Thursday, July 05, 2018

Why So Many Chihuahuas Bite


A lot of Chihuahuas bite, due to a triple decker combination of fearfulness (partly due to small size), extreme attachment and possessiveness (due to being carried around all day like hand bags), and almost complete lack of correction (due to owners who are terrified of breaking the dog and who may also believe that all training has to be positive).

How to correct a chihuahua? An e-collar can work, but so too can a wash cloth rolled up with a rubber band around it to hold it together like a little textile log. A dog bonked with a wash cloth will not be harmed, but it will get the message that it better stop that behavior!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Funny. You treat a Chihuahua like the dog it is and socialize well and with great mindfulness, and you end up with a nifty, funny, fantastic little dog. I'm a huge fan of well socialized Chihuahuas and would own one in a hot minute - 40 years of pro pet grooming, and I've been sold. (But the nasty shy-sharp ones are awful!)

Dan said...

Another one that works well is to shout, then hit with a flat cap. It looks and sounds like a horrible threat, and used infrequently tends to work quite well, without actually running any risk of damaging the dog.

Of course, do it too much or worse throw your cap at the terrier, and odds are it'll think it a game and run off with your cap (and kill it into the bargain)...

Karen Carroll said...

One of the best rules for dogs of any size: Be as intolerant and correct bad behavior from a small dog or puppy as you would a large dog.

Jerri Blackman said...

Right on. Didn't know you were a fan of Wilkes. Love his training.