First, thank you for following ASmallDog and taking the time to let me know what is going on with your dog. I have had a few experiences caring for dogs rescued from puppy mills. Invariably, each of these dogs was extremely shy and generally fearful of people, other dogs, and new situations. The shy and fearful behavior was consistent from dog to dog regardless of breed. What did vary by breed was the type of reaction each dog displayed when confronted with a fear-inducing situation. In general, the smaller the dog, the more vocal the dog seems to be when frightened.

Puppy mills are factories; and each breeding dog in the mill is usually treated like a piece of machinery with one purpose: to produce puppies. There is no regard for the needs of a puppy mill breeding dog other than that which is necessary to keep the machinery running. It’s likely your Chihuahua was isolated in a cage with no meaningful contact with other dogs or people. It is also likely your Chihuahua was isolated shortly after birth and remained in that condition until you received her. The best way I can describe the impact on your dog is to have you think of what it would be like to be kept in pitch-black darkness for 2 years and then suddenly thrust in bright sunlight. You would be blinded and disoriented. You would hold up your hands defensively and try to block out the light. At that point, interacting with other people, other than to say “Help!” would be out of the question. You would likely try to return to the condition you were used to–darkness–to relieve your discomfort. If anyone tried to get you to act normally at this point, you would probably lash out defensively.

This is what your Chihuahua is going through right now. She cannot immediately deal with all of the strange new situations that confront her. Over time, she will get somewhat used to her new surroundings and to new people, but she will probably never be the same as a dog that was raised from puppyhood around other people and dogs. Dogs form their personality by the end of their 12th week of life. In succeeding years, a dog may modify its original behavior as it grows older, but the foundation of who and what that dog is gets solidified in the first 3 months of puppyhood. I say this not to discourage you, but to prepare you to accept your dog for who she is.

She will continue to be completely trainable until she reaches a ripe old age. She will probably cling to you more than most dogs because you will come to represent safety for her. If you make new introductions carefully and gently, she will come to trust a circle of friends, both human and canine. The key to introducing your dog to new people is to coach them on how to behave around your dog before the dog is introduced. Once the introduction is under way try not to over-control the encounter, or your dog will pick up on and absorb your nervousness and worry. Begin to introduce new dogs only after your dog is has adjusted to meeting new people. Initially, try to limit your Chihuahua’s exposure to dogs that are very calm, and always make introductions to one new dog at a time. Take it slowly; stay optimistic; and expect to work hard for tiny gains. Good luck and let me know how it is going.

Jeff