Hello all!!
I have a 16 month old shih tzu! She is absolutely adorable and we love her very much. She is usually pretty well behaved although she does like to play a lot and sometimes bites our fingers. But we are pretty stern with her. She is also very small 6.5 pounds. She was the runt of the litter and almost died. The vet says she is in perfect health.
She LOVES people. She is always looking for attention. Well recently (this past weekend) she has starting snapping and biting people when they try to pick her up! We went to a bon fire and she was with us. She is usually the life of the party. Well we came to the fire and she bit the first two people who tried to pet her. Then she tried to bite my sister in law and me! This continued all weekend whenever someone would try to pick her up (someone who she didn't know as well) she would just bite them.
We were not at home all weekend (we stayed with my parents) and there were many new people. And other people she knows quite well. But usually she is SO good with new people. I want to nip this behavior in the bud asap. This can't become a normal thing for her. I can tell its out of fear and she is getting nervous. But I'm wondering why this is happening now. We have gone away with her to the same place many times and never had any issues! She is a VERY attached dog. She is obsessed with me and has to be in the same room as me at all times. I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not.
When she does bite we are very firm with her and she puts her head down like she knows. But I'm not sure what to do! Help!
I have a 16 month old shih tzu! She is absolutely adorable and we love her very much. She is usually pretty well behaved although she does like to play a lot and sometimes bites our fingers. But we are pretty stern with her. She is also very small 6.5 pounds. She was the runt of the litter and almost died. The vet says she is in perfect health.
She LOVES people. She is always looking for attention. Well recently (this past weekend) she has starting snapping and biting people when they try to pick her up! We went to a bon fire and she was with us. She is usually the life of the party. Well we came to the fire and she bit the first two people who tried to pet her. Then she tried to bite my sister in law and me! This continued all weekend whenever someone would try to pick her up (someone who she didn't know as well) she would just bite them.
We were not at home all weekend (we stayed with my parents) and there were many new people. And other people she knows quite well. But usually she is SO good with new people. I want to nip this behavior in the bud asap. This can't become a normal thing for her. I can tell its out of fear and she is getting nervous. But I'm wondering why this is happening now. We have gone away with her to the same place many times and never had any issues! She is a VERY attached dog. She is obsessed with me and has to be in the same room as me at all times. I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not.
When she does bite we are very firm with her and she puts her head down like she knows. But I'm not sure what to do! Help!
Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:23 pm by Fluff
» Looking at a Shih Tzu Pup
Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:33 pm by daisydotes
» Please welcome Maggie as Show Advisor
Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:09 pm by jessup
» Please help! My 16 month old shih tzu has suddenly starting snapping at people!
Fri Jul 04, 2014 6:49 am by Fluff
» Help Harness keeps coming off
Tue Jun 17, 2014 12:06 pm by daisydotes
» House Breaking
Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:04 am by Fluff
» New shih tzu owner
Sat Jun 14, 2014 3:51 pm by achoo
» Hi, I'm New
Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:47 am by Honeyboo
» Hello New ToThe Community
Thu May 22, 2014 12:27 pm by daisydotes
» I have 3 Shih-Tzus! New to the forum! :)
Sat Mar 15, 2014 8:43 pm by LokisMamma