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Bad Dog Behavior
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Begin by listing the behaviors your dog shows, watching what they do (or don't do) in different situations.
Here's an example: I left my dogs home while I visited a neighbor, and came back to a mess — to me, that was bad dog behavior.
Later I realized it was a mild case of Separation Anxiety. Trust me, at the time it didn't feel mild!
What you may discover is that the behaviors you see aren't "bad dog behaviors" at all, but simply a natural progression of behaviors.
I'll admit I had been a lazy dog owner, even though I felt I was loving them. They needed a "pack" leader.
Does your dog have a pack leader? Is it you?
How to Become Leader of the Pack
Begin with "becoming alpha". Every dog needs a leader to show him right from wrong, just as children do; without one they drift aimlessly with no direction and tend to become very insecure.
Make it clear that you are Alpha and that each human member of your household is Alpha too.
It's important here to reassure your dog that he holds a secure place within your family "pack" (this is the bonding part).
Then move on to Basic Obedience Training. Obedience training is essential for dogs, and I found it especially true for Chihuahuas. Once the basics are done, it's time to keep building on the training.
Correcting Dog Behavior Problems
You need to set your priorities — these were mine:
- House Training was #1
- Stop or control the aggression with the other dogs in our house as well as elsewhere
- Keep them from jumping on everyone
- Get the Excessive Barking under control
With my 6 dogs — each an individual, even though 4 share the same breed — I needed help fast and plenty of it. I hunted down every resource I could to make our home run smoother, and not just turn it into a canine training camp.
