Chihuahuas are small dogs, but they are well known for being aggressive sometimes. Some of these dogs might even bite your family members, or some of your guests. How should you react if this happens? How to punish a Chihuahua for biting?
If your Chihuahua has bitten you, or anyone else, this is definitely not good. But this shouldn’t be dealt with by yelling at the dog or hitting it – you should definitely not do this.
This type of punishment can cause fear in your Chihuahua, which can make it even more aggressive. There are better ways to let your Chihuahua know that this should not be done.
Continue reading this text to find out what are the appropriate ways to punish a Chihuahua for biting.
How To Punish A Chihuahua For Biting?
The nibbling of your little Chihuahua at the very beginning can even be charming – your puppy will explore the world around him by nibbling from an early age.
However, as the dog grows up, biting can become a habit and become its usual behavior. This is by no means good and you need to let the dog know as soon as possible that biting is not allowed.
Therefore, you should know some important steps to punish your Chihuahua for biting.
1. Let the Dog Know It Did Something Bad
Since many Chihuahuas might be aggressive, these dogs’ owners should be prepared to deal with such behavior.
If your Chihuahua bites you, you should moan immediately afterwards. It can be any loud exclamation to let your Chihuahua know that she has gone too far.
Also, make a strict facial exit, and after your Chihuahua has stopped biting you, turn your back on her and ignore her for a few minutes.
Your ignoring and not showing attention for just a few minutes will seem like a very long time to your dog. If you also leave the room, it will be more than clear to the dog that it did something wrong.
What a Chihuahua, like any other dog, wants most is to always have the attention of its owner. If you do this several times in a row (whenever you notice that your Chihuahua has started biting you), the punishment method will begin to show results most likely after a week or two.
With this method, you will let your Chihuahua know that any activity, usually her favorite one such as playing, will end as soon as she starts biting.
2. Point Out The Consequences Of Biting
In order for the dog to learn to distinguish desirable from undesirable behavior, it is necessary to point out exactly what is expected of him. When your Chihuahua bites you, turn your hand (or any other place where it bit you) towards it, and say: Don’t do that! Bad dog!
You should say this in a low, firm tone. This is the best way to keep the dog’s attention and concentrate on your words. If you use a high-pitched tone or shout at the dog, this will most likely be a form of negative reinforcement for your Chihuahua.
The key to properly punishing a Chihuahua for biting is to do it at the right time – that is, right when the dog actually did it.
3. Rewards Deprivation
I bet your dog’s favorite treats and toys are your favorite ally in the process of training your Chihuahua. Well, just like you use this method for rewarding your dog, you can also use it to socialize your aggressive dog.
Withholding your dog’s favorite treat for a short period of time will let it know that biting is not allowed and that this behavior will only earn it the absence of his favorite treat or toy.
We all like to see the happy faces of our dogs when we reward them, but it is very important that every dog owner puts the discipline of their furry pet first. When your Chihuahua starts to show desirable behavior, it will be time to reward her again!
Why Chihuahuas Bite?
Before figuring out the best way to punish a Chihuahua for biting, you should know all the main reasons why dogs bite.
Chihuahuas nowadays are mostly bred for companionship, but this does not mean that all of these dogs will be perfect family dogs. Many Chihuahuas will show aggression, including biting.
Sometimes biting might be a form of play for your Chihuahua; in many other cases, however, biting is a form of destructive behavior.
Many dogs will bite their family members out of excitement, in the middle of one of their favorite activities. Some Chihuahuas may be sick or have an injury on their body; if you accidentally touch them in a painful place, they might bite you out of defense.
Chihuahuas are quite territorial, so if a person touches their toys or food bowl, they might also bite them.
What is also important to mention is the small dog syndrome, which many Chihuahuas have. This implies situations where a dog as small as a Chihuahua is unaware of its size, and may show a tendency to even attack much larger and stronger dogs.
So, there are many reasons why a Chihuahua might bite, and it is important for every dog owner to find out what is causing this behavior in their dog before starting to correct it.
My Chihuahua Won’t Stop Biting: What Should I Do?
Chihuahuas are charming dogs, but, let’s be honest – in some ways, Chihuahuas could also be the worst dogs possible. These dogs can be territorial, aggressive, stubborn, and hard to train.
A biting Chihuahua will be a problem for all dog owners. So, if you have tried all punishment methods, but nothing seems to be working for your Chihuahua puppy, don’t despair, since there is still something you can do.
You can contact a professional dog behaviorist; a person that will know to correct behaviors even in most demanding dogs!
And, don’t give up on your Chihuahua; this dog still has plenty of time to become well-behaved and obedient.
Conclusion
So, what is the final verdict on the subject of how to punish a Chihuahua for biting?
Well, first of all, Chihuahua owners should by no means yell or physically punish their dogs. Dogs are very sensitive and this could permanently damage the owner’s relationship with its furry pet.
A Chihuahua that bites needs to be made aware that this behavior is not acceptable, and this should be done in such a way that the owner stops giving attention to his Chi at the moment the dog bites.
Also, owners should make sure that the dog realizes what he has done is wrong and unacceptable.
Although a Chihuahua’s bite may seem harmless, especially when this pooch is compared to some much larger dogs, the biting is certainly not acceptable. You don’t want to have a Chihuahua that attacks and bites every guest that comes to your home!
Therefore, the best way is to start correcting this behavior while the puppy is still very young. Every dog, especially territorial and stubborn dogs like the Chihuahua, needs boundaries and rules so as not to create a false image of who is the real boss in the house.