Chihuahua

[CleverQuacks]

Hi all,
I am currently in the early stages of considering getting a dog. I am doing lots of research. I want a small breed dog and having been looking at a chihuahua. I would love to hear people’s real life experiences with chihuahuas. What are the pros and cons? As I say I am only in the very early stages of considering this so all advice would be brilliant!
Thanks

I've never met one without a serious attitude problem!

A family member has one and he’s a lovely little thing. Very friendly and was very easy to train, loves being centre of attention!

He actually nearly made me consider getting one (I don’t want a dog but the DDs would love one and DH would if I were to say yes) but he moults like crazy so it’s a no go for me!

We got one in December. She was 12 weeks when we got her as we delayed getting her to fit in with end of term for dd.

She came from a mad house of 5 small dogs, the 3 pups and 5 kids.
We visited twice and the parents and their adults were all super friendly and licky. Also all were crated at night and on and off in the day. This appealed to us in the ad as we were worried about leaving a little rat dog with our giant cat
She’s super confident, super friendly super protective. She greets all dogs nicely and only barks if someone bangs on our door or shrieks right by the garden wall.
Yes she trembles, yes she wears clothes as she gets cold so quick
They also grumble a lot... it’s actually quite funny. It’s a like a big dog would whine but she makes a growly noise.
Friends with staffs and labs, G sheps and other huge dogs are all mesmerised by her being “just like a real dog but tiny”

If you pick the right house hold, not a puppy farm, maybe not a high pedigree, but a pup born to papmpered pets in a normal home, you could be onto a winner too

She is sooooo easy. 30mins walks max when it’s dry, hates the rain lol. Portable, and so sweet, very intelligent and learning recall nicely.

My mum got a 9 month old rescue, she’s a bit crap with snarling at new dogs but she’s much more isolated with mum. We are working on it

Lots of people we meet and know now say they’d consider a chi

My chi is loyal as they come to the family but other people he's just not keen at all and trips to the vet are horrendous (glad we don't go often). This has always been his mannerism but he does come around when he gets to know people. He's so loving and funny though and he'd be a mean guard dog if he was bigger lol. His best friend is a Lhaso and she's far more laid back I'd have another in a heartbeat 🐶

Thanks everyone. I have read that they are quite clever. In your experience how are they with house training? And learning basic commands?

Avoid any breeder who would let you take one before 12weeks old. They must stay with their mum and siblings until 12weeks, due to slower initial development. For a chi 12 weeks is the equivalent to 8weeks in other breeds.

Best way to find a breeder prioritising health and temperament is via the breed club. Ensure all relevant breed health tests are done on both parents.

House training is notoriously difficult with a chi.

We have one. He is very chilled not at all yappy. Loves cuddles and was very easy to housetrain - only time we've had issues is when he has been ill.

I have three. They're all so loyal and two are friendly. Hard to house train though. Get one or two.

Thanks @swimming I didn’t know about keeping them with their siblings until they are 12 weeks. I will definitely make sure I find a reputable breeder who keeps them til 12 weeks.

Mr GP

😍😍😍😍 the pictures

My chihuahuas are the greatest. I have two (a brother and sister); they are x jack russell. So slightly more sturdy and even more fiesty.

Cons: barky and territorial

Pros: Everything. They are brilliant little companions, portable, trainable, loving. Small appetites. Not v expensive to feed. I walk mine for at least an hour a day except when it rains when they pull me home. They are really funny.. little quirks. My girl dogs favourite toy is toilet roll tubes . She drinks tea. My boy dog is jealous of our baby and literally walks away from him whenever he is near by. He is v cuddly though and loves snuggles. They sleep in our bed. 😶

Mine are house trained but do have occasional accidents, which is usually my fault if I've missed their bark to go outside.

My dogs bark a lot & I had complaints in the past. That's one thing to consider.

I'm a vet and I see a huge difference in the traits of toy dogs depending on how their owners treat mollycoddle them. The ones who walk in on a lead literally have their four feet on the ground and tend to be much more confident and good humoured. The ones who come in clutched to their owners' throats are much more hysterical and insecure. So do try to foster independence.

There is a tendency with a Chi to baby them and carry them round everywhere. It’s very tempting as they are so small but of course, they are a dog, and must be treated as such. If you treat it as you would a lab, you’ll be fine!

I was considering getting a Chi but got an Affenpinscher instead. They are a tiny bit bigger and sturdier. I wanted a small dog but one that was a bit less delicate.

Thanks for all the responses. It’s great to hear people’s real life experiences

We’ve got two, one we got when he was a pup - he’s now 7 and our newest addition who is a 2 year old rescue.

Both are cross breeds (chi/miniature pinscher and chi/French bulldog).

They are my little guard dogs and can be quite barky, but are generally very calm and everyone who meets them adores them.

House training wise, we do occasionally come down to an accident in the morning, but that is very rare. They are very playful, affectionate and loyal - I would highly recommend 😊

Oh I do love chihuahuas! Don't have one and never have but they are my favourite.

Pretty please can people add pictures to the thread?

I have one, he's fully grown according to the vet but tiny, tiny dog. He's lovely but he IS as mad as a box of frogs and I rather embarrassingly took him to the vet to see if he was 'normal' because he's so batty. He walks with both his bottom and head facing the same direction. 😬
He was easy to house train and he's very friendly, no attitude issues although he is terrified of other dogs despite attempts to socialise him.
I need to get him castrated because he's humping anything that stays still.

Have never owned one but have met quite a few while walking my lab and from my experiences so far I'm not keen on them, but I take on board I should be blaming the owners not the breed. I haven't met one yet that wasn't badly trained, ill mannered and very vocal/snappy for no reason. Owners usually laugh and say something about it thinking it's a big dog as if its size is an excuse.

I have removed one with my foot (not hard, but enough to get it off) that was one of three snapping/biting at my on lead Labrador while the owner was some distance away and in no hurry to get to us to remove her dogs, she wasn't pleased with me hurting her baby and offered no apology for their attack on my lab.

They aren't robust and are a very different pet from a normal sized dog. They cant go off lead to play with the big dogs as they are both too fragile and vulnerable. One in our area had a leg break when its naïve owner let it play with a large dog that stepped/fell on it, and of course blamed the large dog owner. Our neighbours rescue staffie cross (which has ishoos) picked one up in its mouth and gave it a good shake, for once not the chi's fault.

Obviously with a lab I'm a bigger dog owner and small dogs aren't for me, if you are looking for a small dog type pet you will be looking for different things from your pet, but please do train your dog to have manners and not excuse bad behaviour due to his size.

I definitely agree that being a small dog is no excuse for poor training. I am already looking for local puppy classes because if/when I get a dog I want to be sure it’s trained well.

Chihuahuas are great dogs. Loyal, intelligent, agile with strong personalities.
Crate training them is helpful with potty training. Mine also sleeps loads and needs a push to be active outside when the weather is cold!
He is great with kids- but we made
Sure the breeder that we got him from had kids so he grew up around children before we got him.
They are very attached to their people, and get very sad when you leave them alone for long periods (ours has a 4 hour limit)

@TitsalinaBumSquash mine does the butt face bendy thing too hsha

Tutu