I've never had a dog in my life, but I'm looking at chihuahuas

[AgingDisgracefullyHere]

I have never been a dog person. I am generally mildly afraid of them or just a big anxious. If a dog doesn't want to jump on me and lick me then I can get used to it and come to really like it.

But I have always kinda liked chihuahuas. I used to joke that it was because they're not really like dogs, but I do understand they're very much dogs. Even the yappy aggressive ones I've encountered haven't upset me because I know they can't jump up and get me. I have met some really lovely ones, too. A couple who right off the bat wanted to sit in my lap calmly and be stroked.

I live alone in a flat and I've wanted a cuddly pet for a while. I have considered cats and small dogs. I have experience with cats.

But I keep thinking about getting a small dog and chihuahuas really appeal to me.

I have promised myself not to get anything this year - I don't want to rush. But I look at chihuahuas online all the time and read about them. I do worry about having the patience and experience to properly train and socialise a dog. I also worry about health problems and how to find a good, healthy dog.

Has anyone else gotten a chi as their first dog?
Does anyone have some good ideas for getting more real world information about them? Are there other small breeds I might consider?

I have multiple Chi's. They're have very individual and unique personalities which is what I live about them. One may be very barky, another not. My females were house trained within two weeks but the boy is a problem even at age 6.

The boy is more cuddly, girls have been affectionate but on their terms. I have a girl with severe multiple allergies, she's white/cream, it seems to be more common with that colour. Boy has luxating patellas. I had one girl die from haemorrhagic gastroenteritis at age 6.

They all want constant attention, so you need to have a lot of time for them. They can be funny about sticking to a routine as well. They don't like change too much. Any blanket is theirs and they love being under them as much as possible.

One girl is fairly lazy, the boy is hyper with a ton of energy. They need more exercise than you think. Mental stimulation is a must as well.

They're short haired, double coated Chi's but they shed a lot all year round with an increase in early spring and before winter. Hair everywhere. Long haired ones are supposed to shed less.

if you do your research on breeder, and accept they'll maybe make it to 11/12yo, and probably need heart meds later in life (ours has made it to 10 before needing them though) a good first time cuddly dog, is a King Charles Cavalier.

They're friendly sociable, and will constantly sit on you/by you. We have had 4 of them over the years and never had an issue with any of them.

Pottering to the shops?

What will you do with your dog when you get to the shops? Many won't let you take the dog in with you. I wouldn't recommend tying him/her up outside (potential for theft or nipping of a 'friendly' stranger).

I had a chi Yorkie cross and he was great fun. He needed a lot of exercise though despite his tiny size. He was a ball of energy

I have a long haired chi and he's the most loving boy ever! Although he is very much like a baby he wants to be with me every second of the day he loves being under the blankets but even though he is small he loves a good walk 3x a day!

I'm not sure any dog is the right fit for someone who is nervous of 'bigger dogs.' I think being a dog owner comes with a degree of accepting that people will assume that because you have a dog, that you like all dogs (rightly or wrongly) and they will behave accordingly. You will also have to socialise your dog will ALL types of dogs - you cannot just socialise it with other little dogs or you'll encounter some BIG issues down the line. Realistically, are you going to want to socialise your dog with a GSD or a Malinois, or even a Retriever? To have the best chance of having a healthy/balanced dog you need to socialise it as much as possible and not just other little dogs.

I also think that if you're already worried about not having the patience and experience to train properly, then you shouldn't get a dog. You need to be 100% sure. Finally, thinking a small dog can't jump up and get you is just folly - there's an article today in the press about a man who was bitten by a terrier and was left bleeding. I've been bitten by chihuahuas before - trust me, it's bloody painful and it required stitches.

I'm not saying don't get a dog, OP. But really do be honest with yourself - there is far more to dog ownership than just having something to cuddle! They are a huge commitment: financially, time wise - you're looking at potentially 12-15 years, commitment wise in terms of socialisation, training.

I have a chi and she's wonderful.
NEVER snapped. So sweet and loving. Follows me like my shadow. Loves cuddles. Very smart. Took a while to get toilet trained but she's almost 1 and 95% there now.
Very friendly with other dogs. Fantastic with kids.

Very, very funny personality.

She's awesome.

Chihuahuas are very barky dogs - not suited to a flat for the sake of the noise. Much like a terrier, they are programmed to bark at just about anything and it's instinctive.

I've never met one that isn't a nervous wreck, aggressive and needy. Great that other people think theirs are fabulous, but a velcro dog is not cute but is actually a highly anxious dog. Anxious dogs are much more likely to be aggressive and bit than a placid and happy dog.

All dogs take time and effort to train - house training, lead training, socialising, leaving them on their own so you can go to Lidl / the GP / out for a few hours. All of it requires a lot of work to instill good healthy behaviours.

Then it's the daily walks, cost of preventative healthcare, insurance, food, and any care you need help with.

You said you have medical issues, so a dog walker if you can't manage it might be important, overnight care if you need to go away (holidays, hospitals, work, whatever).... It's a big tie and certainly stops us doing a lot of things we want to do.

As a first dog, they are not a good option tbh. I wouldn't want one living in a flat near me if it was a barky one....

It's really not safe to have a chihuahua off its lead where there are birds of prey about. I have grass gardens right by me and I'd be OK with a long lead but not off lead at all.

We have a 21 year old male chi. He's a tiny curmudgeon but very lovable and generally no trouble at all. I'd love a JRT / chi cross if I could find one to rescue. I think they are one of those breeds that you get smitten with.

Please dont, we have more than enough yappy, annoying little dogs that owners never bother to train and are an absolute nightmare for everyone else.
Cats are much easier and quieter.

I don't have medical issues. But I would worry about a puppy mill dog for medical reasons so I was wondering how people find well bred dogs.

My neighbours have a chihuahua and it only ever barks I put something in front of their door (bringing parcels up from the foyer.) I don't care if he yaps a bit at someone at my door. I just wouldn't want one that freaks out and barks every time I go out. I have read they're not a particularly vocal breed in general in that respect.

I have heard that housebreaking can be difficult... Does that mean only going outside or training them to use a pad? I wouldn't mind replacing a pad daily because I don't see how a tiny puppy could get down the lift and outside in time.

I don't know too many people with dogs for socialising, but I do know of three friends/neighbours in my complex with them who ought to be willing to work with me a bit.

My mam in law has a chi. He’s a little prick. Everytime he comes round he snaps and goes for my pug. He goes for much bigger dogs too, one day I swear one is going to go for him back! He has long hair and I can’t explain the extent of the shedding fully.

My poor pug just stands there doing nothing in his own home and the chi will go for him 🤦🏻‍♀️

My sister has a chihuahua and he is lovely, don’t think I’ve ever heard him bark. He’s very well trained and just the cutest little dog. You’d need to get one from a good breeder and socialise and train it, with other dogs likely to be various sizes. And you’ll find other dogs approach dogs so if you’re very nervous perhaps think a lot more.

I had two now I've got one.
They are amazing dogs!! Can be highly strung but my god they're the best.My girl is the most gentle dog and goes.against every chihuahua stereotype.

I have a PomChi, she's mostly Chihuahua (we only learned about the Pom bit as that's what she's registered as on her microchip!). She was a private adoption from a friend of a friend and is eight years old, we've had her a year. She's our first dog but I work for a dog charity and have done for years so have been surrounded by dog nerds!

She isn't the easiest but as I knew her background I knew she would get on with my rabbits, they're the same size! She thinks they're her best friends (they are not so convinced). She is reactive to other dogs though, she's been played with roughly by other dogs much larger than her in the past. We've done reactive dog classes which helped, she's always going to be a work in progress and doesn't have any interest in playing with other dogs and will snap at them if they get too close. Fortunately she loves people though, even children, so I don't have to worry about her snapping at people.

You say you're in a flat, be prepared for barking. She's our tiny furry doorbell! Our neighbour also has a dog who barks a lot and as soon as he goes, she goes too. I'm in a house so only have neighbours either side to worry about, fortunately everyone is noisy and we're friends so it's all good. In a flat you'll have to consider neighbours on all sides, their tiny voices can carry!

My girl also has pretty bad separation anxiety, we can't leave her, so there's always someone home with her. I also have a dog-friendly office and she has been on a trip on the trains with me. It can be a bind though.

There are always small dogs ending up in rescue, including Chihuahuas. A rescue one that's middle aged may be a better fit than going the puppy route. They don't stay in rescue for long though!

I never thought I'd be a Chihuahua person, I'm more of a fan of Pointer/Setter type dogs, but there's absolutely no way I could keep up with a gundog! My girl's 40 min - 1 hour walks a day are plenty for both of us. Pic for tax!

I don't know too many people with dogs for socialising, but I do know of three friends/neighbours in my complex with them who ought to be willing to work with me a bit.

Gently, OP. That's not enough.

A puppy need thorough socialisation. It needs to meet loads of different people in different scenarios. It needs to meet big dogs, little dogs, fluffy dogs, shot coated dogs. It needs to meet old dogs and young dogs. It needs to meet them inside and outside.

Proper socialisation requires YOU to interact with dogs as much as your dog does.

You have to take a lift to leave the flat? Toilet training will be very hard. If you teach a dog to use a puppy pad, you're actually teaching it to pee and poo in the house. That's not OK.

Dogs shouldn't have to live in a flat where they can't get out for a quick pee. Ground floor or first floor is probably easy enough, but not up and down in lifts.

Your lifestyle of pottering to shops etc is also not conducive to a dogs life, as you can't take dogs in all these shops!

Also, remember that not all dogs are good in a car. Our old dog never ever got used to it and was petrified. Same as my parents dog, he has to be sedate for most journeys. You can't teach every animal to enjoy cars.

Get a cat.

And look away!
A friend was just telling me she had 11 people dropping in Boxing Day and at one point there were five dogs. Two chihuahuas that caused all the problems! Yappy, nippy and aggressive to the other digs (they were not from the same family). I have two dogs and when we go on walks we run in to loads of dogs. Jack Russells and chihuahuas are streaks ahead in the 'most likely to get snarly' stakes. Oddly there are two cockerpoos that are also quite aggressive, which I would have thought unusual.
Having a dog in a flat is really hard work unless you are happy to use puppy pads 🤢. I know people do have dogs in flats but it would totally stress me out not having direct access to a garden.

I agree with others that not having direct access to any kind of outside space, even just a balcony, would really stress me out. My girl is well toilet trained, her previous owners did that for me, but they do have small bladders and it's become a regular thing that she needs to pee at 5am-6am and will ask to be let out, we always supervise her in the garden. That would be a nightmare in a flat where you have to find the lead, put on a harness, find outside clothes and then be able to leave and go downstairs. This morning something upset her tummy, so she was heading to the back door AT SPEED, and so was I! Accidents from upset tummies are no fun indoors.

As someone who got a puppy a month ago, I'm going to go with the people who say get a cat. Sorry.

I am slightly nervous of much bigger dogs (my partner isn't) so I'm doing lots of work on socialisation for our puppy - some organised by our puppy trainer - as much for me to understand other dogs as well as my own. There will always be some massive, overenthusiastic dog who will want to say hello to your dog. You can't be nervous. I'd also think hard about all the training etc. We are lucky that I currently have lots of time to put into training and everything else. We also have a big secure garden, which is a life saver when it comes to toilet training as well as something interesting to sniff. And, like children, every dog is different. You may get an easy dog, but you may not, and you've made a commitment - a big, expensive long-term commitment.

Toilet training requires taking a puppy out at least every half an hour. Pads are crap, all you are doing is teaching them to go in the house.

I don't have a car. Luckily I live opposite a vets.

I will think about the toilet training. The neighbours dog has a litter box set up - they said they have to use a specific litter as clumping stuff is dangerous. At any rate, I gather there are people who have dogs that can be trained to go in a designated spot indoors. That wouldn't bother me at all.

Most nights I go to a meeting in a nearby church and there are dogs there so I can take a dog to a lot of the places I go to frequently. And for the places I have to go that I can't, I don't have to be away long.

I work from home but also have an office across the street and the dog would be perfectly welcome there.

I have been visiting my neighbours staffy and getting to know him. Max used to leave me alone until I warmed up to him and now he wants to sit by me for ear scritches - I apparently do them just the way he likes them. Anyway I know some people to start with and I expect I'd get to know more.

But I can't imagine walking a tiny dog up in the nearby country park where there are just too many careless dicks. I would have too look for other opportunities. I would definitely want to get a training class to start off with the right habits.

I do have a balcony! But I don't know if that would make much difference to a dog.

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