Take That Chihuahua!

[MaggieDog]

So there are these two nasty little chihuahuas on Maggie and I's walk route - they've chased us twice already and their owners just laugh. Maggie does ok, but I can't stand the little buggers breaking up a nice walk. Today the bigger (and louder) one was taking himself for a walk, so i decided to take charge. Picture this:

 

We lock eyes (he's pooping on the neighbor's yard btw), he finishes and starts advancing w/ a bark. I put Maggie behind me and continue the staring contest while growling "Mine!" everytime he looks at Maggie and thinks about barking/growling. He crosses the street and Maggie and I move forward - he starts growling and I whip around (Maggie automatically goes behind me this time), lock eyes again and he suddenly decides I'm not that interesting and he was heading home anyway. LOL He ignored us while he walked home parallel to Maggie and I but on the opposite side of the street.

 

Should be interesting to see how the chihuahua behaves the next time he sees us, but man that was wonderful to finish the walk in peace!

 

Please note - had this been a bigger dog I would never have used such continued threat posturing, but since my dog and I outweigh the little thing by a whole heck of a lot and I had a set of keys to throw if necessary I decided it was a safe bet in this situation.

[OurBoys]

Great thinking!!

 

I wonder how much those airhead owners are going to laugh when they get sued because their dog(s) bite someone?? And of course, it'll be the dog's fault because the owners are to stupid/lazy to train them.

[Guest WoobiesMom]

Please note - had this been a bigger dog I would never have used such continued threat posturing, but since my dog and I outweigh the little thing by a whole heck of a lot and I had a set of keys to throw if necessary I decided it was a safe bet in this situation.

 

Good job! But hey, it probably would have worked if that was all you had to work with and it was a much bigger dog. When the nasty dog came behind Woobs and I on a walk, that confidence, eye contact, and threatening demeanor helped me out alot. Oh, and that big stick I grabbed off the trail as well!

 

Doncha hate idiot owners?

[ShoresDog]

What is it with chihuahuas? All that aggression in such a little body! There are a few around here.... I've often thought that if they were the size of Daisy, i.e., they weighed 35 pounds instead of 3.5 pounds, their behavior would get them arrested!

[OurBoys]

Maybe because of their size they over-compensate?????

[Guest LJS1993]

Those little dogs really annoy me also.

[Beth G]

I agree with you and I've had to do the same thing. Little dogs can be worse than the big ones! Maybe because of the compensation thing due to their size.

[OurBoys]

In all fairness, I grew up with a chihuahua. I don't know if it's because of my age or because there were other kids around but my Princess (that's what I named her) wasn't like that.

 

IMO, the big mistake is....people treat toy dogs like they're dolls. It's like they forget they're dogs. They dress them up in 'costumes' and think it's cute.

 

Bottom line-There is absolutely no reason (or excuse) a chihuahua can't be trained to be a well-mannered pet.

[loudlucky]

Please note - had this been a bigger dog I would never have used such continued threat posturing, but since my dog and I outweigh the little thing by a whole heck of a lot and I had a set of keys to throw if necessary I decided it was a safe bet in this situation.

Great!!!!! I also don't like that little guys (have no prob with them when they're your's but don't tell me to get one and keep 'em away from my walkies!!!

 

I have the same problem when walking our dogs... most of the dogs here are in their yards, but every now and then there's this little poodles (those really lil ones... about a JRT size) and he wants to attack my dogs! I have told the owner and there was also complaints from other ppl but they don't seem to care... he jumps their fence when they're not home and then he can't get back! And that's supposed to be our problem???

 

Anyway I hope you don't have problems again with your little friend(?) LOL maybe he'll stay away from you now ;-)

[Nik]

I agree w/ Brenda...I too also grew up w/ a Chihuahua and he was really the best little dog a person could own. I've often heard that if a Chi was as big as a Dobie then it would be the most ferocious dog on earth because of the "heart" they have.

 

Peppy would chase the neighbors Dobies down the road when they would come over and get into our trash, but otherwise he was fine w/ other dogs. He would bark and bark and bark to alarm us if a visitor drove up and if it was a stranger he had a different bark but wasn't aggressive towards them. As a matter of fact, I can only remember one person that he hated so much we would have to put him away when said person would stop by, but that was only because the person jumped at him out of teasing and damn near scared Peppy to death one time. My friends and I let Peppy tag along w/ us just about wherever we went.

 

I know 20 years ago wasn't very long ago, but never had we heard of dog trainers and such. But on the other hand we certainly didn't dare think of laughing about a dog behaving like the one Erin encountered. Hopefully you got your point across w/ this dog and he won't bother you anymore.

 

P.S. The part about throwing your keys if need be at the dog was hilarious!!

[ShoresDog]

Even if you don't like or agree with Cesar Millan's approach, you have to admit that those Dog Whisperer episodes where he takes on an extremely vicious chihuahua are pretty entertaining! And there have been several. I'm sure he could make a whole season's worth of shows just with hilariously over-the-top aggressive chihuahuas! And invariably the problem is that the chihuahua has been treated as a fashion accessory or cuddly toy rather than as a dog. Those close-ups of the tiny snarling faces!

[painted_ponies]

Good job! But hey, it probably would have worked if that was all you had to work with and it was a much bigger dog. When the nasty dog came behind Woobs and I on a walk, that confidence, eye contact, and threatening demeanor helped me out alot.

 

But you know, twice in the past year or so I've made eye contact with a Rottweiler (two different dogs) and had it respond by leaping towards my face, teeth bared and roaring. And I wasn't even staring - ok, I was looking disapprovingly at the first one, because it was off leash and barking at a little girl on a pony, but the second one I just glanced up and happened to catch his eye. Honest. Has anyone else had this happen? What gives, do you think?

 

**disclaimer - I am not breed-bashing. When it comes to Rotties, I have known some lovely canine ladies and gentlemen, and some real head-cases. It's just coincidence that both these aggressive dogs happened to be Rotties. Back to our regularly scheduled thread. **

 

I like cheeky little dogs, personally. There's a tiny Boston terrier near us who used to run out at Violet as we walked past, which never failed to make Violet nearly wet her pants. Since it's not interested in being a collie chew toy, though, it doesn't do the same when Faith is with me. Violet finally caught on that if she ignored it, it wouldn't pursue her.

[Liz P]

But you know, twice in the past year or so I've made eye contact with a Rottweiler (two different dogs) and had it respond by leaping towards my face, teeth bared and roaring. And I wasn't even staring - ok, I was looking disapprovingly at the first one, because it was off leash and barking at a little girl on a pony, but the second one I just glanced up and happened to catch his eye. Honest. Has anyone else had this happen? What gives, do you think?

 

I spent about 8 months attending appointments at least once a week with Dr. Dodman (vet behaviorist) and not once did I get threatened by a dog. I even wrestled with a fully trained police GSD and got him to submit and sit still for a blood draw. While I was there I saw plenty of other students get threatening growls, stares and snaps. When I asked Dr. Dodman about it he said that some people are just naturally very relaxed and confident around any dog, not matter how dangerous. He said that I am that type of person and that I was born that way. Telling yourself that you are dominant is not even close to the same thing as KNOWING that you are, the body language will give you away every time. (I have been threatened by a few aggressive dogs during my lifetime and my gut reaction was getting majorly POed. I guess dogs pick up on that )

 

Even as a small child I never had a problem with any dog. I can still remember being 4 yrs old and telling my Mom that the rottie who was barking at us was not really aggressive, just saying "Hey, I see you walking along the road in front of house!" I have always been able to read dogs, it was as natural to be as breathing.

 

As to the Chihuahua... I was walking in the park once and a Chi attacked Flyboy, actually grabbed his neck and hug off of him growling and biting. Flyboy thought he was trying to play and got all happy. Silly dog.

 

I have never in my entire life met a Chihuahua that was truly dominant aggressive, they were ALL fear aggressive but some hid it better than others.

[juliepoudrier]

IMO, the big mistake is....people treat toy dogs like they're dolls. It's like they forget they're dogs. They dress them up in 'costumes' and think it's cute.

 

Bottom line-There is absolutely no reason (or excuse) a chihuahua can't be trained to be a well-mannered pet.

Exactly. Because they're little (and chihuahuas certainly aren't the only offenders--I know a lot of Jack Russells and other small breeds that fit this category), the human doesn't bother to train them. They think bad behavior is cute, because it comes in such a tiny package. The result is really a disservice to the dogs, who would be much more enjoyable to have around if the owners would just take the time to teach them some manners.

 

J.

[Guest LJS1993]

I spent about 8 months attending appointments at least once a week with Dr. Dodman (vet behaviorist) and not once did I get threatened by a dog. I even wrestled with a fully trained police GSD and got him to submit and sit still for a blood draw. While I was there I saw plenty of other students get threatening growls, stares and snaps. When I asked Dr. Dodman about it he said that some people are just naturally very relaxed and confident around any dog, not matter how dangerous. He said that I am that type of person and that I was born that way. Telling yourself that you are dominant is not even close to the same thing as KNOWING that you are, the body language will give you away every time. (I have been threatened by a few aggressive dogs during my lifetime and my gut reaction was getting majorly POed. I guess dogs pick up on that )

 

Even as a small child I never had a problem with any dog. I can still remember being 4 yrs old and telling my Mom that the rottie who was barking at us was not really aggressive, just saying "Hey, I see you walking along the road in front of house!" I have always been able to read dogs, it was as natural to be as breathing.

 

As to the Chihuahua... I was walking in the park once and a Chi attacked Flyboy, actually grabbed his neck and hug off of him growling and biting. Flyboy thought he was trying to play and got all happy. Silly dog.

 

I have never in my entire life met a Chihuahua that was truly dominant aggressive, they were ALL fear aggressive but some hid it better than others.

 

Like the Dog Whisperer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Liz P]

Like the Dog Whisperer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ugh. I don't think I want to be compared to him. Some of the stuff he says/does is correct, but some of it is just plain dangerous and cruel.

[OurBoys]

"The result is really a disservice to the dogs, who would be much more enjoyable to have around if the owners would just take the time to teach them some manners."

 

I agree but the owners of these dogs just don't get it. They think, IMO, that because they love them, everyone else is going to.

 

I use to have a next door neighbor who had a Yorkie. Her and her husband came over one afternoon and brought their dog with them. She thought is was funny when her Yorkie snipped and barked at my GS mix and my GS mix cowered. Her husband was better mannered. He picked the Yorkie up and took her back over to their backyard. When he came back and sat down, she politely got up, walked over to their backyard, picked the dog up and carried her back over to our yard. I could not believe her audacity!

[BustopherJones]

Dogs' perspective: Chihuahuas = snack food.

[OurBoys]

Jake's perspective: Yappy dogs = squeaky play toys!

[Catu]

Be careful, a Chihuahua easily can kill a bigger dog.

 

They get stuck in the throat of the bigger dog and choke it to death...

[OurBoys]

Be careful, a Chihuahua easily can kill a bigger dog.

 

They get stuck in the throat of the bigger dog and choke it to death...

 

[Vickkers]

hmmm I guess I got lucky. I took a new route with the dogs a few months ago on our morning (4am) walk. We came across this BIG rottie who came running from the back of his property barking ferociously at us... well it scared the living daylights out of me but I just started "loudly commanding" him in a deep voice to get the hell away from me and leave me alone and kept my dogs behind me (because they were barking in return). He did (surprisingly) stay back and let us continue our walk but I took the loooooong way home and haven't gone back at that time since then (and no, he didn't have an electric fence or he at least wasn't wearing the collar that goes with one).

 

maybe it's a good thing that i didn't look him in the eye but just tried to not show my fear... *shrug*

 

On another note Zena's bestest friend in the whole wide world is this 3lb chihuahua named Karma... nothing is as fun as when Karma comes to play. Except if maybe the kitties will let her play with them.

[painted_ponies]

You know, the technique that actually works best for me is to try to call the dog to me. I think there's some law in my area against fencing in your dog , so I run into a lot of loose dogs who, naturally, run up barking and growling and carrying on.

 

So I respond by bending forward, hands on my knees, head to the side, and saying, in a high-pitched, friendly tone, "why, you must be the guard dog! What a lovely job you're doing! I'm certainly impressed!" or some other similar nonsense. Nice dogs who just feel they should bark at strangers usually respond by smiling and wagging their tails as if to say "why, I am quite a good guard dog, how nice of you to notice." And we all part friends. I'd say 97% of my loose dog encounters fall into this category.

 

Dogs who are kind of bad news, oddly enough, will generally slam on the brakes and look at me as though I've lost my mind. They may continue to snarl and raise a ruckus, but I've never had one come any closer than six feet or so. ETA: Oh, wait, I take that back. Once years ago I had a mixed-breed lab-sized mutt launch himself at me when I tried to make friends. But I was positioned so that I could slam his head between my fist and my upraised knee as he leapt up, so it worked out all right.

 

That's why the two Rottie encounters struck me as so out of the ordinary. Although both occurred in situations where I couldn't use my normal method. The first time I was on my horse - a steady-eddy draft cross, thank goodness, who just looked calmly at the leaping Rottweiler as if to say "you and what army, little fella?" The dog paused to take stock of the situation, and in the meantime his owner showed up to restrain him. The second time I was walking past a boarding kennel run, in which the beastie was housed.