Generally chis do not handle change and trauma very well and a rescue at that age has had to have been traumatizing. I would suggest a solid routine and some structure to help him feel like his world is becoming a friendly predictable place. You should also read the thread here on calming signals as your dog is probably just very anxious and unsure of things right now and this will help reassure him things are going to be ok.

And keep in mind that dogs are very resilient forgiving creatures. You havent ruined this relationship. But he does need some reassurance and stability to recover from his hardships. Chihuahuas are strong bonders to their owners often bonding to only one human and only tolerating the others. It's hardwired into the breed. It is very difficult for them to feel safe and secure if this falls apart for them. Routine and structure along with the calming signals may give him that sense of security he needs.

 

check out these threads:
http://www.dogforum.com/dog-behavior/calming-signals-10084/

http://www.dogforum.com/dog-behavior/resource-guarding-causes-prevention-modification-7511/

 

I've read both, and my chi seems to be constantly giving me calming signals whenever I pet him... Does he not like being pet at the moment? Whenever I start petting him he licks his lips a couple of times or licks my hand or sometimes yawns... Should I stop when he does this? And about the resource guarding, I understand the thread, but I don't really understand how it applies to food that isn't in his possession... like if I have a plate/bag of chips and I go to pet him and he starts showing teeth.

I have another question but I don't feel like I should start a new thread, so I'll just throw it in here... My chi's favorite thing to do at the moment (besides eat and go for walks) is lay under my bed comforter/a sweatshirt of mine all day long, even while the whole family is home. He seems to enjoy being isolated in a dark place (like a den I suppose). Is this because he's still warming up to his new home? Idk what his situation was like before he got to the rescue, all I know is that he was shipped up from a high kill shelter in North Carolina...

Btw he seems to be MUCH more afraid of men than women, the men in my house being the only guys he's comfortable with. He'll growl and bark at any new man/boy he meets. I'm guessing this is because he had a bad experience with a male owner at some point in his life... Man, I wish I could've raised him from a younger age and given him the love he needed =(.

Thanks guys

 

it's actually common for dogs to show more fear of men than women. i think that men tend to carry themselves a bit differently, they also tend to have deeper and louder voices, which can also translate as intimidating for the dog. it may be that he was mistreated in the past, and it may not. it will take some time for the stress hormones that are in his system to return to more "normal" levels, so things that might only slightly stress him on a normal day can elicit a much bigger/more dramatic reaction.

from your description of his behavior, i'm suspicious that he may be anticipating punishment when you are eating. stop petting him. in fact, i wouldn't eat in front of him anymore, or at least not for a while. do you have a dog safe space that you confine him to? it may be a good idea to give him a stuffed kong and confine him while you are having your meal... this would help if the issue were RGing too. in addition, you might consider making it a habit to hand feed him a bit of his dinner. personally, i would sit down with it as if it were your meal, and toss him piece by piece of the kibble, without making a big fuss over his behavior. you cannot reinforce aggression/fear/anxiety, so don't worry about that. what your goal would be is to change his emotional response to you sitting down to eat. as a further suggestion, i would put his dog bed near where you are sitting and try to toss the bits of kibble on the bed. this will create a positive association with his bed as well, and begin shaping a place he can be/go when you are eating. if he isn't food motivated, you might substitute some of his meal with a higher value treat, like bits of chicken or hot dog...

a lot of dogs don't like being handled or pet, some like it, but only on their terms, and only by certain people that they've built a more intimate relationship with. also, most dogs do not like their heads to be touched or hands reaching out to their heads. try to respect the calming signals now, and also try to give some of your own in return. if you reach for him and he lip-licks, try withdrawing and yawning or turning your head. i would also encourage you to work on desensitizing him to handling. some videos to help you

 

Thanks for the help everyone, but it turns out this dog is way too aggressive and we're taking him back to the rescue... He's completely terrified of me and will not let me pet him anymore. I get teeth every time. My mom is also uncomfortable with him being like this, so it looks like he's out. We're gonna take a look at the shelter and see if there are any other younger dogs with a better temperament.