# Aggressive Chihuahua...



## bernadettelevis (Feb 2, 2011)

Hi everybody!
I could need some advice on a client. As some of you might know, i started a dogwalking business and today i met a client.
She just moved here from Germany and is starting her new Job next week.
She would need me from monday to thursday for one hour to walk her chihuahua while she is at work.
When we emailed she told me that he is very shy and needs some time with new people and that he is not an easy dog.So today when i met her, we just went for a little walk and talked a bit.He tried to attack me twice while we were walking.
I make sure that i don't look him in the eyes and that i don't approach him directly but rather from the side. I let him come to me instead of going to him.I knee on the floor and don't bow over him, always turn a little to the side. He tried to bite me several times while i was there. After the walk we went to her appartment.
I gave him a treat everytime he made contact with me or came near me. I treated him, whenever i wanted to pass by him and he didn't lunge at me. When we were sitting on her balcony, he came to me, even jumped up on my leg and i rewarded him (i know not a desirable behavior but i just wanted to reward him for making contact with me).
But then he would suddenly change and try to lunge at me and bite me. Once i gave him a treat, he took the treat and then tried to bite me.
I am nowhere near where i can touch him.
He does show signs before he tires to "attack" me but only like a second before he lunges at me. He did show signs of stress when i was there, like licking his lips...
She only told me when i asked her, that he's not seeing that well.
I hope i didn't forget anything. We are going to meet everyday now so he can get used to me. Tomorrow in the morning we are going to meet again, i want to try how he acts when she is not around (he will be secure on a leash).
I feel so sorry for the owner, because if it doesn't work, he has to stay home alone for the whole day and he is such a sweet boy. Oh and he is 9 by the way.
Any input on what else i can do to win his trust??


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## Savage Destiny (Mar 16, 2011)

bernadettelevis said:


> he is such a sweet boy.


He sure doesn't sound like it! :lol:

Anyway, I think you're on the right track. It will take time for him to adjust to your presence. I would find out what sort of "special" food he REALLY likes- roast beef, cheese, lunch meat, etc. and ask his mom if you can be the only source of that goodie for a while.


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## bernadettelevis (Feb 2, 2011)

Savage Destiny said:


> He sure doesn't sound like it! :lol:


Except for the part with the aggression


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

It sounds like you're going about things the right way. He'll also probably be better without her around. My husband has a favorite at our house and that's Sabrina. The two of them are obsessed with each other. If he's here and we have company over she is horrible. She's tried to bite several people and will lunge at them when they're least expecting it. She's especially bad around my 13 yr old nephew. If Mark isn't home, she'll bark at people for a second and then will let anyone pet or hold her, even my nephew. Mark spoils her so badly and I think she feels like she has to guard him.
I hope it works out for you and for the little dog. I have 4 Chihuahuas and they can be little tiny terrorists sometimes.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

yawning and exhaling out loud, while you are doing the avoidance (no eye contact ect) is a calming signal to a dog, it sounds silly but it does seem to work.


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## bernadettelevis (Feb 2, 2011)

Rvent said:


> yawning and exhaling out loud, while you are doing the avoidance (no eye contact ect) is a calming signal to a dog, it sounds silly but it does seem to work.


yeah that's what i did  i yawned and liked my lips. approached him in an arc rater than straight from the fron, leaned a bit back and not over him.
I'm hoping it gets better. I'm meeting her again in one hour.
Thanks everybody!


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

Honestly, I wouldn't be doing ANYTHING to/with him. Don't approach him, don't give him treats, don't look at him, don't kneel and offer a hand, don't show signs you have the slightest interest in him. Sit down in the owners house and chat with the owner, that's it, pretend the dog is not even there. If he comes, sniffs, puts a paw on your leg, etc. just ignore him. If he's anything like my dog what he really wants and NEEDS in order to warm up is to investigate you thoroughly without being afraid that you may attempt to touch him. And talking, offering a hand, smiling, eye contact, and giving treats are all likely things that he knows sometimes come before the person tries to touch him. What I've discovered from my own aggressive dog is that the guest giving treats makes the dog get closer than he's comfortable with because he REALLY want those treats, so he approaches tense and expecting the worse but reeeeally wanting the treat and then if you make even the slightest of wrong moves he flips his lid because he's waaay over threshold. You don't want the dog approaching you unless he's doing it out of comfort.


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

Not a big fan of Chi's after being a vet tech and dog groomer for many years I can't tell you how many times I've been either bitten or lunged at by one of those little gremlins LOL! I have met some VERY sweet friendly ones though but just a handful. That being said....how is he with her and her family? I find that the problem with alot of the small breeds is that they are coddled to much and treated like little babies thus giving them behavior and possession issues over there owners or issues in general. Have you tried walking him by yourself away from his owner? Perhaps he may act better when she isn't present......then again maybe not. However, I agree with everything Maxy24 said


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## bernadettelevis (Feb 2, 2011)

thanks everybody! today was a lot better. We walked a bit in the beginning and he was fine with that, he even greeted me a bit when i came. Then we went u to her aartment and she leashed him and i told her that she should get out of sight. i set on the floor and let him come u to me. i had the treats on the counter and only got one when he was reallygood. I let him do some tricks licke retrieving or laying dead or dance and that went well. Then we did a little walk and when he was comfortable with me walking next to him, i told her to kee walking and hand the leash over to me. Than went also well. It is still going to be a lot of work, but i think it will work. we are going to meet everyday now for an hours or so. And this weekend i am on a seminar for dogs with roblems andi hoe the trainer there can give me some advice on what i can do. any more tricks and tis are welcome . oh and the "hard b" does not work on my keyboard, i am sorry for that .


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## SonyaBullyDog (Jun 6, 2011)

It seems like you're doing everything completely correctly. I have one funny suggestion that might work (not training advise, but something that worked for me in the past). I was in a similar situation many years ago and they way I "solved" it was to leash the dog (it had a harness) and swing it up in the air and into my arms. For some unknown reason it would try to bite my face off when it was on the ground, but completely changed into an angel in my arms. Even though I'm recommending this "trick", be really careful in case he decides that he doesn't care...

Here is a picture of this little monster :biggrin1:


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## xchairity_casex (Oct 8, 2011)

i think your on the right track, it takes time to earn a dogs trust.
i also wouldnt put up with his growls or lunges and give him a firm "NO" and a scolding when he tries, andpraise and treats when he is nice.
if he seems nervous just ignore it and walk along happily "come along! thats a good dog!"

i understandh e is nervous, but biteing and growling should be a big NO NO


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## LilasMom (Mar 10, 2012)

xchairity_casex said:


> i think your on the right track, it takes time to earn a dogs trust.
> i also wouldnt put up with his growls or lunges and give him a firm "NO" and a scolding when he tries, andpraise and treats when he is nice.
> if he seems nervous just ignore it and walk along happily "come along! thats a good dog!"
> 
> i understandh e is nervous, but biteing and growling should be a big NO NO


Biting is not ok, but growling is their alert system. If you don't allow growling, you won't get the warning before the bite comes. It is their non physical way of letting you know to stop or go away.

I hope you have luck with your chihuahua. They really can be the sweetest things. I think the reason they get such a bad rap for their attitude is that owners think because they are so small, they don't need bite inhibition training or socialization. They can be great dogs.


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