Have you ever had the experience of going to the little Chihuahua to give him some affection and he responds to you aggressively? In this place the question arises: why are Chihuahuas so aggressive? It’s the common behavior of this type of dog breed. Right training can help to keep aggressiveness under control.
This guide will help you to find the reasons for Chihuahuas aggressiveness and its solution. So, start reading!
Why are Chihuahuas so Aggressive?
Chihuahuas can be aggressive due to their genetics and because of some health issues. However, they show this attitude often due to lack of socialization, insecurity, and fear.
Before getting more information about Chihuahua’s aggressiveness, let’s first look at Chihuahuas’ history and characteristics. This will help to understand how they develop and which things make them so aggressive.
Chihuahuas History
Chihuahuas are a very ancient dog breed which is bred as a companion to the royal families in Mexico. They have strong personalities, loyalty, and admiration for their owner.
They were considered Tachchi dogs in Mexico. Techichi were used for hunting and protection duties. This boldness and loyalty towards their owner made them aggressive with strangers. So, it’s possible some of these aggressive natures can still remain in the modern Chihuahuas.
But unlike Techchi, Chihuahuas are not dumb, so we have to look at many modern aspects which make Chihuahuas aggressive.
Reasons of Chihuahuas aggression
There are many reasons for Chihuahuas’ aggressiveness given below:
Lack of recognition of dog’s stress signals
Dog’s owner and breeders sometimes cannot recognize dog behavior and communication and fully ignore it. People often encourage bad attitudes in Chihuahuas and don’t take it seriously. They can take it funny and tease the dog to provoke a reaction.
When people ignore a dog’s stress signals, this behavior will naturally reach snarling and even biting. Sometimes only giving a response to a dog’s stress signals can be safe from biting.
Lack of Socializing and Training
The lack of socializing and training can also be a factor of Chihuahuas aggressiveness. Lack of proper socialization and early age 8-16 weeks can cause aggression. If a puppy is not aware of people and situations, then they can be fearful with new environments and songs and can become defensive. This is true for Chihuahuas, because they are naturally suspicious of new environments and people.
Lack of Obedience training
Additionally, Chihuahuas can be aggressive because of improper training. If a dog could not get proper training and reinforcement from an early age, they are unable to behave correctly.
For instance, training them with positive reinforcement rather than scrolling is a good method to Chihuahua Behave well.
Often Don’t get enough exercise
The lack of exercise can also be a reason for Chihuahuas aggression. These dogs are considered lap dogs so it doesn’t mean that they always stay at home. They need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to stay happy, healthy and well behaved.
With insufficient exercise and lack of mental stimulation they can become hyperactive, which can cause nipping and barking.
Medical Conditions
Health related issues can also be one cause of Chihuahuas aggression. They can get aggressive due to physical pain or discomfort coming from health problems. They are commonly prone to dental problems and hypothyroidism.
According to studies hypothyroidism is connected to aggression in dogs. Chihuahuas are small dog breeds so because of their delicate bones they are prone to getting hurt. Many neurological problems like brain tumors and epilepsy can also cause aggressive behavior.
Genetics
Genetics are also the main reason for Chihuahuas aggressiveness. They were considered Tachchi dogs in Mexico. Techichi were known for their bloodlines and used for hunting and protection duties. This bravery and loyalty towards their owner made them aggressive with strangers, and bark excessively. So, it’s possible some of these aggressive natures can still remain in the modern Chihuahuas.
Guard their resources
Resource guarding is also the reason for the aggressiveness of Chihuahuas. This is a genetic issue. This is in dogs who are guard of their food and will catch it if anyone comes close to it. They can also guard their bed, toys, favorite furniture, and their beloved person.
In reality, guarding resources is a sign of anxiety. They are afraid that somebody can take their favorite things so they aggressively defend them.
New environment and people
A change in an environment or people can cause their aggression and mean behavior. Chihuahuas can be depressed with unfamiliar settings or faces. Rapid changes can make them anxious, they need the owner’s calm presence.
Why are Chihuahuas so mean and aggressive to their owners?
Chihuahua are sometimes so mean and aggressive with their owners when they ignore the Chihuahuas stress signals. Owners encourage aggression when they consider it funny. Other reasons can be health issues, lack of training and guarding resources like their food.
How to manage Chihuahua aggression?
The Chihuahuas are naturally aggressive dogs so you cannot remove it completely, but you can limit it potentially aggressive actions.
Socialize from early age
Early socialization is very important for dogs to behave well with other animals and people. Teach them all strangers are not threats.
It is best to start socializing from age 8-16 weeks. This is a fear period where they develop their baseline so teaching them what is scary or what is acceptable to them is very important.
They have this time positive and negative experiences that can greatly affect their future development. Good socializing at this time will make a big difference.
If your dog is old don’t worry you can train them at this stage to be a bit social. But it can take more time and hardwork.
Obedience training
By giving them obedience training you can control the aggression of your dog. If your Chihuahua gives a good response to sit, stop, heel and similar commands then you can control their aggressive behavior.
Chihuahua are stubborn by nature so it’s difficult to train them. But they are intelligent and independent and believe that they know what is best.
Positive reinforcement like rewards, treats can be effective for Chihuahuas to be willing to commit to the training and be firm. It’s better to take help from professional training when you start.
Create a secure environment
Stress and anxiety make Chihuahuas more aggressive. This occurs in those dogs who suffer from separation anxiety, because they are left alone for a long period of time and expect to spend a long time on their own.
Their environment change can cause stress, it can be moving house or bringing a new pet in house. Beware of environmental factors that affect your pup and try to keep them under control of managing their stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
Chihuahuas are cute little dogs but have big divas in little bodies. They can get aggressive when they feel threatened, when anyone comes close to their loving person, genetics, medical conditions, when they see change in environment and people, lack of socializing and when they feel their territory is in danger. These are key traits of Chihuahuas so, this behavior is expected in all purebred Chihuahuas. Right training can help to keep aggressiveness under control.
You can manage this attitude of Chihuahuas by providing them social and obedience training from an early age, curing their medical underlying conditions and creating a secure environment. Regular vet checkups are also very important.
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