BIG Problem... :( Please help!

[camickey]

So this is my big problem.
My ChowChow puppy's name is Mochi. I have him since he was 2.5 months old. When I got him for the first week, he was so quiet that he would just let others carry him but later on he became aggressive. He's nibbling on different things, worst is he would ALWAYS bite us. I don't know what to do anymore. But since he would always bite us, they want him to be in his crate not inside our house. This past few weeks my grandpa bought a crate but it is placed outside of our house. When I will get him out of his crate, he'd get away from me and stay at the very corner of it. AND HE WOULD BITE ME. I tried to slap his mouth or tell him gently that do not bite coz it's bad or bad boy something like that. BUT STILL HE WON'T LISTEN. PLEASE HELP ME. I really need your help. I love him so much. He's my baby. I want us to grow up like friends and that he would listen to me. I really envy those people who has a chow chow who listens to them. I want us to be like that.

He's almost 5 months old now. And I have a problem grooming him, because he would always nibble on the comb/brush. He is beginning not to eat that much. Before when I'd put food for him, he would immediately finish it but now his lunch would not even get in half to be finished. Does daily walking/exercise really important? Sometimes he would be in his crate all day.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME...

[Auddymay]

The crate is a good idea, but in the house. Second, stop hitting your Chow. Third- go to the Training section and look for articles on bite inhibition and socializing. Read them carefully. Once you do that, you can be more specific; such as your age, your family composition, how much alone time does Mochi have, are there other animals in your home, where in the world do you live. Good luck and get reading!

[Clovers_Mom]

Daily walking/exercise is essential.. At least in my opinion ....
If you think of it this way... When a child has a lot of extra energy, there is a good chance they are going to act out, or act in negative ways.. It is the same with a chow- also since they are quite smart.. They need things to keep them busy- mentally and physically. Even taking your pup in the backyard and running around together will be beneficial.
Remember a chow is a 'special' breed, and if you do not treat them respectfully they will not respect you. Sometimes a stern word will suffice and no need to slap his mouth, seems as though you seen the negative impact that happened from the action.
Good luck, read up, and if you have any other specific questions follow up

[camickey]

The crate is a good idea, but in the house. Second, stop hitting your Chow. Third- go to the Training section and look for articles on bite inhibition and socializing. Read them carefully. Once you do that, you can be more specific; such as your age, your family composition, how much alone time does Mochi have, are there other animals in your home, where in the world do you live. Good luck and get reading!

Thank you for the advice! The whole day Mochi is in his crate because I have school to go to. Sometimes my relatives will take him out for walks. There are no other animals in our home and I live in Philippines.

[Cam Atis]

Auddymay pretty much covered all you need in her concise direct to the point reply. Do it.

As for grooming if I may add my approach, you should let him mouth the grooming comb and switch on another. Like playing. Dont think you'll get to finish it in one sitting. Soon he'll settle and will not mouth the handle anymore.
You have two if you have a slicker.

As for loss of appetite, look at his front teeth and you'll surely see new teeth emerging. Sometimes it is a cause of loss of appetite

At 5 months he should not be biting. Something is wrong. Chows are truly sensitive. So your discipline is no trial and error. It has to be accurate, direct, consistent and not too harsh. Read a lot here as there are so many posts regarding biting. Hitting will not make him stop biting. You may want to try my method, Why dont you put a leash on him and have him go with you most of the time inside the house. If he doesnt bite - praise. If he bite -ignore (be mute for tolerable bites). Else, let out an "ouch! " Time it. If it is 10 minutes already and he's still playful, crate him. After 10minutes get him out and repeat this method gradually increasing his time on leash with you as his behavior improves. YOU MUST NOT CONFUSE HIM WITH IRRELEVANT SOUNDS. Just two sounds. Positive and negative tone. For beginners like you and him.

[Sirchow]

I agree that you definitely need some help but I also wonder why you got a pet? Did you want an indoor dog to enjoy their company? Or was it to be a guard dog kept outside? NO matter what my dogs did they would never be crated in my yard...how could they learn to behave there or work off their energy?

You need to exercise Mochi....at least 20 mins walk three times a day every day. You need to go back to basics on everything. Food should be given by hand a mouthful at a time and your puppy must sit and behave before each mouthful is given. This way they learn you provide for them and care for their needs but only when they behave. Same with treats. Each treat should be given when your baby has done something you would like it to do. Come in without a fuss, sit, etc. Start rewarding every good behaviour and your puppy will want to repeat them.

I beg to differ on biting. I think people are terrified of their chows turning out to be agressive and think that normal puppy mouthing and nipping is agression. It can lead to agression but puppies learn about the world through their mouth. So mouthing at five months is not acceptable and painful. You have to stop it. You shriek like a bitten puppy when he does it and walk away, turn your back or show displeasure in some way like that. If your puppy was removed from mum too early then the bite inhibitor reaction of shrieking will work less well as these are things puppies learn from each other.

Sit down and decide what needs to change. Make a list and then make a plan and remember this is a baby we are talking about and he only has you to show him how to behave. If you have not been able to do this then how can he possibly know how to behave. Dogs are not born knowing how to be a pet they are born with survival uppermost in their minds and it is down to us to teach them about living with humans.

Please dont hit your puppy as you will escalate the agression and dont choose a harsh trainer who uses force or violence against your Mochi or you will teach him to fight back. It is late for him to be learning some of these lessons so he needs a lot of kind guidance and care to show him what you want from him.

I hope you find someone to help with the problems and can enjoy you chow for many years to come.

[Sarahloo]

Does daily walking/exercise really important? Sometimes he would be in his crate all day.

This is animal cruelty. He needs exercise almost more than anything else. It relieves stress and tension and fills him with endorphins that make him happy. Exercise will help so much!!!

Mochi is not eating much because he is giving up! He can't live like this any longer. I've seen a dog die inside before, and this is what is happening to Mochi. If you don't make his life happier soon, you are going to lose him!

Mochi has no one, and nothing to do or even to look at. It is the same every second of every long, long day. Imagine living like that! You would lose the will to live, just like Mochi is doing. Animals in zoos that are caged like Mochi ALWAYS GO MAD, because no creature can live like that!

Please buy a book on dog care. You seem to know nothing about it yet, as your question about exercise makes very clear. Time is running out for Mochi, he seems to fear you and retreat into himself. The time to change something is NOW!!! TODAY!!! PLEASE!!!

[Jdcell100]

You should look for a good home for him. Hitting your chow and ignoring him is going to make situation worse find I good home for him ASAP

[Me & Tess]

I am not going to be kind to you & am am partly sorry because I think you are very young. A couple of questions: How would you feel if you were slapped in the face and then put in isolation in a small cage? Your chow is acting out which is pretty natural when you have put him in that position. If your chow is biting, put your chow in your lap, hold his face in your hands and say no! You can hold him tightly so he knows he is safe. Right now he doesn't feel he is safe. When our Tess came to us she had lots of issues..... I figured that somehow she ran from a home that she felt was unsafe for her. I didn't make a big thing out of her acting out. I removed her from the problem if I felt there was a problem when I observed her behavior. Wendy & Matt did the same. If you and your family can't provide a safe environment I too would suggest that you find another home for him. ASAP so not further harm can become. If you look on PetFinder you will find Chows who's owners failed them and dumped them into a situation that would mean that they would be put to death.

[Cam Atis]

Oh so Camickey also lives in the Philippines. Guys please listen up. I'm gonna give you Dog Care 101 in the Philippine set up.
First, MOST dogs are outdoors dog. Exemption here are expensive purebreeds and small purebreeds and those who live in apartments as they make their dogs live inside for lack of space outdoors. For most of us, as much as we love our dogs that they practically eat from our own plates, eating what we are eating, yet they are used to living outside the house and are expected to do guarding. I think this is true to other asian cultures as well. Thus, asian breeds (our very own cuddly chows) came to be so much much independent in nature. I feel so much at ease with Cassie's attitude that I know her attitude from heart.
So please be kind to little Camickey. His little puppy does not need a new home. All he needs is to be guided in proper dog training.
Camickey: spend time with your puppy. I think you have lost your puppy's trust. You have to regain it by being gentle and friendly. Ask your grandpa to give you and your Mochi 2 more months INSIDE THE HOUSE before gradually re-introducing him outside. Spend more time with him. Leash him at the foot of your study chair while making your assignments. Keep a stash of little food treats you are to give him when you arrive. Or if he does good. Dash to your fridge and get the treat. Meaning: treats are cooked meats or scrambled eggs. Whatever Mochi loved.

[Me & Tess]

Not gonna apologize for what I said. A Chow in or outside needs respect. I can agree with more attention to the Chow and trying to repair what was torn apart - that's why I suggested to hold him while saying "no." I like the idea of feeding a portion at a time. Too many Chows are discarded when the owners just don't understand. Re-homing may or may not be the answer depending on the Chow parent. & no Chow deserves to live his or her life in solitary!

Knowing that perhaps Tess was neglected or abused, we as a family protected her, indulged her, and loved her for who she was. She didn’t know what to do in a house, I assume she was kept outside. She wasn’t comfortable riding in a car. I can only imagine why. She settled in to being an inside/outside dog. She in turn became the protector of the "pack."

This was as I felt. We lived in So. California & I expect it is at times as warm as the Philippines, which may or may not make a fluffy Chow cross.....

[Clovers_Mom]

Hello
I just wanted to mention... Yes, sometimes we get not situations that we do not realize the responsibility .. I hope that you take everyone's post as constructive criticism .. And that we are truly here to help you an you pup Mochi!!
Of course that there are always cultural differences but I think from the feedback, you can dicifer what you need to do, to give Mochi a positive loving life.
Xoxo
Shannon

[Ursa's daddy]

Item one: Culture is something that humans create. Dogs, being canines, don't understand culture. Dogs understand instinct and training.
We have to move back to square one with the dog. Canines are pack animals. The household where the dog lives is by default his pack. Your dog's initial introduction to dog behavior is through his litter and his mother. Puppies have no knowledge of biting or bite inhibition. They are TAUGHT this first by their litter mates and mother. Human babies grasp things with their hands. Dogs do not have grasping hands, so they use their mouth. That is how they explore the world. Everything is their world is something to be picked up by biting. If they are teething, then biting helps with that process. In the wild, anything inanimate that they bite is ok. If they should bite their siblings, then the sibling will bite back. If one bites the other too hard, then the one bitten will yelp and move away. This is a positive feedback loop that teaches the dog that the bite was too hard. For your puppy to understand that biting hurts you, you have to react in the same manner. You have to respond with a high pitched sound, withdraw, and exhibit a hurt expression. Additionally, you should say "NO" in a firm and forceful manner, using your vocal tone to reinforce that you are displeased with the puppy's actions. You are going to have to repeat this many times. Dogs, through thousands of years of breeding, are attentive to human facial expressions and to hand jesters. Make sure your puppy looks at your face to see your expression. What I have noted with my two chows is that they are much more attentive to me and my demeanor compared to other dogs that I have had. What this means is that if your chow has bonded to you, he will look to you for behavioral cues. If your chow has not bonded to you, then you need to work to establish that relationship. A chow is not a border collie or a retriever. He is not going to do all the things that these breeds will do. Your chow is primarily a guard dog. He will work to protect his pack from any threats that he recognizes. He expects fair and consistent treatment from you. He can only understand consistent treatment. Dogs have a limited vocabulary that they understand. You cannot explain anything to your dog. You have to demonstrate what you want the dog to understand. You need to train your dog in basic commands. Use positive rewards for successful response to commands, and NO reward for unsuccessful responses. This is the negative that you want to use with your dog. Hitting is not a good idea, and, although I have not done it, probably not a suitable thing to do at all with chows. It does not seem to go with their personality. It is no way to get respect, and what you want is that your chow respects you. Your chow understands that you can open doors, you can operate a water faucet and provide drinking water. You are the source of food.
Much of what I have said can be found in the forum from various members. Search the forum for additional information. Please ask questions if you do not understand. I think I am speaking for everyone when I say that we all want you to establish a good loving relationship with your puppy.

[yatta5000]

For the grooming I use a treat or such to get my chows attention in a different direction and brush. it may be 3 to 4 sometimes more before i have to get a treat and hold it to a direction for him to go and then do it again. Like someone mentioned above, you may not be able to do it all in one sitting, so just come back to it another time.

as for everything else get training from a professional if possible. Be sure to walk him plenty!! get him to RUN if he will. He'll have loads of fun and your family will be happy he is more calm in the house. after playing so hard my chow sits in front of the fan and i give him a frozen water bottle. he places his paws on them and relax. but be careful not to have him too active in the summer during the hottest times of the day. some in the morning if you can and definitly in the afternoon. be sure to spend time with him as you promised yourself you would before you got him and thought how cool it would be to have a chow. good luck

[Sirchow]

Somehow I missed this post

Thank you for the advice! The whole day Mochi is in his crate because I have school to go to. Sometimes my relatives will take him out for walks. There are no other animals in our home and I live in Philippines.

I think that my first question of

I agree that you definitely need some help but I also wonder why you got a pet?

is the most important part of the whle question.... you sound like the timing was not good and it would be be better for Mochi to be rehomed and wait till you have time and a bit more dog experience till you have a chow...just my opinion. I dont mean to judge you it sounds like it is a fact that you dont have time to look after a chow right now and you chow needs looking after right now.

[Jdcell100]

There's Noway someone's going to make me believe that a chow should live outdoors I don't care about your culture that it's common for dogs to live outside especially CHOWS you sound like yr 12 years old and got a puppy my blood is boling right now I better not say any more then I hope you find a home for your chow

[sue]

Training at 5 months old he will be teething therefore you should give him bones to chew to relieve the pain he will getting from his teeth.This will stop a lot of the nipping.
Exercise him at least twice for 30 minutes per day take him out let him meet & play with other dogs.
Play time this should be with toys at least 6 times a day for 5 minutes at a time.If in play time he nips at you say NO then take the toy & walk away.Give it 10 minutes then try again.
Food he should be fed 2 times per day.
If between yourself & your family you cant fit this into a daily schedule then the best advice i could give you is to rehome him with a family that have the time to do this with him.

[Auddymay]

JD, I understand your anger. But if you stay here long enough, you will come to understand people from all walks of life, and various ages and cultures own Chows. Unfortunately, a good many of these situations are not optimum for these animals. I wish we could re-home these Chows, but the truth is, many people don't understand that they are doing damage to their Chows, and would not consider rehoming them. So when people like this young person comes on with problems, it is in the best interest of the Chow to try and help the poster learn the proper way to raise their pet. Sometimes, this is the best we can do.

[Sirchow]

Well said Auddymay.
It is the same the world over and there are plenty people with children who would be better off rehomed too....it is a sad world we live in where people have animals and children for so many reason or no reason and they suffer because of it

[TyChowgirl]

Auddymay and Sirchow, I definitely agree and well said. Chows are definitely different than any other breed I've come across. Teaching other dogs seems super simple compared to Ty, even though he is very smart and a quick learner.But the willingness or blind obedience isn't there, so the approach is different. Still, the kid thing is oh so true. It's odd, but I don't see a well behaved child very often these days in public, and their parents are just as bad. I have a little girl in my wedding party, she's the daughter of a friend Brian has had since a kid. At my Bridal shower her behavior was absolutely apalling and her mother did nothing. I'm hoping it was an off day for both of them. Though, she got kind of defensive when I told her child to settle down and no, correcting her behavior. It got worse as the shower went on. By the end of it, after they had left, I was exasperated, but I came to the realization, and thought this outloud..."My chow, listens better than this child" I had found myself using commands I use for the dog...such as sit, wait, stay lol.
The chow the OP has can turn around and the OP can become educated with our help if they so choose to use the advice given. Cam has even modified it for the living conditions and culture. While I too wish the situation was more ideal, it is what it is and perhaps with some help it can change.

[Cam Atis]

Tychowgirl, perhaps you'll find this funny. Whenever I give the command for my very young daughters to settle down which is "will you sit down!" the dogs will sit first. And if I was exasperated with my girls, I'd tell them "Go inside the house!" And our dogs will go inside their dog houses also! I'll notice I am left with no one in the garden as they all went already.

I hope Camickey will bother to reply here. i re read her first post and she didnt came back, thus, her problem of nipping is still around. Also I'd like to tell her that a crate is not a substitute for a dog house. I hope she gives Mochi a proper and comfortable dog house if he wont be allowed inside anymore.

Auddymay, thank you for having a broad understanding and asking others to do the same. I am also saddened whenever someone is stuck with a dOg and knowing not what to do will give their dog a miserable life. With miserable, I mean these are tied to a post by a chain all year through or in a cage all year through or pampered that it is never allowed to play with another dog for fear of ligament tear due to its champion status. these dogs are lonely but we cannot do anything.

[camickey]

I am very sorry people. Mochi was given to me by my boyfriend because I really really want to have a dog. My mistake was I still get him even if I don't really know how to take care of dogs. I was expecting myself to learn while having him. I am not 12 years old, I'm 17. I sincerely apologize to those people who got mad at me. I don't want him to be re-home because I have come to love him. He's even my first dog. I want to take care of him as long as I can. I'm trying my best. I stopped slapping his mouth, I have realized that if I were in his position I think I'll rebel against my parents. Even my parents do not hit me, but my cousin who has a shi tzu told me to hit him so he'll be afraid of doing so. She told me that it's the same with other dogs, but it turned out to be wrong. I'm now walking him if I got off from classes early, or if I don't have classes. Please be patient with me. I'll try my best to stop him from biting anyone. I want to learn more about Chow Chows so I'm reading different topics here and I'm asking for your help. Anything but not re-homing. I can't give him up. He's my first and I don't want to be a failure. Please understand. Nonetheless, I want to thank all of you for still giving me advices how to change him or to take care of him. I really appreciate that. I assure you that I will follow what you said.

[Sirchow]

I think it was very brave of you to come back here after the things we wrote so if you want to learn please keeping coming back and ask all the questions you can think of and there will be as much help and support to help you learn as you can use. Also look things up in the search and I hope you can manage to help mochi become the chow he is meant to be. Good luck.

[Sarahloo]

My mistake was I still get him even if I don't really know how to take care of dogs.

That's what I thought. What we all thought, I think. I don't think anyone was mad at you, we were just really concerned for Mochi!
I've found that the damage done to a Chow is especially hard to repair, so a change of direction is really important for you two.
I'm glad that you are making positive changes for him! Dogs only have short lives, and we need to make sure they get to enjoy them as much as possible.
Owning your dog changes your life a lot. I understand that you weren't really prepared for that, and I get it! But know you know better and can do better.
I would recommend a visit to the vet to make sure Mochi isn't sick and illness isn't the reason for his changing behaviour. He might bite because he is in pain.
Good luck to both of you and we would like to see photos and get updates on your progress!

[Ursa's daddy]

As Auddymay says

it is in the best interest of the Chow to try and help the poster learn the proper way to raise their pet. Sometimes, this is the best we can do.

Tychowgirl also added

Chows are definitely different than any other breed I've come across. Teaching other dogs seems super simple compared to Ty, even though he is very smart and a quick learner.But the willingness or blind obedience isn't there, so the approach is different.

Camickey has a chow, and she doesn't know how to properly train it. She is asking for help, and we owe it to her and her dog to offer constructive advice. She is not the first person or the first dog with this issue, and she won't be the last.