My chihuhua is a nightmare!

[QueenOfMyWorld]

With strangers.
He growls and snaps when the postman comes,does a warning growl if anyone approaches him when out walking( I tell them not to) He hasn't had any bad experiences as we got him from a pup,he's 2 now.Can I change him or it just how he is? He's v protective of our house and me as he sees me as mum I suppose.tia

The offender

Is this a recent change in behaviour? If so a vet visit first otherwise can you afford a good trainer or better still a behaviourist to actually observe the interactions that are causing this and show you how to counter condition him.

Definitely never too old to try and change them.

He is incredibly cute.

Sorry no help but had to be said.

They are a notoriously aggressive breed unfortunately. I'm a vet and I see plenty of them. What do you do when a) you see a stranger; b) when he growls and snaps? Most of the difficult dogs I see are toy dogs whose owners pick them up a lot and treat them like babies. See mum above.

Definitely you need to try to do something as you have twelve or more years of escalating stranger aggression ahead otherwise. Behaviourist as PP has said. But don't expect a personality transplant.

You need to go to park with a bag full of treats and sit on a park bench with him at your feet. Every time he sees someone approaching give him a treat. When he sees someone, then looks at your, give him loads of treats. Keep rewarding him until it become a game - 'I see someone, I get a treat'. Look up a dog training method called 'Look At That'.
If he can't focus, then people are too close and you need to start somewhere where quieter.

In regards to the postman, is the growling and snapping through the door? Can you install an external post box or a letter box guard?
Or ask the postman to post a treat through the door along with the letters?

villianousbroodmare def don't baby him pick him up.Hes v small so somewhat of a novelty around where we live so I get children wanting to fuss him,but he warns them as soon as try to approach

Nesssie good idea!

RJnomore1 he is the cutest i bloody adore him

He looks terrifyingly 😂 sorry, I'm no help.

He’s so cute

Was he well socialised as a pup? Chihuahuas are often aggressive and because they’re small, owners often tolerate their aggressive behaviour rather than correct it.

He needs serious behavioural therapy and if he’s ‘warning’ children in public he needs to be muzzled as a dangerous dog. His size does not make his behaviour acceptable

I keep coming back to look at that photo again.

(Any chance of more?)