Blog

My chihuahua barks at the TV

February 27, 2023February 27, 2023
by Louise Kirby

When your chihuahua barks at the TV it’s annoying for everyone. This behaviour is driven by overarousal, hypervigilance to movement, possibly frustration or anxiety. It tends to be part of a suite of stress related behaviours rather than an isolated one.

What is over arousal?

Over arousal is the state your dog is in when they are unable to settle, constantly jumping up at every sound and not able to ignore stimuli. Some over arousal is useful if you are playing a game or have a sports dog, but it’s not a state we want our dogs to be in all day. It’s bad for them mentally and physically.

What is hypervigilance?

A lot of dogs are hypervigilant to movement, for some dogs it’s hardwired into their DNA and part of their breed profile. I.e., working dogs like collies or hounds. They are designed to notice movement and be aroused by it. For smaller dogs like chihuahuas, hypervigilance is likely to be a survival instinct.

Frustration & anxiety

Frustration is when your dog wants to get involved but can’t. They may also display this behaviour on walks by barking and lunging at other dogs. Anxiety is worry about what is going on. Is there another dog or threatening animal around? The output behaviour for both emotions is similar and it’s often difficult for an owner to tell what’s driving it. Or it could be the TV is just too loud and creating stress for the dog. This is very much how it is for Mika. If the TV is loud, he gets very upset and will start licking the carpet.

What to do when your chihuahua barks at the TV

How calm is your chi?

The first step is to examine your chihuahua’s daily lifestyle. It might seem strange to think what they are doing in the day will contribute to your chihuahua barking at the TV, but if they spend a lot of the day running about barking and sticking their noses into things that aren’t their problem it’s very tiring. Pottering about like this is very typical chihuahua!

Put in place a calmness protocol

Make sure your dog gets plenty of active rest. This is undisturbed rest that takes the decision-making process away from them so they can just sleep and not worry. Use crates, pens, or a cosy quiet side room. Both Prince and Macy get a crate nap after lunch. It’s a long busy day for little legs.

Give them appropriate calming activities, dogs like to chew, lick and scavenge it’s part of their DNA and pays into their mental health. Give them long-term natural chews, feed them in Kong’s or on lick mats and scatter feed in the garden. Chihuahuas are naturally excitable dogs and generally ready for action at a moment’s notice, so building calm and the ability to ignore stimulating events is a must. Read more about calmness protocol here.

If they are generally unsettled of an evening put them on an indoor harness and lightweight training line. Once you take away the option of charging about, they tend to settle. This may sound like a punishment but it’s not. Don’t assume they want to run about like this, they are probably tired but just can’t disengage. Your chihuahua will be pleased you’ve taken charge of the situation.

Rehearsal

A dog becomes what they do. Look at how much your dog is rehearsing this type of behaviour. If your chihuahua barks at the TV every day, then think about how to put some management in place when the TV is on so they can’t just repeat the same behaviour pattern. Look at other areas they are rehearsing unwanted behaviour, are they barking out the window constantly? This type of activity will pay into over arousal, anxiety, and hypervigilance. It’s all linked.

How do you react to your chihuahua barking at the TV?

Look at what you are doing when the dog is barking at the TV. Are you inadvertently making it worse rewarding the behaviour by trying to distract them with food? You could be setting up a behaviour chain that makes the dog think this is what you want them to do. Or, are you adding in adding excitement by shouting, telling the dog ‘No’ or trying to correct the behaviour using punishment-based methods. This could be things like squirting water at them or cans of coins. This is common advice but all it does is inject more stress and worry into the situation or make your dog believe you are worried about the situation as well and make them more excited.

Consider what you want your chihuahua to do

People often focus on what they don’t want their dog to do and rarely think about what they do want. If they are barking at the TV, getting themselves in a stress and being a nuisance then I bet you would rather they lay calmly in their bed or on a mat. Rather than focus on stopping what they are doing focus on what you do want and put your energy into growing this. So, grow value in lying in the bed.

Work for the situation, not in it

Whenever you’re training a dog it’s important to do the work before it’s needed. Once your dog is reacting it’s difficult to get them to listen and they won’t be able to learn.

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Feeding

Is it OK to feed rice to dogs?

February 16, 2023February 26, 2023
by Louise Kirby

It is very common to be advised to feed rice to dogs when they are not well, and it’s often seen as an ingredient in commercial dog foods. Dogs will happily chow down on a bowl of rice if it’s put in front of them. But is rice a good food source for our dogs? While rice is a source of carbohydrates, which can provide energy for dogs, it does not provide the necessary nutrition for a dog’s diet.

If you feed rice to dogs it can have negative effects on health!

One of the main reasons why it’s not a good idea to feed rice to dogs is that they don’t need carbohydrates in their diet. Dogs are primarily carnivorous and require a diet rich in protein and fats to support their metabolic needs. Carbohydrates, like rice, can be converted to glucose for energy, but dogs have evolved to use fats as their primary source of energy. They turn to sugar very quickly and start to put the pancreas under pressure to produce insulin. If these spikes in insulin are regular occurrence you are setting your dog up for diabetes.

Rice affects taurine levels.

Another reason not to feed rice to dogs is it can affect their taurine levels. Taurine is an essential amino acid that is vital for a dog’s heart health. A lack of taurine can lead to heart disease and other health problems. Rice can interfere with a dog’s ability to absorb taurine, which can lead to taurine deficiency.

Rice can contain several types of mycotoxins, which are toxic substances produced by certain fungi that grow on crops under certain conditions. The most common mycotoxins found in rice are aflatoxins and ochratoxins. These mycotoxins can cause a range of health problems in dogs, including liver and kidney damage, digestive issues, and immune system suppression.

Another issue with rice is that it can contain arsenic, which is a toxic heavy metal that is present in the environment. Arsenic can accumulate in rice, especially in regions where the soil and water contain high levels of the metal. Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause cancer, skin lesions, and other health problems.

Rice is a common ingredient in dry dog food (kibble). Dry dog food can also be a breeding ground for moulds. When left open to the air, moisture can accumulate in the bag, providing an ideal environment for mould growth. See how to sore dry dog food and why you should care. Consuming mouldy food can cause digestive issues and other health problems in dogs and can contribute to allergies.

Some people feed rice to dogs when they are sick or have digestive issues like diarrhoea, but this is not a good idea. Rice can aggravate digestive problems in dogs, especially if it is not cooked properly. In addition, a diet of plain rice does not provide the necessary nutrients that a sick dog needs to recover.

Is brown rice better than white rice for dogs?

Brown rice is often considered to be a healthier option than white rice for humans, as it is less processed and contains more fibre and nutrients. However, when it comes to feeding rice to dogs, both brown and white rice can have similar nutritional profiles and are not essential components of a dog’s diet.

Brown rice may provide some additional benefits over white rice when it comes to feeding dogs. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index, which means that it releases glucose more slowly into the bloodstream. It does contain more fibre and it may help regulate bowel movements and promote healthy gut bacteria. But there are better ways to do this.

However, it is important to note dogs don’t need carbohydrates in their diet, so, while brown rice may provide some additional benefits over white rice for dogs it is not necessary to feed it.

In conclusion, while rice may seem like a harmless food to feed to dogs, it doesn’t meet their dietary needs. Dogs require a diet that is rich in protein and fats, and carbohydrates like rice are not necessary. Rice can affect taurine levels, contain mycotoxins and arsenic, and promote mould growth in dry dog food. When feeding a dog, it is important to choose a balanced diet that meets their nutritional needs and promotes good health.

Feeding

My chihuahua won’t eat. Case study

February 13, 2023February 27, 2023
by Louise Kirby

A question came in about a chihuahua who didn’t appear to be eating. As this is a common worry I have posted it as a case history.

This was the query from a reader.

He’s 9 months old, weighs 4lb, 9 oz. I just had him to the vet. He’s healthy but just doesn’t seem to eat enough to keep a bird alive. He has energy, he seems to feel well but he just doesn’t like anything. He doesn’t even like any treats. He’s a mystery? We had another chihuahua that passed away in Oct 2021, he was 15. During the last years of his life he could only eat chicken and rice which I made for him (pancreatitis). Bruno even turns up his little nose at chicken and rice! I’m at a loss.

It’s a worry when your dog doesn’t appear to eat. But clearly, he is eating something, or he would be skin and bone and be ill. So, he is getting calories from somewhere.

How much should your chihuahua eat?

The first thing we need to do is ascertain exactly how much he should be eating, and this depends on a few things.

Age, correct weight, sex (boys can eat a little more) and if he is neutered on not.

If he is nine months, he is still classed as a puppy and should be eating puppy food until he is 1 year. But at the same time if this is not possible, he is just old enough to eat adult food.

He weighs 4lb 9oz (2.1kgs).

A puppy should eat around 5% of their correct body weight.

In grams that’s 105gms per day or 4oz. This should be spread across the day with breakfast some lunch and dinner. With a small snack at bedtime.

An adult dog eats 3-4% of their correct body weight. Yong toy dogs may be able to eat a little more as they have a higher metabolic rate than a large dog. Also, if he is a complete dog he can eat more as his testicles take a lot of upkeep. (If he is complete, my advice is to keep him this way.)

The best way to make sure you know exact how much he is eating is to weigh the food for the day, put it in a pot and feed across the day. That way you will be sure how much he has eaten. He is probably eating more than you think and it will put your mind at rest.

He should not be fed any kind of treats as they just fill them up with rubbish. Nor should he be eating carbs as they are filling and don’t have the correct nutritional profile for a dog. If you want to take food out for training on walks take boiled chicken but include this into his daily food allowance.

What your chihuahua should be eating

Then we need to look at what he should be eating for optimal health.

Dogs need to eat fat and a range of good quality protein to thrive. Muscle meat (chicken, turkey, beef, pork, rabbit etc) offal, organ meat, eggs, fish (Oily and white, but not tuna). Kefir and low Gi veg and herbs. Dry food does not supply this and is best avoided. Also, it’s full of fillers and carbs, turns to sugar, rots teeth, and causes inflammation.

Feed a good quality raw or wet cooked food that has a high protein offering. Don’t feed a dog rice as its not species appropriate and is a carb. It can also grow micro toxins that cause allergies. If you are going to home cook it is essential that the recipe comes from a professional who knows how to balance the meal. A young dog needs to correct nutrients and getting the calcium correct can be tricky. If you want some help with this, I can point you in the right direction.

How to feed your chihuahua

How you feed is also important. Make food more interesting by using a lick mat or a Kong. Scatter feed. Dogs like to work for their food, it’s called contrafreeloading. Flick food around on the floor and get him to chase it can be fun and get them in the mood for eating.

Don’t stare at your dog or make a fuss when they are eating as it stresses them out. Put the food down, leave them to it and if they don’t eat it in a short time, pick the plate up and offer it again a bit later. Don’t leave food down all day.

Research has shown that if you feed a dog dry food and a single protein while they are puppies, it makes it harder for them to eat a range of proteins later. So, this could be contributing to the problem. It’s always better to feed a range of different foods from a young age.

Here are some articles that you may find helpful.

Please help, my chihuahua is a picky eater!

Free feeding Vs meal feeding your chihuahua

Scatter feeding can calm your chihuahua

What is your chihuahua’s daily food allowance?

I hope this helps, come back to me if you need any more help.

Regards

Louise.

General

What is your chihuahua’s daily food allowance?

November 8, 2022November 8, 2022
by Louise Kirby

In a nutshell, your chihuahua’s daily food allowance is the total amount of food that your dog eats across the day. Which sounds simple enough. But people get very confused when it comes to training their dogs and what they should be feeding.

When training their dog owners tend to move towards ‘treats’ which they feed on top of breakfast or dinner. For a large dog, you might get away with this for a while, but a small breed like a chihuahua, would quickly get fat and unhealthy.

The truth is food is food to a dog, they lick their bums and eat poop. They don’t know the difference between a ‘turkey & cranberry sausage’ treat and their dinner. The problem with treats is they are often full of rubbish, dubious ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives. They come under the heading of ‘ultra-processed foods. Some treats do appear to have better ingredients than others, but they won’t have the full nutritional profile that your dogs need in their diet. (Assuming your dog eats a healthy fresh or raw diet in the first place).

Then there is the cost, the average owner will spend *£34/$38 a month on dog treats. Not food, treats! That’s a staggering £400 a year per dog. Dog treat marketing is aimed squarely at the owners. This money would be better spent on better nutrition.

To train our dog in a healthy way we need to reframe their daily food allowance. Be more creative with food and use it to help with training, enrichment, and mental health. Studies have shown that dogs prefer to work for their food. It’s called contrafreeloading. The need and desire to scavenge and hunt for dinner is hardwired into most dogs and when we drop their food into a bowl in the morning and evening, we do them a huge disservice.

How to use your chihuahua’s daily food allowance.

Decide how much your chihuahua should eat across the day and know the amount. This means have a scale and weigh it out, don’t try and dish it by eye. Also don’t take any notice of the feeding guide on a packet as they are deliberately vague.

How much you feed will depend on the life stage of your dog and whether they have been neutered or not. As a starting point, an adult neutered dog will eat about 3% of their correct body weight. If you’re not sure ask you vet. I say correct body weight because if your dog is overweight or underweight you need to know what your dog’s correct weight is and feed for that and not the weight they are now.

Make dinner more interesting.

Use lick mats and Kongs to make food more interesting. Lots of owners think Kongs are just for peanut butter, but squish some of their food into it and let your dog work for it. Kongs can be used to keep your dog busy when an event is happening that might over excite or worry your dog.

Minnie is Queen Kong and can mine one in minutes. You can see in the video how she is thinking the best way to get the food out as quickly as possible. So not only does it keep her engaged for longer it’s good for her brain

Licking is naturally calming for a dog, working a lick mat is calming and keeps your dog engaged in their dinner long after the initial food has been eaten. (Don’t leave the mat down if your dog is going to chew it.

Scatter Feeding

Scatter feeding is another good way to feed your chihuahua, it pays into mental health, can be used to keep you dog busy is something is happening and is a good activity when they are looking a bit sad or bored. We use this a lot. It helps prevent rehearsal of excited behaviour at the door if they are busy in the garden or on a snuffle mat.

Are you training your chihuahua today?

If you have some training scheduled or are going for a walk and want to have some food on hand hold back some of their daily food allowance back. If you are raw feeding this can be problematic, just substitute it for cooked chicken or pork which is easier to handle. A dog can switch between raw and cooked food with no issues.

Designing your chihuahua’s daily food can look a bit like this. You can download your own version of this here.

Download your copy here

What’s excluded from your chihuahua’s daily food allowance?

The only thing I exclude as part of our chihuahua’s daily food allowance are long-term chews like hooves or raw bones. These aren’t really ingested in the same way as food. Bones are a super treat for your chi but take the marrow out first as it’s very rich and can cause an upset belly.

*paymenteye.com

About the author

arthritis

Chihuahua arthritis, what can I do?

September 29, 2022September 29, 2022
by Louise Kirby

How can I help with chihuahua arthritis? A case study.

A question came into the office about how to help a chi chi who is struggling with arthritis and was it Ok to feed a salmon oil supplement.

Question: I’ve got a 9 yr old and a 3 yr old Chihuahua rat terrier and chi jack russell. We’ve battled an overweight problem with my 9yr old. I know it’s the extra weight on her but she’s struggling with her weight and she’s got arthritis. I’ve recently added salmon oil to her dry food. Only in the mornings I feed them about 1/4 cup of food and about 1tsp drizzle of the salmon oil over her food. My question is is that ok to feed her this. Is the salmon oil safe? It does seem to have helped her.

Chihuahua arthritis is a common problem so I thought I would answer it as a case study for everyone to read.

Answer: I’m sorry your chi chi is struggling with arthritis. What a shame for her.

Yes, it is a good idea to give her a good quality fish oil as this will certainly help. But you can go much further using food as medicine.

Your chi is not old as they can live to be 20, but in her current condition she is looking at spending her senior years in pain, which is a shame.

Weight control

If she was my dog this is what I would do:

Getting her weight down is essential, as this is putting his joints, spine, and internal organs under pressure. Being overweight takes around 4 years of a dog’s life.

First you need to establish what is correct weight should be and feed her around 3% of this. This is his total daily food allowance. Everything you feed comes out of this total.

For example, if your chihuahua’s correct weight is 6lb or 2.7 kgs then the daily food intake should be about 81 grams a day in total.

Dry food is causing chronic illness in dogs

Move away from dry or processed food if this is what you are feeding her as it’s the carbohydrates and starch in this food that will be contributing to the extra weight. Dogs have zero need for carbs and should get most of their food from healthy fats and protein in the form of fresh meat, eggs, organ meat, fish, and oily fish with low GI veg.

Dry food is also very low protein and made from poor-quality cheap ingredients. The cooking methods used kill any natural fats and minerals. Factory produced vitamins and minerals are added at the end of the process.

Dry food and poor-quality diets are one of the main reasons dogs become ill, they cause inflammation and inflammation is the root cause of most chronic illness. Certainly, arthritis will fall into this bracket.

Feed a fresh diet

Start to feed her a fresh diet, either a good quality raw food or a cooked food that has not been ultra-processed. You could look at home cooking and this is a good option but there will be some supplements that you must add in, like calcium and taurine. These are available online.

If you decide on raw, and this would be best, you can mix raw and cooked food, like chicken for treats and training. (Some people believe you can’t, but this is not correct)

Change her diet slowly, to give the gut a chance to adapt to a higher protein offering. You may need to swap over gradually around 10-20% a day. You can help this process by adding a good quality probiotic. Dr Mercola do a good one and we always have a pot in the house.

Mixing up the food

Work out how much food she needs a day and add into this total a lightly fried egg cooked in coconut oil keep the yolk soft. (You can feed a raw egg, I prefer to lightly cook mine). Feed twice a week as part of her breakfast. Add a tablespoon of kefir daily as this helps the gut biome. You can also feed a half a small sardine that has been packed in spring water, I give my dogs this twice a week. (The bones are soft enough for your dog to eat)

These additions are included in their daily food allowance.

Turmeric for the inflammation

You can also add some turmeric, turmeric is a miracle cure for inflammation, you could mix this into the kefir. The dose is around ¼ tsp per 10Lbs of body weight. Feed daily.

What not to feed

Don’t feed any shop bought treats. Food is food to a dog; they don’t know if it’s a ‘Lily’s Kitchen cranberry sausage’ or a bit of chicken. Treats are full of rubbish and with a small dog like a chihuahua they don’t have room for the extra calories. If you want to take food out with you on a walk, just put some of their daily food allowance aside as chicken or boiled pork mince and use this.

Don’t feed lots of raw vegetables, Dogs do need some veggies in their diet, but they can’t easily digest big lumps of raw veggies and it can cause tummy ache.

Never feed your dog either a vegetarian or vegan diet as these are not species appropriate.

Don’t feed rice as this is also not species appropriate and can contain toxins that create inflammation.

Exercise

Your chi needs exercise, but if she is in pain then keep it appropriate. Don’t overwalk her. Rather than take her out on long rambles play some games in the garden over the day.

Rest and healing

Also make sure she gets plenty of undisturbed rest so the parasympathetic nervous system gets a chance to help heal. A good nap in the day is essential.

Why fresh food is best

Fresh food is as essential for dogs as it is for people. It contains natural vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that are required to maintain a healthy gut biome. A strong balanced gut biome will defend your dog against illness and senior decline.

It is an error to believe that dry food or processed food is all we need to feed our dogs and this food is somehow ‘complete’. It is very far from nutritionally appropriate and contains some ingredients that harm our pets.

You can join us in Chihuahua School (opening soon) and we will be covering diet and nutrition in detail.

Hope this helps and let me know how you get on.

Behaviour

Stop Chihuahua Barking

September 21, 2022September 21, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Would you like to stop chihuahua barking?

Chihuahua barking can be a problem. Chihuahua are excitable dogs and they like a bark. As a Pro Dog Trainer and Behaviour Coach this is the number one thing I get asked about.

The other evening, I happened to be in an extremely large chihuahua fan page on Facebook and saw a post asking how to deal with chihuahua barking. The post has a lot of comments with a vast array of advice being given.

Methods that make chihuahua barking worse?

Some of it was horrifying and ranged from squirting lemon in the dog’s mouth, firing water at it, shock collars, citronella collars, shaking cans of coins at them. It was really depressing that owners believe these types of training methods will solve the issue.

These are called adverses training methods, methods of training that produce an unpleasant stimulus for a dog to try and teach it something.

The error people make is assuming that the dog makes any kind of pairing between the unpleasant stimulus (squirt of lemon in the mouth) and what they are doing, (barking). What is happening is the dog will make the pairing of fear or pain from the training method being applied and the event that they are barking at. Can you see the difference?

People assume these methods work because they stop the chihuahua barking in the moment as dog is momentarily shocked. But long-term it has a very detrimental effect on the dog’s confidence. Creating anxiety and worry as it has no idea where the next bit of pain or fear is going to come from.

For example, a chihuahua barking out the window at a passer-by won’t understand that the squirt of water or loud noise from an air horn is to stop them barking. How could they? All this stimulus does is add more excitement into the situation and increase their worry about people walking by the house. This may then track up to anxiety about being walked outside. Increasing stress and therefore barking at other dogs. Around it goes in a toxic cycle of stress, anxiety, and barking. It withdraws from your chihuahua’s confidence and ultimately your relationship.

Why Chihuahuas bark

Chihuahuas bark because they are hypervigilant to sound and movement. It comes with the territory when you are only 10 inches high.

They spend a lot of time in a high state of arousal or ‘flight or fight’ mode. This means they are going to be full of cortisol, the stress hormone, which changes how they view things.

When your chihuahua sees or hears something they will ask themselves, “what does this mean for me?” then “is it good or bad?” Because they are in ‘flight or fight’ mode and more inclined to be worried by something, they decide it’s bad, and bark at it to get it to stay away.

It is entirely possible to reduce chihuahua barking in a force-free way. No gadgets or unpleasant training methods required. We reduce your chihuahua’s arousal and help them calm down. We work with them to help them understand not everything needs to be barked at. Grow their confidence and tolerance to novelty (new things).

I wrote a book about it, fully intending to sell it, but currently I give it away free. I want to reach as many chihuahua owners as possible and help owners reduce barking without the need for some of these awful training methods.

In the book I show step-by step you how to reduce barking in a kind, force-free way that will grow your chihuahua’s confidence. It’s easy to follow and fun to do.

If you would like a copy, you can get it here. Just let me know where to send it.

Yes please send me a copy

Behaviour

My chihuahua nips ankles!

September 19, 2022September 19, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Help, my chihuahua nips ankles when visitors or workmen move!

If this happens it’s because your chihuahua is over aroused, worried, and anxious by what is happening.

When visitors enter the house there is likely to be a lot of excitement around the door. This excitement will have filled up your chihuahua’s emotional bucket and they are going to be in a state of high arousal. This will be making them anxious and worried. You may find as well that your male chihuahua will pee or mark workman’s tools or a visitor’s bags. This is overmarking as they smell different. It’s a good idea to be prepared for this and make sure your chihuahua does not have access to visitors’ belongings.

Chihuahuas are hyper vigilant to movement and a sudden unpredicted movement is going to cause them to start. Dogs like to run and bark at things that bother them and chihuahuas are no different. They want the visitor to go away or at least to stay still. When your visitor goes to move suddenly, say from sitting to standing, there is a sudden shift in energy. This will bother your chihuahua who then tries to control the situation by running behind and nipping at the back of their legs. They will often do this to children who are running about as well.

To a lot of dogs, not just chihuahuas, children are large, unpredictable giants. They lack the coordination and predictable body language of an adult. This will worry a dog and small dogs who could get trampled. It’s never a good idea to leave any dog alone with other people’s children. Even if your dog is reliable like Minnie, it can cause strained family dynamics if a child starts crying saying the dog has bitten them. You can’t prove they didn’t and it opens a world of trouble you don’t need.

There is a couple of things you can do if your chihuahua nips ankles.

Management

Don’t allow your chihuahua to have access to visitors unless they are under control. People don’t like being bitten and it can get you into trouble. Put them in another room (the chihuahua not the visitor) or have them on an indoor harness and training lead. The minimum is to pick them up.

Never leave your chihuahua alone with children if they are worried by movement. Prince and Mika would both be likely to react badly to children charging around and I never leave them alone with the grandkids. I have witnessed Prince try and nip ankles when the grandkids are running about near him.

Training

Reduce excitement around the door. Crazy excitement around the door pushes up your dog’s arousal. Grow a boundary so when the door goes your chihuahua is sitting down nicely and not charging the door. Doors are quite worrying to dogs as so much happens around them.

Scatter feed in the garden so when the visitor is coming in the front door your chihuahua is busy in the garden. Scatter feeding is an arousal down activity. Introduce your chihuahua to a visitor when they are calm and don’t leave them alone if they are likely to snap.

Put a calmness protocol in place so your chihuahua is in a calmer state overall. Calmness is the foundation of all dog training and is essential for these excitable little dogs who can go from 1 – 100 in a nanosecond.

In the UK the law is very strict and clear on dog bites, and you are legally required to always keep your dog under control. Just because they are small does not mean it’s different.

aggression towards dogs

Get stress-free walks with your chihuahua

September 2, 2022September 8, 2022
by Louise Kirby

From ‘chippy chihuahua’ into ‘I got this!’

Arlo (pictured above) is a funny chap and has the loudest bark you have ever heard from a small dog! He came to us through a rescue having been surrendered at 19 weeks because of his aggression towards his sibling. We thought it was just excited play.

But the truth is he can be chippy and aggressive. It’s something that’s kind of crept up on us until one day we realised we had a real problem. For a chihuahua he has a long muzzle and a big bite, so it was something that had to be taken seriously. Last week I took Arlo and little Macy out for a walk on their own. I like to mix up the groupings a bit. We went to some fields that are separated by a large ditch. Arlo is perfectly able to jump the ditch and has done on more than one occasion. Anyway, Arlo was on a long line and Macy was off lead.

A walker with two dogs came into our field behind us. I bent down to secure Macy, and was momentarily distracted. I just didn’t see the other dog in the next field. Separated by the ditch but still only 2 yards away was a little black poodle. It was staring at Arlo. My heart leapt and I went into panic mode until I realised that Arlo had seen the dog and was ignoring it. He just shrugged it off. Nothing happened! I couldn’t believe it. Not so long ago he would have turned himself inside out, barking and lunging, basically, a full-on meltdown. It was amazing. He was amazing!

Honestly, I was so proud I cried. Only someone with a reactive dog will understand this.

How we got our transformation

Arlo’s transformation has taken time to achieve. But it’s not an accident. We have been playing training games to help change his perception of what he considers a threat. We’ve played games to build his confidence, a solid proximity and recall. But one of the most important things he’s learnt to do is disengage. This is the power to see another dog and ignore it. It really is a superpower and is huge for Arlo, before he would have chased the dog hard just for looking at him.

Chihuahuas are hyper aware of movement and will see another dog (or something that worries them) and refuse to let it be. Escalating things until you have a crazy chihuahua spinning and barking on the end of the lead. Completely over threshold and unable to think or engage with you.

Through games we have rebuilt Arlo’s confidence and kind of rewired him so he can make better decisions.

Building in proximity so he stays by our side unless we say it’s Ok to ‘walk on’. The incident in the field made me realise how far we had come.

If your chihuahua is reactive and goes off like a rocket every time it sees another dog, or a bird or even a bag blowing in the wind it can be frustrating and embarrassing. People tut and point, and it makes you stressed when you take out your dog.

This is why I am starting the Chihuahua School Membership. So, I can take you and your chihuahua through this transformation. It doesn’t matter if you are lead on or lead off, imagine taking your chihuahua out for a walk and not being embarrassed or worried about a meltdown when another dog comes into view.

You are not under any obligation to do anything, I will just let you know when we open next.

Get on the waitlist for Chihuahua School!

Put me on the waitlist

Behaviour

No need for senior decline in chihuahuas

May 24, 2022March 22, 2023
by Louise Kirby

We all want our dogs to live forever and chihuahuas are blessed with a longer lifespan than most dogs. Chihuahuas can easily live until they are 16 and some have happily made it to past 20 years old. Which is well over 100 in human years. But there is a difference between living to a ripe old age and passing away a happy old dog and living to be old and aging badly, beset with health issues that are the result of senior decline.

Obviously, there will be changes in our dogs as they get older but there really isn’t the need for our dogs senior decline mentally and physically to the point when days are full of confusion and pain.

It’s all about gut biome

How can we ensure our dogs become senior without the senior decline that dogs often suffer? Scientists, nutritionists, and vets are doing a lot of work around aging in dogs. The link between gut biome and brain health is astounding. Gut microbiome are the microbes that live in the intestines. The gut biome is so influential that it’s being called a ‘second brain’. Having a healthy, balanced microbiome is essential for our health and it’s the same for our dogs.

Turn back you dogs aging brain

It is possible to restore your dog’s the ageing brain by making some simple changes to your dog’s diet and fitness regime. What this means for us as dog owners is it’s never too late to make positive changes to our dog’s wellbeing and overall health and turn back the clock and help them grow into a healthy old age.

How to stop senior decline

Stop feeding kibble and over processed dog food like pouches of slimy jelly that contain a substance similar to antifreeze to keep it soft. Kibble or dry food is not a species appropriate food. Kibble is full of carbs and fillers and generally have a low protein offering and does not contain enough moisture essential for digestion. Because of the way it’s cooked it is a ‘dead’ food and synthetic vitamins and minerals must be added. It is so far away from the ‘balanced’ diet that vets and the petfood industry want us to believe. Kibble is the worst thing that has happened to dog health and is responsible for a wide range of illnesses including obesity and tooth decay.

Feed your dog a range of fresh foods that are rich in antioxidants. Muscle meat and organ meat, Raw is preferable either home-made or brought if it’s good quality. If you can’t feed raw look at a high-quality semi moist food. Dogs need fat and protein, they don’t need carbs. Research what goes into a homemade diet so you are feeding a balanced meal. If you’re not feeding bones then you will need to add calcium in the form of ground egg shells. Never feed the same meat everyday.

Make sure your dog gets additional eggs, cooked or raw. (Not the shell). 2-3 a week

Add in some oily fish (sardines packed in water but not tuna or raw salmon). Around half a sardine per 4.5Kg of dog.

Add some superfood veggies like sprouting broccoli to their dinner as a topper or give them instead of ‘treats’. While low GI veggies are helpful to a dog they must never be more than 18% of their daily food allowance.

Add a tablespoon of Kefir (1 tlbs per 4.5 kg) to their dinner daily.

Stop feeding treats. These are full of rubbish and don’t have any kind of nutritional profile. Chihuahuas are small and treats can take up a big part of their daily food allowance. Food is food to a dog so use their dinner for training.

Get appropriate exercise and have a fitness regime in place. A little sensible exercise every day will help halt senior decline. But don’t assume more is better and over walk your dog as this can fill their bucket and make them reactive.

Keep them at their correct weight. Being obese can cost a dog 4 years of its life. If your dog is overweight, you don’t need prescription diet food from the vet. Just weigh their daily food and make sure you feed them for the weight they should be. An adult dog that has been nurtured needs around 3% of their bodyweight. A complete dog (one that has not been spayed or neutered can eat more). Speak to your vet who will advise what your chihuahua should weigh.

Cut back on the vaccinations, if your dog has had a booster every year, they never need another one. Over vaccination is harmful for your dog and expensive for you. If you live in the US, the rabies vaccination for small dogs is causing a lot of controversy. Have a look at this website. Protect the Pets http://www.protectthepets.com

Summary

In summary freed a range of fresh food, get sensible exercise, cut out the rubbish treats and keep weight stable, get plenty of real rest and reduce the stress. Seems obvious really.

poo

Get help with chihuahua toilet training?

March 11, 2022March 25, 2023
by Louise Kirby

Chihuahua toilet training can be hard to crack. It is a standing, but unfunny joke, that chihuahuas will go out and then come in and pee in the house. It is something that I get messages about a lot. It can be a relationship breaker for some chihuahua owners.

In the week I had a message from Jon who was clearly frustrated by his chihuahua’s lack of toilet training. The issue seemed to be exactly this, his chihuahua would go out and then come in and pee in the house. He was clearly at the end of his patience and considering neutering his dog to try and solve it.

So, why does my chihuahua come back in and pee?

First, we need to understand the difference between peeing and marking. Peeing is a full on empty of the bladder and marking are the little squirts that mainly, but not only, male dogs do up furniture and items left on the floor. Marking is often an excitement behaviour and understanding your dog’s emotional bucket will certainly help you manage this better. Follow the links to read more about these issues.

Once you have established that your chihuahua is really coming back in to empty their bladder you need to consider the next issue. Communication.

Communication.

So, we know as humans that when the door is open that this is an opportunity to go out and pee. It makes perfect sense to us. But the fact that your chihuahua will come back in and pee in the house is telling us that somewhere we haven’t communicated this to our dogs.

Humans are very good at putting their own narrative on a dog’s behaviour. Especially if the behaviour they are presenting is challenging. Owners really start to believe they are doing it on purpose, but I can promise, your chihuahua does not do things to spite you.

Are you confusing your chihuahua?

So, the door is open, your chihuahua hops outside has a sniff about then comes back in the house and does the deed on the rug. What’s happening?

What do you do when your chihuahua pees in the house? Do you make loud noises of consternation?

“Oh, bad puppy, do your wee in the garden!”

Then think about what you did when they peed outside when you were training them? Conventional training would have advised a high excitement congratulations party and treat your chi.

“Oh, you’re a good pup, good dog, super dog!”

But the confusion may happen because the noise could be startling and similar. You are making the same noise to, and they may be worried they are doing the wrong thing.

What to do when your chihuahua comes back in and pees

So, your first action point is to go out with your chihuahua and stay with them so you can quietly mark the correct behaviour. No party or whooping, just a quiet cue of your choice and mark instantly with high value food. (Food from their daily food allowance is always best.) It also gives you the opportunity to check they have gone to the toilet.

If they play a lot in the garden, then try and build value in peeing in one place. If they associate the garden with lots of high excitement, they may lose focus once they are out there.

Have you really spent the time in toilet training your chihuahua? It might be time to go back to toilet training 101 and rebuild the connexion.

Clean up any areas where they are peeing. Get rid of the smell so they don’t think this is a toilet area.

Is it raining?

Some chihuahuas don’t care about the rain and some hate it. But what confuses owners is why they stand there for 5 minutes getting wet while they consider their options then turn around and come in. We know they could have just done a quick pee, and all done.

I can only theorize; they are checking scents and they don’t feel safe. Doing a pee or poop does leave them in a vulnerable situation. Small breed dogs are programmed to worry about threats from above. You will just need to go out with your dog, take an umbrella or have a garden umbrella up. Another good idea is to take your chi to a different location. I take Minnie out the front of the house and for some reason she is happier to pee there when its raining.

If you have dealt with this issue, please leave a comment and tell us how you did it.