Chihuahua Care – The Basics of How to Care for a Chihuahua
Chihuahuas have basic requirements as all dogs do. Caring for a Chihuahua is generally the same as with any dog. They need food, water, shelter, and a little something extra, love! Chihuahuas get cold more easily than other breeds do, so extra care may need to be taken. Make life a little easier on them and get them a jacket or sweater use to sweaters and jackets at an early age and put them on when they go outside.
I made the mistake of not doing this with my first Chihuahuas and they acted as if it was a punishment when I put their sweaters on them. They would also run, jump and rub against anything trying to get them off! I then tried just letting them go without sweaters, and they would have to be pushed or dragged out the door!
They don`t do well staying in hot weather either. They love the heat, but will sometimes stay out in the sun too long and suffer from heat stroke. Just make sure they have adequate shade and plenty of clean fresh water when outside. If they get wet and chilled from rain, it could be disastrous with your dog coming down with a bad cold or pneumonia.
A Chihuahua`s Environment
The Chihuahua is not an outdoor dog, it is an indoor dog. A Chihuahua can face all kinds of perils being outside, first of all there are birds of prey, even in the cities and a Chihuahua looks to be the right size meal to a hungry hawk. Good fencing has been knocked down by an antagonized big dog walking by your yard. My dogs bark at anything that walks by, human, animal, unusual sounds. They do not seem to understand that one bite from a big dog would be the end. All dogs are more territorial in their own yard, and bark even louder, and with more intensity. This is enough to make the most mellow of big dogs grow aggravated.
They are so small they can get through the smallest of spaces. Check your fencing often for escape holes. I once had a Chihuahua get stuck half way through a picket fence, if I had not been there, she may have died from exhaustion, suffocated, been attacked by another dog! If you have low fencing, a bigger dog could jump over it, or a passerby could reach over and grab your precious baby.
They should be vaccinated on schedule. They should get a bath when they need it. Their toenails need trimming quite often as most Chihuahuas don`t walk on rough surfaces enough to wear them down naturally. They need a healthy diet, clean fresh water daily. Their water and feeding bowls should be cleaned daily. If they have an short snout their teeth will need to be cleaned regularly. Your vet will suggest when a professional cleaning is necessary.
A harness should be used for leash training. They have very small necks and tracheas, that can be damaged easily. Their eyes should be protected from debris if a window is open in the car. They should be restrained while riding in the car.
They need a clean, warm place to sleep at night. My Chihuahuas sleep in a portable kennel, with a cushioned, blanket inside. They love burying themselves under the blankets. Some people let their dogs sleep with them, others keep a pet bed beside or near their own bed. It is really up to you. Beware, they can get squished sleeping with you.
Special attention needs to given when a Chihuahua is underfoot. They can get stepped on, crushed easily. Be aware that blankets or pillows laying around can be the perfect spot for your Chihuahua to lay under! A broken foot or leg is expensive, and sometimes not possible to fix due to their small size. Extra care should also be taken with small children around. Little children can be unintentionally rough and may accidentally injure them or worse.
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Even jumping can be a problem for some of the more smaller and fragile Chihuahuas. They have been know to jump out of their owners arms, out of the back of a bicycle basket, or even jump off of a bed or couch and break a leg. It is very difficult to stop a Chihuahua from jumping.
A little set of pet stairs can save your little buddy from an injury. A Chihuahua is more than happy to use a set of pet stairs to ascend onto the bed or the couch, and will use them quite frequently. It just might save their legs.
There are exercise pens (corrals) to keep you Chihuahua safe inside your home and outside your home.
A small amount of lavender rubbed between your hands and then rubbed onto your Chis bedding has a calming effect.
I encourage spaying and neutering of your Chi. It decreases the odds of getting certain cancers, including testicular and uterine cancers.