Tony G.

i was on the computer this morning and i heard her growl and bark really lowd, so i ran to the gate and found her chasing off a GIANT neighborhood cat. She ran back inside and started yelping and rolling on the carpet and i checked her face and she had a minor scratch on her face by her left eye. I was so scared. She wasn't opening her eye. I rinsed my finger and began giving her a massage on her face. poor baby she's really scared..

Amanda

As long as it didn't scrath the eye, she'ss be fine. Put Triple Antibiotic on the cut to help it heal faster.

Tony G.

its not likeopen or anything, she just lost a little fur.. are all chihuahuas always aggressive? I think its because she's getting older and she didn't have babies. Could that be possible?

Amanda

Don't believe that myth of dogs needs pups. That's bull.
IMO, I personally cannot stand chihuahuas. All I've ever met are aggressive ones, but I'm not a fan of small dogs to begin with. Is she spayed?? That plays a big role in aggression.

Beth1965

You didnt see it, so its possible the cat started the issue.
My dogs are a riot, they chase feral cats, as soon as the cat stops, the dogs run away.
Hope Daisy is okay
Beth

Tony G.

nope, the vet told us not to. She has a heart condition, putting her through sedation could kill her. When she was about 1 she was getting her rabies booster shot and another( i dont remember the two were together) and she fainted, she had heart failiure(stroke) and they had to revive her and everything. So she's very very weak in that matter. Thats why our vet told us not to spay her.

Amanda

Ah, well then you have to take into account that unspayed/neutered pets are ususally more aggressive. If she is having aggression problems & you are worried about it harming a person, I would seriously consider behavior training. IMO it's good for every dog to go through training no matter what.

Tony G.

She used to be very sweet to everyone, now she's like evil It depends on the person. She is mostly nice to the friends i bring over, but when i bring a girl she barks like crazy! I guess she's a little flirt haha

Amanda

As a dog matures, the personality may change. If she's showing aggression towards anyone, I would get her in training ASAP. If she ends up biting someone, that could be a very expensive lawsuit for you.

Tony G.

true... thanks!

prairielilly

umm, it's normal for a dog to bark at a cat, and it's also normal for the cat to scratch and hiss when confronted with a barking dog...if all else is well, let's not jump to (extreme) conclusions here...

Amanda

Tony also then mentioned that the dog is showing some aggression to people.
I know that's normal, I have a Pit Bull and 13 cats. But wouldn't you rather take some action to avoid an incident rather than have a thousand dollar lawsuit?

Beth1965

HAHAHA A thousand dollars? You can get sued for looking at the dog the wrong way for a thouand dollars.

Amanda

Beth, I'm not trying to argue. I'm trying to make a point.
I'm sorry that the amount of money that I was making up doesn't fit the situation.

Beth1965

Amanda, Sorry you took offense. All I meant to say was that if a dog hurts a person, the owner could lose more than his house.
Beth

Tony G.

umm i meant aggressive as in barks alot and runs away when a stranger is trying to pick her up.

prairielilly

There are many cases where canine aggression can become a scary thing, and intervention in the form of training as a preventative measure is warranted and forward-thinking. However, based on what I read here, I disagree that this is one of those times - I don't get the impression whatsoever that this little dog is vicious and/or dangerous, and simply don't want to unnecessarily scare Tony, who knows his dog's behaviour the best.

Amanda

I understand where you are coming from.
I said, that IMO, ALL dogs benefit from training. That's just my experience from working at a humane society for 7 yrs., and a Vets for an additional 3 yrs.