Chihuahuas ??

[Catlady711]

While I'm certainly no expert on Chi's (never owned one, nor does any of my family/friends), however I have seen alot of them at work.

Yes the owner does make alot of difference.

One thing we've all noticed is that the long haired Chi's tend to be a bit calmer and more loving. Now that could be that the good owners chose that particular kind of Chi, but we have yet to see a nasty long haired Chi.

[shepgirl]

Maybe the owners do have a lot to do with it. The Chi's that we know around here have all been to obedience classes and none of them are treated like royalty or get spoiled. Lots of love and cuddles but these dogs know the rules of the house.

[Kewll0ser]

I'll tell her about long haired ones too. Maybe I can get a oversized long haired chi. I'm pretty sure I can teach my chi to be nice and respectful, and a little bit of bravado wont hurt.

[Elf Shadow]

I have a 10 year old short haired chihuahua.She has always had a good temperament.She does bark at visitors,but not aggressively, and once they come inside and especially if they pat her she will calm down.She's never bitten a visitor,though now she's getting older and a bit more sensitive I do keep an eye on her if there are young kids around.

[mydd]

I have a long haired chi and never owned one before -we do not carry it around in a pockebook the only thing i put on her is sweater when we walk on the beach and she would rather i didnt do that either lol
when she got her we already had a great pyreness and the two of them together are so great they are both the biggest mushes and anyone could pick the chi up -she loves people and kids and gives kisses to everyone.
she walks with no leash -gos out in the yard (fenced) and hangs out with the big dog, she is not nippy at all and only barks when she knows one of our kids have come home and she hears the cars and cant wait for them to get in the door-she does cuddle and snuggle in bed and laps,but at the same time will go to the door to be let out without a second thought and barks when she wants back in.once when we took her to the beach (she thinks everone there just for her lol) she ran over to some people ,i didnt see that the woman had a hairless chi laying with her so all i heard was growling the nasty little dog went after my chi -i apologized for letting my dog go over to them and said sorry she is just loves people-well all i go was a nasty look from the woman and can only think her dog took after her! so it maybe just be how you raise them!just socialize them.
mydd

[Nke]

I have a short hair and two long hair chihuahuas. Only one of them has bitten someone and it was only because they were tormenting him. He hasn't bit anyone since. The other two are sweet and always want to lay in your lap, any lap actually. They only nip at each other. A lot of it is in how it's raised. If you train them to be bitey and all, they will be. But if you want them to be normal, then don't be afraid to correct them. If you "soothe' them while something is going on, you're actually reinforcing that behavior. Good luck with it!

[lute]

I've never had a Chihuahua. You are getting lots of good info here. There are also other threads about chihuahuas. All the chihuahuas on The Dog Whisperer are products of owners that don't train their small dogs. Small dogs have a real problem taking over their owners. People think that since they are small and cute they don't train them properly. Jumping up on people, not leash trained, not housebroken, and most common and one of the biggest mistakes is scooping the dog up whenever it's scared. This makes the dog more fearful and causes a lot of these behavior issues.

If you decide to get a chihuahua you have to do your research on the breed as much as any breed. Make sure you do plenty of reading on how to properly train your chihuahua and NEVER coddle the dog. They do look like puppies all their lives, but they are dogs. They need proper training to become a well behaved family member.

Good luck!

[Chica]

Hi, I have 2 Chihuahuas, Chica and Coco. Chica is 4 and Coco is 2. They love to go on walks, or play chase with their fav toy. You have to train them just like you train any other dog. Even children need to have correcting as they grow up. My Chica is mello and very sweet. My Coco is a protector and barks at noises like a door bell. She thinks when she barks she is a protector for me, but she alerts me when someone is at the door or coming to my door. Coco and Chica love to be right next to me or on my lap all cuddled up in a ball. They are very easy to train. You also have to socialize them and have them be around other people. I let other people pet them when I take them with me to the mall. I enjoy them very much.

[Bella_Sadie_Hailey]

I have two Chihuahuas! Bella is a three year old chihuahua she is aggressive she doesn't like strangers or other animals. She hates when someone comes to me or to the house even if they walk in the street. But just because some chihuahuas are mean doesn't mean they are ALL mean!! Sadie is a 1 year old Chihuahua and she is so very sweet she doesn't know a stranger she is a lap dog she is about 2 pounds. Chihuahuas are very smart they learn fast. Sadie loves people and all animals, she is a little scared of big dogs but thats because she is so small. It depends on where you get the chihuahua how is was raised when with the breeder and you have to take it out and meet other people and dogs all the time. YOu have to train it well or it'll have a chance of being aggressive when older. I also have a doberman and the chihuahuas love her. (sadie and bella we not bought from the same people.)
Hope i helped!
Good luck!

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

Well I'll be darned, I never saw this post LOL. I have two chihuahuas. Both are smooth coats, Chopper is 2 (4.75-5 pounds) and Ryleigh is 9 months(4.5 pounds or so). My husband was the same way as your mom with thinking they were all nasty little yappers. After much persistance on my part I finally convinced him to get one and that I could prove him wrong. We got Chopper at 9 weeks. He is not a yapper, he does not nip. We take him everywhere. Anyone can pet him. We have had umteen compliments on how well behaved he is and have even had people ask what kind of dog he is and when told a chihuahua, they are like WOW really? My grandma had one of those, it was the nastiest dog I ever saw. Of course I come back with, it is all in how they are raised and trained. Needless to say hubby now loves the breed, hence our newest addition Ryleigh who behaves the she same. She is not a yapper, nor a nipper. They both mind well, Chopper is a little more head strong than Ryleigh. Both were very easy to train. Both my pups have actually changed the opinions of not only my husband, but my family and his, they all had the same idea about chihuahuas. My MIL actually got a chihuahua she, and my mother and sister now want one too. We also have a friend who thought the same thing, they also now own a chihuahua. Chopper and Ryleigh have been model spokes pups for their breed. I love when I can show people they are not all yappy and nasty, it brings a smile to my face. Chihuahuas need LOTS of socialization, I think more so than the average dog as they tend to get extremely nervous in new situations due to their tiny size, so the more socialization they have the more relaxed they are with new things and the more accepting they will be of strangers. Chihuahuas become clinging and one person dogs when that is all they know, if you keep them home all the time the do become very protective, sometimes to the point of agression or they become barkers of everything that they find unfamiliar. Socialization is the key to a well behaved and loving chihuahua.
This is Chopper

This is Ryleigh


Don't hesistate to PM me if you have any questions at all...I will be more than glad to answer them.

[Kewll0ser]

Hey guys!

Sorry I went AWOL for a while.

Just wanted to thank you guys for the support.

Chopper && Ryleigh are just precious.
Soo cute!
Hugs and kisses to them both!

[mr.chiwawa]

I am going to play the devil's advocate
I have a chi named Mister he is just around 4 pounds. He has his therpay dog tags and is fabulous with nursing homes and the VA hospital we go to.
HOWEVER....he can be nasty and I will be the first to say so. Mister will bite you when I am holding him
They are around the clock care when they are itty bitty.
And still almost being 3 yrs old he still has to go out much more often then your "average" size dog. Also for a tip chihuahuas have been know to live up to 25 yrs. So its a long time commitment.
Dont get me wrong I love Mister to death heck I bought him food instead of myself. But with the good there is some bad.
Chi's can revert into their typical character traits if the training isnt consistant. This I have learned the hard way.
As for the others on here with their chi's I cant speak for them but Mister is a one person(me) kinda dog. He likes other people but is a true die hard mommas boy.

Before I got Mister I did some heavy duty research on the breed I suggest you do the same. ALso if you CAN rescue please do but if not find a GOOD breeder. Call your AG and BBB to make sure the breeder has never had any "bad" reports. Besides that I wish you luck

[Kewll0ser]

Thank you for being honest!

I know that I will have to do ALOT of research on the breed, and figure out ways to manage their problems.
Alot of socialization is key.

My father and I were discussing the possibility of me getting a chihuahua and he told me, "Ashley, I have one bit of advice for you. Hide you socks!!"

I was like... Whatt??
And he said yea. I used to have a chihuahua. And all he did was bite my socks.

[TwinTails]

Between the husband and I, we've been owned by 3 Chihuahua mixes. Mine was Sophie, a 15 year old Chi/Dachshund cross that was dumped on a highway in the summer. I took her home the next day (I worked at the SPCA at the time). She was a sweetie, protective but never nippy. She enjoyed going for walks, was quiet and enjoyed playing a bit. I had her for 2 years until her kidney failed.

Hubby's dogs were Chi/Pom mixes, also rescues. They both were super sweet and playful. The only time they ever nipped was when a teenager pulled an ear or tail (in a hurtful way, not playful).

Our dogs were never carried around or treated like children, and I think that had a lot to do with their attitudes. They didn't have much anxiety in their lives, they knew where they stood in the pack, etc.

Chihuahuas are one of my favorite small breeds, and I am actually on a waiting list with a local rescue to adopt one

Have you tried contacting a local club or breeder? Perhaps if your mom could visit with some good natured dogs she would change her mind? Good luck either way in your quest for a Chi!