Hi all,

We have a three and a half year old male Chihuahua named Brucie who has a big problem with socialising with both people and other dogs. I have only been in his life for a little over a year (he’s my partner’s dog) and apparently he has been this way since he was a pup and was even a little wary of his brothers and sister. In no way has he ever been mistreated or beaten. My partner has always socialised him with people and dogs but he has always been very nervous.

He is not too bad with people if he is introduced to him slowly and remembers them when they meet again so we don’t have to start from scratch but no amount of socialising him with other dogs is making him better with them.

We have introduced him slowly to many dogs and it doesn’t matter if they are big or small or if they are the calmest of dogs. I can understand how scary huge dogs and people must be for a tiny Chihuahua but it is frustrating that no amount of training and socialising seems to be paying off. We have met other Chihuahuas who are very friendly and brave. Using treats does not help as he is not interested in them when he is frightened.

My partner takes him for walks everyday and spends a great deal of time with him as he works part time.

We are going to my Dad’s for Christmas and he has two toy Poodles. I don’t want to leave Brucie at home while we are out but I’m not quite sure what I’m to do. It’s upsetting me picturing how scared he will be around the Poodles and constantly trying to run away, they are so playful so I know they wont leave Brucie alone.

I'm not sure we can afford to take him to training and getting another dog isn't an option. I'm worried that he will always be this way and it's so upsetting, I would just love to see him playing with other dogs, I feel like he's missing out on so much!

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!! Thanks.

- EJ

Where did your partner get him from originally? Did he meet the dam and or sire and if so what was their temperament like? Do you know wher any of his litter mates are?

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Chis are IMO very-similar to terrierrrists in their basic behavior:
thin-skinned, highly-reactive, often very vocal. A scared terrierrrist is hard to work with, as they react at considerable
distances, making a l-o-o-o-o-ong line of sight for the trigger [other dog, person, the car, vet-office...] imperative.

it's hard to do B-Mod at 50-ft, but that may be where U must begin - At whatever limit that the dog feels
safe, but is AWARE OF the trigger [dog, person...]. The learning-dog must be kept under their threshold:
notice the trigger, but not be reacting [not scared, defensively barking, excited, whatever their reaction].

re the visit, i'd take the dog along -
but i'd also keep him separate from the other dogs, so that he can SEE them but they Cannot Get TO Him.

a soft-sided bag with mesh windows would be ideal - hold it in Ur hand or on Ur lap, & so long as the other dog[s]
are visible or audible, offer him tidbits of small, extremely high-quality treats thru the mesh -

U can cut a slit about an inch long, & REINFORCE the edges with bias-cut binding so the dog can't make it bigger -
adding a small flap & a few lightweight snaps, hand-sewn on, would be the work of a half-hour or less.
[hopefully someone can ply a needle & thread in the house i know it's not a common practice today,
but honestly, if U can sew on a button, U can do this project, too. ]

if he's crate-trained, the bag should be easy to accustom him to; i'd take his crate to sleep in, or for those times
that he cannot go along, so that he feels safe & is in a familiar space. Taking the crate may feel like overkill,
but he'll feel much-safer & sleep more readily in his "portable bedroom".

BTW i strongly recommend shipping AKA airline crates, as opposed to the wire 'show crates'.
as the name implies, they are for "showing off" one's dog; they pin the dog down in space, without any privacy,
& have 5 'wire walls' [roof & sides] which can be approached or penetrated by fingers, etc, plus seen thru visually.

shipping AKA airline crates provide solid walls, slit windows, & a solid roof; i prefer a solid BACK WALL, too,
& i like the slot-windows as opposed to the wire-mesh insert windows, which will rust. That way the dog has
only ONE point of entry to worry about, or defend: the door.


* the BOOK Click to Calm is a very-clear, very well-written DIY manual for B-Mod.
it includes step-by-step written protocols & has no dangerous advice ["face his fears", flood, force...].
it is very safe & highly effective, & much cheaper than a 1-to-1 session with a qualified behaviorist.


i also recommend liberal use of calmatives - there's a list & How-To here:
Pet Forums Community - View Single Post - dog body-language - and why it matters so much...

i'd use a minimum of 3 to start: 1 oral, 1 olfactory, & 1 tactile.
each works thru a different sensory mode, & they will support one another & improve the performance
of whichever is the 'weakest' calmative, greatly enhancing its effect - more 'bang for one's buck'.
EX:
oral: Rescue Remedy liquid as described: AM & PM plus before known stressors;
olfactory: DAP pump-spray, on his collar, the leash just-before clipping it on, the car seat, etc;
tactile: 4-inch-wide Ace bandage worn as a T-touch style body-wrap, in a figure-8 round him.

NOTE:
he should wear the body-wrap at home, during quiet happy times before he wears it around anything
scary or stressful; at least 2 or 3 times each week, he should again wear it at home, to keep the 'safe' feeling
associated with it; otherwise, the very sight of it can become a signal to "get scared", which entirely
defeats the intention.

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

any improvement?


have the calmatives helped?

I kept thinking you were saying terrorists

Try one of these, it's helped with our chihuahua cross.

Thundershirt | The Best Dog Anxiety Treatment

Apparently you can buy them from pets at home. It has worked for my Mal too.

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

But they ARE... Terrierrrists. They are vocal, twitchy, hyperaware of noise & movement, HIGHLY-aggro...

IMO & that of many of my fellow-trainers, as a group, classic Terriers are The Most-Aggro group
of dog-breeds or landraces, as their aggro may be directed or re-directed toward almost any target,
while for EX, an LGB will mostly restrict their aggro toward invading strangers, or threats to the flock, etc;
a highly-aroused Terrier-type will redirect to an entirely-innocent k9-housemate, just to bleed off
their intense arousal.

they will kill pocket-pets or pet-birds just as readily as a mouse in a pantry or a rat in a stable;
they are often barking fruitcakes when visitors arrive, & so fast in their reactions that 'pre-empting'
their kneejerk reflexes is virtually hopeless. Only by very-good habituation & early training
can one expect to keep a peaceful home [relatively speaking ], if U choose to live with a Terrierrrist...

at the same time, they are crackerjack learners, BUT they learn BAD stuff just as fast, if not faster,
than Good behavior; & they are athletic, easy to transport due to their small size, mostly hardy, etc.

They're not what i'd suggest for Novice Dog-Owners, unless they choose a softer version, like Manchesters
[who have some Whippet influence], Rat-terriers or American Hairless [the gene-sport of the Ratties], or another
'kinder, gentler' version than a JRT, Westie, SCOTTY!, Bedlington, & similar breeds.

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007