You might be more scared of a Chihuahua than of a Cane Corso. And, I don’t blame you for that. These little dogs seem to snap when you least expect them to!
What is most interesting to me is that Chihuahuas can be enjoying your petting at one moment, and at the next moment, they might try to attack you, or at least start growling at you.
Luckily, their attacks, growls, barks, and bites are not nearly as scary and dangerous as they are when it comes to some large dog breeds.
Most of the Chihuahuas that I have had contact with were so mean that I often told my friends to crate them or put them in a different room because I just could not get along with their energy.
But, why are Chihuahuas so mean? Are they just a small, spoiled dog that always craves attention? Is this something that is hereditary when it comes to this dog breed?
We will find out together the reason why my Chihuahua is so mean!
Reasons Behind Why Chihuahuas Are So Mean
Believe it or not, there are a few possible reasons and explanations as to why Chihuahuas are so mean. Some won’t make sense to you at first, but as you keep on reading, you will understand everything about them, and this recurring behavior of theirs.
My friend’s Chihuahua, Lola, that I mentioned a few paragraphs ago, was the type of Chihuahua that would enjoy my pets and cuddles in one moment, and in the next moment, she would randomly decide upon biting me for no reason.
Luckily, she was so tiny and her bites were so weak that they would just make a scratch at the most. However, this is still regarded as problematic behavior whether the dog is big or small.
Some would say that they are the worst in the dog kingdom, while others would say that they are the best loving dogs.
Maybe They Are Just Being Protective
Even if they are small, Chihuahuas are extremely alert and protective dogs. They are usually not aware of their small size because they can act as if they are large dogs.
They are Mexican dogs, and we know that Mexican people are extremely passionate and protective of their loved ones. That exact thing might be replicated on their national dog, too!
Chihuahuas are really protective of their territory, which could be one of the potential reasons why Chihuahuas seem to be some kind of mean dog.
When I was sitting and drinking coffee with my friend, Lola was monitoring every move that I made. Ultimately, when my friend and I hugged, guess who ran across the living room to bark at me? Yes, the 5-pound heavy, ferocious Lola.
Therefore, Chihuahuas might just be territorial and protective over their beloved humans, and not mean!
Read more about: 6 types of Chihuahuas
They Don’t Like Strangers
Chihuahuas are known for their loving nature when it comes to the dog/dog owner relationship. However, when talking about their relationship with strangers, it is a completely different story.
Chihuahuas usually can’t stand strangers, and it can be extremely difficult for them to become friends with strangers (in human or animal form).
Some people think that Chihuahuas don’t like strangers because they see them as a potential threat, and they can’t be more correct.
They are usually terribly afraid of strangers, or terribly protective of their owner when strangers are around, depending on the situation and the personality of the Chihuahua.
But, the thing you can do to prevent your Chihuahua from being a threat to anyone except your household is socialize it as soon as you get the chance to. This is usually as soon as it is vaccinated and ready to explore the world.
Socialization of your Chihuahua will help it to understand that not all new people, as well as new dogs or other animals in its life, are there to serve as a potential threat. This will help your Chihuahua to accept new people in your life without behaving inappropriately.
All of us become defensive when things are not working out our way or if we are afraid of something that is happening, or is going to happen. Chihuahuas are no different. When we understand this, we will also easily understand our Chihuahuas’ behaviors.
Read more about: Why are Chihuahuas the worst?
There Are Chihuahuas That Are Overly Dominant
At the end of the story, Chihuahuas are dogs as much as any other dog out there. Because of that, they can have different types of personalities.
Some Chihuahuas are aware of their size, and therefore, are submissive when other dogs are around, or new people. They can be aware that they can get easily hurt by everyone who is bigger than them.
However, there are also Chihuahuas that have a lion heart, and ‘the small dog complex’, where they aren’t truly aware of their size, and usually act as if they are the biggest and most powerful, dominant dog in the world.
Because of this, they can often feel as if they are the Cane Corso of the pack; therefore, they could act overly dominant and mean.
How do you put this behavior to an end? The answer is fairly simple; you have to show your Chihuahua that you are the dominant one as soon as they start displaying early signs of dominant behaviors.
This will teach your Chihuahua that they are not at the top of the hierarchy pyramid, and that it is good for them to be a little more humble.
They Might Be Anxious
If our cute little Chihuahuas are let alone for longer periods of time, they might experience something called separation anxiety. These dogs are known for enjoying spending time with their owner, but problems might arise when they are not with their owner.
Chihuahuas don’t really like spending time by themselves, and usually form an anxiety-attachment style of relationship with their owner. Therefore, when their owner is not around, they might become severely anxious.
But, this manifests itself when they are around their owner the most. They will be inseparable from them, and when someone new comes around their owner, they might be scared that their beloved owner will be taken away from them.
Because of that fear, Chihuahuas might be extremely uncomfortable if they need to ‘share’ their owner with anyone, especially some new people.
This can be a potential problem because Chihuahuas can be stubborn, especially when they become adults, and re-training them can be difficult.
In those cases, it might be best that you get professional advice from a dog trainer or an expert in dog behavior.
Read more about: what were Chihuahuas bred for?
They Might Be Sick
These small dogs can suffer from many health problems. Since dog language is quite unfamiliar to us, and we don’t have effective language communication between the two species, we cannot know when they are feeling sick.
Unlike us, Chihuahuas can’t express when they are feeling pain. Many Chihuahua owners have trouble determining when their Chihuahua is in pain.
Because this is the case, it would be wise to get pet insurance due to a Chihuahua’s fragile health and a number of health problems.
Health issues can appear at any time of their life, and they might alter your pet’s behavior.
They might get extremely angry, mean, and hostile by growling or biting when you try to pet them anywhere where they feel pain.
Final Word
There are a number of reasons why your Chihuahua might be acting so mean all of the time. They are often mean because they are extremely protective of their owner, and territorial of their home.
Whenever Chihuahuas feel threatened and that they need to defend themselves in any way, they won’t be so friendly. They will act aggressively as any other dog breed would in those conditions.
Strangers around them need to use patience as their best tool, as well as friendliness in order to let a mean Chihuahua know that they are not a threat to their territory, or their owner.
If the situation becomes too much for you, and you don’t know how to help your Chihuahua start behaving more appropriately, then a dog behaviorist might be the best solution.