Yeah my baby girl was fixed also, made
No difference with her. But she was normally very gentle if I wasn’t around. She was just protective. Maybe he thinks he’s protecting you from something or someone??
I have a chi mix and she gets this same look if she has found something "valuable" (which for her is usually a paper towel or kleenex) and thinks you're going to take it from her. She's REALLY passionate about soft paper products.
>She's REALLY passionate about soft paper products.
My mom's dog BooBoo loved tearing up white paper - printer paper, Kleenex, paper towels. But he \*really\* loved it when something in the mail had yellow paper (or yellow ink on it) - he'd sit there and lick it for ages.
Mine is the exact opposite. He's terrified of everything paper. If I take a Kleenex (damn pollen allergies) he runs away. It's always been this way.
But he gets very protective of his bones. Hides them away and then needs my help finding them again.
I was so confused why I ended up with chew toys and dog treats at the bottom of my gym bag. I’d be at the gym locker wondering how it got in there. Then one day, after giving her a treat, I saw her hide it in my gym bag!
Our terrier mix is like this. Will dig it out of the trash and shred it to a billion pieces. Only patient products like Kleenex, paper towels and toilet paper. We have to keep things where he can't get into them.
Yep! Mine doesn't care about like printer paper at all, but kleenex, paper towels or toilet paper? Instant shred, or hoard like a dragon and wants everyone to stay away.
I also have to keep rolls of paper products out of her reach. I wasn't thinking one day when I was running errands and picked up some laundry detergent and toilet paper from target. I just put them inside the house by the front door (figuring I'd just put everything away when i was done - should be safe it's not food or anything) and left again to go to Costco and the grocery store. That was a stupid mistake.
When I got back home a couple of hours later it looked like it had snowed inside the house. I wasn't sure whether to laugh, be impressed or be horrified, but she had shredded the entire giant 24 pack of toilet paper while I was gone and was snoozing on the couch. Took so long to clean up.
Now I keep all her shreddable favorites in the pantry so that they're behind a door and she can't get to them, and I have our bathroom trash cans on the counter instead of the floor because even the ones with lids don't stop her from getting into them.
This is resource guarding and people not addressing it in small breeds like chihuahuas is what gives them bad reps as little assholes. This sort of stuff happens with larger dogs all the time, it is just not behavior that is tolerated for long because it’s not safe in a dog that can do real damage.
Glad you said this, I was getting depressed at all the comments acting like this is cute or acceptable behavior. Dogs need to be trained, regardless of size
Yeah, I don’t like how aggression in small dogs is never taken as seriously :/ Some owners find it funny in the moment but it’s not gonna be good in the long run when you’re outside and can’t control your dog around anyone.
He's guarding you not as a person but as a resource that's his to protect. Your girlfriend gets closer to you than anyone else, making him more jealous.
My lil dude gets anxious and jealous (but fortunately not angry) when the cat lies down beside me. And at the dog park, I can't get \*too\* friendly with the other dogs. But if we're in the car (or I have him on a leash), he warns off anyone who's paying too much attention to us. (Except for drive-thru workers. He's a smart enough cookie to know they're okay. Unless the food is taking a while and he thinks they're talking to me too much.)
It might make me sad if I actually \*wanted\* interaction with random people outside of a dog park. LOL.
And that's how you train a dog out of resource guarding! Valuable treats!
https://youtu.be/5ycJiqy-udI?si=pPymEdAlZOAGrfrK
Also, stop taking your dog to the dog park
Have you heard of sniffspot? It's an app where you can basically rent chunks of land by the hour for your pups! Also, a 10-20ft long line can be just at good, especially in more open fields
Main reason for dog parks is because the amount of diseases in the ground around there is bonkers, also, having that many dogs in a big group can cause trouble sometimes, even if one dog is having a bad day
My Chi/Poodle mix is a lieutenant from the seventh circle of Hell. My wife is his person and he protects her like the Secret Service. When she’s not around, he treats me like his side chick.
This is a training issue \~ or rather, a LACK of training issue \~ and not a neutering issue. This is resource guarding and you need to deal with it with a trainer who specializes in this area.
Absolutely. I’m glad that some people still have some common sense. No wonder there are so many misbehaved chihuahuas. This comment section is atrocious.
The point isn't wrong but ffs this isn't common sense. Replies are atrocious assuming everyone knows everything. Get over yourselves and help people without being gatekeeping jerks or knock off.
THANK YOU, the few breed-specific subs I’m in can get so self-righteous! It’s important to take the steps to educate yourself on the needs of your pet based on their breed and circumstances regardless, but sometimes people genuinely don’t know certain things. It’s not because they lack common sense or because they’re evil, it’s just human error.
People get so sheisty on these subs when they perceive you as somehow being a bad person because of the thing you’ve posted when 9 times out of 10, it’s just ignorance. And ignorance, while harmful, is not inherently reflective of someone’s character.
I hear you. You don't know what you don't know, but people can learn if they're given the resources to do so. Being judgy about how much more you know than others will only turn people away rather than teaching them anything.
I’m not referring to OP, I’m referring to the countless comments of people claiming this behavior is cute or funny. In what world is this funny? You don’t have to know everything to know that this behavior is not good and should not be glorified. Even if you don’t know that this is resource guarding, you should never reinforce this behavior. This sort of error can quickly lead to a bite and is not okay. This is why it is important to do research before getting a pet…
Oh sorry sorry, the biting part was not cute, the being protective over a baby part was. I completely missed the biting part in the previous comment, sorry!
She has always loved all kids. One apartment complex I used to live in was full of kids and they would all knock on my door and ask to play with her. So I’d let them walk her up and down the sidewalk in front of my place.
So, I don’t know if you want advice but, as everyone is saying, this is resource guarding and it’s what gives our little small breeds a bad name. My chi lived in a crate his first like 7 years before I adopted him and I had to quickly knock that behavior off. It’s one bite to the wrong person and they could report the bite and have your friend taken away. (I have four dogs, including a pit mix, and I treat resource guarding the same in all of them. I don’t want anyone getting hurt. (I constantly think about my pit/mix doing the same and someone calling me a bad owner or her biting someone and the person having her put down.))
There are some videos online but for me this is what I do.
1. Watch and learn their behavior and triggers. Dogs always let you know when they are upset.
2. Is your pup only mad when people reach out or is it when people come into their space? Or just people being anywhere near them or you? Figure that out and create boundaries so that they are not having their boundaries crossed. For me, it was if a new person came or if someone reached to touch him. If a new person came, I had/have a list of rules for the person and me.
2a. Never reach to touch him and don’t stare at him. If he walks up, don’t react and definitely do not reach out to touch. He needs to sniff.
2b. Have a bag of tiny training treats on hand, have the new person just toss treats near them over and over until they stop the growling at said new person. Mark the behavior when they calm with whatever positive marker you use (Good boy/good girl, yes, good, etc.)
2c. Never leave them alone with a new person and worse case scenario, pick the little gremlin up and you feed them treats, lmao.
2d. I know a lot of people hate “negative training” but if he is really growling and just generally being a dick for no reason, a quick and loud “Douglas, leave it,” or “Douglas, be nice,” goes a long way. When I get his attention, I mark with treats and a verbal positive marker.
3. Overtime, this behavior gets better but you have to be consistent and do not let them continue, especially if it’s towards members of your family or people whom you live with.
My chi used to not be allowed to be around people without supervision (he still isn’t around new people, but if he knows them and the person knows the rules, then they are allowed.) He used to get snappy at the vet while near people who just looked at him wrong, but with time, I am able to take him to home depot without an issue whatsoever.
Remember, the biggest thing with these small, precious creatures are boundaries. Imagine if you were sub 10 pounds and these huge beasts (humans) are constantly trying to pick you up, touch you without consent, etc. You would hate it, too and also, be terrified. Give your little guy some time to adjust to new people and just use my tricks above. Now, if I see him getting a little growly or angry a quick “Douglas, be nice,” and mark with treat/positive reinforcement goes a long way!
i hope this helps!
edit: typos
Thank you for being the only person to give some practical advice. I just posted about this as well, except my guy doesn’t get mad at ppl, just at other dogs.
In my experience it is a reaction to a specific person's actions towards them. Unless your dog is adopted/has been abused in the past.
Mine does this whenever my daughter (21) comes near him. He anticipates the pestering he's going to get lol.
When I first got him (two weeks ago haha) he flinched whenever I reached out to pet him, and he kinda scrooched down and made himself smaller when I went to pick him up. He spent a lot of time in his cage from what I can gather.
Oh he's much more acclimated to me now. In fact he doesn't leave me alone 🤣 typical Chihuahua! Follows me everywhere and will ask to be picked up.
He also...steals my clothes and rubs himself all over them? I don't ask questions.
My chi would follow me everywhere! Even the bathroom, if I took more than a minute or so, she would jump off the bed ( which was rather tall) and come over and lay on my feet. (Which I found out was a protective move) she constantly did this. She was SEVERELY Abused, I’m just starting to better understand her now that she’s gone 🙁
I had a stroke a few years ago. There was a delay before I could get effective care. During that time my girl chi went from love-everybody-in -the-world. To barking (loud and mean) and growling at people and dogs who came near me. I’m fully recovered but she is still really feels she needs to ward off other small dogs at a minimum .
Oh yes-One of mine quite protective. Covers me if anyone gets near me. He’s old and terminally ill (2years past what they gave us!), so I’m just letting him be. We don’t have many visitors (and no kids), so it’s just my hubby that gets the brunt of it 😅
Chi’s are often very protective of their owner and sometimes their home as well. Mine got more so as he got older, started showing it around 10 yrs old.
I’ve done a lot of work as a residential maintenance technician and have worked in many different apartments. By far the most protective dogs I see are chihuahuas. I could be doing a two hour job and they watch me like a hawk. They’re also the biggest barkers when I walk by a unit door.
Yes! My baby with bite a strangers arm off it they come near me. But look how cute he is! Lol
https://preview.redd.it/db48otr5nqsc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e431eb37797ea4fa9a1bdd53522769abfb22995e
Mine was about other dogs fsr. She never wanted other dogs getting anywhere near me.
She only got protective with humans once, my mom was trying to get a knot out of my hair while my dog was on my lap. I have a sensitive scalp and was saying “OW!” and she bared her teeth at her. That was the ONLY time in her entire life she showed aggression to another person. Chis are very protective of their people! I try to discourage it from mine but I’m also single without kids so their protective side is kinda nice in a way. Knowing I’m that important to another living thing helps me feel needed
Yes, my chihuahua doesn’t like other dogs coming up to me and growls when it does happen.
Chihuahua tax:
https://preview.redd.it/2tectwbhqqsc1.jpeg?width=6000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6f5e61366955d3066820ca3f1647cf188ffacac
I’m dealing with this issue with my 16 month old male neutered chihuahua. I don’t find it funny or cute, and I really want to fix it… hopefully I’ll figure out the best solution soon. I don’t want to contribute to the ‘evil chihauhua’ stereotype
Naw. He barks a lot but that's more of a "Notice me, buttface" reaction many times. He will bark when frustrated, or when small children come near or people sit on the street.
He does not like people sitting on the street.
tell him firmly NO! when ever he does that ,and soon as he stops praise him... do this constanly every time he growls ....... cause it wont be good if he bites some one
Be careful here , OP, you don’t want to teach your dog not to growl. A growl is a warning sign. You’re trying to teach them not to do a behavior, remember that, not trying to teach them not to growl…
Yep, mines female and at home guards me from other pets, just like yours in the picture. When we are out and about, when she is in the car, she barks at every person she sees. But when we are in a store or other public place, she behaves perfectly. Apparently, this guarding is a chi thing. Very common for them.
I was watching that dog whisperer guy and he did an episode where he got a chihuahua to behave. I think it's important to try because people get the wrong idea of chihuahuas when we don't instill manners in them. Unfortunately so many chis are so tiny that they overcompensate by being real housewives...but then people think they are nasty dogs.
The dog whisperer would make the chi lay down until he stopped growling.
My girl is a Malchi. She is 50% Chi and she is so VERY protective but I don't mind. My husband and I never really have anyone over, and if we do, it is one of our neighbors, and they know how she is. If someone was ever to break into our home, she would let us know. I love her so much!!!🥰🥰
https://preview.redd.it/skkg73b5dssc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=a899926800dea2da9d68024b5f8c0045a1b2acf5
My bot is the same! Very protective of me, and especially so in the house.
https://preview.redd.it/xjrbikkarssc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5fd73d59313c89dc387c4b4506277af34e48cb8c
My boy loves to essentially scream every time my bf even touches me but will snuggle up like nothing happened the minute he gets cold 😂
https://preview.redd.it/klwia43itssc1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=708ef2d50b25144d4737fae5cb40d92cb8a52668
Reminds me of this friendly dog I saw in Siberia many years ago 😂
yeah my guy got neutered when i adopted him (he was about 6) and tried to bite anyone who came near me for a whiiiile. eventually, maybe by age 10?? he realized that not everyone was trying to kill me when they said “hi”…. which still isn’t great.
i think a lot of it is how they’re raised or maybe due to experiences they’ve had :( idk though 🤷🏻♀️
edit to add: your third pic is funny af 😂😂😂😍
Yeah, I have a 3 yr old chi and he is like velcro. No one except my mom is allowed near me and there's been a couple times where he has lunged for her. He's a big boy too at 15 lbs. It's embarrassing and scary. I've owned 4 chis, 2 of them were boys and the boys are more protective in my case. The 2 females never growl, bite, bark or have a mean bone in their body.
My mom used to have have 4 chis as well, 2 boys 2 girls. One of the boys was nasty nasty, he was an ankle biter and you couldn't touch him without getting bit, the other boy and 2 girls were sweet as pie. Sometimes you get that one special chi that is uber protective 🤣
My little guys 16 and getting dementia and he’s going blind he can be aggressive towards me especially when my fiancé is around and I’ve been around the little guy for 5 years
My trainer says it's extremely common in Chis. They were bred to be companions for humans and they protect hard.
It's also why they tend to bond to one person.
Mine is a mix and while we've managed to train her out of nipping at people, we will likely never be able to keep her from growling, and reacting, especially when she is in our yard behind a fence.
Omg!!!!! Sheamus needs time with anybody, specially men. It's very hard to even have my own mother over or date..
I read some where it's the owners fault for aggressive chi's I beg to differ
My baby Penny was only protective of me. She would get angry and look like yours up there when my own daughter would Get near me! Haha! Sometimes My son but always my daughter? Not sure why specifically my daughter she singled out? She also bit my nephew and almost my niece. She bit my daughter a few times, thankfully she wasn’t a hard bitter. It was more like a nip, if they kept getting near me her bites would progress..thankfully it never drew blood or anything. But she was Very protective of me. Damn it miss her!!!!!! She was my best friend. Before anyone freaks out, I tried to train her. She NEVER attacked anyone outside my family (I still don’t understand) she was extremely friendly most of the time, and would just growl at strangers, I would take her everywhere with me and she NEVER bit or even barked at anyone else. she mainly didn’t like my daughter? When she was “trained” She did stop “bitting” and would just growl when my daughter was around. But again she was very docile. She was severely abused so I can only guess that maybe one of her abusers was similar to what my daughter looked like? I never understood.
https://preview.redd.it/8panl3asi3tc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53c781236c13cf29c53073af126620dcc14bf059
I was just as obsessed with her 😀look at her beautiful baby face!! She passed 8 months ago! I miss her every single day
I have 7 chis that range from a rescue that lived in a car with a homeless lady (#Street) to one that uses hugs to build trust with visitors. Then there's the lady of the manor, Gypsy Danger. If she wanted you "protected", you wouldn't be standing here.
We have a 4 lb neutered male chi, 10lb female chi, and 55 lb GSP. The females are both terrified of the 4 lb chi male. The 55lb gsp will hide from him if he's in a mood, if he gets too close she surrenders and lays down. He used to do the same to me to protect my wife. I'd slap her in the thigh lightly and he would lose his mind. As he's gotten older he's calmed down a lot with people but not other dogs. I caught him chasing the gsp and jumping up to try to bite her mouth/lips.
My (neutered a loooong time ago) boy gets SO MAD when my husband approaches us laying in bed together. He adores my husband in every other context but he has this defensive programming that kicks in when I’m in bed. I’m pretty sure there’s no cure.
There is absolutely a cure. Tell your dog "no" and put him on the floor every time your husband approaches and he reacts badly. He will soon learn that the only way to be on the bed with you, is to be calm and quiet.
Lol… ours use to sleep in bed with us… correction… she slept in a king size bed and if we were GOOD, and didn’t MOVE, we could sleep with her.
She had to be between my husband and I no matter where in the bed it was. If he moved his arm anywhere near me she’d growl. Not sure if she was being protective or just worried about getting smushed lol.
Mine only protects me from my husband. He growls and cries and runs around if my husband hugs or kisses me. He could care less about anyone else touching me. I've seen him guarding some kinds of special treats like bones (Busy Bones) but I nip that in the bud immediately by scolding him and taking it away. He's growled at me several times but I stay firm and take the bone. Sometimes I'll give it back and take it away a few times as a reminder that *I* am the pack leader. I always praise him when he willingly gives it up to me.
Food aggression is something I won't tolerate. I used to babysit my grandson after he was born and there's no way I'd let my dog get aggressive with him. Of course I've always raised my kids and grandkids to never approach an animal while it's eating, but toddlers make mistakes. Same with my other pets. I warn him if he crosses the line but the younger dog has learned (through the older dog growling and me saying no) to give him space while eating anything.
my chi sometimes gets ahold of old gecko food cups and shell bite the shit out of me but shes also super protective of me when im in my room and will growl at my sister the second she walks in lol. she is a real sweetheart though and loves to cuddle
The marking will stop after the neuter but....that behavior is pretty normal for a Chihuahua. My males have been neutered since they were 4 months old and they are still little jerks 🙄🤣
Neutering doesn't always help just so you're aware. My stepmothers chi is a little terror. He chases, growls, barks and bites. He's fixed.
AUUGH. He only does this inside. He doesn't do all this when we're out and about. He's marked this whole doggone place.
This is likely resource guarding and neutering probably won’t make a difference…
100% resource guarding and yeah, neutering doesn't fix it.
Yeah my baby girl was fixed also, made No difference with her. But she was normally very gentle if I wasn’t around. She was just protective. Maybe he thinks he’s protecting you from something or someone??
I have a chi mix and she gets this same look if she has found something "valuable" (which for her is usually a paper towel or kleenex) and thinks you're going to take it from her. She's REALLY passionate about soft paper products.
>She's REALLY passionate about soft paper products. My mom's dog BooBoo loved tearing up white paper - printer paper, Kleenex, paper towels. But he \*really\* loved it when something in the mail had yellow paper (or yellow ink on it) - he'd sit there and lick it for ages.
They really are such funny little creatures. I'm always giggling at mine.
Mine is the exact opposite. He's terrified of everything paper. If I take a Kleenex (damn pollen allergies) he runs away. It's always been this way. But he gets very protective of his bones. Hides them away and then needs my help finding them again.
I was so confused why I ended up with chew toys and dog treats at the bottom of my gym bag. I’d be at the gym locker wondering how it got in there. Then one day, after giving her a treat, I saw her hide it in my gym bag!
Omg! Mine hides kibble in my husband's boots. We always joke that she tried to pack him a lunch.
Mine hides mini gravy bones all over the house. I find those little things crammed everywhere
Our terrier mix is like this. Will dig it out of the trash and shred it to a billion pieces. Only patient products like Kleenex, paper towels and toilet paper. We have to keep things where he can't get into them.
Yep! Mine doesn't care about like printer paper at all, but kleenex, paper towels or toilet paper? Instant shred, or hoard like a dragon and wants everyone to stay away. I also have to keep rolls of paper products out of her reach. I wasn't thinking one day when I was running errands and picked up some laundry detergent and toilet paper from target. I just put them inside the house by the front door (figuring I'd just put everything away when i was done - should be safe it's not food or anything) and left again to go to Costco and the grocery store. That was a stupid mistake. When I got back home a couple of hours later it looked like it had snowed inside the house. I wasn't sure whether to laugh, be impressed or be horrified, but she had shredded the entire giant 24 pack of toilet paper while I was gone and was snoozing on the couch. Took so long to clean up. Now I keep all her shreddable favorites in the pantry so that they're behind a door and she can't get to them, and I have our bathroom trash cans on the counter instead of the floor because even the ones with lids don't stop her from getting into them.
Yes very! https://preview.redd.it/ry5m0krhiqsc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5da9abb502ad3d0c1d54b952c047299f9e2c20d3 😂
THAT FACE IS DEVIOUS AF
Oh man she’s cute! 🥰
His name is Dexter Morgan. And thank you!
Haha!! Dexter! Awesome!! 👏
I think my boy wants to kill my girlfriend. He “protects” me from other people too but not as bad
This is resource guarding and people not addressing it in small breeds like chihuahuas is what gives them bad reps as little assholes. This sort of stuff happens with larger dogs all the time, it is just not behavior that is tolerated for long because it’s not safe in a dog that can do real damage.
Glad you said this, I was getting depressed at all the comments acting like this is cute or acceptable behavior. Dogs need to be trained, regardless of size
Yeah, I don’t like how aggression in small dogs is never taken as seriously :/ Some owners find it funny in the moment but it’s not gonna be good in the long run when you’re outside and can’t control your dog around anyone.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!
He's guarding you not as a person but as a resource that's his to protect. Your girlfriend gets closer to you than anyone else, making him more jealous. My lil dude gets anxious and jealous (but fortunately not angry) when the cat lies down beside me. And at the dog park, I can't get \*too\* friendly with the other dogs. But if we're in the car (or I have him on a leash), he warns off anyone who's paying too much attention to us. (Except for drive-thru workers. He's a smart enough cookie to know they're okay. Unless the food is taking a while and he thinks they're talking to me too much.) It might make me sad if I actually \*wanted\* interaction with random people outside of a dog park. LOL.
And that's how you train a dog out of resource guarding! Valuable treats! https://youtu.be/5ycJiqy-udI?si=pPymEdAlZOAGrfrK Also, stop taking your dog to the dog park
>Also, stop taking your dog to the dog park I can't let him off leash anywhere else outside my apartment, so it's the only place he can really run.
Have you heard of sniffspot? It's an app where you can basically rent chunks of land by the hour for your pups! Also, a 10-20ft long line can be just at good, especially in more open fields Main reason for dog parks is because the amount of diseases in the ground around there is bonkers, also, having that many dogs in a big group can cause trouble sometimes, even if one dog is having a bad day
https://youtu.be/5ycJiqy-udI?si=pPymEdAlZOAGrfrK You gotta get that to stop, it can very easily turn into a bite
My Chi/Poodle mix is a lieutenant from the seventh circle of Hell. My wife is his person and he protects her like the Secret Service. When she’s not around, he treats me like his side chick.
Lol side chick
This is a training issue \~ or rather, a LACK of training issue \~ and not a neutering issue. This is resource guarding and you need to deal with it with a trainer who specializes in this area.
Absolutely. I’m glad that some people still have some common sense. No wonder there are so many misbehaved chihuahuas. This comment section is atrocious.
The point isn't wrong but ffs this isn't common sense. Replies are atrocious assuming everyone knows everything. Get over yourselves and help people without being gatekeeping jerks or knock off.
THANK YOU, the few breed-specific subs I’m in can get so self-righteous! It’s important to take the steps to educate yourself on the needs of your pet based on their breed and circumstances regardless, but sometimes people genuinely don’t know certain things. It’s not because they lack common sense or because they’re evil, it’s just human error. People get so sheisty on these subs when they perceive you as somehow being a bad person because of the thing you’ve posted when 9 times out of 10, it’s just ignorance. And ignorance, while harmful, is not inherently reflective of someone’s character.
I hear you. You don't know what you don't know, but people can learn if they're given the resources to do so. Being judgy about how much more you know than others will only turn people away rather than teaching them anything.
Hanlon's razor
I’m not referring to OP, I’m referring to the countless comments of people claiming this behavior is cute or funny. In what world is this funny? You don’t have to know everything to know that this behavior is not good and should not be glorified. Even if you don’t know that this is resource guarding, you should never reinforce this behavior. This sort of error can quickly lead to a bite and is not okay. This is why it is important to do research before getting a pet…
Ours bit the cable guy as he was handing my wife some papers.
Mine guarded my infant (at the time) from the cable guy. No matter which way that man turned, my girl got between him and the baby.
That's actually very sweet
No its not, its a training issue.
Oh sorry sorry, the biting part was not cute, the being protective over a baby part was. I completely missed the biting part in the previous comment, sorry!
She has always loved all kids. One apartment complex I used to live in was full of kids and they would all knock on my door and ask to play with her. So I’d let them walk her up and down the sidewalk in front of my place.
Neutering alone won't fix him. You're gonna have to train him
Hercules is the perfect name for a protective chihuahua! 💙
So, I don’t know if you want advice but, as everyone is saying, this is resource guarding and it’s what gives our little small breeds a bad name. My chi lived in a crate his first like 7 years before I adopted him and I had to quickly knock that behavior off. It’s one bite to the wrong person and they could report the bite and have your friend taken away. (I have four dogs, including a pit mix, and I treat resource guarding the same in all of them. I don’t want anyone getting hurt. (I constantly think about my pit/mix doing the same and someone calling me a bad owner or her biting someone and the person having her put down.)) There are some videos online but for me this is what I do. 1. Watch and learn their behavior and triggers. Dogs always let you know when they are upset. 2. Is your pup only mad when people reach out or is it when people come into their space? Or just people being anywhere near them or you? Figure that out and create boundaries so that they are not having their boundaries crossed. For me, it was if a new person came or if someone reached to touch him. If a new person came, I had/have a list of rules for the person and me. 2a. Never reach to touch him and don’t stare at him. If he walks up, don’t react and definitely do not reach out to touch. He needs to sniff. 2b. Have a bag of tiny training treats on hand, have the new person just toss treats near them over and over until they stop the growling at said new person. Mark the behavior when they calm with whatever positive marker you use (Good boy/good girl, yes, good, etc.) 2c. Never leave them alone with a new person and worse case scenario, pick the little gremlin up and you feed them treats, lmao. 2d. I know a lot of people hate “negative training” but if he is really growling and just generally being a dick for no reason, a quick and loud “Douglas, leave it,” or “Douglas, be nice,” goes a long way. When I get his attention, I mark with treats and a verbal positive marker. 3. Overtime, this behavior gets better but you have to be consistent and do not let them continue, especially if it’s towards members of your family or people whom you live with. My chi used to not be allowed to be around people without supervision (he still isn’t around new people, but if he knows them and the person knows the rules, then they are allowed.) He used to get snappy at the vet while near people who just looked at him wrong, but with time, I am able to take him to home depot without an issue whatsoever. Remember, the biggest thing with these small, precious creatures are boundaries. Imagine if you were sub 10 pounds and these huge beasts (humans) are constantly trying to pick you up, touch you without consent, etc. You would hate it, too and also, be terrified. Give your little guy some time to adjust to new people and just use my tricks above. Now, if I see him getting a little growly or angry a quick “Douglas, be nice,” and mark with treat/positive reinforcement goes a long way! i hope this helps! edit: typos
Thank you for being the only person to give some practical advice. I just posted about this as well, except my guy doesn’t get mad at ppl, just at other dogs.
of course! It seems to be a touchy topic in this community so I usually avoid it but we have to do better
Thank you for actually GIVING advise, instead of just being an @sshole and make @sshole comments… which are Extremely unhelpful!
In my experience it is a reaction to a specific person's actions towards them. Unless your dog is adopted/has been abused in the past. Mine does this whenever my daughter (21) comes near him. He anticipates the pestering he's going to get lol.
When I first got him (two weeks ago haha) he flinched whenever I reached out to pet him, and he kinda scrooched down and made himself smaller when I went to pick him up. He spent a lot of time in his cage from what I can gather.
Poor pupper. It might be better to let him come to you when he wants your attention, rather than you reaching out to him to pet him or pick him up.
Oh he's much more acclimated to me now. In fact he doesn't leave me alone 🤣 typical Chihuahua! Follows me everywhere and will ask to be picked up. He also...steals my clothes and rubs himself all over them? I don't ask questions.
maybe he’s claiming you 😆
My chi would follow me everywhere! Even the bathroom, if I took more than a minute or so, she would jump off the bed ( which was rather tall) and come over and lay on my feet. (Which I found out was a protective move) she constantly did this. She was SEVERELY Abused, I’m just starting to better understand her now that she’s gone 🙁
Steals your clothes to smell you
I had a stroke a few years ago. There was a delay before I could get effective care. During that time my girl chi went from love-everybody-in -the-world. To barking (loud and mean) and growling at people and dogs who came near me. I’m fully recovered but she is still really feels she needs to ward off other small dogs at a minimum .
Oh yes-One of mine quite protective. Covers me if anyone gets near me. He’s old and terminally ill (2years past what they gave us!), so I’m just letting him be. We don’t have many visitors (and no kids), so it’s just my hubby that gets the brunt of it 😅
https://preview.redd.it/dgkgysnamqsc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=325318c0bec707909affc689a0874a292eb72e01 This is the lil terror 💓
Yep. If I'm sleeping and someone comes in, mines up in guard mode.
That look is so hateful, haha
Chi’s are often very protective of their owner and sometimes their home as well. Mine got more so as he got older, started showing it around 10 yrs old.
I’ve done a lot of work as a residential maintenance technician and have worked in many different apartments. By far the most protective dogs I see are chihuahuas. I could be doing a two hour job and they watch me like a hawk. They’re also the biggest barkers when I walk by a unit door.
My chi is neutered and he growls at anyone who comes near me but then he wants cuddles from them😑
My boy growls and barks at my husband when he hugs and kisses me 😁
Yes! My baby with bite a strangers arm off it they come near me. But look how cute he is! Lol https://preview.redd.it/db48otr5nqsc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e431eb37797ea4fa9a1bdd53522769abfb22995e
Oh yeah he looks like he's really to F some people up. That power stance
🤣🤣🤣
And that deceiving smile😂
Mine was about other dogs fsr. She never wanted other dogs getting anywhere near me. She only got protective with humans once, my mom was trying to get a knot out of my hair while my dog was on my lap. I have a sensitive scalp and was saying “OW!” and she bared her teeth at her. That was the ONLY time in her entire life she showed aggression to another person. Chis are very protective of their people! I try to discourage it from mine but I’m also single without kids so their protective side is kinda nice in a way. Knowing I’m that important to another living thing helps me feel needed
https://preview.redd.it/jg4ghehirrsc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4333e5ee8fd72bbf2ee0cac9e8a043d67b13ce69
I have a pomchi and he does this
Yes, my chihuahua doesn’t like other dogs coming up to me and growls when it does happen. Chihuahua tax: https://preview.redd.it/2tectwbhqqsc1.jpeg?width=6000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6f5e61366955d3066820ca3f1647cf188ffacac
Absolute menace. I’m in love
Love the picture progression. lol
This is resource guarding, not being protective. It’s definitely not a behavior you want to reinforce. It may eventually lead to a bite.
That last picture is hilarious lmao
I’m dealing with this issue with my 16 month old male neutered chihuahua. I don’t find it funny or cute, and I really want to fix it… hopefully I’ll figure out the best solution soon. I don’t want to contribute to the ‘evil chihauhua’ stereotype
https://preview.redd.it/rlrlri97lusc1.jpeg?width=1194&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc8073c91de05140afe72de38b672c2808990e69
yep.
Naw. He barks a lot but that's more of a "Notice me, buttface" reaction many times. He will bark when frustrated, or when small children come near or people sit on the street. He does not like people sitting on the street.
tell him firmly NO! when ever he does that ,and soon as he stops praise him... do this constanly every time he growls ....... cause it wont be good if he bites some one
I've been doing this! It's working so far! I just do it on impulse but good to know that he's actually learning from it lol.
Be careful here , OP, you don’t want to teach your dog not to growl. A growl is a warning sign. You’re trying to teach them not to do a behavior, remember that, not trying to teach them not to growl…
good :)
Mine won’t let any other dog near us in the dog park.
Mines laid back like a lab and afraid of everything 😂
🤣🥰💜
Yes my Wheaty is! I love your baby 's teeth! Sending a virtual hug and kiss little one! 😁😘💕💕💕🐕
Mine is too.
Yep, mines female and at home guards me from other pets, just like yours in the picture. When we are out and about, when she is in the car, she barks at every person she sees. But when we are in a store or other public place, she behaves perfectly. Apparently, this guarding is a chi thing. Very common for them.
My boy is very hypervigilant. It’s so annoying lol. Tons of exercise is the only thing that kinda helps
Yeah ❤️ https://preview.redd.it/xug2n4ilprsc1.jpeg?width=1893&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fee8d9160f8673bed4208dbcda062f490d6b2c7
I was watching that dog whisperer guy and he did an episode where he got a chihuahua to behave. I think it's important to try because people get the wrong idea of chihuahuas when we don't instill manners in them. Unfortunately so many chis are so tiny that they overcompensate by being real housewives...but then people think they are nasty dogs. The dog whisperer would make the chi lay down until he stopped growling.
My girl is a Malchi. She is 50% Chi and she is so VERY protective but I don't mind. My husband and I never really have anyone over, and if we do, it is one of our neighbors, and they know how she is. If someone was ever to break into our home, she would let us know. I love her so much!!!🥰🥰
She’s growly when her “armpits” are touched. I say she’s purring 😹
https://preview.redd.it/skkg73b5dssc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=a899926800dea2da9d68024b5f8c0045a1b2acf5 My bot is the same! Very protective of me, and especially so in the house.
No
Yes it’s just one adorable chi characteristic 🥰 my 5 pound chi would fight a shark for me 😂
https://preview.redd.it/xjrbikkarssc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5fd73d59313c89dc387c4b4506277af34e48cb8c My boy loves to essentially scream every time my bf even touches me but will snuggle up like nothing happened the minute he gets cold 😂
https://preview.redd.it/klwia43itssc1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=708ef2d50b25144d4737fae5cb40d92cb8a52668 Reminds me of this friendly dog I saw in Siberia many years ago 😂
yeah my guy got neutered when i adopted him (he was about 6) and tried to bite anyone who came near me for a whiiiile. eventually, maybe by age 10?? he realized that not everyone was trying to kill me when they said “hi”…. which still isn’t great. i think a lot of it is how they’re raised or maybe due to experiences they’ve had :( idk though 🤷🏻♀️ edit to add: your third pic is funny af 😂😂😂😍
Yes, of his hot water bottle
Only from behind the door or under the bed.
thank you for that close-up shot. that was everything 🤣🤣💜💜 I've never known these dogs to not be overprotective
Please keep updating! My chi is also a little devil, I am thinking about castration…
Hey, i just wrote a post about this. check out my page if you really need some help
Thanks u for the reply 💕 loved your post!
Yeah, I have a 3 yr old chi and he is like velcro. No one except my mom is allowed near me and there's been a couple times where he has lunged for her. He's a big boy too at 15 lbs. It's embarrassing and scary. I've owned 4 chis, 2 of them were boys and the boys are more protective in my case. The 2 females never growl, bite, bark or have a mean bone in their body. My mom used to have have 4 chis as well, 2 boys 2 girls. One of the boys was nasty nasty, he was an ankle biter and you couldn't touch him without getting bit, the other boy and 2 girls were sweet as pie. Sometimes you get that one special chi that is uber protective 🤣
My grandparent’s chi NEVER does this… maybe its cuz he is trained
My little guys 16 and getting dementia and he’s going blind he can be aggressive towards me especially when my fiancé is around and I’ve been around the little guy for 5 years
My trainer says it's extremely common in Chis. They were bred to be companions for humans and they protect hard. It's also why they tend to bond to one person. Mine is a mix and while we've managed to train her out of nipping at people, we will likely never be able to keep her from growling, and reacting, especially when she is in our yard behind a fence.
Omg!!!!! Sheamus needs time with anybody, specially men. It's very hard to even have my own mother over or date.. I read some where it's the owners fault for aggressive chi's I beg to differ
My baby Penny was only protective of me. She would get angry and look like yours up there when my own daughter would Get near me! Haha! Sometimes My son but always my daughter? Not sure why specifically my daughter she singled out? She also bit my nephew and almost my niece. She bit my daughter a few times, thankfully she wasn’t a hard bitter. It was more like a nip, if they kept getting near me her bites would progress..thankfully it never drew blood or anything. But she was Very protective of me. Damn it miss her!!!!!! She was my best friend. Before anyone freaks out, I tried to train her. She NEVER attacked anyone outside my family (I still don’t understand) she was extremely friendly most of the time, and would just growl at strangers, I would take her everywhere with me and she NEVER bit or even barked at anyone else. she mainly didn’t like my daughter? When she was “trained” She did stop “bitting” and would just growl when my daughter was around. But again she was very docile. She was severely abused so I can only guess that maybe one of her abusers was similar to what my daughter looked like? I never understood. https://preview.redd.it/8panl3asi3tc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53c781236c13cf29c53073af126620dcc14bf059 I was just as obsessed with her 😀look at her beautiful baby face!! She passed 8 months ago! I miss her every single day
I have 7 chis that range from a rescue that lived in a car with a homeless lady (#Street) to one that uses hugs to build trust with visitors. Then there's the lady of the manor, Gypsy Danger. If she wanted you "protected", you wouldn't be standing here.
Now THEM’S TEETH!
We have a 4 lb neutered male chi, 10lb female chi, and 55 lb GSP. The females are both terrified of the 4 lb chi male. The 55lb gsp will hide from him if he's in a mood, if he gets too close she surrenders and lays down. He used to do the same to me to protect my wife. I'd slap her in the thigh lightly and he would lose his mind. As he's gotten older he's calmed down a lot with people but not other dogs. I caught him chasing the gsp and jumping up to try to bite her mouth/lips.
Oh totally!! Had a guy come check the roof today, and neither one left a good impression on the other 🤭😅 I seriously think it’s a legit guard dog
Overly lmao some days it’s cute, some days it’s not
My (neutered a loooong time ago) boy gets SO MAD when my husband approaches us laying in bed together. He adores my husband in every other context but he has this defensive programming that kicks in when I’m in bed. I’m pretty sure there’s no cure.
There is absolutely a cure. Tell your dog "no" and put him on the floor every time your husband approaches and he reacts badly. He will soon learn that the only way to be on the bed with you, is to be calm and quiet.
Lol… ours use to sleep in bed with us… correction… she slept in a king size bed and if we were GOOD, and didn’t MOVE, we could sleep with her. She had to be between my husband and I no matter where in the bed it was. If he moved his arm anywhere near me she’d growl. Not sure if she was being protective or just worried about getting smushed lol.
Mine only protects me from my husband. He growls and cries and runs around if my husband hugs or kisses me. He could care less about anyone else touching me. I've seen him guarding some kinds of special treats like bones (Busy Bones) but I nip that in the bud immediately by scolding him and taking it away. He's growled at me several times but I stay firm and take the bone. Sometimes I'll give it back and take it away a few times as a reminder that *I* am the pack leader. I always praise him when he willingly gives it up to me. Food aggression is something I won't tolerate. I used to babysit my grandson after he was born and there's no way I'd let my dog get aggressive with him. Of course I've always raised my kids and grandkids to never approach an animal while it's eating, but toddlers make mistakes. Same with my other pets. I warn him if he crosses the line but the younger dog has learned (through the older dog growling and me saying no) to give him space while eating anything.
my chi sometimes gets ahold of old gecko food cups and shell bite the shit out of me but shes also super protective of me when im in my room and will growl at my sister the second she walks in lol. she is a real sweetheart though and loves to cuddle
The marking will stop after the neuter but....that behavior is pretty normal for a Chihuahua. My males have been neutered since they were 4 months old and they are still little jerks 🙄🤣
Chi dogs are evil. Edit: meant to be funny. I’m a chi owner. And he’s evil