My Chow mix bit me. :(
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My Chow mix bit me. :(
Hello. My name is Erika, and I rescued a Golden Chow from the streets about 8 months ago. I think she is around 10 m to a yr now. She has been fixed, and had all her shots. She has been a little cuddlebug so far, but tonight when I tried to scoop her up to get a bath she snapped and bit me. It scared the crap out of me. I put the muzzle on her for a few min, and told her that was bad. My uncle had a pure bread chow that was amazing when it was young. He was great with kids and an all around good dog. Then one day he snapped and no one could get near him except my uncle. We were all afraid of him as he would bite at everyone. My uncle ended up having to give him to someone who had a yard. I don't want my Lucy to become aggressive. She had more of a Golden temperament when I first brought her home, but after what happened tonight I am worried that she will snap like my Uncle's dog did. I need advice on how to change this behavior. I did some research and more than a few ppl said the muzzle was what they used, and positive reinforcement after the muzzle. I just want my sweetiepie to stay sweet. I need training on how to be a better doggie mommie. My greyhound rescue is easy... she is naturally docile. Any advice someone can give me would be greatly appreciated. I want my Lucy to be a happy dog that I am not afraid of. She had snapped at me 3 times tonight. Could it maybe be that it's storming outside and she is nervous.? Thanks in advance for you help. e
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
It may have been a combination of fear and not wanting a bath. If you put yourself in her place and imagine just coping with something you are really scared of then someone comes along and scoops you up.....you need to concentrate completely on what your scared of so the other thing is more than you can cope with. I would go back to basics with her. Look up NILF (Nothing In Life is Free) on here and start doing some full on training with her.
You may need to check her gently all over to see she hasn't got any sore bits or bruises which might have set her off and if not then work up to a bath next time. Make it pleasurable. Take her in the room and give her a favourite reward. Get her in the bath/shower and more rewards and "good girl". Dont wash her the first time keep getting her nearer and rewarding and letting her go when you are ready. When you do let her leave make a command like "off you go" so she knows she stays till you say that. That way she slowly builds up a different memory to the one where she bit you.
If in doubt get a GOOD behaviourist who understands chows. Any force or threat will make her worse. It must always be positive reinforcement with chows.
You may need to check her gently all over to see she hasn't got any sore bits or bruises which might have set her off and if not then work up to a bath next time. Make it pleasurable. Take her in the room and give her a favourite reward. Get her in the bath/shower and more rewards and "good girl". Dont wash her the first time keep getting her nearer and rewarding and letting her go when you are ready. When you do let her leave make a command like "off you go" so she knows she stays till you say that. That way she slowly builds up a different memory to the one where she bit you.
If in doubt get a GOOD behaviourist who understands chows. Any force or threat will make her worse. It must always be positive reinforcement with chows.
Siriol, Bramble, Izzie and Isla.
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Hello Erika, my training method with all my dogs (9 dogs, four of them rescue dogs, one Chow) over the years is a combination of positive re-enforcement and punishment. I know the word punishment in combination with dog training has become a taboo, but let me explain, because biting the owner is far over the top what can be called acceptable behavior, even if the dog exeriences discomfort or mild pain, biting is not an option.
Here how it goes: the outmost important thing is be calm when you address the dog, meaning be prepared for the bad behavior, don't become emotional (angry or afraid). If the dog snaps you address him with a loud sharp tone can be anything from "stop" to "out" or "hey" whatever, just one silble loud and sharp. At the same time you "bite" him back.
Use you your five fingertips of one hand and push him significantly (fast and with power), so it feels like a bite of another dog. All this has to come as an immediate reaction to the snapping. You react like an alpha dog would, you bark once a bite back.
Now if he calms and become submissive you stop right there and go into ignoring, no contact whatsorever.
You leave and don't allow him to come close to you. give the stay command, send him to his spleeping place or whatever else you normally do to demand space from your dog.
After a couple of minutes you call him, reward and behave normal. He should be calm and submissive by then.
This all works if the dog only challenges your leadership. It will be distastrous if you are not the leader. He will snap again the moment you try to "bite" him and prepares for fight.
If that happens, stop right there and start with establishing leadership as many dog experts teach. As you might guess my guru is Cesar Milan. But there are others and different methods. You have to address the leadership issue !!! otherwise the rebelling will continue.
If you don't want to risk to be bitten again: check the following:
Is the dog trying to block your way, is he trying to stop you from leaving, is he food aggressive (can you remove food from him), is he jumping at you when you come back. Each one of them is a sign that the dog thinks he is the leader.
Actually Simba snapped once at me when he was four month old. But he only challenged me. After I correct him he apologised by licking my hand, since then we're best of buddies, case closed. But leadership needs to be re-enforced every day. You own the space, the food, you walk ahead of him when you go for a walk and once you come back.
I don't believe in muzzles to correct behavioral issues. Muzzle is needed in severe cases to protect the owner until leadership has been established, it has to come off as soon as the ranking has been sorted out.
Good luck. Stay calm, be assertive, become a leader for your dog, before you become affectionate.
Here how it goes: the outmost important thing is be calm when you address the dog, meaning be prepared for the bad behavior, don't become emotional (angry or afraid). If the dog snaps you address him with a loud sharp tone can be anything from "stop" to "out" or "hey" whatever, just one silble loud and sharp. At the same time you "bite" him back.
Use you your five fingertips of one hand and push him significantly (fast and with power), so it feels like a bite of another dog. All this has to come as an immediate reaction to the snapping. You react like an alpha dog would, you bark once a bite back.
Now if he calms and become submissive you stop right there and go into ignoring, no contact whatsorever.
You leave and don't allow him to come close to you. give the stay command, send him to his spleeping place or whatever else you normally do to demand space from your dog.
After a couple of minutes you call him, reward and behave normal. He should be calm and submissive by then.
This all works if the dog only challenges your leadership. It will be distastrous if you are not the leader. He will snap again the moment you try to "bite" him and prepares for fight.
If that happens, stop right there and start with establishing leadership as many dog experts teach. As you might guess my guru is Cesar Milan. But there are others and different methods. You have to address the leadership issue !!! otherwise the rebelling will continue.
If you don't want to risk to be bitten again: check the following:
Is the dog trying to block your way, is he trying to stop you from leaving, is he food aggressive (can you remove food from him), is he jumping at you when you come back. Each one of them is a sign that the dog thinks he is the leader.
Actually Simba snapped once at me when he was four month old. But he only challenged me. After I correct him he apologised by licking my hand, since then we're best of buddies, case closed. But leadership needs to be re-enforced every day. You own the space, the food, you walk ahead of him when you go for a walk and once you come back.
I don't believe in muzzles to correct behavioral issues. Muzzle is needed in severe cases to protect the owner until leadership has been established, it has to come off as soon as the ranking has been sorted out.
Good luck. Stay calm, be assertive, become a leader for your dog, before you become affectionate.
Best regards
Pinoy51
Pinoy51
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Victory
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
First of all no dog just "snaps" that is a myth. Some have neurological conditions that can cause them to seem like that snap, some have physiological problems, but there is ALWAYS a reason.
You rescued her from the streets you said at 10 months to a year of age; do you have any idea of how long se was on the streets? This is important to consider, my Darkwind was rescued from the streets at 2 years of age, he was afraid of three things for the rest of his life, 1. crossiing the street, I worked with him on this until he would at least walk across, not scuttle across nearly on his belly as fast as possible. It was heartbreaking to see my normally lovely and calm chow boy, terrified of crossing the street. 2. large vehicles, especially large dark trucks, he would almost run from them, and 3. thunder and ligtening, they also terrified him. He had been scared by exposure to these things while living on the streets. He never became aggressive with me about them, but then I never tried to push him into anything, even when walking down the street, and he shied from them, I was patient with him, not demanding. The thing with chows is that their instincts are more active than a lot of other breeds. This means that when they learn something is dangerous to them, or painful, they remember it...forever. What an owner of a chow rescue has to learn is to look for these fears and work through them gently, you have to re-train them that whatever it is is NOT going to hurt them. In the case of storms this can be tricky because the sound of the thunder can cause physical pain, it hurts their ears. Therefore the thing to do with a storm fearful chow is to give them a quiet safe place to wait it out, I've found that dark, comfy places where the sound is muted are good. I even get quiet myself, listening to some music and reading for a bit. By being calm myself I foster a sense of safety. Trying to cuddle, or soothe may make it worse, but just being calm, (which is a leader thing) helps them see that all is okay. My Firesong was a study in this, when she came to me she was terrified of a bag or leaf blowing across the street, and I kid you not on this. By just ignoring her fear, walking past these things as if they were normal and safe, (which they were of course) she learned to do the same, now unless it's a squirel or other critter she ignores things on the street.
Leadership is not just about setting and enforcing rules it is also about providing a sense of security and safety.
You rescued her from the streets you said at 10 months to a year of age; do you have any idea of how long se was on the streets? This is important to consider, my Darkwind was rescued from the streets at 2 years of age, he was afraid of three things for the rest of his life, 1. crossiing the street, I worked with him on this until he would at least walk across, not scuttle across nearly on his belly as fast as possible. It was heartbreaking to see my normally lovely and calm chow boy, terrified of crossing the street. 2. large vehicles, especially large dark trucks, he would almost run from them, and 3. thunder and ligtening, they also terrified him. He had been scared by exposure to these things while living on the streets. He never became aggressive with me about them, but then I never tried to push him into anything, even when walking down the street, and he shied from them, I was patient with him, not demanding. The thing with chows is that their instincts are more active than a lot of other breeds. This means that when they learn something is dangerous to them, or painful, they remember it...forever. What an owner of a chow rescue has to learn is to look for these fears and work through them gently, you have to re-train them that whatever it is is NOT going to hurt them. In the case of storms this can be tricky because the sound of the thunder can cause physical pain, it hurts their ears. Therefore the thing to do with a storm fearful chow is to give them a quiet safe place to wait it out, I've found that dark, comfy places where the sound is muted are good. I even get quiet myself, listening to some music and reading for a bit. By being calm myself I foster a sense of safety. Trying to cuddle, or soothe may make it worse, but just being calm, (which is a leader thing) helps them see that all is okay. My Firesong was a study in this, when she came to me she was terrified of a bag or leaf blowing across the street, and I kid you not on this. By just ignoring her fear, walking past these things as if they were normal and safe, (which they were of course) she learned to do the same, now unless it's a squirel or other critter she ignores things on the street.
Leadership is not just about setting and enforcing rules it is also about providing a sense of security and safety.
Victory, Darkwind, (our angel), Firesong, and Dreamdancer
Thank you SweetPea!
Thank you SweetPea!
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Rory's Dad
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
i agree with the post that stated a bite is never appropriate. but to get beyond that you need to determine what caused that reaction. getting your dog settled into routines is important. whether is was being picked up or the imminent bath, or a combination of both...it has to be figured out. And then work on a positive reinforcement to change the behavior.
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
No offense but that sounds like a slap to me....Chows do not respond well to ANY physical "punishment"Pinoy51 wrote:At the same time you "bite" him back.
Use you your five fingertips of one hand and push him significantly (fast and with power), so it feels like a bite of another dog. .
Positive reinforcement!
*Chowmomma*
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Hi Chowmomma,
Could be interpreted like you did. But it is far from being a slap, you just push your fingertips with enough force that he feels them very clearly. And remember this is in response to a snap or a bite, and for nothing else. You don't use that as a standard discipline tool. And as I said, you also don't use that to establish leadership, but to sustain it in rare cases. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it here due to the risk of misunderstanding, but I really want to get a bit away from that stigma that you can't touch a dog to sustain your leadership position. You can and you should, but with calmness. This in no way like the emotinal anger, frustration or fear reactions, usually being executed by mislead humans, directly or with the leash. I'm hearing Chows are not responding well to physical guidance. Simba does extremly well. And isn't it a physical reaction if you "hang" behind a non-listening Chow using the leash to prevent him from dragging you down the road ? A short touch snaps him out of whatever he plans to do, much better than "stop", "stay", "come here" commands, which Simba takes like a welcome interruption to train his listening skills.
But it doesn't prevent him from continuing what he did before the listening practise. My body language, with short sounds and physical touch after this has been ignored too, changes his behaviour in the way I want it.
I even direct him now off leash with short pushes, again this a gentle touch not a slap or push but clear in intention.
I hardly talk to Simba when I want him to follow, I only talk when I show affection. In this way he can easily differentiate play from discipline. Works very well even now he becomes an adult. Started to lift his leg, when doing his business
Could be interpreted like you did. But it is far from being a slap, you just push your fingertips with enough force that he feels them very clearly. And remember this is in response to a snap or a bite, and for nothing else. You don't use that as a standard discipline tool. And as I said, you also don't use that to establish leadership, but to sustain it in rare cases. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it here due to the risk of misunderstanding, but I really want to get a bit away from that stigma that you can't touch a dog to sustain your leadership position. You can and you should, but with calmness. This in no way like the emotinal anger, frustration or fear reactions, usually being executed by mislead humans, directly or with the leash. I'm hearing Chows are not responding well to physical guidance. Simba does extremly well. And isn't it a physical reaction if you "hang" behind a non-listening Chow using the leash to prevent him from dragging you down the road ? A short touch snaps him out of whatever he plans to do, much better than "stop", "stay", "come here" commands, which Simba takes like a welcome interruption to train his listening skills.
But it doesn't prevent him from continuing what he did before the listening practise. My body language, with short sounds and physical touch after this has been ignored too, changes his behaviour in the way I want it.
I even direct him now off leash with short pushes, again this a gentle touch not a slap or push but clear in intention.
I hardly talk to Simba when I want him to follow, I only talk when I show affection. In this way he can easily differentiate play from discipline. Works very well even now he becomes an adult. Started to lift his leg, when doing his business
Best regards
Pinoy51
Pinoy51
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Pinoy51- this method absolutely changes the thought process at the time. Very rarely do we have to apply this, but it definitely snaps Matilda out of the particular situation. Believe me when i say this Matilda is all hugs and kisses 99% of the time, it's the 1% of the time she act's like she doesn't hear you and her thought is blow it out your a## it's my way that we apply this. It can be for her safety as well as ours.
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
"...tonight when I tried to scoop her up to get a bath she snapped and bit me. It scared the crap out of me."
I actually read that she is about a year old now, and was rescued at around 4 months old. In any case, you likely startled her and she reacted.
I have a 2 year old rescue that was living with minimal human contact at the time of his rescue a year ago. He is afraid of a good many things. When I got him, I put a harness on him with a back ring, meaning the leash clips on between his shoulder blades. Occasionally when I put the leash on, he does not know what is tugging at his back and he will air snap in fear. He had occasion to do that to my neck/face area (totally my fault) when I was trying to move him from behind. The second he realized it was me he simply left a fair amount of slobber. It was a lesson in proper handling of any canine.
Next time, approach from the front, no 'scooping'. Be confident in handling her, and consider it a lesson learned. I think you will be fine with her. By the by, you did not mention, but did she break skin? Did she stop suddenly when she realized it was you in her mouth?
I actually read that she is about a year old now, and was rescued at around 4 months old. In any case, you likely startled her and she reacted.
I have a 2 year old rescue that was living with minimal human contact at the time of his rescue a year ago. He is afraid of a good many things. When I got him, I put a harness on him with a back ring, meaning the leash clips on between his shoulder blades. Occasionally when I put the leash on, he does not know what is tugging at his back and he will air snap in fear. He had occasion to do that to my neck/face area (totally my fault) when I was trying to move him from behind. The second he realized it was me he simply left a fair amount of slobber. It was a lesson in proper handling of any canine.
Next time, approach from the front, no 'scooping'. Be confident in handling her, and consider it a lesson learned. I think you will be fine with her. By the by, you did not mention, but did she break skin? Did she stop suddenly when she realized it was you in her mouth?
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Rory's Dad
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Nice post Auddy, i hadnt thought of that. Anyone that approaches a chow should remember the lack of peripheral vision. Always approach from the front and under the chin. Anything from behind or back of the eyes and over the head can surprise them.
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Agree with Rory's Dad, approachIng from behind could be an explanation too.
Best regards
Pinoy51
Pinoy51
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NanouetJon
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
I use Pinoy51's technique of being the Alpha of the house. It works fantastic. It made sense that once I stopped thinking like a human and thought about how my chows talk to me and how could I talk to them in a way they understood. The best characteristic about a chow is the ability to think, sometimes can be confused with being stubborn.
Throw a ball three times and they retrieve no problem. The fourth time they just stare at you. Stubborn or just decided that this is no longer interesting?
The technique of leadership becomes the most important during a time that our chow is insecure or scared. If they feel they have to solve their own problem, they have three choices, fight, freeze or flight. Since my chow sees me as his leader, then he knows I will protect and secure him.
We had a situation where there was some children in the house and they were playing around Marru and soon the voice pitches were high and energy was ramping as kids do. I was about to pull Marru out of the area when she froze. Looked around and saw me, bolted to me and sat at my feet. She became insecure and went to her leader. I calm the kids and took Marru outside with me. All was well. if she had used flight it would have been ok, but learned that she does not trust kids. If she had decided she had to calm them, it could have been bad. A situation I was very glad I knew I was the leader and she knew it too.
If you have to lift your chow into a tub, this is a good time to make this a practiced command. Or else this could become a confrontation and test of wills each time. Make sure your chow is healthy and you aren't grabbing a hotspot or anything. Practice picking them up and putting them down, reward with praise and maybe a cookie now and then. Practice scooping in different areas. It will not always be in bathroom.
Maddoxx runs when he sees me preparing a bath. But I stand central in the house with his leash and lead him into the bathroom. Leash means serious time. He runs away but only so far as to peek around a corner to see if I am serious. Once I click the leash attachment he comes to me.
One last comment. You have to be the leader. Internally and externally. Stand tall, speak with authority. If you have to take 5 mins to prepare mentally , DO it! Your chow knows when you are tired, sick, happy and scared. If you head into the bathroom and are expecting a fight, they will deliver what you expect. Know that your chow will behave, know you have practiced the scoop, know this is going to go well, know who is the boss and your chow will take his role as your best friend.
Good luck.
Throw a ball three times and they retrieve no problem. The fourth time they just stare at you. Stubborn or just decided that this is no longer interesting?
The technique of leadership becomes the most important during a time that our chow is insecure or scared. If they feel they have to solve their own problem, they have three choices, fight, freeze or flight. Since my chow sees me as his leader, then he knows I will protect and secure him.
We had a situation where there was some children in the house and they were playing around Marru and soon the voice pitches were high and energy was ramping as kids do. I was about to pull Marru out of the area when she froze. Looked around and saw me, bolted to me and sat at my feet. She became insecure and went to her leader. I calm the kids and took Marru outside with me. All was well. if she had used flight it would have been ok, but learned that she does not trust kids. If she had decided she had to calm them, it could have been bad. A situation I was very glad I knew I was the leader and she knew it too.
If you have to lift your chow into a tub, this is a good time to make this a practiced command. Or else this could become a confrontation and test of wills each time. Make sure your chow is healthy and you aren't grabbing a hotspot or anything. Practice picking them up and putting them down, reward with praise and maybe a cookie now and then. Practice scooping in different areas. It will not always be in bathroom.
Maddoxx runs when he sees me preparing a bath. But I stand central in the house with his leash and lead him into the bathroom. Leash means serious time. He runs away but only so far as to peek around a corner to see if I am serious. Once I click the leash attachment he comes to me.
One last comment. You have to be the leader. Internally and externally. Stand tall, speak with authority. If you have to take 5 mins to prepare mentally , DO it! Your chow knows when you are tired, sick, happy and scared. If you head into the bathroom and are expecting a fight, they will deliver what you expect. Know that your chow will behave, know you have practiced the scoop, know this is going to go well, know who is the boss and your chow will take his role as your best friend.
Good luck.
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Ursa's daddy
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
I agree with NanouetJon. You do have to be the leader. Your dog has to trust you. I always try to speak or make a noise when approaching my two, so they know I am there. As several others have noted, you need to find out why the dog bit you. Dogs do not randomly bite. They bite in response to some action that THEY perceive would require a bite response. We can get into a lot of dog psychology, but...... You have to be the recognized leader, if not, then there is a lot of training for you and the dog that will be necessary. If your dog recognizes you as the leader, then a good guess is that the dog reacted out of surprise, fear, or pain, or some other reason, and did not understand the situation.
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Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Most people have different ways of dealing with a dog that bite back as you can see from all the posts here.
Dont be afraid of your dog. He will think twice before biting again if you have reacted in an alpha way. If not, he's gonna try your patience again. This time you have to have a ready reaction. Chows really dont need to be hit but sometimes it could help them not to do it again. But that kind of treatment can easily get out of hand. I hope you can figure out how to deal with him in a gentle way.
Dont be afraid of your dog. He will think twice before biting again if you have reacted in an alpha way. If not, he's gonna try your patience again. This time you have to have a ready reaction. Chows really dont need to be hit but sometimes it could help them not to do it again. But that kind of treatment can easily get out of hand. I hope you can figure out how to deal with him in a gentle way.
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
This became a very constructive blog. I really hope a lot of chow owners will read it, as it will help them and their companion to understand each other better.
I'm very happy to read the consensus about leadership and calmness to achieve positive results.
I also agree that my method to sustain leadership should only be used by very experienced Chow parents as it can get out of hands easily.
But I like to thank everyone for trying to understand that approach.
This is forum has very mature members, I'm glad to be part of it.
I'm very happy to read the consensus about leadership and calmness to achieve positive results.
I also agree that my method to sustain leadership should only be used by very experienced Chow parents as it can get out of hands easily.
But I like to thank everyone for trying to understand that approach.
This is forum has very mature members, I'm glad to be part of it.
Best regards
Pinoy51
Pinoy51
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Hi Chowmomma:Chowmomma wrote:No offense but that sounds like a slap to me....Chows do not respond well to ANY physical "punishment"Pinoy51 wrote:At the same time you "bite" him back.
Use you your five fingertips of one hand and push him significantly (fast and with power), so it feels like a bite of another dog. .
Positive reinforcement!
*Chowmomma*
I want to respectfully disagree with you. Chows do respond to physical punishment, they just need to understand what that is for. Most chows are very intelligent and they will wrestle in their mind whether they are supposed to follow you or not. But once you are consistent, it will work. No bite meant NO BITE. No exceptions. And Yes, the "bite" thing, it works.
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Simba is now nearly 9 months and I bring him in more and more public places. He is walking very well in his harness.
He reacts to commands and short pulls. I really think is due to the fact that I don't talk to him when it counts but touch. So the "touch" of the harness means something to him now.
But everyone who does that, stay calm, never block, touch or hold down your Chow out of Frustration, Anger, or Fear. The result will be unpredictable. But if you do it as a calm assertive leader it works wonders.
I haven't followed my own rules in one moment a week ago, and Simba reacted to my fearful attempt to block him from reaching to another afraid family member by clamping down on my hand and broke the skin. Nothing major I didn't even needed a band aid, but it hurt and it wasn't playful. This will not happen again, as it reminded me to stay focus in crticial situations. good learning for me and hopefully for some of you as well.
He reacts to commands and short pulls. I really think is due to the fact that I don't talk to him when it counts but touch. So the "touch" of the harness means something to him now.
But everyone who does that, stay calm, never block, touch or hold down your Chow out of Frustration, Anger, or Fear. The result will be unpredictable. But if you do it as a calm assertive leader it works wonders.
I haven't followed my own rules in one moment a week ago, and Simba reacted to my fearful attempt to block him from reaching to another afraid family member by clamping down on my hand and broke the skin. Nothing major I didn't even needed a band aid, but it hurt and it wasn't playful. This will not happen again, as it reminded me to stay focus in crticial situations. good learning for me and hopefully for some of you as well.
Best regards
Pinoy51
Pinoy51
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Pinoy51 Where do are you located here in the Philippines? Your chows look great by the way. The smaller one is really an angel. The big one looks very regal. I like them both. Hope to hear more or your stories.Pinoy51 wrote:Simba is now nearly 9 months and I bring him in more and more public places. He is walking very well in his harness.
He reacts to commands and short pulls. I really think is due to the fact that I don't talk to him when it counts but touch. So the "touch" of the harness means something to him now.
But everyone who does that, stay calm, never block, touch or hold down your Chow out of Frustration, Anger, or Fear. The result will be unpredictable. But if you do it as a calm assertive leader it works wonders.
I haven't followed my own rules in one moment a week ago, and Simba reacted to my fearful attempt to block him from reaching to another afraid family member by clamping down on my hand and broke the skin. Nothing major I didn't even needed a band aid, but it hurt and it wasn't playful. This will not happen again, as it reminded me to stay focus in crticial situations. good learning for me and hopefully for some of you as well.
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Thanks all for the informative and intelligent discussion; this proves that owners are like their dogs 
Urban myth or not, bathing during a storm may be dangerous; your Golden/Chow may have known that.
I do agree with the sudden contact theory as the cause of the dogs reaction.
Urban myth or not, bathing during a storm may be dangerous; your Golden/Chow may have known that.
I do agree with the sudden contact theory as the cause of the dogs reaction.
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kitten1426
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- Posts: 459
- Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:04 am
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
Chowmomma wrote:No offense but that sounds like a slap to me....Chows do not respond well to ANY physical "punishment"Pinoy51 wrote:At the same time you "bite" him back.
Use you your five fingertips of one hand and push him significantly (fast and with power), so it feels like a bite of another dog. .
Positive reinforcement!
*Chowmomma*
Oh they dont???...Ours does...Our Male chow at 7 weeks thought he was the boss we put him into place really fast...He never even thinks of biting/growling at us...I feed him by hand sometimes my hands are in his dish almost every nite mixing his food around so he can grab it...OH and Cesar Milan wont even work with Chows not a person i would look up to...No offense Ive never owned a chow My wife has all her life her family raised and showed them,she has been around them since Birth...To me our Airedale is more likely to snap at us more in Play then defending himself..And you think a chow is stuborn..lol..Own a terrier...lol..Even she says WOW talk about think headed...lol
Our dogs...Kodi Male chow..[Mia Female Chow RB 
]...Bear Male Airedale...Shelby Male Collie...And Moose airedale, New girl chow Merida
]...Bear Male Airedale...Shelby Male Collie...And Moose airedale, New girl chow Merida
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TyChowgirl
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- Rank 2
- Posts: 587
- Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:22 pm
Re: My Chow mix bit me. :(
I had a reply written out and I thought it sent a couple of days ago, but I guess not.
To get back to one of the reasons why OP was bit, I had suggested a different approach. One that worked for me. When Tiberius, my chow was small, I trained him to "hop" in the tub. Not sure how big your tub is clearance wise, or how athletic your chow mix is, but I'm assuming being a golden chow it may have the spring to do this. I worked with Ty to hop in a dry tub on command. Then I would condition in the running water, telling him to stay or wait and proceed with the bath. For a while, we didn't do baths at home because it was easier without having a hosed shower head to take him somewhere else for a do it yourself dog wash. I've since gotten a connector, and he remembers it. Granted, he's much larger now and doesn't particularly want a bath, so I slip lead him to the tub as an extra assurance that I'm still boss and ask him to get in. He still does. This makes it on his terms, puts him in working mode, and there's rarely a "stuggle" to get him in.
As far as Cesar goes, I have my own opinions. I think it's good to glean what you can from people who seem to be able to make things work. I don't approve of all of his methods and agree some you just can't use on a chow. But when I got Ty, at 3 1/2 months I was reading his books and he taught me a lot about dog instinct and nature that made sense. It's kind of like looking at it from a dog perspective and not a human. It helped me a lot about understanding Ty to a degree. It armed me with more knowledge than I had as a kid trying to raise a dog and he's turned out soo much more obedient and more well behaved than the previous dogs I had growing up. I also read any chow book I could get my hands on and so I think applying what I could from Cesar with the to my knowledge I learned about Chows helped a lot. I also watched (because I couldn't find her book locally) Victoria Stillwell. Again, gleaned what I could that may work for my dog if needed. It's all in what you take from it. If you stand back and look at it objectively...besides, it is trial and error learning with your dog on what works with he or she on an individual basis. You learn from each other. What works for you and your chow may not for another. Just a thought.
To get back to one of the reasons why OP was bit, I had suggested a different approach. One that worked for me. When Tiberius, my chow was small, I trained him to "hop" in the tub. Not sure how big your tub is clearance wise, or how athletic your chow mix is, but I'm assuming being a golden chow it may have the spring to do this. I worked with Ty to hop in a dry tub on command. Then I would condition in the running water, telling him to stay or wait and proceed with the bath. For a while, we didn't do baths at home because it was easier without having a hosed shower head to take him somewhere else for a do it yourself dog wash. I've since gotten a connector, and he remembers it. Granted, he's much larger now and doesn't particularly want a bath, so I slip lead him to the tub as an extra assurance that I'm still boss and ask him to get in. He still does. This makes it on his terms, puts him in working mode, and there's rarely a "stuggle" to get him in.
As far as Cesar goes, I have my own opinions. I think it's good to glean what you can from people who seem to be able to make things work. I don't approve of all of his methods and agree some you just can't use on a chow. But when I got Ty, at 3 1/2 months I was reading his books and he taught me a lot about dog instinct and nature that made sense. It's kind of like looking at it from a dog perspective and not a human. It helped me a lot about understanding Ty to a degree. It armed me with more knowledge than I had as a kid trying to raise a dog and he's turned out soo much more obedient and more well behaved than the previous dogs I had growing up. I also read any chow book I could get my hands on and so I think applying what I could from Cesar with the to my knowledge I learned about Chows helped a lot. I also watched (because I couldn't find her book locally) Victoria Stillwell. Again, gleaned what I could that may work for my dog if needed. It's all in what you take from it. If you stand back and look at it objectively...besides, it is trial and error learning with your dog on what works with he or she on an individual basis. You learn from each other. What works for you and your chow may not for another. Just a thought.
