Maltese Shih Tzu snaps at kids indoors. Is it past trauma? How to fix?

Question

We have been given a Maltese shih tzu who is generally happy. He came from a family with an autistic four year old who could not cope with him anymore (is what we were told). I have a 19m old boy and 3y old boy. The dog snaps at the boys but not us. Usually only inside the house. Would there be something that happened before or is it my boys? They are only gentle with him. What do I do and how can I change this behaviour. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 1 month old | 10 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

If Max lived with an autistic boy, he may be wary of children due to his experience in his previous home. When I worked as a therapist before going to vet school, I worked with autistic children at my first job, and they can be unpredictable and lash out physically. Without knowing what his previous home situation was like, I can't say what Max did experience for certain, but him snapping at your boys could be related to interactions with that boy. I would have take Max into an professional behavioral expert. I don't recommend that owners work with aggressive behaviors on their own due to safety reasons, it's best left to the professionals. The behavioral expert can work with Max on appropriate interactions with your boys so that they can all get along safely. I hope this helps!

Maltese Shih Tzu snaps at kids indoors. Is it past trauma? How to fix?

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