Raising a Chihuahua Puppy
When most people think of Chihuahua puppies, they think about how cute and tiny they are. In turn, this makes many people want to own one. However, raising a Chihuahua puppy is often a difficult task that requires care, love, and a whole lot of patience.
Understanding this breed is an important part of successfully raising a Chihuahua puppy. They can be some of the most loving dogs, often wanting their owners attention over playing with their favorite toys. But, Chihuahuas can also have a fierce attitude, oftentimes attacking other Chihuahuas, dogs, and even people.
You can help raise your Chihuahua puppy to be less aggressive by doing a couple things. For one, if you ever see your Chihuahua puppy growl or snap at someone, simply say "NO!" and put them in timeout in their crate. This will let them know that they can't get aggressive without repercussion.
It is also important to socialize your puppy with other people at an early age. You can do this by allowing your family or friends to spend time with them, giving your puppy attention and love. Doing so will let them warm up to others and realize they are not a threat to them.
Chihuahuas are the smallest dog breed on the face of the earth and as puppies, they are very fragile. You should always handle your puppy with care and make sure they can't get injured from other animals, people, or objects. Small children and other dogs should not be able to reach your puppy. One way of doing this is to block off an area of the house, such as the living room, and keep your Chihuahua puppy closed up in there. In addition, be sure to check to make sure there are no heavy objects that could topple over on the puppy, and there are no exposed electrical wiring they could get to.
The best time to start potty training your Chihuahua is when they are still a puppy. A couple things you will need to have for doing this are treats and a crate. You should start by making your puppy sleep in the crate at night, which should reduce the chance of them going to the bathroom at night. First thing in the morning you will need to take them outside for a walk to do their business. Keep saying a command, such as "go potty", and when they start peeing, say "good boy!", and give them a treat. Once you bring your Chihuahua inside, keep them in an area where you can watch them at all times to make sure they aren't going potty somewhere in the house, and keep taking them outside every couple hours. Those is the basics to potty training a Chihuahua puppy successfully.
You should make your puppies crate as comfortable as you can by placing a bed with some blankets or towels inside of it. This will give your puppy a warm and comfortable place to sleep.
Another part of raising a Chihuahua puppy is keeping them healthy. Just like all other breeds, Chihuahua puppies need to be taken to the Veterinarian to get their sets of shots. These are an important part of keeping their system healthy. Also, it is important to feed your puppy a healthy diet of premium dog food. If you are unsure on what food to give them, I would ask your breeder or Veterinarian for a recommendation.
Raising a Chihuahua puppy does take some time and effort. You must be there for the Chihuahua to keep it happy and safe. But, if you are willing to put forth the effort, you will find there is much joy that comes from raising a loving Chihuahua.
