Forgot to add, try not to show any fear of being bit by her, or she will
pick up on your fear and use it against you. Also, her closing her eyes is
not fear, but she is listening to you, and that tells me she does want to
have your affection. Talk to her when she is in the crate, and tell her she
is a good girl as much as you can, when you are not doing the training
sessions. When she does go back to her crate at the end of a session, tell
her she is a good girl too. Just so you know, I feel so very bad for her
too. Such a shame that she is so afraid of nothing. I also think that it is
wonderful that you adopted her and are willing to take on the challenge of
rehabilitating her, because the shelter would probably have had to put her
down, since the average person does not want a nasty chi.
Peggy
-------Original Message-------
From: Peggy & The Girls
Date: 2/24/2012 2:07:36 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] RANDI-PEACHES
Hi Randi,
I changed the subject line and would prefer it you could just keep using
this thread, so I can keep track of everything. It isn't necessary for you
to copy and paste my responses/questions in between your answers, please
just reply in the usual manner. I would appreciate that very much.
Okay, feeding a normal dog in the crate is the correct thing to do. I am not
sure what pee parers are unless you meant to type pee papers. But you didn't
say where these papers are, so I think you mean in the crate? Well, we we
get to the housebreaking part after we get her over her fear of people. One
step at a time.
Training her fear:
There is really three method's to help a dog like Peaches, I think the
slower approach will be better for her to start with. If no improvement is
made within the first couple of days, then we will try the other method. Her
fear of people, could be just that she is a nervous chi coming from bad
breeding, or it could be that she was cage bound for months on end with no
attention, or it could also be combined with abuse. Or there is something
physically bothering her. No way of knowing for sure.
First
I understand that you have the cage on a table for warmth, just in general,
dogs don't like to have their den up high, as it makes them feel insecure,
and at this point Peaches feels insecure enough, so if there is anyway that
you can put the cage on the floor, I would do that. If it is an open wire
cage then you can put blankets over it and just leave the front uncovered so
they can see you. Plus extra blankets inside the cage will also help to keep
out drafts and keep them warm. T-shirts and sweaters will also provide extra
warmth.
The living is a good place for them to get use to all the activity and
sounds that are going on. Start by putting M&M in another room during the
training session.
Leave the cage door open. Pick a quiet time, TV is low/or off, and no kids
running in and out etc. Pick a time just before it's feeding time. You may
want to block off the room to contain her for the first couple of days of
doing this:
Sit on the floor, at a distant from the cage but not totally facing the cage
door. You kind of want to watch her from the corner of your eye. Have her
bowl of food at a distant from the cage, and about an arms length from you,
so that she sees the dish. Sit and read or work on your lap top, or whatever
you want to do. Plan on being there for atleast an hour the first couple of
times for the first day. Do not talk to Peaches, you want to act very
relaxed and don't make eye contact. You want her to eventually become
curious enough that she wants to eat and knowing that you aren't going to
grab her or say anything to her. You are probably going to have to do that a
couple of times a day (I am assuming that you feed them both twice per day
as Chis need 2-3 small feedings per day to avoid a drop in there sugar) and
for a couple days, until she appears to be eating comfortably being that
close to you. The odds are after she eats, she will want to run and hide in
her cage. She may also want to walk around and explore the room, which is
what you want. She needs to explore and smell to help her get over her fear
of her environment. She needs to know that you are not going to interfere
while she is doing that and that she has the freedom to go back to her den
when she chooses.
Now if she doesn't come out of her cage after half an hour, then move the
dish to the front of her cage allowing enough room that she has to have
her full body out of the cage to reach the dish. You stay at the same
distance. The next feeding move the dish a little further away from the cage
and the next day again move the dish further away from the cage. Keep doing
that as eventually the dish will become closer and closer to you. But the
important part is that she must think that you are ignoring her, so no
talking and no sudden gestures. It is best if you are the only one in the
room when you start this. This method has worked with feral dogs, and
usually around the third day, you will see her becoming more and more
relaxed. Then she will come over to you and smell you out, but will be on
guard and still afraid. When she gets to this point, again still do not
confront her, but let her do her own thing. If she should stop some where
along the way and mess on the floor, don't say anything and don't move, just
ignore it until after the session and she walks back to her den, then clean
it up.
Let me know as much in detail as you can how each session goes, because
there are varibles for each dog's needs. Taking her to a training class
to get over her fear outside of her new home is not advisable, it will only
heighten her fears and she is not ready for that by a long shot. Besides for
any of those classes the dog has to be leashed and you have to be able to
handle the dog. Peaches does not have the typical socializing problem,
hers is much more deep rooted then those classes can deal with. She has to
get to know and trust you first before she can be socialized to others and
other dogs in a group session.
Having a good trainer come to your home that doesn't believe in a force
method could help, if after a week you feel you and or your hubby can't do
this on your own. Just so you know, I use to train the large breed aggessive
dogs. I would only use a force method on a dog if everything else fails.
A chi thrives on human interaction and in my opinion it doesn't make a
difference how nasty the dog is, they can't live without love and once they
get a taste of it, they are yours. It's good that M&M is a sweetie, because
believe me, Peaches is watching every single interaction that you have with
her and analyzing it. So M&M will be a great teacher, even if you don't see
the results right away, be assured that Peaches is very much aware
of your good intentions, but her fear is the only thing preventing her from
joining in.
I am very curious about one thing though, didn't the shelter list her sex on
her cage card , or even look at her to determine it?
You mentioned that you had them to the Vet, again didn't he check her out
and tell you what sex she is?
Also am curious when you had them to the Vet, did he check her teeth out?
If a dog is in pain, as in bad teeth that hurt, or something else is
bothering her then they can also be aggressive.
Another thing is that a shelter is required by law to give a dog a rabies
shot before releasing it, and some require dogs to be spayed/neutered before
releasing them, all of which would have given several people the opportunity
to check what the heck sex he/she is.
Just a heads up....when ever you adopt a dog from a shelter a full Vet
examine should be done and not by the shelter Vet Tec. They should have
their teeth examine, and a full blood test done, especially if spay/neuter
has to be done. This will give you an idea if anything is wrong and what to
expect from the dog. If Peaches is an in tact male, aggression is bound to
be more constant. They both will need the Booster shot and a KC shot and
Parvo shot is a must, it is way to risky not to have the first shots done,
again they will probably towel Peaches to hold her long enough to
give her the shot and can also determine her sex and see if she is spayed or
neutered. Ever consider the possibility that if she is an unspayed female
she could also possibly be pregnant and that could also cause fear, anxiety,
and aggression. So a real good Vet exam is so important.
Good luck and I hope you try this and keep posting daily.
Peggy
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
She eats in the crate. I put M&M in another crate so I'm sure each one is
getting their fair share. I'm feeding blu Buffalo small bites twice a day.
She won't move from the side of the crate till my hand is out and the door
is closed. As long as the door is closed she will come to her dish while I'm
standing there.
I just let her go to the bathroom on the pee parers cause my biggest fear is
she'll bite and get lose then we'll scare her more chasing her down. She
will close her eyes when you talk to her. I think she's just scared and
maybe the other dog was socialized either before these guys had her or she's
just so sweet they paid more attention to her. And I'm really leaving her
alone but talking to her cause I thought it was best not to put pressure on
her. You can't even get near her to put a finger on her without her
charging you. Thanks for helping. If I can't do this there is a training
daycare in the next town that can probably get her socialized. She also runs
a dog rescue.
Randi
Randi, I am going to write to you and explain a method that you can use, but
can't do it right now. Will send it to you later. In the meantime, are you
feeding Peaches in the crate or some where else in the room?
Does she come to you for food, or do you have to leave the dish down and
walk away so that she eats, or will she eat right in front of you?
I need to understand this little girl a little more, and understand more
of exactly what you guys have been doing as far as feeding and what and how
have you been doing to housebreak her since you are giving me the
impression that you can't get near her. Can you get a leash on her?
Peggy
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
The vet said she has a scar so probably is spayed and I can't get close
enough to the other to see what sex Peaches is! My guess female
Great the vet said she's around 2. Peaches looks about the same age.
We have them on a table off the ground for warmth and they're in a 3'X2'
cage I wanted to keep them in a safe yet secure place till I can react with
both of them. It's in the livingroom so they can see us all the time. She
goes to the farthest end of the cage and just looks at you and if you crowd
her she shows her teeth. She does bite cause she nailed my husband when he
tried to put her in the cage. We had to tip it just to let her slide in.
And she bit the girl at the shelter. When I hold M&M and sit on the couch
which is close to the pen she'll go in her bed and watch us and when I talk
to her she'll close her eyes.
We picked them up on Monday so only four days Thanks again.
Randi
Are they neutered and spayed? I will try to help you, tell me what Peaches
does when he sees you walking toward him. What does he do if you reach your
hand out to him? Just explain as much as you can about him. How long have
you had him now?
Peggy
-------Original Message-------
From: Randi Grennan
Date: 2/23/2012 7:53:49 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Chihuahuas] here they are [1 Attachment]
The brown one I call peaches and the cream one M&M which is short for mini
Molly cause she's the spitten image of my Molly who died last year at 17.
M&M is sweet as can be but Peaches you can't touch cause he'll eat you up.
He gets sorta close but that's it. Anyone know of a website to handle this.
Right now I leave her alone
Randi
