Let’s face it—Chihuahuas may be tiny, but their personalities? Huge. That’s part of why we love them. However, if your little one has been exhibiting signs of aggressive behavior—such as growling, snapping, lunging, or barking incessantly—it can be stressful, frustrating, and even a little scary.
In the wild, aggression proved very useful: dogs needed it to hunt, defend themselves against other creatures, and protect resources such as food, a place to sleep, and a mate. Domestic dogs have come a long way since then, but they still use it to defend themselves, their toys, food and anywhere they consider their “spots”.
Here’s the good news: aggressive behavior is usually a sign of fear or insecurity, not just a “bad attitude.” And with some patience, understanding, and a few smart steps, you can help your Chi become a calmer, more confident version of themselves.
Step 1: Figure Out What’s Setting Off Your Chihuahua's Aggressive Behavior
The first step is playing detective. When does your Chihuahua act aggressive? Is it when strangers come over? When you pick them up? Around food or other pets? Take notes if you need to—patterns usually pop up pretty quickly.
Once you know the why, it’s easier to work on the how.
Step 2: Rule Out Pain or Health Issues
If the aggressive behavior came on suddenly or seems out of character, a quick trip to the vet is a smart idea. Chihuahuas are tough little cookies, and sometimes they hide pain. Things like dental problems, joint pain, or even vision issues can make them more reactive.
Step 3: Skip the Yelling—Use Positive Reinforcement Instead
It’s tempting to scold or raise your voice when your Chi lashes out and shows aggressive behavior—but that often makes things worse. Punishment can increase fear and make your dog feel even more defensive.
Instead, try to catch them being good. When they stay calm in a situation that usually triggers them, reward them with praise or a tasty treat. Over time, they’ll learn that calm = good things.
Step 4: Start Slow With Socialization
If your Chihuahua gets snappy around new people or other pets, don’t push it. Take baby steps. Let them observe from a distance where they feel safe. Treats, calm praise, and patience go a long way. Think of it as confidence-building, not boot camp.
Step 5: Add Structure to Their Day
Chihuahuas may act tough, but deep down, they love predictability, routine, and clear boundaries. Teaching simple commands like sit, stay, or leave it can help them feel more secure—and less likely to lash out in uncertain moments.
Daily routines, gentle guidance, and clear “house rules” help your Chi feel like they know what to expect (and what’s expected of them).
Step 6: Work on Desensitizing Their Triggers
Let’s say your dog shows aggressive behavior when you touch their paws. Don’t jump straight to nail trimming! Start by lightly touching a paw, say “good boy/girl,” and give a treat. Gradually increase what you’re doing as they get more comfortable. Small wins add up.
Step 7: Don’t Be Afraid to Get Help
If your Chihuahua’s aggressive behavior is serious—especially if biting is involved—it’s totally okay to call in a certified trainer or behaviorist. You’re not failing; you’re being smart and proactive.
At the end of the day, your little one isn’t trying to be a bully. They’re probably feeling scared or overwhelmed and don’t know how else to say it. With love, consistency, and a little guidance, even the most feisty Chi can learn to trust and relax.
And honestly? That’s when their true, snuggly, hilarious personality really shines.
41 thoughts on “How to Stop Your Chihuahua’s Aggression”
I was in the hospital a little over a month. He is very protective of me (biting at my husband when he has to help me out of bed or in bed or whatever) He will sit on my lap, but he even growls or bites at me when I try to pet him or just slightly touch him. What can I do and is he mad at me for being gone so long?
I’m sorry for what you are going through and hope wish you a speedy recovery. Did he do this before you went into the hospital? If not, then give it time and have your husband talk to him gently and give him treats before, during, and after he helps you in or out of bed. No, he is not mad at you for being gone. He is, however, confused. Just give him time. His whole routine and world changed and now it’s changed again. He just needs time to adjust.
My husband and i got my chiweenie at 10 wks old 1.5 yrs ago. Since the beginning she has been extremely skittish and scared of everyone but us despite 2 training/socializing courses. We also have an older chi and the younger one likes to bully her even though she’s smaller. She has never been abused. About a month ago, completely out of the blue she has started growling and snapping at my husband sometimes when he is just petting her or picking her up. She bit him in the face a few days ago. He wants her to go, but I want to try to see if we can help her. Is there a reason why this just started happening and can we do anything about it? I’m desperate. Thank you.
I’m so sorry you are having to deal with this. Unfortunately, fixing it is not something I can do through email or in a comment reply. My suggestion is hiring a trainer to come to your house to observe when she does it and instruct you how to train her not to. To fix a severe behavior issue one must know when and why before they can go about re-training your Chi not to. There is a reason she is doing it and you must figure out why first.
I adopted a 5 yr old little girl chiuahaha who is normally so sweet until my adult son walks in the house she can be lying nxt to me hears his voice when he comes in from work and her whole stature changes she’s barking then if he enters the room she actually goes all out to attack him she doesn’t bare her teeth it’s more of a warning he’s never hurt her or done a thing to make her hate him so much we can shout no and she backs off then let’s him stroke her what’s going on it really bothers my son she hates him so much
Hi Julie; First please assure your son that she does NOT hate him! She is resource guarding. You are the resource she is guarding. Yes, she loves you, but she also views you as a source for all things good; food, toys, play, pets, treats, etc. Try having your son feed her for awhile. Also have him just drop a treat in your lap as he goes by. There are several things that you can try, but it’s not something that can be solved in a reply or even in an email. Sorry 🙁 Watch my video; “SECRETS BEHIND CHIHUAHUA AGGRESSION” for some helpful tips. As well as many other videos that you may find helpful: ChiChis And Me Chihuahua Reality.
I have a 3 mo old chihuahua and she bites alot. Also she gets very aggressive when I try to put a collar on her. I just don’t know what to do. She really bites hard and doesn’t care if it hurts or not.
We’ve had our male Chi, Bruiser, for about 7 years and he was supposedly around 6 when we got him. Our 14 year old dog, Lily, we had to put to sleep the beginning of March due to cancer. At the end of January we adopted another male dog, Finn (around 6 years old). Our thinking was, we knew Lily was going to pass soon and wanted another dog to help our Chi through his loss and we also didn’t want to get another dog to ‘replace’ Lily. Lily and Bruiser were very bonded but Bruiser has always been aggressive towards strangers and large dogs but he’s tolerable with small dogs and he was very respectful of Lily. Bruiser and Finn can sleep near each other and are just fine, be outside together and be just fine but the problems are feeding time and when Finn is carrying a toy or makes sudden movements.
At feeding time Finn gets very excited about food and although we feed them out of sight from one another, when Finn runs to his feeding spot Bruiser chases and growls at him. I can usually see it coming and get Bruisers attention and he somewhat stops chasing him but still growls.
When Finn has a toy Bruiser is very aggressive and me saying no doesn’t make him stop and sometimes will result in a fight. Finn fights back sometimes but other times he just drops whatever toy he has in his mouth and walks away. It’s heartbreaking, I don’t want Bruiser to crush his spirit. Finn is a happy boy and friendly, just obsessed with playing fetch! When we play we can’t play in front of Bruiser because he snarls, lunges, growls, barks and just want to get after him.. We started to put Bruiser in another room to separate them while we play but he barks the entire time. I don’t know if that’s caused some tension but things have escalated a little bit.
Bruiser has always been aggressive and unsociable. He’s a foster fail. I tried to get him socialized so he could be adopted but he was too fearful so we kept him. Honestly I think there is a lot of trauma from his past. He was supposedly a stray for awhile and it’s anyone’s guess what he went through. I do not want to give up on him. He loves us with his whole heart and it pains me to see him in such distress.
TIA
Leslie
Hi Leslie, I had the same issue between my Remedy and Cora when I first adopted Cora as a rescue. I wish I could help everyone, however, I get questions and pleas for help every single day. I simply can’t help everyone. It is also too complicated an issue to answer in a reply to a comment. I hope you understand. But, you are welcome to book an appointment with me for a one-on-one consultation and I can give you some tips and explain what I did to fix the issue between my two. It is $35. per half hour. If you are interested just email me at linda@chichisandme.com to book an appointment.
I adopted a 3 year old Chiweenie. She is definitely more Chihuahua then anything else. Very sweet to me but vicious with visitors and my husband when he comes near me when I am holding her. I will try your advice of removing her and putting her into a separate location. My question is, if I do that is it advisable to pick her up and bring her back into the room after she stops barking? How do I reintroduce her?
Hi Lynne, Yes, once she stops barking and is calm you can bring her back into the room. But, again, immediately without hesitation take her back to the room if she gets aggressive again. Don’t pick her up to bring her back in, just open the door and let her reenter the room on her own once she is quiet and calm.
Hi Cindy! I appreciate you visiting ChiChis And Me Chihuahua Reality! Although I would like very much to answer everyone’s questions it would be quite impossible. The answer to your question would take much more explanation than can be put in a comment. You can book a one-on-one with me HERE> https://www.chichisandme.com/one-one-answers/ or I have videos on my youtube channel that may help. Visit that here > https://www.youtube.com//chichisandme I hope you understand. Thanks for reading the post. 🙂
Our chihuahua is exposed daily to groups of people in stores (that permit small dogs), and mostly he does not react. But sometimes, if startled or something about the movement of the person strikes him as odd, he will go for their ankles.
Off leash in an empty area, if someone suddenly appears, he will chase that person, with the intention to nip his ankle.
This seems less fearful than plain aggressive. Do you agree? What to do, other than avoid getting too close to anyone other than us?
Hi Margo, In order to give a satisfying answer I would need more information and it would take more than a reply to a comment to answer and give you an answer as to how to stop it. I get questions every single day from readers like you and although I would like to help each and every one, out of respect for my paying clients, I can’t do it over here or over email. If you’d like, you can schedule a consultation to discuss the matter further. Just CLICK HERE to schedule a one on one consultation with me. Thank you for being a part of ChiChis And Me! And thank you for understanding.
Hello Lesa;
I’m very sorry for what you are going through. It is very difficult to assess an issue and offer a solution in a few words in answer to a comment. I do have a one-on-one consultation service and you are welcome to check that out (link provided below), but have you ever tried to use another word, like “stop”, “enough”, or just a sharp sound like “akk”? It sounds like she has an aversion to the word “no”. One On One Answers To Your Questions
I’ve had my chihuahua for 4 years. I just adopted a puppy of another breed and the chi attacks her. Snapping and snarling when around food, bed or me. But also just runs over and bites her. She’s getting afraid and I’m afraid to do anything where I don’t have ahold of the chi because I don’t want the puppy bit again. But she needs attention too. Any ideas would be so appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Penny,
Your Chihuahua is resource-guarding. All those things, food, bed, you, have been hers and hers (or his, you don’t say what gender the Chi is) alone, now suddenly, she is expected to share those things without question. That is what is going on from her perspective. This is a serious issue that unfortunately can not be answered in a few words in answer to a comment. But, you and the puppy deserve a peaceful home. My suggestion is to hire a trainer or an animal behaviorist with experience in resource guarding issues.
We adopted a blind chihuahua about 5 years ago, the other chihuahua is 12 years old. The older one always wants to play but the blind girl doesn’t. Recently the older chihuahua has attacked the other one for no reason. They both sit on the bed beside my wife and the attack starts. It doesn’t happen often but it happened again today. The poor blind girl growls but she seems scared to death. They were fine until just recently. We feed them separately and neither is enterested with dog toys. They both sleep in bed together.
The older one is resource-guarding. The resource? The bed, you, and or your wife. It doesn’t usually appear for a few months after the new one comes along. My suggestion is this: leash-walk them together whenever you can. This helps give them the feeling of being in the same “pack”. When the older one attacks the blind one. Say nothing, just immediately pick him up and set him on the floor. Wait a few minutes before you let him back up. Remember, say nothing … not even “no” and the timing is important. The reason is your Chihuahua wants to be in the bed with you, but he doesn’t like sharing you or the bed with the blind one. After a few times he will quickly learn that attacking the blind dog only gets him negative consequences and that if he wants to remain in the bed with you, he has to behave and share. If you stick with it and make sure your timing is immediately, this will stop the attacks. It doesn’t happen immediately, but stick with it and it will!
I have two chihuahuas, Posie,5 yrs and Ava 12 yrs. Ava has always loved people and social situations. Posie is much more guarded socially, she doesn’t like to go for walks she goes as fast as she can just to get home, she doesn’t even sniff like other dogs. She is friendly when she’s on her leash usually, but when we are in the car or out in her stroller or her doggie backpack she will snip at anyone that tries to pet her or Ava. Same with other dogs that try to come up to us when she is in her stroller or backpack, on her leash she’s fine. I’m not sure how to correct this but I don’t want an unpredictable snippy dog. Any suggestions? I loved your post!! I have lots of time right now so I’m willing to put in the work!
Hi Claire! Thank you so much and I’m very glad you enjoyed my post. Yours is not an uncommon issue with Chihuahuas. They are very loyal and very loving little dogs. Unfortunately, those same wonderful traits can develop into behavior issues. As you can imagine, I get several questions a day from others like you that are looking for help. I totally understand that. But, in the beginning, I was spending all my days answering questions. So, I began a consulting service, and I would love to help you, I know how frustrating these issues can be when you just don’t know what to do. However, out of respect for my clients, I can’t do it for free and I can’t do it over email. If you’d like, I can schedule a consultation to discuss the matter further on the phone or on zoom. Or, you can hire a trainer or animal behaviorist. They are not as expensive as you may think but they can one on one show you what to do. If you do nothing, I’m afraid, it doesn’t get better and may actually get worse. Here is a website to help you find a trainer or animal behaviorist in your area if that is what you choose to do. >> https://thumbtack.57ib.net/c/2078094/269257/4348?utm_source=cma-affiliate&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thumbtack.com%2Fk%2Fdog-training%2Fnear-me If you wish to book a consultation you can email me for information at >> linda@chichisandme.com Best wishes ~ Linda
My chi attacks me when I remove his harness each night. I mean attacks me by starling and showing his teeth! I have to remove it when we go to bed if I let him sleep in it it gets twisted and becomes very tight across his chest so I have to remove it. I’m not sure how to stop this.
Hi Effe,
Chihuahuas can be aggressive regarding certain things that they consider theirs. In this case, I think it’s more that he doesn’t like being “handled” that way when you take it off of him. The movements that you make when you remove it may scare him. I’m not saying that you are removing it the wrong way … I really can’t help you through a comment. Trying to help through email alone is difficult also. I get so many questions and I want to help as many as I can, that is why I began One On One Questions & Answers. I think the article below may help. Use the conditioning principles using your Chi’s harness. If you need more help, I’ll be glad to help with my one on one answers to your questions and you can contact me that way. Thanks for your comment and I hope this gives you some insight into what may be causing it. ~ Linda
What Is Conditioning Training And How Can It Help?
One on One Answers To Your Questions
Hi, I really enjoyed your article and need help. I have a French bulldog chihuahua mix and he is 10 years old. I adopted him from the shelter. He has bitten my partner 4xs. Each time in the face. Yes my partner gets in his face. This last incident happened when my partner picked him up to take him to the other room. He snapped at his face. 1 hour prior to this happening my partner and I were playing and saint (thats my chihuahuas name) was getting very excited and barking. When my partner was trying to calm him down saint snipped at his hand. We pit saint in his bed for doing that. Fast forward an hour and my partner got bit when picking him up and carrying him. How can we get saint to stop biting my partner. He doesn’t bite me.
Need help
Peter Canellis
Djcanellis@mac.com
Hi Peter! This is an advanced aggression problem that you need one on one help with. Thumbtack is a good place to start for finding an animal behaviorist or a trainer that will come to your house. With all due respect, your partner needs to be trained about the Chihuahua breed. Your partner’s getting in his face is something he should never ever do. Dogs give many subtle signs that they are scared, uncomfortable, etc. As humans, we don’t always (almost never) understand those signs or dog-speak, so it continues until the poor little dog has no other option than aggression. He is telling your partner in no uncertain terms to “back off, you are too much in my space and I don’t like it!”. If this is allowed to continue it will only get worse, not better and someday it will be a child or elderly person that may get too close and will get bitten. In-home training is not as expensive as some may think. So please get some help from a one on one trainer before it is too late. Make sure that they are a trainer that uses only positive training methods. Thanks for your comment and I hope you find help soon.
My partner and I adopted a rescue chihuahua a year and a half ago. She always took to him over me which was ok as we did adopt for him to have a companion at home while I worked.
In the last few months she has suddenly become aggressive towards him and wanting to be with me. A complete 180 from when we adopted her.
It has come to her snapping at him when he tries to put her leash/harness on to take for a walk (but I can do this without any problem).
I can pick her up but when he tries she barks and snaps and bites him.
Any thought or suggestions on what we can do?
Todd
Hi Todd,
If this is a sudden and new behavior, I’d first take her to the vet to make sure there is nothing medically going on, ie, she is in pain and somehow he innocently picks her up where it hurts? Just a thought. Otherwise, through here or email it would be very difficult to diagnose so I could give you a more definitive answer. If all checks out medically, the next step would be preferably an animal behaviorist, but if not a behaviorist then a certified trainer. Make sure that the trainer is one that uses the positive training method, ie. no choke collars or any type of punishment for bad behavior. There is a very famous trainer that still uses the outdated coercion training method, and sadly there are still some out there that do. Those methods may seem to work for bigger dogs, but never on a Chihuahua. I’m sorry I can’t be more help, it’s just not possible without being able to see the behavior so I could diagnose and correct the reason for it. Good luck and best wishes ~ Linda
My best friend just got a rescue chi from a no kill shelter she is adorable, however that being said, she is also a little bit terrible as in the fact that when you pick her up and try to put her back down she starts turning in circles and growling and snapping. We don’t know what to do to fix this behavior. My friend is in her sixty’s and is now fearful of this dog. She has her for the next 3 days before she can take her back as they let her come home with her for a 72 hour fostering before the adoption. What if anything can we do to correct this behavior.
Hi Lisa!
When a dog comes from a shelter, you have no idea what he or she has been through or experienced in the past. It is very likely that this behavior stems from an unpleasant or even abusive experience in her past. It would be impossible for me in a short comment to know what may help this particular dog. If your friend is afraid of her, this may not be the right dog for her. I hate saying that, but I would tell the shelter why she is having trouble with her. They may know something about the dog’s background that would help. But owning a dog that you are afraid of is not a good situation for your friend or for the dog. On the other hand, if she is willing and able to really help the little Chihuahua that desperately needs a good home, I would suggest an animal behaviorist. Thumbtack is a good place to find one in her area. If she is financially able, it would be such a wonderful thing to help this poor little dog that so deserves a good home. Thanks for your comment and I wish I could be of more help, there just isn’t a magic cure that is one-size-fits-all. ~ Linda
My Chihuahua is 10 yrs old and yes I confess I had no clue about the the things you’ve mentioned in this article so the question is how do I train him now from being aggressive toward people? Why does he hide under the end table or hide in the bathroom under the shower chair just asking
Hi Beverly! The answer to your question is complicated. I don’t know if you adopted him as a puppy or an adult. However, why he hides in the bathroom or under an end table or shower chair, I can not answer specifically. When does he do it? Try to find out what exactly it is that he is afraid of and go from there. There is an article here on my website and a video on my YouTube Channel that discusses “conditioning training”. It would be good for you to check them out. If you can not help him, a good animal behaviorist (not trainer) could help you. There just isn’t a specific answer to your question that I can give in just one comment. Thank you for your comment and I hope you can discover the cause and help. It’s no fun being scared, not for a human or a Chihuahua. ~ Linda
What a great article. What advice can you give for stopping aggressive behavior in a 1 1/2 year old chi. We rescued him in January after living the first 6 months of his life in a puppy mill and the last year with another 115 dogs at a shelter. He has learned to trust me and my husband and is very loving to us and gets along great with our other 2 Chi but barks and bites our company, family staying to visit more than the occasional dinner guest. We missed the puppy period for socializing and time out seems to help but visits are too short for the training to make much of an impact. Your input will be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
Hi Angela!
I’m glad you found the article helpful. That poor baby. If you have gotten him to trust you and your husband, that is quite an accomplishment in itself! The answer to that question is a long one…. too long to go into detail here. The short answer is he needs to be conditioned to enjoy being around people. There are several articles on aggression here that explain conditioning a little, but not in detail. I am going to write an article specifically on that subject with the details. In the meantime check out the article (link at the bottom) that explains conditioning a little and you can adapt it to whatever it is that he is afraid of ie, people. If you still have questions you can e-mail me at linda@chichisandme.com. I won’t be able to get back to you right away, my workload is almost more than I can handle right now, but I will answer your email as soon as I can and try to explain conditioning in a succinctly. Thanks so much for your comment and question! ~ Linda
HOW TO HELP YOUR CHIHUAHUA OVERCOME HIS FEARS
I recently rescued a Chihuahua, the vet thinks that he is probably between 3 and 5. I know nothing of his back ground. we are having some aggression issues though. there are days when he is absolutely perfect, but there are a lot of days when he nips and bites me. to do his nails or to give him a bath is impossible without a muzzle. He is in his forever home, for better or worse. I just hope you can help me in some way.
Hi Tina,
I’m sorry you are having this problem and I’m glad that you are dedicated to this dog and want to help him. It’s people like you that make a difference in these little dog’s lives. I can’t really give a lot of advice for your particular aggression issues without being able to actually be there when it happens. To see the dynamics within the family, etc. But, I have written many articles on the subject. Chihuahua aggression is the number one behavior issue reported by Chihuahua owners, so you are not alone. I have listed the link to many of the articles that I think may help you. If you need hands-on help, please, please contact a trainer or animal behaviorist in your area for help. Make sure they are the right trainer for Chihuahuas. Some trainers can actually make the problem worse. When choosing a trainer, please read this article first: How To Choose The Right Dog Trainer Just don’t let the problem continue. The longer it is allowed to continue, the more ingrained it becomes and the more difficult it is to correct.
Some articles with practical tips that may help:
How to Prevent Chihuahua Aggression
10 Training Tips Every Chihuahua Owner Should Know
Secrets Behind Aggressive Behavior in Chihuahuas
Are You Making These Mistakes When Training Your Chi?
Why You Should Never Tease A Chihuahua!
You might also like: 5 Signs That Your Rescued Dog Was Abused
A trainer may be an extra expense, but believe me, it will be money well spent! To have a peaceful household and to have a little cuddle bug that is always loving for the rest of his life is priceless. Think of it as an investment, an investment well spent!
One more thing; Chihuahuas are fear aggressive. Since he is a rescue and you don’t know about his previous life, it’s very possible that he has never had a bath before or had his nails clipped before. Those things are frightening to him. Get him used to them gradually, So he knows that there is nothing to fear. It would take a long time to explain exactly how to do that, but here is a video about how to “condition” a dog for nail trimming that will give you an idea of what I mean, and the same principles are used for “conditioning” a dog to getting a bath:
Hate The Hassle or The Expense Of Trimming Your Dog’s Nails?
Thank you for your question!
I hope this helps, and good luck,
Linda
I hope you’re still replying to this article; as I really need some help. I have a 3 year old unfixed male chihuahua named Angel (ironic, I know) whom struggles with frequent aggressive behavior. He’s most aggressive towards me and other household members for some reason. He’s been getting more and more aggressive since he was about 1 1/2 year(s?) old, and I just don’t know what to do with him anymore. I’ve tried spraying him with a water bottle, but that only works temporarily. I try firmly telling him “no” when he’s bad, but that doesn’t help much at all. He chose me to be his “favorite human”… but he’s the meanest to me. He bites me after I pet him, then turns around and cuddles up to me not even 3 seconds later. Or he nudges my hand until I pet him… but STILL bites me after a few seconds. I just don’t understand.
He seems to get most aggressive when people are petting him… I’m not sure why though. He always used to love pets. I’ve begun wondering if he’s sick or in pain… but my parents don’t want to send him to the vet (they’re cheap and don’t want to pay for it. He’s even behind on his shots because of it). Is there any way I could help him? I’ve been looking into getting him anxiety supplements once I start getting my paycheck to see if he’s anxious or something… but I’d really prefer to not medicate him. Above all, I’m trying to save money to send him to the vet… is this the best course of action? Is there something I can do to train him not to be aggressive? Is there a special way of handling chihuahuas?
Thank you for reading! I hope to hear back soon.
P.S. sorry if I rambled on a lot
Hi Jessica,
I know how frustrating all this must be for you. As you read in the article, Chihuahuas are very loyal and protective little dogs. They really can be very sweet little dogs. I also mentioned in the article that they are fear aggressive. This may have something to do with his aggression. Was he a rescue? Do you know anything about his previous home or homes if he was? Read: (5 Signs Your Rescue Dog Was Abused.)
Are there children in your home that tease him? If so, try to explain to them that this is harmful to the dog and they should not tease him. Sometimes children think it’s cute when the dog growls and they tease them to make them growl.
I know this is not the answer you were looking for, but he needs to see a veterinarian and he needs to be neutered. Getting him neutered may help some of the aggression. There are organizations that can help with veterinarian bills. CareCredit that is like a credit card you use only at the veterinarian’s office.
Because I have no way of determining exactly why your dog is aggressive, there is no way I can tell you through an email what to do. Different causes of aggression call for different training techniques.
What would be ideal for your situation is to find a good animal behaviorist (not just a dog trainer), but they can be expensive. To find one in your area go to: International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.
Again, I know this is not exactly the answer you were looking for, but I hope these suggestions and resources will help. There just is no magic trick that I can send you through an email. If there were, I would absolutely send it to you!
I wish you the best and I hope you can at least get him to a veterinarian to get him neutered and to make sure there is not a medical reason for his behavior.
Linda
So here it goes. I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing and not making a problem worse. So my little 12 week old chi girl is adorable…99% of the time. However, I think I found the reason for her 1% last night. I gave her a bath (which she’s only had 3 in her life) and she went Cujo after I started towel drying. I decided instead of punishment to reward her with treats and kibble when she stopped being Cujo and to continue to give her treats while towel drying. This seemed to work great and she stopped growling, biting, baring teeth etc. I figure if this is okay, I’ll give her a bath or a towel rub down and try and get her used to it and associates towel drying and baths with a good thing at least once a week.
Hi Georgette,
You are doing absolutely the right thing! The more often she associates baths and towel drying as a pleasant thing (treats & kibble) the more she will begin to love baths and her little rubdowns. And you did the right thing waiting until she was no longer doing her “Cujo” thing before praising her. That way she soon associates being good with treats and praise. Eventually, she will be accustomed to it and praise will be enough.
You can use this method for just about any bad behavior. It is best to address bad behavior immediately or it will become a lifetime habit and will be very hard to stop the longer it is allowed to continue. I commend you for doing just that! I’d love a picture of her for my photo gallery, if you haven’t already sent one, please visit our gallery and fill in the form.
Thank you so much for your comment! I’m here anytime. I love hearing from my readers. I wish you a lifetime of joy with your new little one.
Linda
i have a chihuahua scince i moved to a apartment my dog has gotton very aggressive does not let no one get near me what can i do
Hello Janie, thank you for your question.
If your dog is older and this behavior never happened before you moved to an apartment, he may be stressed and having a difficult time adapting to his new environment. If this is true, then I suggest that you kindly, but firmly let him know that the behavior that he is displaying is not appropriate and that you won’t let it continue.
I suggest that you try this: You must catch him before he begins to show aggression, not after it has already begun, then it’s too late. When someone comes close to you and you can see him getting ready to growl, curl his upper lip, or show his teeth, tell him in a deep voice with a firm tone “no” and immediately place him on the floor or in another room for a timeout. He wants nothing more than to be close to you. Chihuahuas are very smart and when you put him in a time out enough times he will soon figure out that when he becomes aggressive, he is no longer allowed to sit or be beside you.
On the other hand, if someone comes near you and he does not become aggressive, praise him, pet him, let him know that you are very pleased with his behavior. Again, he will soon figure out that to be near you, he must not display the aggressive behavior.
You have to let him know that you are the “parent”, “leader”, whatever you want to call it, you are in charge, not him. Do not worry that he will no longer love you, on the contrary, he will love you more because he will know that you are his protector, not the other way around.
I hope this helps and good luck
Linda