How to Train a Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is one of the most common breeds of dogs in the United States. It’s small and perky, but many Chihuahua owners never take the time to learn how to train a Chihuahua, because they mistakenly assume that a dog that small just cannot get into that much trouble, although nothing could be farther from the truth. The Chihuahua, while a small breed, is one of the most aggressive dog breeds, despite their adorable little faces, and can be incredibly stubborn when it comes to obeying commands. Proper training can take a lot of time, and should start as young as possible.

Why You Should Know How to Train a Chihuahua

The Chihuahua’s temperament is unusual in many ways. First of all, the dog will be totally happy just spending all of its time with you. Chihuahuas are glad to be with their owners 24/7, regardless where they go. However, that tenacious spirit can also lead to aggressive behaviors, especially if they are not correctly socialized with other dogs. In fact there are a number of aggression issues that can be attributed to lack of proper socialization.

Most Chihuahuas think they are much bigger than their actual physical size. It’s cute, but it can also be quite dangerous if your Chihuahua has not been properly train. Chihuahuas can be leery of strangers, aggressive with other dogs, easily annoyed by small children, and excessively anxious when they hear noises outside. These are all very good reasons to learn how to train a Chihuahua, if you want to be able to keep him as a pet.

How to Train a Chihuahua

The first thing that should be done when training a Chihuahua is to let him know you are in charge of the household. It seems that anything he can do to undermine your position as the alpha leader, he will likely try at some point, and will likely go to great lengths to change your mind about who is in charge.

Once you have established boundaries and the fact that you really are the alpha leader of the pack, you will have to use some basic tools to maintain alpha leadership over your Chihuahua, as strange as that may sound.

Feeding Times – Feed your Chihuahua at set intervals, as opposed to “free feeding”. Controlling when and what is served to him is an important part of training your Chihuahua. In a pack, the leader is in charge of who eats, and when.

Walking – Walk your Chihuahua at least two times a day, preferably more, and make sure that you are in charge of the speed and direction of the walk. Don’t let your Chihuahua take charge. When learning how to train a Chihuahua, leash control is of the utmost importance.

Jumping and Furniture – With a miniscule dog like a Chihuahua, it’s easy to give into temptation to let the dog jump up on the furniture, but imposing boundaries is extremely necessary. Never give into whimpering or barking, and set limits as to which furniture he’s permitted to occupy.

Coming and Going – When going in and out, ignore your dog for the first few minutes. Pay attention to your Chihuahua only when he is in a relaxed, calm state.

To really learn how to train a Chihuahua, you must always be the alpha leader, so the dog will not be under the impression that you’ve decided he can be the leader.

Optimizing Mental Stimulation

You can wear out your Chihuahua quickly enough, due to his tiny size, and thus reduce the chances for him to become bored and try to challenge you, or to become bored and overcome with energy. This will reduce the likelihood of your spirited little friend’s becoming of an unpleasant disposition.

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