Need help with my 8 wk old chow chow?

After he has had all his shots, he can go to a puppy training class. It is a lot of fun for you and your dog, and it is well worth all the money and time it takes!

I agree that Purina dog foods are not really the best quality food to feed your pet. There are certainly better ones as others mentioned (Nutro, Wellness, etc). However, a dog won't generally be underweight just because she eats Purina (dull hair, large stools, joint issues, dry skin...yes, but not really weight loss). No mattter which type of food you choose to feed, the amount you feed and the dog's overall health will ultimatly control the dog's weight. I assume you have increased the amount of food she gets? I would recommend a few things: 1. Have your dog checked by a vet, or if money is an issue, check for worms at the very least. Worms will "use" the food your dog needs and keep her from getting all of the calories and nutrients from it. 2. Keep your dog on puppy food until she is at least 18 months old. Puppy food is more dense in nutrients and calories. Big dogs mature slowly and are truly puppies for at least 18-20 months. 3. Slowly increase the amount of food your dog is eating if you have not already. If she is reluctant to eat more you may need to split it into more feedings (For example, three per day instead of two) 4. Consider changing her food to a higher quality one. Visit the vet's or a local groomers / pet specialty shop. They will usually take the time to explain the different food options they sell and help you choose one that will work best for your dog. If you do change her food, do it gradually by mixing a little in with her old food and slowly increasing how much "new food" she gets over a period of 4-6 days. Good Luck!

who started the fight? Are your chow and chihuahua the same sex? It sounds like your chow is having dominance issues. Get him neutered thats will help and seek the help of a good trainer. Make sure they have experience with chows because chows are known to be a bit skeptical.

Are you sure that it was a fight? Puppy play is much more aggressive than human play; they have much tougher skin. Puppies bite each other and such during playful situations. If there was a lot of snarling that could be a sign of something bad. Definitely seek out a trainer; he or she will be able to tell you if this behavior is normal for puppies or if it is aggression.

Get your pup evaluated by a trainer. I know some people who think that their puppies are fighting when it is just that they made alot of noise during play. Now I have had puppies who has had nasty temperaments. As soon as you can, get someone to evaluate. Then you have the option to stick it out with training, or rehome the puppy back to the breeders. If they are good breeders, they will take back the puppy. If its bad temperament I don't want it in your home with your children.

Wow agression at 8 weeks old! If you plan on keeping this dog and being a responsible pet owner I would seek some advice from a professional trainer / behaviour person.

No, it is NOT normal. Aggression is never a normal behavior that should be ignored. Everyone is right. If you are going to keep him, you need to get in touch with a professional dog trainer and nip this problem in the butt. It will only get worse as he gets older. If not, don't give him to just anybody or put him in the pound, give him to a person who will know how to deal with him.

I'm not an expert, but training classes are a great investment. How you researched the chow breed, if not, its never too late. Good luck.

people refer professional trainers but tehy are expensive try enrolling in a training class, you may have traumitized him im not sure if that sounds right?? hes 8 weeks and you toook him to see his brothers?? so you have had he from what age??? and if it was younger then that is the root of the problem the breed tends to be the hell dog of all time but my family raised one that lived till she was 15 and she never growled once she was ther best we socialized her but as i said they tend to be agressive even with training they cling to their family and are very strong guardians of teh children, its just in the breeding of some breeds such as presa canerios cano corsos filas chows just happen to be the akc american version of a dog you can controll but who instintivly protects and loves beyond loves their family they remain to be a aloof breed but training and control are very important

You should get a professional trainer to come to your house to work with him.