Hi Everyone,
I'm glad to be a member! I hope to meet alot of new people on this site. At this time, I could use some people to talk to. I have a female Shitzu,named Twinkie, who I love very much. My husband & I got her when she was 7 wks. As a puppy she did the puppy nipping. I checked out a tape on basic training, and have done what it taught me. I am the one who is the leader of the pack around my house. Twinkie is a very dominant dog(now 21/2 years old). The older she gets she seems to take 2 steps forward and 1 step backward.
I told my husband that she needs to go to OB school, but he refuses to do so. Oh! She needs to go to learn how to behave herself. A couple of days ago she attacked me while I was playing with her. She was happy one minute, and with no apparent reason, she attacked me. She broke the skin. She didn't bite hard but she bites when she gets scared. I have been ignoring her, and that seems to make her very unhappy, but tonight,I told her to move. She did not move, so I told her more sternly to move, and she bit my shoe as I was walking through the room. I told my husband that I'm not taking care of her, nor having anything to do with her anymore.
Any advice that could be given Would much be appreciated!

Maybe your dog has PMS lately.....

You say you've done what that obedience tape said, but what exactly is that? And how does your dog respond to it? If you are just now thinking of obedience training then apparently the tape thing din't work. If your dog is acting that way to you, it sounds like she isn't viewing you as such the pack leader anymore. Sounds like she is challenging you a bit, and you did say she is a dominant dog. How do you correct the dog for that type of behavior? You may have been a little too rough when playing, and that can happen. I have done it myself and been bit, yet my dog moves when I say, and she doesn't bite my shoes. Was the shoe on your foot, and did your foot react? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> As far as I am concerned (and that doesn't mean much) you need to tell the dog who is boss, and certainly get the obedience thing down. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Good Luck!

If the dog thinks it is in charge, then it's time to send it to boot camp!.

That means it has to work for everything (eg: obey a command for treats, being let outside in the yard, before meals etc, etc). If you currently allow the dog on the sofa or bed, get it off - pronto!. It sleeps in a crate and not in your room, or on you bed.

Have you read the Dominant Dog section on this site? - it gives you all the information you should need to turn this situation around.

Both you and your husband need to train this dog, so it knows it's position in the house.

Drew,

Sorry to be so long getting back to you. I've been very busy learning to control Twinkie's PMS problems. Actually, it couldn't be that, for she has been spaded. However, she has gotten alot better. My husband and I both have been working with her. He bought a book which taught us alot, besides the reading on this site, that I have been doing.

She bit me because she didn't want to be touched on her paw. Wouldn't you say that is a real problem? I ignored her for a few days because I was so upset with her. I didn't want to bite her back because I figured that would just tell her it is okay to bite.

Since my original post, she has learned to sit when we say sit, what no means, learning to come,(not got that completely got that down yet), any suggestions? Oh! When she makes a squiggly nose and shows her teeth to me or growls at me, I yell NO! She listens, and she gets a treat or praised, such as Good Girl!

She has learned some other things also. I'll tell you about them another time.

Thanks for your help! I'm sure I'll need more of it. Your concern does matter! I need to know other's concerns who know more than I.

Margie

Julie,

Sorry to be so long getting back to you!

Twinkie has been in boot camp, and I have been busy becoming Alpha again. When she bit me, it really made me take a long, hard look at myself. Needless to say, I didn't like what I saw in myself nor my dog.

Twinkie is earning her keep around here. She's busy trying to make a good impression, and that she has on the most part.

Yes, I read theDominant Dog section on this site?
I have also read a whole lot more on this site, over and over!

As for the sleeping in my bed, she does, and she can sit on the sofa that is for everyday use, but not my expensive furniture. She does go in the crate sometimes when she is bad, and she doesn't like that, but she can't get out until she is calm for a few minutes.

Thanks for being there for me! I appreciate your prompt reply! I was fit to be tied when I posted.

Margie

Hi,

good to hear that you are on the way with the training etc. I hope the good work will continue to pay off <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

But, if you continue to let the dog on your bed etc, you are giving it totally the wrong message! (you did say that you had read the Dominant Dog section on this site?).

Also, the crate should really be seen by the dog as it's special place, where it can go and rest, be quiet, have a snooze get away from it all & not be disturbed etc.

I don't send my dogs to their crates for time outs, as they may then see the crate as a bad place. Do you have a small room (bathroom) that you could keep the dog in for a while as a time out instead?.

Both my dogs love their crates and retire to them when they have had enough of things (kids/visitors/eachother/running around/us!)