[Sam Koch]

Hello,

I have two Chihuahuas at home, one is four pounds and the other is five. The bigger one, Kiki, has major aggression issues. We did not socialize her at all when she was a puppy. She bites us, other dogs, and chases kids if she gets out. We can’t take her food, toys, or her bed/blanket from her. I really want to resolve this, are there any suggestions?
My smaller one barks barks barks all the time, at any little sound or movement and I believe it’s to be out of fear. How do I control that?

Thanks,
Sam

[Anonymous]

Are they getting enough exercise? Walk them on leash 3-5 miles a day, or at least for 1 hour. A tired dog is a well behaved dog. This method works for my dogs.

The other options are to work with a trainer (I’ve never tried it, can’t afford such things). Also, ask your vet about medication, if only to calm them down a bit so that they will be receptive to training. Sometimes anxiety disorders manifest themselves as aggression.

Or, consider a homeopathic approach http://www.vitalanimal.com
According to the homeopathic vets, over-vaccination can lead to increased aggression.
Dogs under 20 pounds have the most adverse reactions.

[Sam Koch]

Definitely don’t get enough exercise, I go back for the summer so I’ll start them on the walks. Will talk to the vet too, thanks!

[Anonymous]

You’re welcome. It is like it is with us humans. The activity helps to calm them down, gets the endorphins going, so they are less reactive to perceived danger, less irritable.
But, keep in mind, some of it may just be their personalities 🙁
Keep them away from children!

[Sam Koch]

Awesome, thank you.

Another thing…
My mom feeds them Purina Dog Chow and has been for years.
How do I get them to a five star food? Gradually go up a star, or just switch to a five star now?
Her concern is money and I offered to pay, so. Should be no problem there. 😉

[Anonymous]

I can only go by my experience, I have changed dog foods and the only adverse reaction I observed was a loose stool or two.
But, the recommendation is that you go 1/2 and 1/2 with the old and new food for a few days, mix them together.
The thing about higher quality food is that they don’t need as much of it, my 9 pound poodle mix has 1/4 cup of Nutrisca salmon and chickpea dry twice a day with about a tablespoon of cooked chicken or lean meat added.
Maybe a bite of kibble or meat as a snack once or twice a day.
I get the boneless chicken breast and sandwich steak in the reduced price section of my local market. After you cook it up, you can freeze daily servings in small freezer bags.
I find this to be cost effective. I am leery of all kibble, I try to keep the kibble just as a base, 20%-30% of the diet.

[Sam Koch]

How much of the Nutrisca would you recommend for a 5 lb Chi? 1/4 cup total?

[Anonymous]

I might start with that amount…. twice a day. If she starts getting fat, decrease the amount a little. When you speak to the vet, ask him if those amounts sound right.

I have to say, regarding the food, sometimes it depends on the dog. When I was a kid we had a shepherd mix, he got 1 can of Calo a day (comparable to Purina), not much to pick from back then, he lived to be 18 years old!

PS: Check chewy.com, their prices look good.
If I remember correctly, 1 pound of dry food = about 2 cups, so you can do the math.
A 15 pound bag will usually last me a month for 2-3 small dogs

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by Anonymous.

[aquariangt]

I’d avoid Nutrisca if I were you. Dogswell isn’t the best company to play with, IMO

[aquariangt]

As far as the training aspect:

Find a trainer. The dogs need to be worked away from home. Training is secondary most important thing after nutrition in being a dog owner, in my opinion

If that isn’t an option, here a few tips I can give out:

Exercise is important. As much as it’s important, even more important is the bond that comes from walking with you. Treat them for good behavior.

Resource guarding can be tricky, but never do anything physical to your dog because of it. Take away what they are guarding, so the punishment is not getting what they want. Reward for good behavior.

Don’t let her out without you. If she chases kids, she goes back on the leash, or inside the house. However, she needs to be able to run and play, so it depends what the chasing is, and it may be the kids imitating inappropriate play and encouraging it. Don’t leave her with kids alone.

How long has she been biting? Is it aggressive charge biting, or is it nipping? play biting? Different responses for different things.

[Anonymous]

Any kibble with chicken (salmonella), or any jerky/treats (China) are suspect, no matter what the brand, imo.

Nutrisca salmon and chickpea dry food is the food that my small breed that has allergies and a sensitive stomach likes. Her specialist/dermatologist agrees it is the right food for her, limited ingredients.

I like Wysong, but she had some GI upset with it, however, my senior small breed does best on Wysong senior.

[jakes mom]

You could probably go to a 5 star but just go very slowly. Take a week or 2 , mixing a little more of the good stuff in, decreasing the dog chow. Might get some GI issues but going slow will help that.
How old is the aggressive dog? Hypothyroidism is fairly common in older dogs and can cause some personality changes.
Definitely talk to the vet, the office may be able to refer you to a local trainer to get you started. Good luck!

[Skye G]

I would not try medication. It can often reduce bite inhibition. I don’t know what to tell you. Nothing can really make up for good socialization as a puppy, particularly in breeds known to be difficult in some cases, such as Chihuahuas. Fortunately your dog is most likely small enough that you are not looking at a lawsuit if/when she injures somebody.

[Anonymous]

“Fortunately your dog is most likely small enough that you are not looking at a lawsuit if/when she injures somebody”.

Not true! The only dog that ever caused me to seek medical attention was a 13 pounder! Lol
A dog bite is a dog bite, nasty infections can occur.

[Skye G]

^ Studies have shown that small dog bites are significantly less likely to be reported than bites from large dogs. Of course it can happen, especially if its a bad bite, but it is less likely. The article I read stated Dachshunds in particular as the most likely breed to bite, according to the study, but highly underreported, along w/ bites from other small breeds.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by Skye G. Reason: typo

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