male shih tzu behavior

Question
Two days ago my husband and I purchased a 8 month old male
shih tzu neutered dog. I was so excited-I had wanted one for a couple of years.  This is his third home-the first two families had to pass him on because of moving and allergies. My husband held the dog in his lap while I drove
home which took about an hour.  From the time we first entered the house until the present the dog will not let me near him.  He shows his teeth, growls and nips at me.  I am so upset-I wanted a companion to love so much. Do you think he will ever bond to me and do you have any suggestions that I could do to help the situation.  He was also house broken or so I was told, but many "accidents".            We are retired senior citizens.  Thank you so much for any suggestions, Linda


Answer
Wow. Well this is one of those questions I feel so bad answering. Your dog is salvageable but he is going to take a lot of work. Depending on your health etc, you may or may not be able to do it. He will have to be walked twice a day every single day at heel. Getting involved in an obedience class and establishing yourself as alpha in your home is just plain necessary. He's a young guy and can definitely be helped. Please let me know if you want to try to do this or if you would prefer to simply rehome him and get another dog. You can always try shihtzu rescue they are wonderful about taking these dogs and retraining them. They're also a great resource to help you find a dog that is exactly right for you.
Please let me know if I can help you any further
Cindi