I've been looking for the right chihuahua for ever,and I went to the humane Society and found a 2 year old chihuahua and she is soo cute I fell in love with her the moment I saw her...but she was abused very,very badly and when you go to pick her up she darts off in the opposite Direction...and this one lady said that she bites every one...but she has rever bit me,and yesterday,I went to drop off the adoption Application...and heaven "the chihuahua" let me pick her up,hold her and pet.When I was holding her she was falling asleep in my arms,and that one lady came again and said heaven never lets anyone hold her,and that it was meant to be...I love heaven...she is perfect.
so do you think that if i give her ALOT of TLC she'll be like a normal dog again,any answer is highly appreciated.
thank you,thank you (10 pionts)
rescue member2009-06-16T12:19:23Z
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Yes, if you are patient and let the dog come to you on her terms, not if you insist on grabbing and cuddling her.
I've rehabilitated many abused dogs, they need to learn to trust at their own rate. Sometimes they get over their fears in a few days, sometimes it takes months. In one case it was years, but I adopted her and she is fine now too.
Make very sure you have the patience and mindset to be willing to work with this dog - let her come to you, do not grab her. Hand feeding her is a great way to start, so she will come to you and realize that YOU are the source of good things.
You will also need to socialize this dog with other people, so plan on that. Get a good book on dog behavior, it will help.
I hope you do adopt her, sounds as if she is due a break, poor little thing. Just be sure you have the patience for it.
It sounds like you and she may be in tune with each other. The other possibility is that some times kennel workers can be a little gruff with dogs because they have been desensitized by working in their field. She may have been responding to handling that she didn't like. Your disposition might be more suitable for her.
Either way, congratulations on the new addition to you family. If you don't know much about dog behavior, I highly recommend reading some of Patricia McConnells books. She focuses on creating a positive relationship with people and dogs, she's easy to read and a lot of her books are short. I'd include the link but last time I did that someone reported me for abuse. She pops right up if you put her name in the search engine. One book that is awesome is, "How to be the leader of the pack and have your dog love you for it" and another is, "The other end of the leash"
In my experience, chihuahuas pick the people they like. The foster chihuahua I have right now LOVES the gal at the shelter, and HATES the guy. Neither one has ever mistreated her, thats just the way she feels.
Me, she likes (she has to, I feed her), but she doesnt love me. :o) When we go to Petco for the adoption fair, she is always thrilled to see the other gal.
I would say this chihuahua has picked you. :o)
Be calm, and dont encourage any antisocial behavior by picking her up and comforting her when she is frightened. Reward her when she is brave and well behaved.
And do not (as someone else recommended) grab her and force her to interact with people. Tell them to ignore her, and let her approach them at her own pace.
If she bites, tell her NO, and poke her in the shoulder with your finger if she does not listen. Thats all it takes to get through to most small dogs.
Yes i have an abused dog,(chihuahua) that had her tail broke in 3 places,thrown against the wall 3 different times and verbally abused.The husband was on meth, the dog belonged to the wife.The dog will not forget what happened,but did come around after 6 months of being loved and taken care of.
Abused dogs are usually very very skiddish. What it seems like is your little Heaven seems to like you better then others X3 What I suggest, trying feeding her by hand, have her see who is filling her food bowl and who is putting her toys and treats around the house. Also, avoid leashes, chains, and outdoor activities other then going to the bathroom for a little while, so she can take some time to get used to you, and other people who you might live with first. After a while she may get used to the area around her, and start taking her for walks, have her meet other dogs... ect. She sounds like she's already used to you X3