It's a simple blood test for the thyroid to rule out anything physical. But now from what you are explaining, it sounds like he wants you at the end of the pack. If that is the case, then I would start with basic training which is putting him on a leash and walking him around the living or where ever you have a lot of room and then put him into the sit-stay and walk backwards, then the come, then the down. Eventually get him to roll over submissively once he is in the down position. Try not to pick him up for everything but rather to follow you on one word commands. The walking around the room and other commands helps to establish your dominance over him. When you feed him, make him sit in front of his dish and not touch it for a minute, until you release him with 'okay'. Before you go to take him from some one, use his name and say come, then reach in to take him. That way he learns to know what to expect as you approach him.
If that doesn't work after a couple of weeks, then the ignore and reward method may not be for him. You may have to do the submit method. That is when he does growl at you and you reprimand with a sharp NO, or say close your mouth, or No bite, and he still doesn't listen, you may have to grab him quick and force him on his back and hold him there until he calms down. During that time, you say nothing and don't look at his eyes with a direct stare or he will interpret that as a challenge. Once he clams down then it's 'good boy time' and fun belly rubs. Peggy -------Original Message------- From: Susanne Defoe Date: 07/02/13 15:45:19 To: Chihuahuas@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Curmudgeon I do put belly bands on him when I can't be home to watch him because he does still mark in the house occasionally. He will growl at me and allow my husband or daughter to pick him up. If I go to pick him up and he growls/snaps I will just ignore the behavior and he will quickly quit it and be fine. I could ask the vet about thyroid. If he is on my husband's lap and I approach he will growl which is a version of resource guarding? He is not food motivated which makes it difficult. Sue On Tue, Jul 2, 2013 at 3:33 PM, Peggy & The Girls <phr...@optimum.net> wrote: Could also be a thyroid problem too. They have found that many an aggressive dog had a thyroid problem and once medicated it stopped. Dogs that want dominance usually don't all of a sudden not want to be picked up. Is he favoring one particular person in the family? Does he get upset if he is with his favorite person and then someone else tries to pick him up to take him away from his favorite person? If you think it is dominance, then try to assess what happened just before you went to pick him up, and figure out why he got grumpy. If he is that good at holding it in, then why does he need belly bands? Peggy -------Original Message------- From: Susanne Defoe Date: 07/02/13 15:19:49 To: Chihuahuas@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Curmudgeon Elmer was in to the vet mid-May. Lungs sounded clear and he was not retaining fluid. I am a nurse and I do not think he is retaining fluid now either. Is not coughing and has had same patterns of eliminating. He is able to hold his urine easily when he is in bed with us. He does not show any indication of having to urinate frequently. I can have him checked out by our vet again but it seems more like a dominance issue? Sue
