Train Your Chihuahua and Let it Stay Cute

| Monday, January 31, 2011
By Stan Beck


Most Chihuahua owners do not consider training as part of raising these little dogs. One reason is its cuteness and harmless look. These dogs are known to be aggressive despite their miniature size, and they are hardy too. For their known stubbornness, they should be taught to obey while they are yet puppies.

Why You Should Know How to Train a Chihuahua

Chihuahuas have their own distinct ways. They have developed these traits for hundreds of years that they have been treated as personal pets. While it is good for dogs to be attached to their masters, this can also lead to aggression issues, especially if they are not provided with the necessary training and socializing classes.

All Chihuahuas do not realize how small they are. This will give them the tendency to be aggressive towards other dogs which have all the capability to hurt them. They are also prone to be unfriendly. Training your Chihuahua to be more sociable will keep them out of harm's way.

How to Train a Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is a small dog, but thinks that it's the one in control of the house. Training a Chihuahua should start by letting it know that you are in control and that you are the leader of the pack. It must take its own place in the house and you, as the leader should establish boundaries for it to observe.

You should control its feeding times. Avoid giving it the chance to take control of its eating desires. Do not allow it to eat as it pleases, You should be the one to dictate when it is allowed to eat. This will make your it realize that somebody is in control and that it should submit, otherwise, its food will not come.

When walking the Chihuahua, make sure that you are in control of its leash. Do not allow it to choose the direction where you should both go. The leash should give it the signal that it can only go where you want it to; that's control.

Impose your leadership by not allowing the dog to go anywhere it wants, as it could give it a sense of control. Clearly impose boundaries and do not allow it to claim your space.

Do not caress your it each time you arrive or leave the house as this reinforces separation anxiety in them. You have to ignore it for at least 10 minutes. You can stroke it only when it calms down. This is a way to make it understand that good behavior is rewarded.

Be the alpha leader, otherwise you will not be able to control it.

Optimizing Mental Stimulation

Most Chihuahuas lack exercise because they are too small to perform routines that people let normal sized dogs do. Train your Chihuahua to perform basic commands such as sit, stay, speak, quiet, fetch and other tricks. This will give them mental exercise.

Setting the rules and being consistent with them will make training easier for the Chihuahua. By all means, do not allow it to impose dominance. Make it perform the tricks you taught it in a consistent manner. Training the Chihuahua is improving its behavior as well.




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