# My dog tries to bite me viciously and barks at me for no reason!



## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

I was just walking up to it (and this never happened before so I got a little scared) and my 1 1/2 year old chihuahua who my family just got three or four weeks ago barked at me and tried to run after me but he kept slipping on the wooden floors (idk why he was slipping). And also when I was petting him and he was sitting on the couch, he bit my hand (didn't really crush it between his teeth he almost did) and tried to come after me again.

I didn't do anything to scare him or anything. I'm just worried. He's never like this. He lets us do anything to him like pet him or touch him without him barking or biting us. It's only to me that this has happened. No other family members..


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## TinyStar (Aug 29, 2006)

He may have just decided that he doesn't like you for whatever reason.
Chihuhuas are choosey dogs. They will usually pick one person they like more than anyone else and that will be the person they cling to. Is he particularly friendly with anyone else in your family?


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

He's attached to my sister. lol


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## daisy (Aug 23, 2006)

my jack russ/fiest cross usto do the same to my sister (she was attached to me but loved everyone (but my sis) 1 day i watched the dog wisperer and ther was a dog with a simler problum so i did what he did when she attacked i put her on her side and made my sis stand over her but i think we have a diffront problun

does the dog attack when she is by your sis? if so than dont run away i think i will email my friend and se what she seas (she works with agressave pits and rots and that this should be no prob)


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## daisy (Aug 23, 2006)

o no i just re red and it cannot be that the dog is protecting your sis becouse its only u i will still email my friend becouse now i am stumped unless you want to try to put the dog on its side and stand over it


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## Lorina (Jul 1, 2006)

> you want to try to put the dog on its side and stand over it


Do not do this. You will get bit. Contact a professional trainer or behaviorist. At very least, get the dog in an obedience class and go with her.


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## sheltieluver (Sep 8, 2006)

I'm curious....are there other males in the household besides yourself? How do they react to them?


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## Slashmire (Aug 29, 2006)

Like the other people above, I would say that you have to show who's the boss, even if it's a small little Chihuhua.


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

There are 4 males and 2 females in my family.


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## Lorina (Jul 1, 2006)

You've only had him a few weeks? This could be just part of him testing to see where he fits in with the "pack." My peke was great the first few weeks we had him, but bit once and snapped a few times over the next couple weeks. People I know who are active in rescue said that's very common. The "honeymoon phase" is over, and the dog is trying to see who he can boss around. Let him know you're the boss. You don't need to be mean, you don't need to flip him on his back or any of the dog whisperer stuff. Just be the owner. Be the one who feeds him, takes him for walks, teaches him tricks.


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## TheWriteKind (Sep 11, 2006)

Showing love and affection will help to. I've read some of your other posts Matt and it seems like you really want to be a good owner even though the dog has attached itself to your sister. Be continuous, use sharp NO when he snaps and praise when he is being good.


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

Thank you.


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## TinyStar (Aug 29, 2006)

Very good points  Only reason I asked who the pup was attached to is my grandmother had one and while she liked me and my grandmother, she absolutely hated my grandfather.


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## sheltieluver (Sep 8, 2006)

Lorina has a great point and idea - let him know whose boss first of all and you do not have to be mean about it. Give him treats, fed him, walk him, etc. all the things dogs love and most importantly, give it time and be patient.


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## Sister (Aug 28, 2006)

This dog breed is notorious for being a "one owner" type of dog. I've been bitten by several chihauhaus.


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## Melos (Aug 24, 2006)

I agree with the others here about showing it a lot of affection and reprimanding it when it attacks. Personally, I agree with the pack mentality thing and think you do have to somehow establish your dominance, but not by flinging the dog on its back or anything.


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

He bit me in the face today. The dog is seriosly pissin me off now.

I fed it. I JUST fed it, and i was petting it and it bit me right at my face.
Now my dad is pissed at me because it bit me. <_<


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## sheltieluver (Sep 8, 2006)

Matt,
Sorry about that. I am surprised he did that. Certain situations dogs bite is if they feel trapped or fearful, but this does not sound like either one. Some dogs bite because they have a dominant temperament or become agressive because they are fearful, but other times dogs bite because they are in pain or panicked. 
By the way is your dog neutered?
Dawn


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

yes, my dog is neutered


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

HOWEVER, a second after it bit me, it sat right next to me like nothing happened. A couple of moments ago I petted it, and it sat right next to me _touching_ me. That means it doesn't hate me at all or anything like that, I just don't know what it is!


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## Lorina (Jul 1, 2006)

He wasn't still eating when you were petting him, was he?


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

I'm pretty sure he swallowed, but I can be mistaken.


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## sheltieluver (Sep 8, 2006)

You should be able to give and take away a dog's food without being bitten. This shows signs of leadership. However, in this case, I'm not sure what happened with his food dish, but leave it down until he walks away.


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## doghaireverywhere (Aug 9, 2006)

Acutally, if you practice some dominance training, such as rolling them on their backs, speaking in a low voice, i.e. the so called "dog whisprer" stuff you mentioned, it really helps with egotistical little breeds that are trying to bully their way up in "pack" standing. Just be consistant with it- throughout the whole family and at all times- and not abusive in any way. When he is good, the loving and passive approach is appropriate.


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## ivy_williams (Sep 19, 2006)

i had a chih and she didnt like woman she would try to bite me and any other women that came around come to find out that she was abused by a women so thats why she tried to bite me my vet is a women i took her for a check up and she tried to bite the vet and the vet said the way the dog acted that she was abused i got her from a lady so we think that the lady abused her


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## opokki (May 30, 2006)

Matt L. said:


> I fed it. I JUST fed it, and i was petting it and it bit me right at my face.
> Now my dad is pissed at me because it bit me. <_<


I'm a little confused....were you sitting on the floor petting the dog while he was eating?


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## jzrith (Aug 22, 2006)

I was sitting on the floor, and it finished eating. (I was feeding it bits and bits of one small dog beef jerky) and I'm pretty sure it swallowed). And I petted it,and it bit me on the face. After it bit me, it sat right next to me like nothing happened!


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