Q:  I've had Duke, my 2 year-old Chihuahua, for almost his whole life. Duke is only nice to me, my mom and dad. He hates my brother, almost every stranger and dogs as well. He will either bark, start growling, and even snap if someone tries to pet him or he will get scared, urinate, and run away. If I try putting a leash on him, he will not budge. He will stay completely still and if I try to pull on the leash, he is dead weight. Finally, when I take him to the clinic to get his nails done, they have to put a muzzle on him and he gets so scared that he urinates and defecates. I don't understand why he's like this. My vet says Duke just needs to be trained. I'm supposed to take him to the dog park with a friend's Pomeranian. I'm not sure if this is a good idea. 

A:  While many Chihuahuas (and other small dogs) are a bit skittish, Duke's fears and reactions are extreme: strangers scare him, going to the clinic obviously terrifies him, and he's probably afraid of other dogs as well. The reason he barks at them is to drive them away. Being leashed might be scary all by itself, or perhaps he reacts the way he does because being leashed predicts going outside into the big world — a frightening place, full of dogs and strangers.

Unfortunately, Duke's behaviors are typical of an undersocialized dog. Young puppies, below the age of about 12 weeks, are primed to learn about all the "normal things" in the world. In general, whatever an average puppy encounters in a pleasant way when he or she is young, he will probably take in stride later on. Those "normal things" include all kinds of people, sounds, other animals, nail clipping, brushing, the different surfaces a dog might walk on, the experience of riding in a car, on a bus, in a train ... you name it! A well-socialized dog not only becomes comfortable with everyday situations, she even learns the general lesson "New things aren't scary." You see, the critical developmental window slams shut between the ages of 3 and 4 months. Most often, puppies who don't get pleasant, varied life experiences before that time grow up into fearful, defensive dogs. Worse yet, it is rarely if ever possible to undo the damage, though some exceptionally resilient dogs improve substantially.

"Training" is really not Duke's problem; you can teach Duke to heel, sit, and stay till you're blue in the face, but it won't resolve this kind of fearfulness. To help you improve Duke's behavior and help him be happier in the world, please consult either a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or a veterinarian who, although not board certified, has a special interest in behavior. The veterinarian may prescribe medication to help alleviate Duke's fear so that he is able to learn new responses to at least some people and situations. A skillful trainer can help prepare a program of behavior modification and work with you and the veterinarian to carry it out.

Meanwhile, it's important not to put Duke into situations that frighten him and lead him to act defensive and to growl or snap. Don't allow strangers to pat or even to approach him. Rather, people should sit or stand quietly, ignoring Duke, and allow him to explore at his own pace. It would be best if they didn't talk to him, look at him, or try to touch him — your behaviorist and the trainer working with you can teach you to recognize when Duke is ready for more.

Duke should not go to the dog park, unless two conditions are met: (1) you already know he is friendly to dogs off leash; (2) the dog park has a separate play area for small dogs. Even a confident small dog may be at risk in play with larger dogs, and a dog like Duke is likely to find the dog park overwhelming. If you know a quiet-mannered small dog who gets along well with pretty much every dog he or she meets, you could try a one-on-one introduction in a fenced yard, with Duke off leash and the other dog on leash until you can see Duke is perfectly happy and comfortable. But if Duke can't relax with the other dog, don't push it — get advice from the veterinary behaviorist and trainer first.

I wish you all the best as you work to help your dog.
 

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