Hi,

I am saving up for my first chihuahua puppy and I was wondering how much I should consider putting aside per month for my dog and any other information that anyone thinks would be useful for first time owners of chihuahuas.

I have had dogs before but not small dogs, so this will be new for me.

Many Thanks,
Kitty

Ok so first. Does your chi really need to be a pure breed as there are so many chi crosses that need a home in dog shelters.
Second. If you do want a pure breed around £800-£1000 is the going rate in England.

* chis can be hard to toilet train
* chis are a full time attention seeking dogs
* there could be health problems
* in uk they are £40 per moth to insure. (well mine are as I have the top insurance)
But apart from that they are the best dogs in the world !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Thank you Charlotte for my Siggy mwah xxx

There is no psychiatrist in the world,
Like a chihuahua licking your face.

First off let me say that Chihuahuas are a wonderful breed, I couldn't imagine living without them, but you must make sure you are committed and take on the responsibility because they will be with you for many years to come.
They cost around £500-£1200 as far as I am aware in the UK
If you are buying one, make sure it is from a reputable breeder and do your research beforehand(they can be very hard to adopt in the uk)
You will need money for the initial vaccinations, microchipping, spaying/neutering if you choose to do so. The prices vary depending on your vets.
At my vets vaccinations are around £50 for the course and microchipping is £25
You will also need to invest in a leash and a harness (I prefer harnesses to collars for chihuahuas)
Other things are brushes (esp if you are getting a long coat), food bowl, water bowl and possibly a comfy jacket for the cold winters
Depending on where you buy them from and what you buy you can spend upwards of £15 for this.
You need to get some sort of dog bed too for your wee one
You must have enough money to take your chi to the vet, if God forbid an emergency happens and so I would recommend insurance. All of mine are have the kennel club insurance, but you can shop around. For me they work out around £12 per month per dog.
As for food, I feed mine dry kibble because I personally think that wet food can ruin their teeth. I spend around £40-£50 per month on food, but then again I have 3 mouths to feed Chihuahuas don't generally eat much.
You might want to invest in a playpen or a crate for potty training
And because they are tiny, make sure you don't drop them or let them jump off high surfaces eg some couches, tables, beds etc..
Hope this helps and good luck finding your pooch

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If you want the best seat in the house, you've got to move the Chihuahuas!

This is a really good description of a chi owner.

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Thank you Charlotte for my Siggy mwah xxx

There is no psychiatrist in the world,
Like a chihuahua licking your face.

I will definitely be buying a cross!!

This information is very helpful, and it means I will definitely be able to afford one. They are much cheaper than a big dog it seems!! Thank you so much for your help!!!

Kitty

Here in the USA a great insurance company would be Embrace Pet Insurance. They are real people that talk to you and get back to you asap. I even keep in touch with them on Facebook. They are just wonderful and it really helped to have it when Venus unexpectedly got sick just a couple of weeks after we moved to a new state. I got on Facebook and I asked Embrace members if any of them knew of a good vet in my area. Embrace and a couple of members got back to me in about 20 minutes and I was able to find a good vet for Venus.

Even accident only coverage is good because it would cover things like a dog swallowing what they shouldn't, hurting their eye on something, and breaking a leg. Accident only insurance is cheaper than one that includes illness and wellness coverage.

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