Help ! My Chihuahua is Shy and Aggressive! His Behavior Has to Change!
Our Chihuahua, Patches, has bonded very closely with Ash (my 15 year old daughter) and seems to somewhat like my other 2 children, but he will not have ANYTHING to do with me or my husband. He gets extremely aggressive if anyone comes close to Ash and has even bitten and drawn blood on both me, my husband, and Ash herself when he was "protecting" her from my husband.
All my husband was doing was giving her a hug good night. I need to know if there's anything I can do for him. I'm not worried about it being a nuisance; I'm just so saddened by how unhappy he is. I feel like he's living a miserable life. Ash has to go to school and when she's gone, he hides in the corner behind my washing machine and I can't get him to come out at all. I've spent weeks giving him treats and I can get him to come to me if I have food but you can tell he is incredibly nervous and pretty much terrified getting close to me at all.
Please, if you have any ideas I would really appreciate it so much. I'm worried we're going to have to re-home him because he's so unhappy. I don't want to do that to him or my daughter but he’s just so unhappy. Please help!! Thanks so much!! ~ Sarah and Family
Dear Sarah and family,
The 1st thing to do is to make sure that Patches has a complete and full medical check up... be SURE that the veterinarian checks Patches' thyroid level. If thyroid levels are off, this can cause aggression/ behavior issues.
If all checks out medically, it is important to know that in rare cases, a dog can have behavioral issues that are genetic...This means that if training does not work, do not breed Patches as those behavioral genes have a good possibility of being passed on to the puppies.
Now, let's discuss the training that must be done to get the household back to normal. Let's end the chaos.
There are 2 issues to address...1: The shy behavior of hiding behind the washing machine,etc. and 2: The aggression that is very much out-of-control.
it is time for some radical changes. The environment and behavior in the home must change.
Let's first talk about the shy behavior.
Quite simply, when you talk in a sweet voice and offer treats to Patches when he is hiding from you...This is teaching him that it is correct to be hiding. In Patches' mind, he is being rewarded for hiding!
Here is what you must do to fix this:
When Patches hides, you must ignore him...ignore him completely. Any time that Patches comes out on his own, then offer great praise and yummy treats! This will teach Patches that coming out and not being so shy is a wonderful thing. He will then want that praise and want those yummy treats...and will decide that socializing with the family and interacting is the correct thing to do.
Now, let's discuss the important issue of Patches' aggression. This is all about "Who is the Alpha in the family?".
All dogs live in a world of packs. For pet dogs, their pack is their human family and any other pets. In all packs have a chain of command. All packs have a leader (or leaders) and all packs have those who are "under" the leader(s). Those who are under the leader(s) listen to the leader(s).
Behavioral issues occur from 2 problems...
1. When a dog does not know where in the chain of command they fall...they get very confused...and this is very stressful for a dog. A dog needs to know who their leader(s) is. Dogs are happy to know who their leader is....and the dog is then a well behaved dog.
2. In home's where a dog thinks THEY are the leader of the pack... very bad aggression and behavioral problems will occur. And this is what is happening with Patches.
Here is how to fix this:
This will not be easy. All members of your family must agree and understand what must be done...And all members of your family must stay steady during this.. Everyone must follow the rules of this or it will not work.
The goal of this is to teach Patches that the humans of the house, all of the humans, are the "Pack Leaders".
First, have everyone in the family sit down for a family meeting. You will need to discuss that things will be changing so that Patches can learn how to behave. Make sure that everyone understands it is vitally important that rules must be followed all of the time. And there will be NO end to these new rules. To have Patches behave, these rules must become the new way of living in regard to Patches.
Here are the things that everyone must do. Each element will begin to show Patches that he is NOT the leader of the home...Then the aggression will stop.
1. Every time that he is brought outside the human(s) will leave the house first. Patches will be the last one out of the door.
2. Every time that he is brought back into the house, the human(s) will enter the home first, Patches must be the last one allowed into the home.
3. Patches is now old enough to have only 1 meal per day...or 2 smaller meals (one in the morning and one at dinner time). Schedule things so that Patches eats at the same time as the family. At every meal, get Patches' food ready in the bowl and then keep it up on the kitchen counter (or up high somewhere in the dining room, if the family eats in a dining room). Have the family sit down. Make sure that Patches sees that the family begins eating first. After Patches sees that the family has begun eating, then give him his food. Because of Patches is aggressive toward your husband, we strongly suggest having your husband be the one to give Patches his food.
Command Training...
It is very important to begin command training. This will show Patches that the humans are the leaders.
Everyone must take turns with the command training, especially your husband.
Make a schedule...Write this out on a calendar if you can, it will help. Here is an example:
• Monday: Husband does command training from 4 to 4:30
• Tuesday: You do command training from 6 to 6:30
• Wednesday: Ash does command training from 5 to 5:30
• Thursday: Husband does command training from 4 to 4:30....and so on
This is just an example...Choose times that work for each person. However, make sure that training is done each day for at least 30 minutes.
It is best to train Patches when he is hungry. Training right after meal time is not a good idea. Patches must be hungry (Not starving, but hungry) so that he will very much want the treats that will be given to him when he listens to commands.
Do not use treats that Patches is normally given throughout the day. The treats must be extra special...for example, cook a slice of bacon until it is crispy and break it up into small pieces.
Begin with the "Sit" Command. (Instructions are in your PetChiDog Book).
Only after Patches has mastered the "Sit" command with ALL family members, then move on to the next command...and so on.
Keep up with the training until Patches until he listens to all family members for the following commands (at the very least):
• Sit
• Stay
• Come
Once Patches listens to all family members for the above commands and you follow the other above rules, Patches will know where he is in the chain of command: Lower than the humans. This does NOT mean that Patches is not part of the family! He will VERY much be an important part of the family...And his place will under the leaders (the humans). Trust us, he will be very happy and all stress will be gone, as he will not be struggling to figure out where he is in the "pack".
Once he knows the "Sit" command, have your husband (NOT Ash) give the sit command before he gives Ash a hug goodnight. Once Patches is sitting and then told to "Stay"....then your husband should hug Ash.
Let us know if you have any other questions....And stay strong to follow all of this advice so that Patches can become a happy, friendly, wonderful part of your family.
