I think we can all agree that Chihuahuas are the cutest dogs in the world. These tiny dogs have won the hearts of millions over the last few thousand years or longer depending on who you ask.
Chihuahuas have a larger than life personality, that often gets them into serious trouble. If you have ever owned one of these dogs or know someone that has, you are probably aware that they can bite.
While their bite can be tiny, it can also really hurt and could cause serious damage! Today we are going to take a deeper look at why Chihuahuas have a tendency to bite and what you can do to curb this annoying habit.
Why Do Chihuahuas Bite?
Chihuahuas just like any dog can bite but these pint sized pooches tend to bite for other reasons than most canines. Because of their size Chihuahuas often feel the need to act larger than they actually are. That old Napoleon Complex.
They will often attack dogs 4 times their size just to show them they mean business. But many times, with proper socialization and discipline this behavior can be corrected.
Previous Abuse or Neglect
Sometimes if a dog has been rescued, she may have been abused in her previous home or not have gotten the proper attention and training.
Personality Disorders
Some Chihuahuas may just be high strung and aggressive. Sometimes it’s due to bad breeding.
Check for Illness
If you have an older dog that is showing signs of aggression, you will need to take them to the vet. Many times an underlying illness will cause your normally well behaved dog to start biting. Only your vet will be able to determine if illness is an issue. Ailments such as arthritis can really make your older dog feel very bad.
Teething
If you have a puppy that is teething, he will bite anything he can get his little teeth on. When he bites you, say “No” or “Ouch” in a firm voice, put him down, give him a chew toy and and walk away.
Give Your Pet the Attention They Need
We have to look at boredom as a reason for biting. When you leave your dog alone for hours with nothing to do, this can lead to acts of aggression. They feel the need to lash out simply because no one is paying them attention.
So make sure to always give them enough attention whenever possible. Also give them toys to play with while not at home and if your dog is overly lonely you might even want to consider getting a second dog. This will give them a playmate and who doesn’t love a multi dog household?
Socialization Is the Key
When it comes to Chihuahuas, socialization should begin very early. Once these canines get set in their ways, behavior is something that is harder to change.
When you bring your new puppy home make sure to start socializing right away. If you have other dogs or pets in the home, make sure to introduce them to your new puppy. This will allow your new dog a chance to realize there is a hierarchy in the home and there will be less bites and happier times.
Also, if you have small children expose them to the new dog slowly but surely. Remember that these dogs are very tiny and fragile, so you will want to always supervise them around tiny tots.
What to Do if Your Chihuahua Bites You
I’m going to tell you what has worked for me. This is to be used on your dog when he is trying to bite you, not on a puppy who is just teething. You may not like a few of these methods but none of them cause any pain to the dog.
When we got Buddy, our American Bulldog/German Shepherd puppy, he had a very aggressive temperament. He was a rescue, only 6 weeks old but we could tell he would be a big dog. He’s now over 80 pounds. It was kind of cute seeing this little fur ball growl at us and try to bite and act like a big tough guy. But I knew it would not be so cute when he was a big scary adult acting that aggressively.
So I asked a trainer I knew what to do. She said to first do what I mentioned earlier, and say “No” in a firm voice, get up and walk away from him. Or set him down away from us. And then ignore him.
If this didn’t work after several days, then we moved on to the second idea. When Buddy would try to bite or growl at us, we would pick him up from under his belly and hold him high above our head until he calmed down. Once he quieted, we would set him down and walk away from him. This second method worked better for us than the first method but the trainer said if it didn’t work, we could try the 3rd method.
The third method is to turn the dog over onto his back and just hold him there until he quiets down. Hold him firmly enough to keep him from getting away, but don’t hold him so tight that you hurt him. Once he settles down and stops growling, trying to nip you and trying to get away, just let him go. This is something dogs do in the wild to show who is the alpha. In your pack, you need to be the alpha, the leader.
We only had to use this third method once or twice with Buddy. I’m happy to say that as an adult, Buddy is not aggressive at all. I’m so glad we nipped the problem in the bud before it became a problem.
Have you had to deal with your Chihuahua trying to bite you or other people? Have you tried anything that has stopped the behavior? Let us know in the comments.
Renate Cassady says
My Tony is 6 month old ! he tries to bite me all the time !
kilosmom says
Is he just teething Renate or is he really trying to bite?
Renate says
HE WAS A YEAR IN SEPTEMBER ! HE IS GOOD MOST THE TIME ! i HAD HIM SINCE HE WAS 6 WEEKS , BUT THEN HE STARTS BITEN ALL OVER SUTTEN !
kilosmom says
Has he any training classes? A good training class might help.
Kelli says
My little chi’s don’t try to bite but I do have a problem with them wanting to nibble on my fingers when they are excited. I notice this especially when I get home. Any suggestions?
kilosmom says
Those are what is called puppy nips Kelli and some dogs do it out of affection and excitement. If it hurts when they do it and you want it to stop, say “No” in a firm voice and walk away from them until they calm down.
Cynthia Waters says
My chi only tries to bite one person, he really hates this person. He won’t get near this person except to try and bite him. When standing away from him he’s constantly growling at him. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
kilosmom says
My advice would be to get this person to start feeding him. It may take awhile though and he will need to take it slow and easy with him. If you want, I can post this question on our facebook page for more ideas for you.
Susan says
I find my dog reacts to my reactions so check your feelings
Cathy says
Good point Susan.
Laura steele says
My little chi girl is 18 mths old and has suddenly started to scream and nip people who go to touch her. She dosnt do this with me or my husband but she does it with my children who are 8 ,13 and 14. Especially my 14 year old who she hates with a passion. She won’t look at him and turns her face away if he is near us. He said If I am out she’s fine and sits on his knee. What can I do. Thanks laura. X
kilosmom says
Many chis do not like kids simply because they make them nervous. Kids being kids are sometimes a little rough and clumsy around them and that scares them. They also usually prefer one person and will throw a fit if someone else wants to touch them. Since she doesn’t do this when you aren’t there, it’s that old “love the one you’re with” thing where she will accept them if that’s all that’s available to her.
You could try “immersion therapy” with your son by having him feed her, take her for a walk, etc. so she sees him as a “provider” and learns to accept him.
If you want me to post your problem on the facebok page, maybe others might have some more ideas of what to do for you.
MELANIE says
I have always had dogs of several breeds all my life from tiny chihuahas to german shepards, right now we have 2 chihuahuas. I have had Max since he was 6 months old and he is now 6 years old and we just recently xrescued a female chihuahua she is also 6 months old, named her MaciJo. Im in no way shape or form trying to sound harsh when I say this, But in my opinion, if your dog is biting only one person, or being off standish around that one person, that person has done something to them to make them act out like that… In our household, if our babies(dogs) dont like you, neither do we. Animals are so very smart, they know when someone is bad and when to let their owners know…
Cathy says
That’s entirely possible Melanie.
Anna says
I have a 3 month old chihuahua and am having issues with biting. Have tried the no, leave it, putting him down and walking away. It works for awhile but then it starts all over again. And his teeth are very sharp. I give him something else to chew on but my self, my husband or anyone is a chew toy to him. Any help would be so great. Thanks. Anna
Cathy says
Anna, is he biting because of teething? I assume so since he is 3 months old. If so, when he goes to bite I would say No, put him in his crate or playpen (playpens are wonderful for young puppies) and put a teething toy in there. Then walk away and stay away for at least 10 minutes.
He’s still a baby so he isn’t going to catch on overnight. It may take months but eventually he will grow out of the teething stage and wanting to chew on everything.
Kelly says
Hi I have a chi Pom mix I’ve had her since she was 5 weeks old and she will be 9 in January when she was a pup and tried to bite me or anyone in my household I would say ouch or ow she would lick me instead and to this day she has never bit anyone and barely bites down on her toys. We just got a new puppy which is an American Bulldog and we are training her the same way and it seems to be working on her too. I never yell it just say it in a quiet or normal voice.
Cathy says
I’m glad that worked for you Kelly. Mine have all needed a stronger voice to get the message.
julie holt says
my chi is almost 3 and he gets aggresive when we go to leave he bites us barks and growles he also is aggresive when we take him with us in the car when one of us gets out of the car he bites we only take him if one of us goes somewhere he dont act that way
Cathy says
Yeah I think your little guy thinks he’s the alpha dog and he’s trying to force you to do what he wants.
Mary R says
My 1 year old chi was rescued from a very abusive situation. Some kids were using her as a football, throwing her back and forth, even drop kicking her. As a result she doesn’t like to be held in my arms, she will growl the whole time and when I put her down, she tries to bite me. Then she spins in a circle several times and bites her own foot. She also doesn’t like to be touched, especially the head, where she had several stitches. She always gives a warning growl, so I speak in a calming voice, telling her no until she stops growling. But if one of my other dogs bumps her while they are playing, it sends her into her growling spinning cycle. Otherwise she is a very sweet dog. She is friendly with people but I have to warm them not to pet her because she will try to bite. I love her and would like to help her be more calm and to not bite, but I am not sure if I am going about it the right way. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.
Cathy says
It sounds like you are doing the right thing Mary. It’s just going to take time and some of those behaviors may never change because of all the abuse she endured.
She’s a pretty girl.
Would you like for me to ask about this on the facebook page to maybe get some more ideas for you?
Carol Cross says
Our biting started off as play cute when she was little but now she very possessive if every one of her toys so when i reach for one to engage her in play she goes. Into her attack mode. Now i have to give her a firm no and slowly get it away then play with her with it. I have to warn friends what she may do and keep my eyes on her cuz you cant predict how she is with others. My mom used to tease her like she was ging to take her toy get her all growly til mom got bit so mom let up on the teasing. Otherwise she is the most l9ving sweet chi ive ever had my constant shadow.
Cathy says
It sounds like you are doing the right things Carol.
Heather says
Hi. My chi is 4 years old. Her name is chi chi. She bites and growls all the time, even me and everyone else in the house. She also will bit anyone who comes over. She will come over and cuddle with you, act like she wants your attention and then she bites. I can’t cut her nails, put a collar or leash on her, or tick and flea medicine without her biting. I have had her since she was 12 weeks old. She nipped a bit as a puppy but nothing like she is now. I love her to death but I don’t know what to do with her. Help please.
Cathy says
Chi chi is being a bully and trying to show everyone she is the Alpha by biting to get her way.
This is going to be a hard behavior to change but it can be done. You will probably need a dog behaviorist to help. There should be a few in your area but if not, here’s a good one that will work with you online: https://landmarkbehaviour.com/services
Debbie Johnson says
I own several chihuahuas never ever had an issue with biting
Cathy says
You’re lucky Debbie. Many people have issues with biting.
Jessica says
We’ve adopted an 11 year old chihuahua after her elderly owner passed away. She has settled in well with our dachshund and golden retriever. However, she is very protective of me. When I am petting our golden retriever she will try to get between us and has actually bit her to get her away from me. She does not do this with the dachshund. How do I correct this? When she first came into our home she was terrified of the golden and would charge her anytime she came close. Now she primarily gnores the golden unless I am petting her.
Cathy says
She has established herself as the alpha and she is telling your Golden that you are her property. When she starts that, I would immediately tell her no and put her down and ignore her for 5 minutes or so. Or if she attacks the other dog, tell her no, pick her up and put her somewhere else for 10 minutes, like a playpen or another room will she will not have access to you.