[momofmany]

I was having an argument with my daughter yesterday. She says she doesn't like Chihuahuas because they are nervous and afraid of everything when the get to be adults. She said they all shake because they are nervous of everything. I said that's not true it depends on the dog and also on how it was raised. I said most Chihuahuas don't know they are small they are like big dogs in little body's and aren't afraid of anything. My Charlie doesn't shake unless he's cold. In your opinion do you find in general that most Chihuahuas are nervous and afraid or tough little big dogs.

 

[4mb3rNich0l3]

My opinion is it honestly does depend on the dog. We had a dog Poncho who thought he was a big dog and was not afraid of anything. He thought he was tougher then anything else lol. Jasper on the other hand(although I am pretty sure his previous owners abused him) he a very nervous dog. Shakes allot(both because he is cold and because he gets scared easily). So it depends on the dog and probably how they are raised.. But most that I have known are tough little doggies who think they are bigger then they are lol

 

[20887]

Chihuahuas need more socializing than other breeds, in my opinion. My dogs go on walks like any dog would and they act totally normal when they are outside, no shaking here.

 

[Wicked Pixie]

My two are both friendly and outgoing. They love people, kids, dogs, other animals, in fact it has never occurred to them that the whole world may not be as keen on them!
Lots and lots of early socialisation is the key, we took Bambi EVERYWHERE when she was a baby; agricultural shows, concerts, peoples houses, busy towns, the train station, the beach, you name it, she went there!

 

[Wodjeka]

It is not true, a chi is a small dog with an big attitude. They can have the heart of a dobberman.
Socializing it with everything and everyone as a youngster is key!
Also don't pay attention to them shaking, it will make it worse!

Most people handle their chi like a baby, picking it up and cuddle there dog if something happens. This will make the behavior worse.
Leave a chi a chi, and not a human baby, and they are not the nervous and afraid little dogs most people think they are.

 

[jesuschick]

I agree that it depends.
My older two were socialized exactly the same. They are just 18 days apart in age.
One is much more confident than the other.

It would be like someone saying that all teenage girls are exactly the same.

 

[woodard2009]

My chi is a tough-big dog in a little body the majority of the time, but if she sees a flying bug like a bee, she'll run & hide & sometimes shake or if she hears gun shots, she'll shake which I don't blame her as these things make me a little nervous too! lol

 

[momofmany]

Thank you that's what I told my daughter its all in how they where raised . I take Charlie everywhere with me. I do allot of visiting and such and he comes too. If he can't come with me then I get either my neighbour to watch him or I take him over to my best friends house and she watches him for me. If My neighbour watches him she has 3 little kids of her own and I don't know how many dogs and manydifferent sizes of dogs she has a Chi, Min pin, Min pinX Jack Russel ,Jack Russel, and a Pit bull and my best friend has 5 small dogs as well. So Charlie get exposed to all different kinds of situations. Plus I have 5 Grand children all under 5 years old and we visit with them on a regular basis as well. The only time I've seen Charlie shake is if he's cold. He's usually the first one in there to play. I was having tea at my friends house the other day and she has a toy pom, 3 Shuh-tzus and a shih-tzu X Min pin. My Penelope's sister and of course all her dogs are females and when they saw the little baby pup they had to check him out . So I put Charlie on the floor and all 5 dogs surrounded him and where smelling him and che king him out and Charlie didn't mind in the slightest he just Started playing with them and pretty soon they where playing tag and catch me if you can. He was defiantly not afraid.

 

[OzChi]

I have one nervous little one and a really outgoing one who surprises everyone he meets because they assume all Chi's are like my other one. They have both been the way they are from day one. As with Karen's my two are close in age and were socialized the same but they just have very different personalities. If Charlie is outgoing now and you socialize him well as it sounds like you are doing then he will stay an outgoing dog.

 

[Chi Nation]

I believe it truely depends on the dog. When people meet my crew they are all very surprised that they dont act like "typical" chihuahuas. Most people people have a misconseption that chihuahuas are noisey little untrainable ankle biter that are good for nothing but annoying everybody. My chis dont bark unless someone knocks at the door or rings the bell. Even then its only one or two barks, just enough to let me know somebody is there. People who dont know how to properly raise a dog are the ones that give people a way to stereo type a particular breed. Like chihuahuas being yappy ankle biters and so on. When i decided to get a chi, i swore that it would not, under any circumstances, be the annoying noisey mess that people expect them to be, and they aren't. They almost never bark, they greet guests with kisses and tail wags, they don't shake, they don't run around like they own the place, and they dont challenge every dog that passes by.
So, yea, i would definitely say it truely depends on the dog, how you raise them, and what you let them get away with.

 

[theshanman97]

tillie is nervous atm as shes very tiny! LOL and i havent been able to take her out much (LONG story) so thats my fault but other wise she never shuts up! but thats why i love her LOL x

 

[Yoshismom]

My guys are so well behaved and have such good natures. They do tend to shake at times but they shake for different reasons, sometimes nervous, excited, cold, etc...

 

[LostLakeLua]

The ones I've had since they were young are well socialized. Most of them actually do quite well with strangers and aren't shaky. I think one of the biggest perks from buying from responsible breeders is knowing they are socialized in that earliest of windows, like 4-8 weeks. It makes a world of difference!

 

[briarrose]

Eva doesn't shake unless she is cold. She is very outgoing and really only is shy around large dogs. But she doesn't shake around them. She barks and then runs to me.