According to Chihuahua rescues, the number-one behavior problem they see with dogs coming into rescue is tearfulness. The level of a dog's fear can range from pronounced cautiousness to such terror that it causes the release of its bladder and bowels.

Fearful dogs are also the number-one cause of dog bites. As most people incorrectly assume, most dog bites are not the result of a confrontation with an aggressive, dominant dog. Fear biting occurs when a frightened dog is put in a situation in which she feels she is being confronted with a life-threatening danger and has nowhere to escape. In the dog's eyes, the choice is to protect herself or die. This could happen in even an innocuous situation, such as a Chi that is on leash with an owner who is trying to get her to stand still for a little girl to pet her. As the Chi sees it, she has no escape (the leash and her owner are holding her), and she is facing a life-threatening danger (the little girl).

Fear can originate in the Chi's genetics and be exacerbated by her upbringing (her experiences or lack thereof with people and dogs). In a Chihuahua that has the genetics to be a very outgoing dog, fearfulness can stem from abuse, neglect, and lack of socialization. As you can see, the way the Chihuahua is raised has a great impact on how outgoing she will become as an adult.

So, if you own a puppy, you have a tremendous influence on the outcome of her temperament, whether she is genetically predisposed to be fearful or not. If you own a rescued Chihuahua that is fearful, she is not a lost cause! You can do a lot to help your Chi overcome many if not most of her fears. For both pups and adults, the way to pull a shy dog out of her shell (or to prevent a pup from becoming shy) is through socialization.