I think chihuahuas, JRTs, and other small dogs have the tendency to stand up to big dogs to show no fear towards big dogs. I like to think of these little dogs as "Little dogs with Big Hearts."DianeLDL wrote:Sandy,
Akitas are beautiful dogs. Yes, please update your photos.
We got Sandy from the shelter when he was one year old. We believe that he had been in the shelter twice. He also was never socialized as a puppy. He is fear aggressive towards other dogs. (Read my thread under training about our experiences in hotel rooms during our last drive from Maine through Philadelphia and across on I-81 to I-40.) It was tough.
He has to have a large distance between him and other dogs. The last night in Amarillo where there were 10 dogs in one hotel row on the first floor was a nightmare.
It is hard to know what his past experience was. Even stopping at a rest stop, we have to choose an area where we don't see or hear other dogs. My husband wears short sleves and his arms are all cut up from scratching when Sandy freaks out. I usually have a lightweight jacket on during those times.
As to people, there are some he likes and gets along with and others he barks and tries to attack. We never know who. But, i think even though he doesn't like dogs, he seems to be more friendly with people who have their own dogs. Maybe he feels that if the smell like dog, they must be good. So, going through hotel hallways, I often have to carry him, especially since many of the maids cleaning the rooms show real fear which fuels his aggression.
He hates cats, and we know one of the home he was in had a cat. We can only guess as to what happened.
Sandy has been with us nearly 3 years, but I just discovered this forum in May so it is like starting over.
I read your posts on the What are your dogs doing today and it looks like Karma is getting back to normal again. Great news!
It has been a lot of work, but I don't think Sandy will ever make it to be social with other dogs. I just want him to be able to tolerate being near other dogs without reacting. I did read that chihuahuas usually get along better with other chis than with any other dogs. I and husband have friends with multiple chis and they get along. It might have to do with their size.
Our chi is more a deer chihuahua as he has the elongated face and the longer body and long legs. His weight at 11.5 also doesn't fit the AKC norm. So, that is why we call him a chi mix. Those who know chihuahuas say his personality is totally chi. He barks as our "early warning system". It is a bit funny, but annoying, but he knows the sounds of the FedEx and UPS trucks. So, even if they aren't coming to us, he starts barking thinking they are going to bring a packaged. He is freaked out by the garbage trucks, though, so we have to wary when we take him out. No morning walk on trash collection day.
Talking too much as usual. I am just curious as to what part of Penn are you located? We have been all over the state including my recent convention in Philly. We have been through the state on interstates 95, 76, 81, 80, 84. It is absolutely gorgeous. I grew up in New Jersey, and went to girl scout camp in the Poconos.
Once again, best wishes for your new job and career. When do you actually start?
Diane
It is possible that your dog Sandy was attacked when he was young and his behavior had not been corrected, however, as you've said, no one seems to know what caused his behavior, so working with Sandy to desensitize him from what fears him the most is going to be hard. Before I go further into this topic, use the search engine on this forum to look up "socialization" or "socialisation" and other keywords such as "aggression" you can think of that may help you gain insights into his behavior, because I do know there were some good discussions and "how tos" regarding this issue on this forum. Right now, I seem to be having problems clearing my thoughts to think what possible solutions to give you on this issue of aggression towards other dogs.
Karma, on the other hand, seems to be doing well with other dogs, but I must keep my eye on her body language and read the signals when she's about to attack, if those signals appear. It's hard to remove that aggressive behavior from a breed that is known to be aggressive in the first place, but the work that goes into controling this behavior is well worth it. It will take a lot of time but an effort will worth it. And since I start work Monday, I've been anxious to how well Karma will cope with such a new environment and other dogs and have been preparing to that day. I think I've got everything packed for any signs of aggression, anxiety, and other things to handle any contengencies that may arise.
You said you had been to Pennsylvania. You have traveled the eastern part of the state, but I live in south-central Pennsylvania, near Bedford in which Interstates 99, 220, 30, 76/70 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) runs through. It's mountainous with beautiful valleys and luscious pastors are and some other beautiful sights too. At any rate, it is halfway between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Whenever you ever get the chance to travel this way, you should! Maybe we can meet sometime!
I don't get to travel as much as I would like to. 
Where do you live now? By the way, as you can see, I've updated my avatar picture with a picture of my dog Karma. Right now, she's wanting to go outside to "take care of some business", if you know what I mean.
