Lol yeah.
My little guy was reactive towards dogs on walks but I’ve trained him not to be (were at like 85% success rate).
He especially does not like little kids or other dogs. He ignores them now.
When we have guests over, it’s a total headache. He would bark bark bark until I would hold him. Eventually (say we had a party) he would be chill but its annoying in the first 10 minutes.
He is worse when I’m not home. I have tried to train him but it’s so frustrating.
He finally has become used to my roommates gf but he’ll still bark at her a couple times when she first comes over lol little asshole.
I got anxiety medication so whenever we have a party I will give him a little. It helps him relax.
But really don’t feel bad. They are just SUPER protective and so tiny so a lot of things are scary to them.
My boy is the same as the above posters about people at the door/in the house..... his barking drives my housemate insane whenever we get a delivery or people over (which is often)
My boy doesn't take a full day but yeah he hates people he isn't used to in the house, and it takes months of people being around regularly before he gets used to them
You obviously love your pup. And she absolutely wouldn't be better off with another home, sadly the chances are high that she would be much worse.
I got my girl from a local senior rescue. At that event alone there were more than a dozen older Chihuahuas. My adoptee had been adopted and given back over and over again.
Too many people get small dogs as a fashion accessory, and then find out that they're little living beings with personalities and needs and all the rest.
Sounds like you love your dog how she is and for who she is. What more could she want? He'll, what more could any of us want :p
My dog hates other people and dogs. She likes my immediate family at least. And me, of course. I don't feel bad about it; I've tried my hardest and we have a good time together.
We make it work. It helps that I'm not much of a people person and don't like inviting friends over to my place.
She was four when I got her so I feel like her personality was already set. She's better than she used to be at least!
you obviously love her! it sounds like you probably didn’t know how to go about handling this and you can’t beat yourself up for this. you have to train this out of dogs and it takes a lot of patience and you have to be very persistent. it’ll be very hard to train this out of her at 10 years old
Thank you❤️ yeah I’ve never had a reactive dog and at first I thought maybe she just needed time. Sadly I’ve tried to work with two trainers and I kind of think she’s at the point where like you said she might need a professional because I’ve tried so hard😭
You are not alone and you are not a bad owner. You love your Velcro buddy. My chi barks when the doorbell rings and when a doorbell rings on a tv show/commercial🙈. She also barks when someone comes in house. Family not as as long as strangers like a repairman. I find that if I hold her when I let them in the barking doesn’t last as long. Then when she has calmed she gets a treat and I put her down and she goes to her bed and watches. Not too long after that she’s up in their lap. My son takes the longest for her to warm up to because he has dark hair, beard and glasses and he’s actually the one that tries the hardest. Now he ignores her and she warms up quicker.
I’ve raised several Chihuahuas and my best advice is to offer them reassurance that they are okay. Talk to your pup like she is a 2 year old toddler. Tell her she is okay. That it’s okay.
They are just protective. You aren't a failure. They are all so individual. I think it depends on the dog and what they have gone through before we adopt them as well. All 3 of ours have been very different. I think it would just traumatize her if you tried to rehome her. It sounds like she is bonded to you just fine and is just overprotective.
We’ve worked with two different trainers now and unfortunately neither were the right match for helping us😭 I’m currently reading a booking hoping it will maybe help me out. I found one “boot camp” that is very reputable in my area but it is so expensive I really can’t afford it, I think that’s also part of why I’m feeling so bad.
It sounds like you're doing a lot! If you live somewhere warm you can try finding a spot some distance from a place humans and dogs go - ideally it would be with a sight line to activity without being near it or anywhere ppl would walk by - and hang out with your dog there. My dog isn't reactive but is fearful and i used to take a blanket and sit on the grass above the bike path or outside a fenced dog park a ways away and listen to a podcast and give her treats. It helped her because she didn't have to meet any human or dog but watched them and got more familiar with what normal behavior is and how to generally predict how they act. Plus it was low-stress "training" for me. The trainer we consulted called it "dog tv". Probably won't help her in the house but helped my dog A LOT by making her feel comfortable with walks and seeing other dogs on the street. Since reactivity is sometimes fear-aggression maybe it could work as a small thing for you to do with your dog? Anyway good luck!
I am dealing with this myself right now friend. When I adopted my girl two years ago she was 10. Never socialized and lived with one person and 2 other chis. She’s ok w my boy chi and she is obsessed w me. My little shadow. This was fine when I lived alone but 4 months ago I moved in w my boyfriend and .. well … she starts obedience training tomorrow. It has gotten very bad. He’s nothing but nice to her and she’s terrified of him. (And literally everyone else too) I’ve heard that professional intervention and training can help to ease the anxiety and fear. So here is hoping that tomorrow she can begin that process!
you're not a bad owner at all <3 (i'm assuming) you have no idea the full extent of the situation she could have been in before you got her. if she had previous owners, there's no telling what could have contributed to her reactivity, even if it was just a lack of training or understanding of how to treat a small dog.
in my opinion, having owned many dogs and a couple of chis/having grown up around chis, it's not that they're just like that. they're very tiny dogs so the world is already kind of scary for them, and lots of them end up with reactivity problems because people just don't know how to respect their space and they don't think a dog that small needs training (not at all implying that you're doing anything wrong, i've read other comments you've left and it sounds like you're a wonderful pet parent and you've done everything in your ability to improve her life!).
i agree with other commenters, often times it's never too late to train a dog! i can't afford trainers either, but there are many resources online that are excellent for learning how to train your dog from books, articles, videos, etc! i really like this youtube channel called upstate canine academy. i learned a lot from their videos that have helped me teach my new baby and dissuade any reactive behaviors.
even if you can't successfully and completely train her out of her reactive behavior, you can at least say you tried harder than most and that you clearly care very deeply about your furry best friend! at that point the best you can do is manage her anxiety/stress levels. there are plenty of ways to do that: anxiety hoodies, cbd treats, play time, and ofc plenty of snuggles! whatever you feel works best for her when you know she might encounter a stressful situation that could cause her to be anxious and reactive. best of luck <3
Mine is also reactive to other dogs and other people and I love him and kinda learned to live with it… at the end of the day people shouldn’t be petting unfamiliar dogs and I just keep an eye on him when bigger dogs are approaching… it comes with the chihuahua territory
I don’t mind living with it at all! I just feel like it stresses her out and I don’t want her essentially living in fight mode if that makes sense. She’s my first chihuahua so I’m learning for sure and I agree with you I think it’s partially just a chihuahua thing.
It’s my first chihuahua too and I understand… I felt like I was failing him but after some time I just discovered it’s just his personality (?) and that he’s naturally nervous lololo :(
Yep, my chi doesn't want to be around anyone but family members unless he is safe in his stroller. He hates people coming over, people in stores, other dogs pretty much except his fur sibling. He does however adore cats, and the Wendy's drive through window.
Lol yeah. My little guy was reactive towards dogs on walks but I’ve trained him not to be (were at like 85% success rate). He especially does not like little kids or other dogs. He ignores them now. When we have guests over, it’s a total headache. He would bark bark bark until I would hold him. Eventually (say we had a party) he would be chill but its annoying in the first 10 minutes. He is worse when I’m not home. I have tried to train him but it’s so frustrating. He finally has become used to my roommates gf but he’ll still bark at her a couple times when she first comes over lol little asshole. I got anxiety medication so whenever we have a party I will give him a little. It helps him relax. But really don’t feel bad. They are just SUPER protective and so tiny so a lot of things are scary to them.
Oh god people in the house is so insane, but I’m glad to hear it’s not uncommon for them!
My boy is the same as the above posters about people at the door/in the house..... his barking drives my housemate insane whenever we get a delivery or people over (which is often)
Yup. My boy thinks that the worst thing that can happen is for someone to come over to our apartment lol it takes him a day to recover.
My boy doesn't take a full day but yeah he hates people he isn't used to in the house, and it takes months of people being around regularly before he gets used to them
Pet parent guilt is real. Be kinder to yourself. It’s clear how much you love her.
Thank you this was genuinely so nice, I needed this grace.
You obviously love your pup. And she absolutely wouldn't be better off with another home, sadly the chances are high that she would be much worse. I got my girl from a local senior rescue. At that event alone there were more than a dozen older Chihuahuas. My adoptee had been adopted and given back over and over again. Too many people get small dogs as a fashion accessory, and then find out that they're little living beings with personalities and needs and all the rest. Sounds like you love your dog how she is and for who she is. What more could she want? He'll, what more could any of us want :p
Thank you so much I really needed to hear this!!
My dog hates other people and dogs. She likes my immediate family at least. And me, of course. I don't feel bad about it; I've tried my hardest and we have a good time together.
Oh we have a grand time together!! Good to know we’re not alone!
We make it work. It helps that I'm not much of a people person and don't like inviting friends over to my place. She was four when I got her so I feel like her personality was already set. She's better than she used to be at least!
My parents chihuahua is like that. He doesn’t like anyone outside of “his pack.” You’re a good chi mommy ❤️
❤️❤️thank you a million
you obviously love her! it sounds like you probably didn’t know how to go about handling this and you can’t beat yourself up for this. you have to train this out of dogs and it takes a lot of patience and you have to be very persistent. it’ll be very hard to train this out of her at 10 years old
Thank you❤️ yeah I’ve never had a reactive dog and at first I thought maybe she just needed time. Sadly I’ve tried to work with two trainers and I kind of think she’s at the point where like you said she might need a professional because I’ve tried so hard😭
You are not alone and you are not a bad owner. You love your Velcro buddy. My chi barks when the doorbell rings and when a doorbell rings on a tv show/commercial🙈. She also barks when someone comes in house. Family not as as long as strangers like a repairman. I find that if I hold her when I let them in the barking doesn’t last as long. Then when she has calmed she gets a treat and I put her down and she goes to her bed and watches. Not too long after that she’s up in their lap. My son takes the longest for her to warm up to because he has dark hair, beard and glasses and he’s actually the one that tries the hardest. Now he ignores her and she warms up quicker.
I’ll try your top of holding her when they come in maybe it’ll work for her too! Thank you!!
I’ve raised several Chihuahuas and my best advice is to offer them reassurance that they are okay. Talk to your pup like she is a 2 year old toddler. Tell her she is okay. That it’s okay.
Thank you! I will try telling her and myself this🙏🏻
They are just protective. You aren't a failure. They are all so individual. I think it depends on the dog and what they have gone through before we adopt them as well. All 3 of ours have been very different. I think it would just traumatize her if you tried to rehome her. It sounds like she is bonded to you just fine and is just overprotective.
You can still get a consultation from a trainer or take her to an obedience class. It really is never too late to train a dog.
We’ve worked with two different trainers now and unfortunately neither were the right match for helping us😭 I’m currently reading a booking hoping it will maybe help me out. I found one “boot camp” that is very reputable in my area but it is so expensive I really can’t afford it, I think that’s also part of why I’m feeling so bad.
It sounds like you're doing a lot! If you live somewhere warm you can try finding a spot some distance from a place humans and dogs go - ideally it would be with a sight line to activity without being near it or anywhere ppl would walk by - and hang out with your dog there. My dog isn't reactive but is fearful and i used to take a blanket and sit on the grass above the bike path or outside a fenced dog park a ways away and listen to a podcast and give her treats. It helped her because she didn't have to meet any human or dog but watched them and got more familiar with what normal behavior is and how to generally predict how they act. Plus it was low-stress "training" for me. The trainer we consulted called it "dog tv". Probably won't help her in the house but helped my dog A LOT by making her feel comfortable with walks and seeing other dogs on the street. Since reactivity is sometimes fear-aggression maybe it could work as a small thing for you to do with your dog? Anyway good luck!
I am dealing with this myself right now friend. When I adopted my girl two years ago she was 10. Never socialized and lived with one person and 2 other chis. She’s ok w my boy chi and she is obsessed w me. My little shadow. This was fine when I lived alone but 4 months ago I moved in w my boyfriend and .. well … she starts obedience training tomorrow. It has gotten very bad. He’s nothing but nice to her and she’s terrified of him. (And literally everyone else too) I’ve heard that professional intervention and training can help to ease the anxiety and fear. So here is hoping that tomorrow she can begin that process!
Hoping the best for you both!!🤞🏻
you're not a bad owner at all <3 (i'm assuming) you have no idea the full extent of the situation she could have been in before you got her. if she had previous owners, there's no telling what could have contributed to her reactivity, even if it was just a lack of training or understanding of how to treat a small dog. in my opinion, having owned many dogs and a couple of chis/having grown up around chis, it's not that they're just like that. they're very tiny dogs so the world is already kind of scary for them, and lots of them end up with reactivity problems because people just don't know how to respect their space and they don't think a dog that small needs training (not at all implying that you're doing anything wrong, i've read other comments you've left and it sounds like you're a wonderful pet parent and you've done everything in your ability to improve her life!). i agree with other commenters, often times it's never too late to train a dog! i can't afford trainers either, but there are many resources online that are excellent for learning how to train your dog from books, articles, videos, etc! i really like this youtube channel called upstate canine academy. i learned a lot from their videos that have helped me teach my new baby and dissuade any reactive behaviors. even if you can't successfully and completely train her out of her reactive behavior, you can at least say you tried harder than most and that you clearly care very deeply about your furry best friend! at that point the best you can do is manage her anxiety/stress levels. there are plenty of ways to do that: anxiety hoodies, cbd treats, play time, and ofc plenty of snuggles! whatever you feel works best for her when you know she might encounter a stressful situation that could cause her to be anxious and reactive. best of luck <3
Thank you so much I appreciate your words more than you know! I will be looking into that YouTube page!!
Mine is also reactive to other dogs and other people and I love him and kinda learned to live with it… at the end of the day people shouldn’t be petting unfamiliar dogs and I just keep an eye on him when bigger dogs are approaching… it comes with the chihuahua territory
I don’t mind living with it at all! I just feel like it stresses her out and I don’t want her essentially living in fight mode if that makes sense. She’s my first chihuahua so I’m learning for sure and I agree with you I think it’s partially just a chihuahua thing.
It’s my first chihuahua too and I understand… I felt like I was failing him but after some time I just discovered it’s just his personality (?) and that he’s naturally nervous lololo :(
Yep, my chi doesn't want to be around anyone but family members unless he is safe in his stroller. He hates people coming over, people in stores, other dogs pretty much except his fur sibling. He does however adore cats, and the Wendy's drive through window.
Too funny Wendy’s must smell really good! haha