I have a 10 year old chihuahua who is like my shadow but I have been wondering if she is giving us warning signs that we are missing.
She is quite a nervous dog- fear aggression shown to other dogs, can be wary or new people in the house and barks but once she’s had a sniff she tends to chill out, overall laid back. She’s like a cat.
She isn’t a fan of my son who is 6 which is fine he stays away from her and will give her a pet every so often which she doesn’t seem to mind. I know when she is feeling uncomfortable around him as she lip licks, ears back etc and he knows to leave her alone.
With myself and my husband, she sits very close to us or on us and we pet and stroke her however the more I read about behaviour and submissiveness the more I wonder if she like it or not.
I will sit with her and stoke her while I watch tv etc and she will roll onto her side occasionally, which I assumed meant she was enjoying it and wanted her tummy scratched however her body language very stiff and she has wide eyes. I’ve started to back off and not touch her but then she kind of bites at the air and remains on her side as if signally she wants my hand back. Sometimes I do go back and she closes her eyes and relaxes but I don’t know if she likes it or not. She will also nudge me to get under my arm and sit close to me so I don’t think she hates me?!
we always thought the air biting was a playful thing as if she’s like come back don’t stop but now I’m wondering if she’s trying to tell us to back off.
just now for instance she is lying next to me and licking my hand and I took my hand away and she is doing the air bite thing.
i feel like she is giving me very mixed signals but I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.