I bought a tea cup chihuahua when he was six to 8 weeks old. I thought we were doing pretty good. I first started taking him outside and then because it was so cold and he only weighed 1lb 4 ounces I decided to just use puppy pads in my laundry room. Right away he would not go all night in his kennel. He used the puppy pads good, but I noticed that he lifted his leg early on. I was worried about that, but already in love. My first dog ever. I would take him for occasional play dates at his former home. Well the last one there were two males there that were not fixed, his Daddy and another one. He started marking everything right then. Then he was marking in my house. At legs of furniture. My cats would not accept him fully, especially my first cat who is Queen and got the other cat to submit to her. After two months they were curious still but would not play with him. They were all over my kitchen counters to keep away from him. I had him in the kitchen at the time with a baby gate with close access to the laundry room puppy pads. Well one day I just couldn't take the leg lifting and tripping over gates all the time. So I took him back for a week to decide what to do. Well now he is six months old. I get visitation one day a week here at my home and then visit him another day there. He has calmed down a lot and he is still only 3lbs 2 ounces. He will still sit on command when I tell him and I taught him that. I know he is smart. He is very calm with me. What I am wondering is if I can get him neutered after a litter, since she wanted to breed him (I never got my money back). The little guy has erections all the time. If I neuter him will he stop the leg lifiting. Can I pretty much cure the pottying in the house or is it too late? I know lifting the leg is a learned behavior, how do you stop i? Or would I be better off to leave it at a day a week visitation or try a girl puppy when he has some. But his personality is so sweet, even more so now. I know I would need to set up a small fence to keep him near my patio and immediate yard with trellis, a little more protection and closer to the house. We live in the desert with no homes behind us and early morning or evening sometimes there are coyotes. So I need to keep him safe or just be out there when he is. What about a doggy door, how would I use that and keep my cats in? I should say he is not 3 lbs and 2 ounces, he is not going to get over 3 1/2 lbs.
Linda
In love in AZ and confused about what to do.