Hi,  I just adopted a rat terrier/ Chihuahua named Jasper.  Someone stabbed him in the belly and starved him.  I got him from a lady that saved him from a kill shelter. 

He ia 3.5 mths old.  I have a 9 year old poodle shih tzu mix anf two cats. He is doing great but attached like glue to me.  He does not trust anyone and runs around barks growls and snapped once at my 18 year old son.  He now loves all my kids I have a 13, 15 and 18 year old boys and my husband.  It took allot of time for my oldest son but sometimes he still acts like he is going to bite him.   He also now likes my step children ages 12, 10 and 8.  That took a day and then we started from square one the next day.  By sunday he loved them.  They come every other weekend. When new people come over, which can happen allot in my house because I have a big family he growls barks and if they reached to pet him he runs.  I don't want him to bite what should I do to get him use to people?  I have all the family get togethers and I want a happy friendly dog. The lady I got him from said sqhurt him with water when he won't stop growling and barking.  That does work but then he hides on one of the kids and is very upset.  I can have a person over to the house for hours and he will sniff them let them touch him a little but later start barking and growling again. I love this dog just want to teach him early how to behave.  He acts like I am his pet and know one is going to touch him when I am around.  If I leave him with for example  with my 18 year old he will lay on him and stay with him but when I come back he barks when my son walks around the house.

Help me!!

Bless you for taking this little guy in!  Someone stabbed him?  He's only 3.5 months old?  OMG

First of all, I don't blame him for being scared of people after that!  It will take some time and patience for him to get over that and be comfortable with your whole family.

We have an excellent Training Moderator and several other members who are great at training advice.  I would suggest you post about this again over in the Training Forum - sometimes Nora (Training Moderator) only has time to check that forum and might not see your post over here.

He'll be a wonderful little dog once he trusts you!  (I've got 2 rat-chi mixes).

Thank you!!!

He is so loving and is very smart!!!!!

He did do well with us I only have had him for 1 week 3 days.

Just was told to stop his growling early.  I remind everyone that he has been stabbed so give him a break.  The lady I got him from said he never did that at her house so she thought he was running the show.  She told me I have to be pack leader not just mom.  He is spending more time now with my kids.  He does like his new family just when someone knew comes in he won't stop following them around and barking.  I tell them to not touch him and I tell him NO.  If he won't stop I spray him with water.  That really works but then he ignores me and sits with the kids, he acts like I am terrible.  I go back to work soon and my mom will be letting him out to go to the bath room.  I don't want her to get bit when she gets him from the crate.  I have never used a crate with my dogs but he likes to eat all the cats, and my dogs food up.  He also digs, rips up things and gets on my kitchen table.  I can't leave him alone without crating.  I have always left them in a bathroom or kitchen but I won't with this one.  He eats everything.  Good thing he is like my knew baby,  I love him soooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aw, sounds like he has a wonderful home now!  Totally true he should not growl at anyone and yes, you do need to be his pack leader. ...that is part of his confidence building....

Good idea to crate him while you're gone, it will protect him as well as the cats.  Just a thought but you can also leave the cat food up where he can't get it.  And maybe feed the dogs at specific times instead of leaving food down all the time..?

Can your mom spend some time with him before you go back to work?  Let her handle him some and show she is alpha/pack leader over him?  That way he'll be used to her letting him out to potty.

I agree I changed my methods when my step children came.  We just let him get use to them.  I told them don't touch him until he comes to you and then open hand let him smell you.  I took two nights but by Sunday he was all over them.

When knew people come in I watch him and maybe that is wrong.  I tell him No when he barks and growls.  I tell people not to grab or touch him.  I should just ignore it maybe but I follow him around and say no.  People come in and move around my kids friends and I try to stop it fast by not letting him think it ok.  I usually grab the sprayer and squirt him with water. If you play with him he loves you faster.  I know I was the problem at first.  He is getting better he sits with everyone not just me and everyone walks him.  It is stranger I worry about!!!!! 

I love all the advise!!!!

Just want a happy dog.  We also took him to petsmart,  and to look at campers.  He was really good.  He even let people touch him and played with a little pug.  My husband was holding him and let him do more then I would.  I am more protective I am afraid he will bite or a big dog will hurt him.  He is afraid of big dogs he only weighs 5 pounds.  MAybe I give him the wrong message.

Thank you for all the advise.  I have been trying to change my approach.  I am  a protective person and might be making him feel like protecting me his knew mom.  Today he is hanging out on my couch quietly.  Not doing anything.  He is all by himself and I am on the computer.  That is very good he usually is looking for something to do always looking for trouble.  Hey my mom just walked in he barked but when Ginger my other dog greated her with love he is on her lap now kissing play bitting and loving her up.  Good sign

 
Yay!  Good boy!     

Bless you for rescuing him. My little bit of advice that I read and used it that by the time the pup is 5-6 months they should be introduced to over 100 different people. That helps with further interaction when they are older. My pup loves to be petted by everyone and runs to strangers to pet him.  He is a little tenitive with small kids because he has had a few run in with kids who want to pick him up and pull on his ears etc.  I had to remove him from them and carry him around or kennel him so he would be safe but he loves all.

I think he just has trust issues because of the way he was brought up for the first 3.5 months. Let him keep taking his time and once he knows you won't hurt him he will be fine...

Good Luck..

She looks so precious in the avatar.  There are some other pups here with similar markings.  I love her eyes!  She is so lucky to have found a big family to love her.  I'm sure she will get better every day with all of the people you have coming and going.  I would seriously use the crate when you are not there.  If ratties are left to their own, they do want to chew.  Mine is 10 months old and I put her in the crate whenever I have to leave the house and sometimes when I am there, but too busy to keep an eye on her...such as cooking dinner.  Otherwise, she eats my daughters toys, chews are shoes, gets napkins or paper out of trash cans.  She is a great dog, but she likes to chew on things and I'm sure she would destroy my house if I left her alone with free range.  She still sleeps with me at night, but the crate is a life saver for all of the other times.  They are very lovable animals and they want to please their owners, so I'm sure she will be easy to train with the help of a crate.

Welcome to the site!

Carol

Hi everyone, Jasper is doing much better.  :He really thinks he rules the house.  When I go back to work in September I am worried about crating him all day.  My mom will be letting out at 11.00 am I leave at 7:00 am and get home at 3pm.  Is that to long in a crate?  I have never crated a dog.  Do you give them food and water in it.  He has a medium dog crate size,  he is 5 pounds now.  We also thought about making a good size dog fence that would be covered because he doesn't like to pee or poop in rain and winter time I hope he goes quick.  I walk him three times a day now and he goes after every  bird, bug, bunny etc. and loves long grass like fields.  He takes forever and  I alway say go potty over and over.  He does understand just can't keep him focused.  By the way we don't plan to leave him outside just let him out to do business in  the run.

I do thing he has little dog syndrome (or napoleon complex).  I think I know what you mean.   But he also acts like I will growl and bark first then if I don't think you will hurt me I might let you touch me.  He is very different out of our home and car.  He doesn't bark just is very shy.

He pees right away, he walks to go poop.  I get up at 5am he goes out and pees comes in and eats.  I take him out after and walk him but he sometimmes does not go until 10:00 am.  If he won't go after he eats I let him run around then I crate him go take care of horses come back and take a shower and try walking again.  If he does not go I put him back in the crate after he finally goes poop I let him have free time in the house until I have to go some place.  He sometimes poops three times a day but takes forever.  He likes to play around with bugs etc.   I just hope he will take advantage of the 11:00 am time my mom comes over and does both businesses.  My dog ginger goes out pees and poops right away.  I guess if he won't go for me in the morning he will go quicker for my mom, or learn to.  He goes in his crate 3 times a day morning, afternoon, dinner time and 9:00 pm at night.  Any time I have to go do something or when I am in the house and he needs to go take a break, I crate him know.  I am increasing it slowly.   Does anyone use a dog fence not a metal one my husband wants to build a white fence just big enough for him to sniff around go both ways and come in for bad weather.  It will be covered partly.