[lil_elf320]

Hello I have really enjoyed this forum and I usually dont have any questions but I do have one now...so I am a new member, ok here is my issue, I have just gotten a 4th dog to add to our family and she is about 8 months old and about 3 1/2 lbs, the lady was looking for someone to take her because she said they had no time for her so I jumped on it, she looks like a mix of the two I just lost this summer, well she was ok at first when I held her and the only thing I noticed was she was infested with some fleas, she was fine...seemed a bit on the shy side but thats normal for some chihuahuas to be that way...on the way home my older daughter was holding her and she threw up for car sickness I guess and she wanted to go on the floor (gross) eat it and she wouldnt let her and she started to snap and squeal at her...then I seen there is an issue with her temperment, we visited my mothers that weekend and she stayed with us and we got her all the supplies she would need... well we got her a harness cause the lady said she didnt seem to like a collar and she acted like a big baby when they tried to put it on ...so we thought we will use a harness and she should be ok well we tried to put a harness on her and she totally flipped out...and she seems to be more scared than anything I think..she would flip out if we would touch her claws and if she didnt want to be held a certain way , even putting a leash on her is hard, and I dont know what to do I dont know if its a dominance issue or she is scared and trying to protect her self...I am not sure how to address it, I dont want to do anything to make her worse...should I do the NILF method or show her I am boss, I dont want to break her poor little spirit, I just dont want her to bite one of my girls and I dont want to give up on her, when she is upset she rolls over on her belly so it doesnt seem like she is dominate? Please help!

 

[woodard2009]

Sounds like the other owner didn't spend any time with this baby. Everything is new to her. She probably tried to eat her vomit for fear she was going to get in trouble. Be patient with her and take it slowly. She sounds really confused and very scared in the new home. She's young enough that it shouldn't take too long for her to understand love.

 

[svdreamer]

She sounds terrified. I think you should ask your kids to ignore her for now, don't go up to her, let her come to them. Don't try to walk her right now, please let her settle in and relax before you try that. It took Reggie, my first rescue, 4 months to settle down and become calm and playful, it took Ling Ling, my peke rescued from a hoarding situation a year to come out from under the bed. Give her time to see you are not trying to hurt her and you are a safe place for her. She is NOT being dominant, she is telling you the only way she can, that everything is new and scary.