# Another post about aggressive growling/snapping



## LoveMyDogs (Dec 14, 2005)

Wow, there are a lot of these today. Biscuit, my little sweetheart of a pup, has suddenly started growling and snapping! It's been going on about 2 days now and I've been trying to curb his behavior by acting like the 'mama dog'~ when he does it I shake him by the scruff of the neck (gently, so not to hurt him) and growl and tell him "no bite" or "no growl". He really doesn't like the kids to try to touch him. We have a rule that the kids aren't allowed to grab or pick him up~ only pat with an open hand. My youngest has tried to grab him a few times, while I am right there holding him, and since she's only 1 1/2 years old I am having a harder time getting through to her that the puppy does not like to be grabbed. So now I am trying to keep Biscuit away from her completely, which I don't know is the right solution but I don't want her to get snapped at and I don't want Biscuit to get hurt (he does NOT like to be grabbed~ I think she must have tried to grab him too hard). My 3 year old can pet him but he doesn't even like her to get too close, even though she's always been gentle with him. He has even been growling and snapping at my husband! (and yesterday, ME! who he is most attached to.)

Yesterday I took him in to the vet for a checkup and shots booster (he's 11 weeks old as of tomorrow). I talked to her about my concerns, which she saw first hand. She came into the room and was commenting about how cute he is, and then he bit her! He growled long after he got his shot and even snapped at me while I was holding him. Her advice was to start flipping him on his back while I'm sitting down holding him~ that this is a very submissive position and will help him learn he is not dominant. I've been doing that since yesterday and at first he viciously growled at me but that's stopped. My vet seemed to be suggesting I consider rehoming him because of my kids and that he's showing aggressiveness~ she even told me she has a client who has a female chi who is looking for a male. :roll: I think she means well, but still~ I'm NOT ready to rehome my chi. I want to work with him and I hope this is just a stage he is going through, trying to learn boundaries and testing to see where his stand is in the 'pack'. 

Since we got him 3 weeks ago we've worked a lot on socializing him. We've had lots of people over and introduced him, we've tugged on his ears/tail gently to get him used to being handled. I've been very careful to watch him around the kids and separate them if the kids are too excited around him (they LOVE him and sometimes both want to try to hold him, which as I said before is a no-no). I hate having to constantly worry he is going to snap at them or they are going to grab him before I can stop it, but I know that's what I chose to do when I got a chi. It's just harder than I thought it would be~ I thought by getting a puppy it would grow up with my kids and want to be around them. Instead he really only wants to be around me. I do wish I had researched more about breeders~ I knew the questions to ask but I should have found a breeder who had a waiting list, registered parents, and who acted like they were interviewing ME~ instead I got one through the paper, who seemed to be a good breeder but now I think was more like a backyard breeder. I love my little guy, but I wonder if this temperament issue is due to his breeding. I'm really hoping he will grow out of it~ my husband thinks if he gets meaner despite us working with him then we should rehome him and not have a chi at all~ get a child-friendly breed like a beagle instead (or another golden). I realllllly don't want to do that, so we are going to work with him and also neuter him as soon as possible to see if that will help. He's already 4.8 lbs. (at 11 weeks!) so I think he'll be big enough to get neutered around 4 months~ what do you think? And any other words of wisdom?

Thanks! sorry I rambled so long.


----------



## Mexibeach (Oct 20, 2005)

Your pup is still very young. I think you have to train and be consistent. If you let him get away with something even once the correcting will take longer. Have you considered crate training? Crates are a great place for a "time-out" so to speak, a good place for pup to go if there are too many people around poking and prodding at him and a great place for them to feel safe. Good luck, I hope things work out for you.


----------



## LoveMyDogs (Dec 14, 2005)

Mexibeach said:


> Your pup is still very young. I think you have to train and be consistent. If you let him get away with something even once the correcting will take longer. Have you considered crate training? Crates are a great place for a "time-out" so to speak, a good place for pup to go if there are too many people around poking and prodding at him and a great place for them to feel safe. Good luck, I hope things work out for you.


Yes, he has a crate that he sleeps in or goes in if he is naughty. I think he also likes going in there when he's worn out from playing with my other dogs!


----------



## dlambertz (Nov 13, 2005)

sorry i couldn't take the time to read your entire post as i am in the middle of getting lunch on the table.. 

you need to be the alpha dog here and let that little biscuit know you are the top dog and his behavior is unacceptable. we use the enough command a lot here. our zoey thinks when you walk your toes are fair game to put under attack. it was getting very annoying and she was becoming much more aggressive in her attacks. a very firm enough and a quick grab has quickly put a curb to her foot fetish.
darla


----------



## Mexibeach (Oct 20, 2005)

Yes, those types of commands are what I meant by training. Another trick I use is to spray Piña with a water bottle; she hates that and immediately corrects her bahaviour.


----------



## LoveMyDogs (Dec 14, 2005)

Oh, I will definitely try the water bottle! I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!


----------

