same just the Shih Tzu has more grooming needs and is more high maintenance. My boy Taco and his best friend Speedy- http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss124... http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss124... Taco is the cream colored one with his eyes closed :P Add: My neighbors Labs bark more them my Chihuahua!
What are the top three worst breed of canines to have around children?
While there are always exceptions to the rule, and almost any breed where the dog has been raised and socialized well, and treated well, and acclimated to children can be “OK” around kids, here are the ones I personally would never put with children, ever.The first one is the Akita. Both in my “regular” life, and in my nursing career, I have seen a number of children who were severely injured by Akitas. In one case, the dog bit its own 5 year old family member right in her face. They are 1-person dogs, they are not “silly” or frivolous, and don’t have a high tolerance for chaos.Chihuahua - most people have no idea that they need to raise a Chihuahua just like any other dog… they carry them around, pamper them, don’t train them… and the dog begins to develop very possessive and jealous feelings about the primary caregiver, and they will growl and snap and attack anyone who tries to get near them. They can be wonderful, but most people don’t raise them well.Chow Chow - This ancient breed has been everything from a guard dog to food. They are not terribly social by nature. yes, there are lots of exceptions, but I would never let any child be in close proximity to any Chow.Rottweiler - These are wonderful dogs, but over-breeding and insufficient training and socialization renders them unpredictable. They can be cuddly one minute, and then get nasty.MalamuteDalmationCocker Spaniel