Anyone have a Chihuahua?

[skippy]

I'd LOVE to get one next year, and was wondering if anyone has one so I know about their temperament, diet, exercise levels, etc. Obviously every dog is different but just to get the general idea

 

[NickyT75]

I have one and love him to pieces but if im being honest I wouldnt recommend them as they are very small dogs with very big attitudes

I read all about them before getting mine and saw that they can be bad tempered/snappy/yappy etc... and just thought "mine wont be like that coz i'll bring it up properly" (Ive had lots of different dogs over the years and never had a problem with any of their temperaments) but he is quite a handful and although he is very loving to people he knows he is quite aggressive to strangers & I defo wouldnt trust him with kids which is a big worry for me now that im pregnant

You have to be quite firm when disciplining them as people have a tendancy to let them get away with murder coz they are so small & cute.... DO NOT treat them like babies! as they will totally take advantage of you and view you as lower than them in the pack which will lead to all sorts of problems

As I said above, I love mine and wouldnt want to part with him but if I could go back in time & know then what I know now I wouldnt choose this breed xx

 

[dizzyisacow]

i have one. all i can offer for advice is that they get cold very very easy. as soon as i put mine down he shakes and had a bad cough when we got him because he was outside in a shelter in the cold.

 

[Blah11]

I have one and I love him to bits. He's great with people he knows but he barks and can snap at strangers. He's been fine with Amelie, she loves him and he sniffs her a lot LOL They like lots of hugs and mine will sit on my knee ALL day long if I let him He's great with other dogs and cats, don't eat that much at all lol and don't need much exercise. We take him on 2 half hour walks a day atleast.. sometimes 3 plus he gets out in the garden to wee when he wants.

Oh and they're nightmares to train

 

[NickyT75]

I agree with Blah about them being nightmares to train

they are highly intelligent but very strong willed & would much rather manipulate their owner into doing things than allow themselves to be 'trained'

they like to rule the roost but you have to be very careful with allowing them to get away with bad behaviour because if you give them an inch they will take a mile & you will have problems with aggression if you then try to discipline them xx

 

[cillybean83]

i have one and it's like he keeps a mental list of who he likes and who he doesn't and if you're on his naughty list, he will growl and snap at you...they have very big attitudes and can be very hyper and HARD to train!

 

[Thradia]

I had one when I was a teen...and she definately had a big attitude! lol I agree with the above posts, they can be hard to train because they are so hard headed. Her "Big Dog Syndrome" got her attacked by a German Shepard once.

But if you have the time, they can turn out wonderful. Ours was a little sweety most of the time and she lived to be 17 years old. She loved to cuddle and slept on the pillows of the bed. But, oh did she snore!! lol

 

[missjess]

I have 3 of them and they're awesome.
https://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1184/4/46/630246145/n630246145_1588068_2698.jpg

They have strong amazing personalities and are a pleasure to be around!!! It wasn't hard at all to train them, they were trained within a week on puppy pads (they don't go pee-pee outside as it's too cold for them in the winter + they would be buried under the snow lol)

They are very nice with Josh, and are very cuddly/affectionate. My oldest, Paris, is a little stubborn and is VERY smart. If you piss her off, she will let you know... She pooped INSIDE my husband's shoes once because he didn't want her to take a nap in bed with him... LOL

None of my chihuahua will growl at people or show aggressivity. They are very lovable, they never bit anyone and I don't believe in chihuahua being aggressive. All dogs are animals, if you raise them properly and train them properly they will be amazing.

I suggest you go to a breeder. You will pay a little more, but it's worth it. You are guaranteed a very good quality dog, healthy, great behavior etc. petshop dogs are rarely pure breed and are crossed with other breeds or breed brothers/sisters, creating bad tempers, health issues etc. Also, they can come from puppy mills.

So look around for a good breeder!! Chi's don't require much exercise, just playing fetch with them for 10 min is enough.

Mine are treated like babies, however we are strict with them if they are naughty and don't let them get away with it. They are allowed to sleep in bed with us, they have their own closet for their clothes, and they love home cooked food (salmon, filet mignon, CARROTS!!!)

Good luck!! xx

 

[cillybean83]

definately go to a breeder because then you'll have a history and know what you're dealing with!

my charlie was a stray and literally ran in my front door covered in mange, bites, and was severely dehydrated and emaciated. we decided to keep him and took him to the vet and got him all taken care of...but we don't know what he went through his first 2 years of life and we never will...obviously a lot of his aggression stems from being out in the elements and attacked, possibly abused by previous owners, etc...you won't have any of those issues if you go through a breeder

they are such lovers if they are treated well but they aren't the breed that loves unconditionally lol...if you don't show him a huge amount of love and affection, then he'll be like "to hell with you then" and move on to the next family member to get some love off of them! haha

 

[NickyT75]

im sorry missjess but I resent the remark about them not being aggressive if they are brought up properly!

as I said in my earlier post - this is what i thought and has NOT turned out to be the case... I have NEVER experienced problems with aggression with any other breed of dog & wouldnt get rid of my Chi due to his as I feel it is a manageable amount BUT I felt it only fair to make the OP aware that this breed has a tendancy towards this behaviour so she is fully aware of what she is letting herself in for iyswim?

Im thinking that your dogs are probably more balanced individuals as you have 3 of them which means they are more socialised & able to live in a more natural 'pack' environment?

but most people when buying a Chi will only get one and should be aware that they are taking on a BIG responsibility with this small dog x