What are the cons to owning a chi (and please no one say there's not!) and what can be done to avoid these? Like barking, potty training, etc. I'm getting my chihuahua next month and I'm really nervous about doing everything right. So far I've bought some dog clothing, going to get a bed on the weekend, going to get the food, closer to when I get the pup, gotta get some nutrical/corn syrup, a harness! A litter box/litter area. I can't think of what else!
Major Chi Cons and what to do about them?
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Hey i'm getting my chi in about.. 6 weeks too (later then urs .. poop) but yeah, if you know for SURE that the dog is vet checked and healthy and everything.. i would get some stuff. but if not.. dont go too heavy on the stuff.. like the halter, u might want to wait until u get the chi cause the sizes vary. just wanted to say that, but the other chi members will be able to help you out with ur other questions 
oh and also may i suggest buying a book or looking up on the interenet ? You will find alot of answers to those few questions u asked oh and congrats on the future chi
oh and also may i suggest buying a book or looking up on the interenet ? You will find alot of answers to those few questions u asked oh and congrats on the future chiwell some cons might be do you have a family with small children? sometimes thats not a good idea with a chi. I have small children and have worked with my chi to avoid them. lol they are easy to step on also. kids think of them as little toys and want to hug and play with them normaly they dont like that. they normally are a one person dog. Im beginning to really notice it with mne latley. they really do need to be well socialized becouse some of them will get nippy.
good luck
good luck
potty training isn't easy. They're so tiny that if you're not careful they can pee somewhere and you won't find it. Or by the time you catch them in the act and get them to where you want them to go, they're done and will give you the "what?! I'm finished!" look, which I have to admit is still adorable. As MY3SONS mentioned they're not good pets for children or if you have other, larger pets. Its easy for something so tiny to get hurt. Something my breeder mentioned is that you have to be careful what vet you choose. Especially if you live in a less populated area. Here in Newfoundland we have an abundance of Large Breed Dogs and so thats what most vets are used to dealing with. Shiela even had one customer call and say that her vet said there was something wrong with the dog because his molera hadn't closed over! Luckily for me the vet she usually deal with is right down the street from me!
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I can honestly say for me - there are NO CONS to owning a chi because I researched well and found the perfect dogs for me and I wouldnt of had them if there were any cons
Well said. Every dog is different. Sure, Chi's are predisposed to certain "cons", but I've been fortunate with Zeus. Either through me working with him or just his personality, there isn't anything that I'd change about him. He's great with my daughter (she's 2.5 and Zeus is 1) and vice versa. My daughter knows the rules and her boundaries with Zeus. She is not allowed to run in the house. If she does, Zeus goes in the kitchen and she really gets upset about that. Zeus is on the larger size of Chi's (10#) which is what I wanted. Zeus has never showed aggresion towards anyone except the one time he was "dancing" (as we tell my daughter) with one of her stuffed animals. While he was mounting it, she came near him and he growled. That stuffed animal (large german shepherd) now stays in the closet. He's great with our cats and ferret and tolerates other dogs.
Here are some ways I worked with Zeus during the first year:
- My daughter always sat next to Zeus while he was eating. Sometimes she would hand feed him. To this day, any family member, including other pets can get near him when he's eating and he doesn't mind. Today, I will tell my daughter "leave Zeus alone, he's eating a cookie" and she'll walk away, but I at least have the peace of mind that if she did get near him while eating, I don't feel he would harm her. They really are buddies.
- My daughter always gives Zeus his treats.
- Every day per the vet, I would mess with his ears and feet to condition him. Also, I would put my 2 fingers in his mouth and open/close his jaw. The vet called this "desensatyzing therapy". To this day, the vet says Zeus is the best Chi he's ever worked with. The vet can do anything to him and he won't show any aggression.
- He was crate trained and to this day, loves to just lay in his crate with the door open.
- I took Zeus to places that I could take him to let other people touch him and have him be around other people then just family. He's very protective about his family now and lets me know when someone pulls in our driveway.
I have to agree with NoahFL. I have small kids (ages 10,5,2.5,1) as well as two large dogs, a lab mix and a German Shepherd as well as cats. Lady is fine with everyone. She loves to play with the kids but I have also taught my kids they are NEVER no matter WHAT to pick up Lady. They can let her get on their lap, etc and they hug and kiss her and pet her. They also give her treats.
My cats will even let Lady grab their tails, (in her mouth of course) and pull, trying to play with them. I also play with Ladys ears, feet and tail, and open and close her mouth with my fingers and clean her teeth with gauze. She will nibble at fingers hair, your pant legs etc, but it has more to do with playing or teething I think. She never bites.
Lady did growl at my 2.5 yr old twice, but it had to do with my daughter pushing her face away, all I did was have her feed Lady and give her treats for a few days in a row and everything is great now.
Really, as with any dog, it is all about how you raise them, in my opinion.
MD
My cats will even let Lady grab their tails, (in her mouth of course) and pull, trying to play with them. I also play with Ladys ears, feet and tail, and open and close her mouth with my fingers and clean her teeth with gauze. She will nibble at fingers hair, your pant legs etc, but it has more to do with playing or teething I think. She never bites.
Lady did growl at my 2.5 yr old twice, but it had to do with my daughter pushing her face away, all I did was have her feed Lady and give her treats for a few days in a row and everything is great now.
Really, as with any dog, it is all about how you raise them, in my opinion.
MD
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We were lucky! But also, let me tell you what happened to us with our puppy. This don't happan to every Chi.
We (me and my mother) took Harley to get his first Rabies shot. The doctor gave him a physical exam then gave him his distemper, rabies, and the rest of his shots all at one sitting. On the way home (10 minutes later) my mother was holding Harley, his face started to swell (eyes first, then face). I knew that the next swelling will be his throat. I had mom hold his close and keep a ear to his chest to make sure he wasn't having any problems breathing. I drove 60 mph in a 25 mph (I didn't care if I got a speeding ticket). I didn't drive back to the vet hospital where the shots were given, I went to a different one.
When I got to the vet hospital, the technicians took one look at Harley and took him back (I didn't know it at first, but the first person that took him back was the vet). I was waiting for about 10 minutes, then the technician came and got me and took me to the back. Come to find out, he had a reaction to the shots. The vet that gave him the shots was supposed to do the exam after the shots, to make sure he doesn't react to them (shots). At the end, he had ear infection in both ears (that was not noticed by the first vet) and was treated for the swelling. Now he gets treated before any shots. Needless to say, the vet that saved his life is his vet now and forever. Also, the good vet (Dr. Hammer) has Chi's at home and knows all about them.
Here is Harley now with his dad. You might have seen him in another post. Sorry for the repeat. I just love this picture. Sorry for the long post
We (me and my mother) took Harley to get his first Rabies shot. The doctor gave him a physical exam then gave him his distemper, rabies, and the rest of his shots all at one sitting. On the way home (10 minutes later) my mother was holding Harley, his face started to swell (eyes first, then face). I knew that the next swelling will be his throat. I had mom hold his close and keep a ear to his chest to make sure he wasn't having any problems breathing. I drove 60 mph in a 25 mph (I didn't care if I got a speeding ticket). I didn't drive back to the vet hospital where the shots were given, I went to a different one.
When I got to the vet hospital, the technicians took one look at Harley and took him back (I didn't know it at first, but the first person that took him back was the vet). I was waiting for about 10 minutes, then the technician came and got me and took me to the back. Come to find out, he had a reaction to the shots. The vet that gave him the shots was supposed to do the exam after the shots, to make sure he doesn't react to them (shots). At the end, he had ear infection in both ears (that was not noticed by the first vet) and was treated for the swelling. Now he gets treated before any shots. Needless to say, the vet that saved his life is his vet now and forever. Also, the good vet (Dr. Hammer) has Chi's at home and knows all about them.
Here is Harley now with his dad. You might have seen him in another post. Sorry for the repeat. I just love this picture. Sorry for the long post
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Well every dog is different. I really believe a lot of it has to do with the breeder and I don't think they should let a puppy go before 10 weeks minimum. Some people may not agree with that but I think mom teaches them things they really need. Auggie was somewhat difficult to housebreak but he finally got it You have to be patient and consistent. We are lucky he is not a big time barker . He does bark if he hears something outside but we say goodboy be quiet and he stops pretty quickly. We haven't had any cons that you wouldn't have with any other dog except being cautious because of their small size. They are definitely worth it!
Barbie is my first chi. I believe because they are so tiny when you bring them home you have to make sure that they eat or they can have hypoglecemia. Or low blood sugar. They tend to be a little finicky eating at first (I had to mush Barbies food and feed her through a syringe). But I got her through the first few weeks. she was 10 weeks and 1 pound. And extremely cute :lol:
Also watch out for them jumping off high places I have heard many say that their babies broke a leg!!! I would hate that.
Also they tend to get cold easily so have lots of sweaters and blankets. I bought little receiving blankets and carried her around in those. Now that it's fall here I am using them again and she loves them. Good luck and please send pics
Also watch out for them jumping off high places I have heard many say that their babies broke a leg!!! I would hate that.
Also they tend to get cold easily so have lots of sweaters and blankets. I bought little receiving blankets and carried her around in those. Now that it's fall here I am using them again and she loves them. Good luck and please send pics
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WOW YOU HAVE DEFINATELY GOT THE TOTALLY WRONG IDEA ABOUT CHIHUAHUAS you will definately change your mind when you have one - mine are only noisy when there is a stranger at the door or in the house , they do have lots of energy but usually short spurts and this is bad in some dogs because people get the weird notion that because they are small thye do not need a daily walk - when in fact they do. Cant help with the snapping as neither of my dogs have ever bit me or my partner or anyone
you will definately change your mind when you have one - mine are only noisy when there is a stranger at the door or in the house , they do have lots of energy but usually short spurts and this is bad in some dogs because people get the weird notion that because they are small thye do not need a daily walk - when in fact they do. Cant help with the snapping as neither of my dogs have ever bit me or my partner or anyone
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Same here. Harley doesn't bark unless there is a stranger inside or outside. Or if he heard a noise. He has spurts of energy, but it don't last to long. We like to tire him out before we go to bed, so he'll sleep through it
I'm trying to talk my husband into letting me get another one. I want a female soooooo bad. :lol:
I'm trying to talk my husband into letting me get another one. I want a female soooooo bad. :lol:
Unfortuately that is the opinions of many people who havent owned a chihuahua.
THe bad thing about that is that there are some Chihuahua's that are just like that, but that isnt their fault, its the owners fault!!!
Chihuahua's need to be socialized as early as possible with other dogs and other people. Your vet will be able to tell you when it is safe to start taking your puppy in the public.
Find out what treats your puppy loves and take your puppy to PetCo or anyother store that allows dogs and have people come up to you. Hand them a treat so they can give it to your pup and have them pet her.
Have friends and family you trust handle your pup as much as possible. Take your pup to different places (stores, parks, malls if allowed) anywhere where they can be exposed to other people and dogs. (Careful about dogs though, you dont want your little one to get hurt, but they need to be exposed to dogs....thats why I LOVE puppy classes...its worth the money because you can really get some good socialization in those classes)
My three were very hard to potty train, but just as long as you remain totally consistant they will get it. Remember they have tiny bladders and cannot go more then an hour at a time without pee'ing.
My dogs have never bitten anyone, but Ginger has tried to on more then one occasion, but that is because I did not socialize her like I did Tequila and Kylie. I didnt because she was sooooo small and I babied her....now I am paying for it. (She was also way too young when she was taken from her mom....not my choice but it was already done and I knew I could properly care for her)
Chi's are extremely loving dogs who do whatever it takes to please you. They are by far my favorit breed, and I grew up with tons of different dogs. Read up on them more and just socialize your pup and you will find that all of those chihuahua steriotypes are not alway the case.
-Jessica
Possible Chi Problems
1) Poor socialization....make sure to not seclude your pup because they can quickly become overprotective of you and shy away from everyone else..probably will turn into agression
2) Potty training: They are TINY dogs so make sure your puppy makes frequent potty breaks! As long as you do this and remain consistant training will go better
3) Barking....unfortunately chihuahua's are known barkers. The key is to stop excessive barking and that can be done with proper socialization also...so that way whenever a person walks by your house you dont have a barking dog. (but just expect a chatty dog in a chihuahua...all three of mine bark when someone new comes inside but it only lasts a couple seconds)
4) Agression: If you completely isolate your dog from the outside world, you will get an agressive dog, no matter if its a chihuahua or a lab. Be smart and you wont have to deal with this. If you notice your chi becoming agressive act quickly and correct the problem before it becomes something you might not be able to correct...either ask advise on how to correct a problem or go to a trainer who can help you correct the problem.
5) Size; The are extremely SMALL dogs and the biggest thing you need to worry about is hurting them or leaving things out that will hurt them. They dont think they are small and that can cause problems. Things like jumping off the bed/couch, being stepped on/sat on, and playing with larger dogs can cause serious injury. Some injuries are just unavoidable unless you cage your dog all day (which is bad) but just be smart and you can pretty much avoid most accidents.
Thats about all I can think of. Again, its never really the dog who is at fault, its the owner. Do some research on proper socialization (because I think that is key for this breed) and just remember you are getting the smallest breed of dog in the dog family...treat them as such and you should be fine :wink:
Again, I think they are the best breed in the whole dog family!!! I couldnt imagine my life without my three!
-Jessica
PS - Kylie is becoming a Therapy Dog (need to be friendly to do that) and Tequila is becoming an Agility dog (need to behave and be friendly to do that also) Everyone is shocked when I bring them to classes and quite often I get people coming up to me saying that their opinions of chihuahua's have changed since meeting mine. I just tell them that most chihuahua's are nice, they just get a bad rap.
THe bad thing about that is that there are some Chihuahua's that are just like that, but that isnt their fault, its the owners fault!!!
Chihuahua's need to be socialized as early as possible with other dogs and other people. Your vet will be able to tell you when it is safe to start taking your puppy in the public.
Find out what treats your puppy loves and take your puppy to PetCo or anyother store that allows dogs and have people come up to you. Hand them a treat so they can give it to your pup and have them pet her.
Have friends and family you trust handle your pup as much as possible. Take your pup to different places (stores, parks, malls if allowed) anywhere where they can be exposed to other people and dogs. (Careful about dogs though, you dont want your little one to get hurt, but they need to be exposed to dogs....thats why I LOVE puppy classes...its worth the money because you can really get some good socialization in those classes)
My three were very hard to potty train, but just as long as you remain totally consistant they will get it. Remember they have tiny bladders and cannot go more then an hour at a time without pee'ing.
My dogs have never bitten anyone, but Ginger has tried to on more then one occasion, but that is because I did not socialize her like I did Tequila and Kylie. I didnt because she was sooooo small and I babied her....now I am paying for it. (She was also way too young when she was taken from her mom....not my choice but it was already done and I knew I could properly care for her)
Chi's are extremely loving dogs who do whatever it takes to please you. They are by far my favorit breed, and I grew up with tons of different dogs. Read up on them more and just socialize your pup and you will find that all of those chihuahua steriotypes are not alway the case.
-Jessica
Possible Chi Problems
1) Poor socialization....make sure to not seclude your pup because they can quickly become overprotective of you and shy away from everyone else..probably will turn into agression
2) Potty training: They are TINY dogs so make sure your puppy makes frequent potty breaks! As long as you do this and remain consistant training will go better
3) Barking....unfortunately chihuahua's are known barkers. The key is to stop excessive barking and that can be done with proper socialization also...so that way whenever a person walks by your house you dont have a barking dog. (but just expect a chatty dog in a chihuahua...all three of mine bark when someone new comes inside but it only lasts a couple seconds)
4) Agression: If you completely isolate your dog from the outside world, you will get an agressive dog, no matter if its a chihuahua or a lab. Be smart and you wont have to deal with this. If you notice your chi becoming agressive act quickly and correct the problem before it becomes something you might not be able to correct...either ask advise on how to correct a problem or go to a trainer who can help you correct the problem.
5) Size; The are extremely SMALL dogs and the biggest thing you need to worry about is hurting them or leaving things out that will hurt them. They dont think they are small and that can cause problems. Things like jumping off the bed/couch, being stepped on/sat on, and playing with larger dogs can cause serious injury. Some injuries are just unavoidable unless you cage your dog all day (which is bad) but just be smart and you can pretty much avoid most accidents.
Thats about all I can think of. Again, its never really the dog who is at fault, its the owner. Do some research on proper socialization (because I think that is key for this breed) and just remember you are getting the smallest breed of dog in the dog family...treat them as such and you should be fine :wink:
Again, I think they are the best breed in the whole dog family!!! I couldnt imagine my life without my three!
-Jessica
PS - Kylie is becoming a Therapy Dog (need to be friendly to do that) and Tequila is becoming an Agility dog (need to behave and be friendly to do that also) Everyone is shocked when I bring them to classes and quite often I get people coming up to me saying that their opinions of chihuahua's have changed since meeting mine. I just tell them that most chihuahua's are nice, they just get a bad rap.
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