Chihuahuas ??

[Kewll0ser]

Okay, so I've been bugging my mom for the longest to get me a chihuahua. But she's pretty reluctant because all the chihuahuas she see are those nasty ones that nip and bare their teeth at anyone who comes close to their owner. And on top of that my uncle has a nasty little (well, he's overweight :rolleyes:) chihuahua named BooBoo who snaps at pretty much everyone.

But I know she's wrong, and I'm trying to prove her wrong, but it's pretty hard when all she sees on TV are the ones that have some issues.

My question is, Can all you nice folks on PT tell me about your chihuahuas? I want the good, the bad and the ugly. :) Please and thanks. :cool:

[Karen]

I don't own a Chihuahua, but have known several. Before we bought this house, there was a Chihuahua in our old neighborhood named Chico. He had been a rescue boy, but was as sweet and calm as could be - and friendly, too!
He was so well behaved, he walked with his owner and she just let his leash drag on the ground behind him. That way, if Animal Control happened by, she could reach down and pick it up, but he otherwise could walk with her with no leash needed, really!

[Kewll0ser]

Thats exactly what my mom needs to hear ! Everytime I bring up the subject of a chihuahua its always "Oh, why do you want a chihuahua out of all dogs? They're so nasty. They're always biting someone. You see how BooBoo is. And the dog whisperer. The majority of dogs on there are chihuahuas." :rolleyes:

[RipplingWaves55]

Thats exactly what my mom needs to hear ! Everytime I bring up the subject of a chihuahua its always "Oh, why do you want a chihuahua out of all dogs? They're so nasty. They're always biting someone. You see how BooBoo is. And the dog whisperer. The majority of dogs on there are chihuahuas." :rolleyes:

Lol. My mom is TOTALLY like that. I mention pomeranian in a sentence and she ssays THEY BITE PEOPLE. I mention Chihuahua in a sentence and my brother says THEY YIP TOO MUCH :mad:

[Yorkie Lover]

Well, from good experience I have found that Yorkies are really sweet snuggle bugs and love toys and people and all that but... They bark a whole lot.

[Taz_Zoee]

There are some chihuahua owners here that can give you some insight. I know Chopper and Ryleighs mom (WELOVESPUPPIES) can tell you about her experiences.
And Mister, and Daisy and Delilah....am I missing anyone??

Chihuahua's do have a bad rep. But it all depends on the owner. And your mom should see that in the Dog Whisperer shows. It's not the dog but the owner that allows the dog to act that way. People think - oh their so little they can do no wrong. And spoil them to the point that they become nippers or yippers.

[Kewll0ser]

Lol. My mom is TOTALLY like that. I mention pomeranian in a sentence and she ssays THEY BITE PEOPLE. I mention Chihuahua in a sentence and my brother says THEY YIP TOO MUCH :mad:

Exactly ! And then I used to have a Lhasa Apso named Bandit and because he was food agressive bit alot , we had to give him up to a friend who had experience with agressive dogs and could better take care of him and make him happier and not constantly live in fear. I hear now that hes much better and could even eat with people touching him. (He was food agressive because the group we rescued him from had to take him from a BYB in which he was in a cage with many other dogs who tried to steal his food, so he had to fight to get food.)

So with the mention of any small dog she just looks at me and says "You see how Bandit was. It's the small dogs. Butto is the nicest dog ever, and shes big and mixed." And I'm like "Size has nothing to do with the dog, its the owner. You see where Bandit came from." And its a ongoing arguement from there with no prevail. :(

[Kewll0ser]

Chihuahua's do have a bad rep. But it all depends on the owner. And your mom should see that in the Dog Whisperer shows. It's not the dog but the owner that allows the dog to act that way. People think - oh their so little they can do no wrong. And spoil them to the point that they become nippers or yippers.

Thats what I'm trying to say. If you don't spoil the dog, then it wont end up like the ones on tv. Just because a dog is little doesn't mean its an angel.
I know how to raise a dog; Butto is the sweetest dog I ever had and can tolerate almost anything. (her weakness is cats) So I'm pretty sure I raise a chihuahua well.

[Taz_Zoee]

Thats what I'm trying to say. If you don't spoil the dog, then it wont end up like the ones on tv. Just because a dog is little doesn't mean its an angel.
I know how to raise a dog; Butto is the sweetest dog I ever had and can tolerate almost anything. (her weakness is cats) So I'm pretty sure I raise a chihuahua well.

I hope you didn't think I was saying you couldn't raise a dog correctly. I was just giving you something to tell your mom.
Well, if she won't let you have a small dog now, just wait until you are older and get one yourself. Then you can show her how good your dog is. :) And change her mind about small breed dogs.

[Kewll0ser]

I hope you didn't think I was saying you couldn't raise a dog correctly. I was just giving you something to tell your mom.
Well, if she won't let you have a small dog now, just wait until you are older and get one yourself. Then you can show her how good your dog is. :) And change her mind about small breed dogs.

No I didnt think you were saying that at all. Sorry if it came across that way. I was just saying that I'm sure I can raise a chihuahua to be nice and not snippy and spoiled.

Thats what I'm going to do if she doesn't change her mind. Get myself the small dog and show her, like "BAM! In your face."

Its a fight because she wants a German Shephard and I want a Chihuahua. I have nothing against German Sherpards, its just that I want a Chihuahua.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Let me see if I can help here.:) Thanks to our mayor for the headsup.:)

I currently have two Chihuahuas, Daisy and Delilah. They are preceded by my longhaired Chi, Killer. I used to be just like your Mom. I sterotyped Chis as biters, yappers, etc.

Now, I say, once you get to know a Chihuahua, you will know what it's like to love a Chihuahua. Not all Chis are sweethearts and some are nippers, yappers, etc. However, they can be trained. They're smart little doggies. Sometimes they're a little stubborn but most of the time, they're very trainable.

My girls are sweethearts. They don't nip unless they're threatened and that's rare. I think Delliah nipped someone one time and it was a vet tech that startled her. Daisy doesn't try to nip anybody. They're very much attached to humans and must have human contact. They like to sleep under the covers with you and Chis are known burrowers.
They can be socialized with no problem. If not, they can become territorial.

Like any other breed, they need training and love. They're not perfect. No dog is perfect. If they start to nip, bite , or act mean(after proper training), get them to the vet. There may be a medical condition. I really feel there could almost always be a medical condition to cause this type of behavior. If not medical, there could be something in their past that triggers bad behavior. If you put quality time into raising the doggie, you will be a happy person.

Best of luck to you in convincing your Mom. Keep us posted!:)

To add: My Daisy loves being picked up so I hope you don't mind that.:)

[Daisy and Delilah]

I need to say one more thing.

Delilah is an "oversized" Chihuahua. She's about twice her sister's size. Maybe your Mom would go more for a bigger Chi than no Chi at all?? Just a thought.:)

[IRescue452]

I don't have chihuahuas, but there are 5 between two of my aunts. One aunt has 4, the other has 1.

One of them is the sweetest little dog ever. Always wagging tail and licking at anybody he can. Not the least bit barky. He doesn't fit the mold for the rest of this aunt's unsocialized dogs.

One barks at everybody in sight besides her owners. She'll nip if you try to pick her up, but once you have her, she'll melt in your hands. I pick her up everytime she barks at me in attempt to show her I'm not going to hurt her.

I haven't had much interaction with the other two in this house but they bark bark bark and run to hide just like their mother above.

The last one is protective and a barker. He likes people a lot, unless he's being held by somebody. You can't reach over to pet him while he's being held. My aunt is working on socialization.

All five were pretty easily trained though and are able to be walked offleash.

[Kewll0ser]

Thanks everyone ! I'll be sure to show my mom this. I'll try to convince her that its the owner that is responsible for the nipping. I know why BooBoo nips: my aunt spoils him to death. Everytime he nips someone she just grabs him, puts him on her lap and pets him. Basically encouraging an unstable mind. :rolleyes:

I'll also tell her about the 'oversized' chihuahua. Maybe that one will encourage her.

[shepgirl]

I was so surprised to read your post about nasty Chihuahuas. I've got tons of friends or neighbours who have a couple each or even just one and they are the sweetest ,most cuddly little dogs . I've actually never seen a nasty Chihuahua, that's why your post surprised me. I've seen some that thought they were huge and macho and would bark to warn someone was at the door but as soon as you go in they beg to be petted.

[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. :D 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!:D
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. :D 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
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa103/marmadukechamp/Christmas2008028.jpg
This is Ryleigh
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa103/marmadukechamp/Dogs2009/DSC_0088-1.jpg

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!
:love::love:

[mr.chiwawa]

I am going to play the devil's advocate:p
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:rolleyes:
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:p) kinda dog. He likes other people but is a true die hard mommas boy.
:love:
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:D

[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?? :confused:
And he said yea. I used to have a chihuahua. And all he did was bite my socks. :p

[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!