Training Chihuahua

Training your Chihuahua takes some patience because of their personalities. They are cute and they are lovable, but they can also be high strung terrors as well. A lot of owners don’t see past their small size and think of them as not being any trouble. But without training, they can quickly become a small powder keg of dynamite. They can be destructive and meaner than their small size denotes. So training your Chihuahua has got to start at a young age.

Why It Is Vital to Know How to Train Your Chihuahua

A Chihuahua is devoted to it’s master and wants to go everywhere with you. They want to spend every minute possible with you in both sleeping and waking hours. That is why they make the best companions. But a Chihuahua is like any dog in spite of it’s size. And training your Chihuahua is a necessity because these little dogs are very aggressive and stubborn when it comes to obeying commands that you give.

The Chihuahua does not get along well with other dogs and its aggressive attitude is renowned. They think that they are bigger and meaner than they are and have been seen chasing pit bulls down the road. This can be a very bad scenario for the Chihuahua if the pit bull turns on it.

Although extremely aggressive with other dogs, Chihuahuas are very shy around other people. They are not very good with children either and very jumpy to outside noises. These behaviors can be reversed with good training.

Steps to Training Your Chihuahua

The first step to having a well behaved Chihuahua is to assert yourself as the Alpha personality in the household. The Chihuahua thinks that the house is his and that he is in charge. He will “act out” to show you that he is boss if you let him. Here is how to become the Alpha personality.

Make sure that you set a “feeding time” for your dog. Once you have set the time for your dog to eat, do not cave in to the whining of your dog. Food is given no earlier or later than the set time. Walk your pet twice daily making sure that you are the one in control of the walk. Don’t let the dog dictate the direction or speed of the walk. Leash control is very important when training your Chihuahua.

Mental Stimulation is Important to Your Chihuahua

Even with their seemingly endless energy, a Chihuahua rarely gets enough exercise. The key here is to make sure that they aren’t bored. If possible, take them to the park and play with them. Don’t give the dog a chance to challenge you. Don’t lose your temper with your Chihuahua but have patience with them. They love you but they don’t know what you want from them. It is much easier training your Chihuahua with simple commands such as stay, sit or fetch. This will lessen their bad temperament and make them much more pleasant to be around.