Is The Chihuahua The Perfect Dog For You?

submitted: Sep 27th 2006 | by: leedobbins | Total views: 77 | Word Count: 798 | PDF View | Print Article

If you want a dog that is loyal, lively, intelligent and you can carry around in your pocket than the Chihuahua might be for you! This tiny dog that originates from Mexico was actually introduced to the rest of the world by the Chinese. It Can weigh under 2 1/2 pounds and is one of the smallest breed of dogs. Thought to be a sacred dog of pre-Colombian Indians this breed is fiercely loyal and bonds with his owner. These little dogs can come in almost any color combination and are often seen in a tan and black combination, fawn and brown. One of the more desirable colors is chocolate which is a dark milk chocolate color and they can also be a chestnut color, silver color or a blue as well as multicolored. This dog has a short stout body with a round apple shaped head the dark eyes and the large years that stand erect. One of the interesting aspects of Chihuahua puppies is that their skull plates do meet leaving a hole called a molera. This will eventually closes by the time they become adults but you will need to be careful with your Chihuahua puppy. The Chihuahua is energetic and loving. Chihuahuas are often seen licking their owners face and while they love to give affection they also love to receive it. Most Chihuahuas will bond with their owner and be wary of strangers and other animals. If you want your Chihuahua to get along good with people and animals you should socialize him from an early age and be sure he's handled by lots of people. Chihuahuas do seem to like other Chihuahuas however, so if you want more than one pet you might consider getting two Chihuahuas! As you might imagine Chihuahuas need to be weary of other moving objects as they are so tiny and can easily be hurt. For this reason Chihuahuas and small children are not a good mix. The Chihuahua, although he may seem feisty, is very delicate and can easily hurt by a small child that doesn't know any better. Although Chihuahuas are very smart they may be a little difficult to train especially when it comes to housebreaking. Many owners simply paper train them or you could use a dog litter box as they are tiny enough to make this worthwhile. But being as they are intelligent they can learn many tricks and obedience if you take the time to train them with positive reinforcement. Chihuahuas, or any dog for that matter, do not respond well to yelling and hitting and this should never be used as a method of training. The Chihuahua can be a bit noisy and is also aggressive even for its tiny size. As you can imagine a larger dog may seem very threatening to your tiny Chihuahua but he will stand up to it with great courage. Therefore you should protect your Chihuahua from such threats even if the other dog is friendly. Although Chihuahuas are tiny and they do make good apartment pets they do need some exercise. Playing with your Chihuahua and taking him for a walk will help him remain fit and in good health. When walking your Chihuahua it's best to use a harness as opposed to a collar said their tiny wind pipes can become crushed with a collar. Just remember, if it is cold out, please dress your Chihuahua in a sweater as these dogs do not take well to the cold. Chihuahuas are long-lived for small dogs and can live up to 15 years with the proper care. Since their eyes are large care needs to be taken that they don't become damaged and Chihuahuas can also be prone to glaucoma and dryness of the eyes. Due to a short snout the Chihuahua can also be wheezy. You also need to be careful with these tiny dogs that you do not overfeed them and you do not feed them anything that is toxic as a little teeny bit of chocolate or fertilizer or anything toxic can have drastic results. Not to mention that a little bit of overfeeding can result in an overweight and unhealthy dog. The short coated dogs are easy to groom and care for and shed very little. You should brush your Chihuahua every week or so and give him a bath to keep them smelling great. Make sure to give your dog the appropriate vet care including yearly checkups and immunizations and you will have a loyal and affectionate friend for many years to come.

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About the Author

Lee Dobbins is an animal lover and pet owner. She hosts http://www.dogbreeds123.com where you can learn about dog care and supplies as well as dog breeds such as the Chihuahua.


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1: An Overview Of The Different Chihuahua Types
Everyone is familiar with the tiny Chihuahua dog breed, but what many people don't know is that there are different types of Chihuahua dogs. At one time these tiny canines were considered sacred to the Aztec tribes, but today they are mostly a pampered pet. Chihuahua dogs were discovered in Chihuahua, Mexico.

2: What You Need To Know About Chihuahua Allergies
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3: What You Need To Know About A Chihuahua Breeder
When you start looking for a Chihuahua breeder to get your dog from then you are going to want to find out all the important things about that breeder before you do business with them. To do this you need to know what to ask a prospective Chihuahua breeder so that you can tell if they are reputable and if they know the business of properly raising and breeding Chihuahuas as well. Make sure you ask any questions you have, as a reputable breeder will expect questions.

4: Chihuahua Breeders To Avoid
Anyone can throw on a suit and a smile, tell you the stuff you want to hear, and try to sell you a Chihuahua you may not want. A reputable Chihuahua breeder is someone that you can ask a lot of questions of and they will not be offended. A reputable breeder is going to insist that you do your homework and find the breeder that works best for you because they know that an owner and a breeder will be in touch for many years to come so a strong relationship is important. You will find that an honest breeder will hide nothing from you.

5: Raising A Chihuahua
Pet lovers who have only a little space to accommodate their pet usually choose Chihuahuas because of their small stature. Chihuahuas make wonderful and attractive pets and have distinguishing features that make them unique compared to other dog breeds. However, because they are so small, one does need to take special care when raising a Chihuahua.