Dog has aggressive behavior at times

[brandy8217]

We rescued a female Shih Tzu about 7 months ago and we know nothing of her prior life.  She is 2/3 years old and healthy.  When we brought her home she would have episodes of chasing and growling and barking at her tail for what seemed llike, to us, no reason.  These episodes have gotten much less frequent but they still occur when she is startled.  She will let us pet or stroke her for a very short while then will begin growling.  She must be sedated for grooming at the vet's because she goes into a frenzy and will growl and bite anyone who touches her.  We have begun  using a nylon mask over her face and eyes to bathe her at home.  She will growl but at least remains still and does not try to bite so the mask works pretty well.  We've had 2 previous Shih Tzus which were wonderful, affectionate friends for many years and we miss having the affectionate little lap dog that we're used to with Shih Tzus.  Does this sound like a behavioral issue or maybe neurological?

[deadgamegrrl]

Tail chasing can be a form of compulsive disorder like excessive licking or 'fly-catching'.  Its often brought on be severe anxiety due to conditions like excessive confinement, abuse, neglect etc.  Unfortunately, even when the conditions are changed, the behavior can linger for quite a while.  It sounds like it is slowly improving for you, which is a good thing.  More exercise couldn't hurt, and you may want to work on training with a lot of positive reinforcement to help increase both your dog's trust, and your position as leader.  Trick training can be a lot of fun for both of you!
Good luck and keep us posted!

[txgal58]

Hi Brandy!  I don't know if you have heard this among dog groomers but several have told me or I have heard "small, white..BITE!".  I had a male miniature schnauzer I adopted from rescue at 2 yrs. He lived to be 17 and had two groomers at his vets office his entire life with me.  He was found roaming the streets so I had no idea of what his previous life was like.  I too believe that dogs live "in the moment" but somehow Jake could never get past certain things no matter what we did.  He ALWAYS had to be muzzled when groomed while working on his feet or face.  The last couple of years of his life it stressed him out so much they sedated him just a little to get it done.  If I did not trust my vet of 15 yrs I NEVER would allow that.  He NEVER liked little kids.  Once they got to about 7 or 8 he was okay but small children he growled and barked.

I agree the tail chasing sounds like a lack of exercise or stimulation for that particular dog.  Cesar Milan, the "Dog Whisperer" uses a treadmill to exercise dogs; under supervision of course.  It's a great idea I think!  Unfortunately I cannot vouch for it personally!

Good luck and congratulations on adopting a rescue!  I adopted Fritz (my profile pic) my 3rd miniature schnauzer rescue after my beloved Jake passed away in February at aged 17 this year.

[ginger899]

I know she's only a tiny wee thing, but maybe she needs more than a 1/2 mile walk a day? It sounds like she's brimming with energy that is unfocused, and not even halfway burned-off...?

[Jaybay]

Everything sounds good, so my guess is that there is some confusion about her role and place in the pack.  I had a dog who behaved much the same way as your Shih Tzu.  It all came down to us.  My husband and I were not being pack leaders so she felt she had to take on the job.  She didn't want it.

All dogs abhor a leadership vacuum and they WILL step up to the plate whether they have the skills for it or not.  Most dogs are very content to be the followers in the pack, so when they feel forced to be a leader a whole lot of frustration and confusion develops.  Put yourself in her shoes.  She thinks she's the top dog, and probably is most of the time, but then one of her humans challenges her on something (unbeknownst to you) so she aggressively defends her position.

The barking and tail chasing are not bad behaviors in themselves, but symptoms of a bigger problem.  Grabbing her by the scruff in the midst of a spinning fit isn't working, right?  So it's time to get to the bottom of WHY she does it, which usually boils down to extreme anxiety and frustration.  Your best bet is to hire a behaviorist to observe how you interact with both of your dogs and help you discover what she really needs.  If it is out of reach financially, at least go to the library and do some reading about dog psychology, behavior and training.  Even watching "The Dog Whisperer" will give you some ideas for how to understand and change your dog's behavior.  It all begins with you.

If you and your husband learn how to be true pack leaders, your dog will trust you in any situation and calm down because the stress of caring for the pack is no longer on her shoulders.  That was the case for our dog and the change in her was amazing once we took on the leader position.  She was no longer an unpredictable, fear-aggressive, unsocialized and unstable dog, but a delight to be around for everyone who met her - kids included.  It all started when I began watching "the Dog Whisperer" and saw myself and my dogs in several episodes.  Ouch!  And there we were thinking we had a hopelessly unsocialized and neurotic dog when WE were the ones who made her that way.  It wasn't easy to admit that we nearly ruined her entire life, but once we did and completely changed the way we behaved as dog owners, life with our dogs got so much more easy, fun and fulfilling.  The skills you learn from a behaviorist will last you a lifetime and with any dog who shares your life.  

[brandy8217]

She is fed twice daily with our other dog, usually about 6:30 am and 5:00 pm.  After her am meal we go for a walk of about 1/2 mile.  We play several times during the day, outside with her ball and inside with her favorite toy.  No set time, just whenever she feels like it.  She sleeps in her bed on the floor in our bedroom.  We go to bed early so she's usually out by 9:00.  She sleeps well at nightl, except if there is a thunder storm or high winds, then she will sometimes jump up into our bed but she's always put back in her bed.  She has had no formal training from us but when we got her she was house broken, crate trained and will sit and lay down on command, so somebody worked with her at some time.  When she goes into her tail chasing frenzy we grab her by the scruff of the neck and she stops immediately, or our other dog, Lucy will stop her.  When she stops that behavior she sits almost in a daze, kind of like asking what just happened.  That's about it.  Thanks for your help.

[Jaybay]

This sounds like an entirely behaviorial issue to me, and one that can be easily remedied with the right tools.  Forget about wondering and worrying about what her past life was.  Dogs don't think that way.  They live completely in the "now" so you have to deal with the "why" of what is happening now.

Can you give us an idea of what a typical day looks like for your dog?  Meal times, walking, play times, sleep times and arrangements, any formal training, etc.?  How do you deal with her misbehavior?  I can give you some tips to get you started, but professional assistance with a veterinary behaviorist would be your best bet for a solution.  Let's hear it!  What's her day like?