Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For those who remember me from the Sibe board, Miki is very happy in her permanent home and is acing puppy kindergarden.

My current problem is Nina, a 7yo purebred chi who first was dropped off at a high-kill shelter by her human because he "didn't have time for her" and then came to our rescue group and our home. We've now had her for a little over a week. (I thought about begging for assistance immediately, but decided to wait until I had some information to give you.)
She doesn't appear to have had any obedience training, but we are working on that. She's learning quickly. She is housetrained but has to wait until we can get a leash on her before she can go out because she wiggled under our fence her first day and led us on a 2.5 hour search which ended with her biting everyone involved in finding her. (I don't mean nipped, I mean she drew blood.) Since then, she's been settling into our household and hasn't bitten.
I don't think she was abused, but she was ill-handled.
All this brings me to my question. How do I make this little waif feel secure and safe so that the biting doesn't recurr?
Thank you, all.

I am not a dog expert or training, this is just my opinion.
Sounds like you have a fear biter on your hands. When she bites she wins and she is saying back off.
I suggest you keep that little one a very strict schedule. Food at the same time. Potty at the same time, bedtime and place to sleep for Nina only no one else, no other cats, dog or people. In other words make a place just for Nina so Nina feels safe and it is that Nina's place only.
No surprises for now. No rough play like tug of war with toys. If she came from a one person household a household filled with people can be frightening.
Sometimes if a dog feel secure and knows what coming they clean up their act so to speak.
Obedience school is always good. But you can get a book on training and do it in your home. If you can teach dog to sit and stay that would be great. When training always do on lead. Then you have control and that is very important.

After she bit everyone that first evening, I had hubby (I was still at work when she was finally found) put her in the kitchen with the portacrib upside down over her. I went shopping for some canned food for her which I gave her when I arrived. She nipped me when I retrieved the empty bowl and I gave her my standard line "Bite me and you'll need dentures" and she backed to the far side of the enclosure. The second feeding she backed up and waited and the third feeding (all in the same evening) she slowly approached me. The next afternoon I let her out but confined her to the kitchen because she had not peed or pooped and even a bitey dog should get to potty.
I didn't put her back in the enclosure, but let her pick her den. She chose the space under the drop-leaf table for a couple of days. We started coaxing her out with bits of meat. Then she started coming to the gate at the kitchen door and looking at me in the dining room (where the computer is so I spend a fair amount of time here) like she wanted to come in. We've had steady progress since then. She's learning to come when called and sit when told to. Walking on leash is only to potty for now. I haven't actually worked on taking her for walks.
I am still concerned, though, about having something spook her and having her chomp the first person who appears which is the biggest reason that we haven't left the yard to work on walks.

But she is making progress. It takes time and a whole lot of patience with a dog like this. The fact that she is coming around sounds good to me. How long has she been in your houshold?

Cheryl

She arrived May 3, 2007.
Our rescue group pres had put her in the back yard with my 12yo sons. I got home to find her hiding behind our ducks. It's really rather funny to have a dog who *can* hide behind the ducks!

Oh a newbie in your home. Well that explains some of the problem right there. Poor thing came from a place that was totally her kingdom and suddenly found herself, who knows where, in her mind, with all different people, smells and rules. I think she is doing quite well considering. Takes a lot of time for dogs to adjust sometimes.

Like I mentioned before keep her on a strict schedule and basic obedience training. I think in time she will come around.

Cheryl