Orbit Blog

Chihuahuas have really boomed in popularity over the recent years. But now it seems like people are deciding to own one without realizing the special needs of this dog breed. Here are the top 7 mistakes made by Chihuahua owners:

* Letting Small Children Play With Them - Chihuahuas are the smallest dog breed in the world, and unfortunately it’s easy for them to get seriously injured by getting stepped or pulled on. In addition, they can easily become defensive and bite out if they are provoked. You should keep your Chihuahuas away from small children at all times to avoid any potential accidents.

* Not Socializing - Chihuahuas can become aggressive if not socialized properly. You should spend some time every week taking them to social locations, such as a friends house, the park, or a pet store. This will let them become used to people more and should make them less aggressive, and it only takes a small amount of your time.

* Not Exercising - We all have busy schedules, and it’s easy to forget about taking your Chihuahua for walks or to play outside, but their bodies require it. Try to spend at least fifteen minutes a day letting your Chihuahua play outside, this will keep them healthy and fit, and help prevent serious problems such as obesity.

* Too Much Attention - As crazy as this may sound, by giving your Chihuahua too much attention and “babying”, they can develop unhealthy attachment issues. A few things you can do to avoid this is to let your Chihuahua sleep in their own bed at night (not yours), and don’t hold them all the time. You need to let them know that it is OK to be without you. In addition, you should let your Chihuahua sleep by themselves. I know alot of people like to have their Chihuahua sleep in their beds, but they are just like children and can grow an unhealthy attachment to you.

* Not Using a Crate - Keeping your Chihuahua in a crate at night is an excellent way to keep them from having accidents, or from just getting into trouble. Just don’t keep them locked up all day, and take them out frequently to go potty.

* Punishment - Many people are misinformed about punishing their Chihuahuas. You should never hit, spank, slap, or even yell at your Chihuahua. The correct form of punishment should be speaking a negative command, such as “No”, or “Bad”, firmly at them.

* Housebreaking - A lot of people think Chihuahuas are hard to housebreak. Well, some can be difficult, but if you are patient, consistent, and keep a close eye on them, you shouldn’t have a problem. Using a crate will also help to keep your Chihuahua confined when you can’t watch them.

These are the top 7 mistakes made by Chihuahua owners. If you are thinking about owning one, I recommend really researching them to make sure they are the right choice for you. There are many dog breeds out there and Chihuahuas arn’t the right choice for everyone. I hope this helps!

Have you decided to train your new dog by yourself, rather than opt for obedience classes? Do you think that dog training classes by a professional dog trainer are too expensive? Well, if you have decided to do your dog obedience training on your own, you can do it. To be able to train your dog at home you need to be well prepared, and willing to take on this challenge with a calm and caring attitude. In this new adventure, you’ll be bonding with your dog, developing the trust and companionship that make living with pets so rewarding. Just like people, dogs need to feel appreciated. They are sensitive to human emotions and will react to them.

We recommend that before you begin training your dog, you have all the necessary supplies ready at hand. This will make both you and your dog comfortable during the training period, because you’ll be calm and confident. Dog training supplies are available everywhere, from your local pet store to the Internet. When you use the proper tools, both you and your dog will enjoy a safer learning environment.

The training tools you select will depend on the purpose of the training. You may be training your dog for guarding, sniffing out bombs, or just to be a happy and well-behaved family pet. Training supplies differ for each purpose. For example, if they’re training a dog to be part of a K9 unit, police dog trainers are equipped with bite sleeves for their own protection. A bite sleeve would be inappropriate for training a family pet.

Pet owners have a huge market to explore when buying dog training supplies. The first item to choose is a dog collar.

There are collars available in many materials and colors, some plain, others custom-made. Pick one that will be serviceable, but also an appropriate accent for your dog’s personality.

You’ll also need a leash to attach to the collar. You can choose a simple chain leash, or one in leather or nylon/polypropylene mesh. Make sure that the leash you select can be easily managed by everyone in the family. A firm pull on the leash is necessary for managing a misbehaving dog. He can tell whether the pull is a reprimand or just a playful tug. A good solid dog leash and collar may also protect your dog from getting involved with stray dogs.

If your dog barks too much (perhaps when he’s home alone), you might consider using a “bark collar.” These are available in models that deliver a slight static shock to the dog’s vocal chords when he barks. Ultrasound models and models that spray citronella (unpleasant to dogs) up towards the dog’s nose are other options. You need to offer praise and positive reinforcement when the dog stops barking, to make bark collars work most effectively.

To train a dog not to be aggressive, an electronic dog collar that delivers low static shocks may be useful. It is not painful to the dog, but rather uncomfortable and irritating, and it does work. Other possibilities to curb aggressive tendencies are muzzles and spray collars. Choke chains are sometimes used, but can injure a dog’s neck and throat if not properly managed.

These are just a few examples of dog training supplies you may wish to consider. Always keep in mind, however, that safety is paramount with any item you use to train your dog.

Does your dog urinate when visitors are present? Is your dog only housebroken when you are around? This is something you want to change fast, before it turns into a housebreaking problem! First, and most important: your dog needs to understand that urinating inside the house is Not Acceptable. Try to act with patience when you see this behavior. Don’t punish him or shout at your dog, or he may be traumatized. The result will be that your dog will be frightened every time he needs to relieve himself in your presence. You need to train your dog to urinate outside the house.

Below are a few tips for this type of dog training.

1. If you catch him in the act indoors, interrupt your dog by saying, “No!” Speak firmly, but don’t shout.

2. Take your dog out for a walk, and let him walk for five minutes or so.

3. When he squats to defecate, say “Go Poop!” in the voice you normally use for commands.

4. If he doesn’t do so, put him in a cage. Walk him again after 20 minutes.

5. When he does follow your orders, make much of your dog. Pat him, show your appreciation, and give him a reward.

Catching him in the act is really the only way you can train him for this. If you fail to catch him, it’s too late to say “No!”

When you take your dog for a walk, remember that you are required by law to clean up his feces. Carry a small plastic bag and a “pooper scooper”. It doesn’t hurt to take a spray bottle of water and some wipes as well, in case he urinates in an inappropriate place. If you do not clean up after him immediately, whether indoors or on the road, your dog will think it’s acceptable to make a mess in these areas. Always alert the dog by saying, “No!” and cleaning up the mess right away.

Here are more steps you can take to house training a dog.

1. Buy a dog repellent to keep your dog away from furniture, carpets, etc. B’Have” is a spray repellent, while “Boundary” is a shaker can of granules. Their odors are not unpleasant to humans, but offensive to dogs.

2. Stray animals are attracted to places where other animals have urinated or defecated. Use one of the repellents above to mask residual odors. This discourages stray dogs from urinating in that area.

3. Your might want to train your dog to relieve himself on command. Choose a command word like “Pee!” or “Poop!” — short and crisp. As soon as he starts passing urine, say the word repeatedly. Then praise him when he’s done. Do this every time your dog begins to relieve himself. In a few weeks, you’ll find that the dog has formed the habit of urinating when he hears your command.

4. Don’t forget to reward your dog when he eliminates on command. You can carry a bag of dog treats on your walks so you don’t miss the “magic reward moment.”

5. If your dog doesn’t relieve himself within five minutes of your command, put him in the cage for about 30 minutes, and then try again.

The key to training your dog to urinate and defecate appropriately is patience. Never shout or punish the dog if he doesn’t obey your commands. Make sure any outdoor furniture is placed away from the grass. This will make it less attractive to your dog.

If you follow these housebreaking hints and tips, your dog’s elimination habits will be “up to scratch”!

Think that you are ready for some new Chihuahua puppies? Well, think again. As a Chihuahua owner, before you let your female Chihuahua mate, think about the future consequences that you will have to face. At the same time, learn few important steps for Chihuahua breeding, so that you won’t be left clueless as to what to do next.

First things first, before you let your Chihuahua breed, ensure that your Chihuahua goes through selective breeding. If your Chihuahua fails to do this, it may produce pups that are unhealthy that may be suffering from numerous health diseases.

Just like humans, diseases can be acquired through inheritance.

Before you proceed with Chihuahua breeding. Take note of the following preparations:

First, you will have to set aside money for expensive health exams. Then you need to pay for stud fees. You will definitely need to set aside another sum of money for whelping. If your girl can’t give birth the normal way, then you got to prepare for an unexpected c-section.

When the puppies are born, you will then have to prepare extra food at all times. And of course, the puppies will then need their vaccinations too.

If you think that all these are going to be a hassle, then it just means that you are not up for it.

These are just the beginning steps.

If you really want your Chi to produce healthy pups, then always remember to spay her, before breeding. This will also ensure that your Chihuahua will be safe and healthy after birth.

Upon giving birth, if you are still clueless as to what to do with the new pups, go to the vet and check with them. The last thing that you would do is to endanger your harmless new pups. Always be with mama Chihuahua while she whelps and try to devote as much time as possible to the puppies, for the first few weeks at least.

Weigh your pups daily, and if you notice that it is not nursing, than you got to feed it every 2 hours. Sometimes, if your mama Chihuahua dies during whelping, then it is up to use to use the bottle to feed the litter.

As your pups’ mature, this calls for some training and disciplining.

This is the period for you start potty training your pups, or just disciplining them. One of the most important steps is to make your Chihuahuas socialize. Socializing will make your puppies friendlier and they are less likely to bark at strangers or harm them.

As we know, Chihuahuas can get jealous easily. So, tame them and discipline them. Your Chihuahuas will turn to be endearing house pets.

Before your Chihuahua start breeding, ask yourself whether you are prepared to take charge of the situation when the new pups arrives, or when unexpected things happen like your Chihuahua dies during whelping. Chihuahuas are very delicate creatures. Both mum and pups deserves 100% attention from you.