What the hell am I doing wrong?..small snappy dog😥

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

8 months old..pug/ chihuahua bit of terrier cross breed dog...super duper out and about,can do recall,amazing with other dogs ,she wows people constantly,she gets so much fuss from strangers,she rolls on her back for tummy rubs from strangers ,is all sweetness and light with everyone.....other than us ,her family🙁We get growled at and she snaps if we try to lift her off the sofa,or table or chair or bed...or today my dh went to pick her up and she snapped at him😢....I get less of it as she's with me the most and I don't pick her up....I'm constantly saying don't pick the dog up...would you pick up a Great Dane...no..then don't pick her up...it's getting better,they are getting better at not picking her up..what else can I can do...she's never bit anyone ,I'm sure if she meant to do us harm she would bite and draw blood ,not just snap...so I'm assuming she's warning us,stop I don't like that...am I right? What else / more / different can I do....I feel like Im Failing her..she goes to puppy class each week.

[Justbookedasummmerholiday]

She needs to learn what 'down' means ASAP. Or slip lead on and pull her down off the furniture every time.

[Soubriquet]

What do you do when she snaps?

Do you back off and leave her? If so she's getting what she wants.

Remove her from the situation everytime she snaps

On the sofa? Take her off. Being fussed? Remove her from the room

I used to have this problem with my chihuahua. She kept snapping at my children and we was getting to a point where we was thinking of giving her up.

But with a firm hand, and time she has actually stopped doing it

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

Yes...the puppy class had us all teach our dogs down as in lay down on the floor..so we did have some confusion with the getting off things..

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

How sobriquet,how did you stop the snapping......would a firm loud NO.be any good?

[EvieBlack]

God, people talk rubbish.

Seek out a decent trainer/behaviourist who uses positive methods.

Or for proper online advice from professionals visit the FB group Dog Training Advice and Support.

[Soubriquet]

Teach her off instead of down

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

When she growls and snaps ,if I were to carry on attempting to pick her up,without doubt she would bite...I have to use treats to say off ,then reward with a small treat

[Soubriquet]

You need to get a behaviourist in without a doubt

Treating her for snapping is not really going to work... I know you feel it's your only option but all she's seeing is snap=treat

[Soubriquet]

Remember you don't actually need to pick her up to remove her from the sofa.

You can get your hand behind her bum and shove. Obviously not hard to be nasty but hard enough to shift her from the sofa

[Dancinggoat]

Dogs feel dominant when up high. She’s asserting her dominance over you. You need to keep her on the floor to show she’s lower in the pecking order.
When she understands where she sits in your family pack then allow her up on the sofa but only when you let her. If she snaps its back to the floor. Also stand in her bed and pretend to eat some of her food before giving it to her.

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

Ok..some good ideas there...can anyone recommend a good book?

[daisygirlmac]

Dancinggoat I’m sorry but stand in her bed and pretend to eat her food? Really awful advice, the dominance theory was debunked ages ago. OP get a behaviourist and make sure the whole family gets behind the recommendations.

[SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon]

Don't use down command for lie down and getting down from furniture - that's very confusing for her. I use 'down' for lie down and 'floor' for getting down from my lap, furniture, etc. I think it's obvious that your dog doesn't like being physically moved (can you blame her really?) So she needs to be taught to move on command. My dogs also respond to me pointing to where I want them.

Also make sure you are not getting her to the point where she is snapping before getting treats out to move her. You can accidentally reward the snapping.

You really do need a behaviourist out though. Dogs don't just snap - she will have been telling you to back off in lots of other ways first. Snapping is the doggy equivalent of a human getting to the point of screaming at the top of their voice "just fuck off and leave me alone!!! ", after having made repeated attempts to tell you politely not to touch them.

[SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon]

Also it has f' all to do with dominance! Don't listen to anyone who says that.

[nooka]

Dominance theory has been totally debunked. You need to stop your family from trying to pick her up and put some concerted effort into training her about 'off' with positive reinforcement. It sounds like she is a bright little dog so it's unlikely to take very long. Our dog went through a stage of jumping up at people when they came to visit. We moved a treat jar to the hall and got him to sit with a treat whenever a visitor came. After a while he sat automatically before greeting people and the initial wild leaping disappeared.

[Judashascomeintosomemoney]

Op, you know the answer. You’ve said it yourself. Yes, she doesn’t like being picked up, yes she’s telling you that. Please listen to her. And no, it’s not dominance ffs. My Labradors would undoubtedly growl at me if I —tried— picked them up everytime I wanted them to move. As PPs said, if she’s somewhere you don’t want her, teach her ‘off’. She won’t get it right away, you’ll have to entice her with something she likes, tiny bit of cheese or whatever, use clicker training whilst doing it, gradually introduce ‘off’ and she’ll get it eventually. Given everything else you’ve said about her, there’s no reason to think she won’t get it after a while.

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

Nooka...yeah that's what I thought..there was a dog programme a while back where they followed 10 new puppies in their new home,and they said exactly what you said

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

Come into money,,that's exactly what I'm doing, I say of ,then show the treat ,then she gets of ,and gets the treat..we had confusion as id taught that as down..then puppy class taught us down as laying down,so it did confuse matters,but yes I'm saying off

[stayathomegardener]

I think you are right no one would attempt to pick up a bigger dog.
Our small dog tolerates being picked up if he is pre warned but if you surprise him if he is asleep for example he will growl.
Absolute rule here is DONT PICK THE DOG UP anyone trying will be reprimanded instantly.
It's surprising how many ways you can move a dog, a sharp off!, treats, rolling him by lifting a cushion or attaching a lead.
Don't even think about it. Never get a growl.

[serialtester]

No dog likes being picked up!! She might be small but she's still a proper dog. Teach her "get down" rather than lifting her.

[Marcine]

She doesn't like being picked up, so stop doing it

[serialtester]

My dog is very naughty but understands the "get down" finger wag when he's nicked my seat on the sofa!

[Couldsleeptillnextyear]

I've found on line some one called Cecile millan,in America,so I'm going to read some of them,and I've ordered a book called phycho dog...which is all about training and trouble shouting..I'm in no doubt this is our fault not hers ,certain members of my family won't listen to me when I say no picking her up...so we are making sure that family member is never on his own with her....thankyou for all the advice,much appreciated

[EvieBlack]

Who? Do you mean Cesar Millan? Ffs I despair.

[LaurieFairyCake]

My dog doesn’t like being picked up so I don’t pick her up unless I really have to

Telling her ‘off’ sofa with treats is the way to go. I ALWAYS use treats to get my dog to do things I want her to do but she might be reluctant.

She hates having the lead put on - her ears go flat and she cowers (no reason, she’s totally fine once it’s on and up for walks) - so I approach her with a tiny treat and a cuddle.