My rescued Chihuahua trembles. Will he ever adjust to our family?

In situations such as these, time is your friend, as well as patience. 4 years living solely outside is a long time for a dog, and that's a lot of years of work to reverse. You may want to treat Perseus as if he were a puppy, starting with a similar routine for feeding, potty training, etc to get him used to being around people and in/out of a house. Getting him used to you can take time. Always approach by talking calmly and gently and tossing a treat toward him. Not directly facing him and/or crouching down can also make you less intimidating and scary. Let him approach you first rather than you approach him, and be sure to quietly praise or offer treats any time he does. As he gets more used to you, you can then treat only when he allows petting or approaches you and accepts gentle handling. This can take a lot of time, so patience and always maintain a calm presence can help. It is also a good idea to speak with a trainer or behaviorist in your area who can come to the home and offer more tailored advice for how to help Perseus. They can help formulate a training plan as in the case of a behaviorist may also be able to recommend medications to help keep him stress free and relaxed as he learns how to be a dog.

It may go either way but I would doubt she has an aggressive nature or the start of your companionship would have not been so well. It may have been too many changes too quickly without letting her adapt. A new environment, people and another pet was overwhelming. It is best to keep her quiet and away until she starts to trust you again and not act aggressive. Once that happens, slowly introduce her to new people and let her explore the environment then let her be around the other pet. She will be scared and stress to start so go slow and be patient.

Trust can take a long time to build. Some dogs who may have had fearful experiences will remember these and it make take a while to over come. Men do tend to be more intimidating due to a larger stature and deeper voice . It's also important to not tower over Sandy. Squat down to get on her level. Try to find a toy she really likes and have play sessions with her. Also make sure you are the one who cares for her (feeding, walks, playing). In general, this will form a positive association and can help to bond her with you. Also, try not to force her into hanging out with you. Make sure to heavily reward any behavior that appears to be what you want (like approaching you on her own). Make sure to use a higher pitched voice for positive association until she is comfortable. Be patient and positive.

Hi there! Congratulations on adopting your new friend a few months ago. Shivering in dog can be for a variety of reasons. Some common, but benign reasons would be from nervousness/excitement, dreaming while sleeping, or being cold or frightened. Some other, more serious reasons for shivering, can include ingestion of toxins, low blood sugar, low calcium, or even seizure activity. In some cases, dogs exposed to the canine distemper virus can have muscle tremors as a residual side effect from the virus. Based on Chance's history of being adopted, with a likely unknown history, it may be a good idea to bring him in for an examination by his veterinarian. This way, they can make sure no serious illnesses are suspected. What can be helpful for your veterinarian, since you don't know much about Chance's history, would be to log when these episodes occur, how long they last, and even get a video recording of a few of them. Again, as I mentioned above, shivering can just be for some very unexciting and logical reasons, such as excitement or being cold, but if it is concerning you, and becoming more and more frequent, an examination by his veterinarian would be a great idea! I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!

Aggression and fear are complicated. Some dogs can make some progress with appropriate guidance and consistency. For such guidance you will need to work with a trainer or a behaviorist. They must show you how to read his body language and how to respond in a fashion to modify their behavior. Certainly you can read many books about training and canine behavior as it is all helpful but likely you will still need professional assistance. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Any abrupt behavioral change is a good excuse to get him in to see your vet. He may be starting to develop a medical condition that should be investigated but it's so early that the only symptom he is displaying is this strange behavior. There may be something happening periodically that is making him uncomfortable of the feeling comes and goes, but either way, it should be looked into by your vet. Your vet will do a thorough exam, possibly some x-rays and/or bloodwork, as indicated. Based on these results your vet will have a better idea what is going on and be better able to advise you as to what action should be taken.

Your Chihuahua sound like most Chihuahuas I see every day. Be patient and gentle. Once puppy vaccines are over, consider enlisting in puppy or behavior classes. Expose your puppy to new stimulus slowly but repetitively.. Positive reinforcement might be a key element. A treat given by a new person may go a long way.