Category: <span>General</span>

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

aggression towards dogs

Understand your chihuahua reactivity

November 6, 2021April 27, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Why do they bark at other dogs, why can’t they just get along, they’re all dogs after all?

Understanding chihuahua reactivity is a big step in being able to work with them and help overcome it.

What reactivity isn’t is your chihuahua trying to dominate all the other dogs they meet. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard people use the term ‘small dog syndrome’ or ‘he thinks he’s a rottweiler’.

This belief that dogs strive to be ‘top dog’ over every dog they meet is very ingrained in people’s thinking. It originates from a very old study done in the 80s based on a pack on unrelated wolves and how they interacted. Even the originator of the study has acknowledged that the findings were flawed.

But it spawned a very aggressive form of dog training that told owners they had to be the alpha dog, or your dog wouldn’t respect you and this is an idea that is still widely believed even among other dog trainers today.

Domination or the need to be the ‘top dog’ is not what’s happening with your chihuahua. So, park the idea that they are striving to take over the world. They just want a happy life with their human family.

Why is he barking at other dogs out on walks?

The answers will vary slightly from dog to dog. But pessimism, overarousal and fear of novelty will be playing a big part of it. When they see another dog, they are worried about what that dog’s presence means for them. Is this dog a threat? Will they have to interact with it?

Imagine you see a clown in the middle of a field. Unless you’re at the circus that would be weird, and you would be crazy not to be wary. That’s how your chihuahua feels about stranger dogs or ambiguous things they don’t understand.

But, before you start beating yourself up and think you’ve done something wrong, pessimism is a natural state for a lot of animals, it helps them live longer in the wild. A pessimistic animal that doesn’t run up to something novel is likely to live longer. But pessimism is not something we need in our domesticated dogs; it can make things difficult and cause unhelpful behaviors like barking and displays of fear-based aggression.

It’s not about socialization

A lot of people will tell you it’s about socialization, but that’s not the case and often pushing a dog through a regulated programme of socialization can cause many of the problems you are experiencing now. Taking a puppy into a noisy class full of over excited dogs and stressed owners can cause multiple issues. Unless the class is very well run, and often they are just a free-for-all, you can end up with a stressed barking chihuahua.

How to stop chihuahua reactivity

Despite what the guy on the TV says there is no flick of the lead that can cure chihuahua reactivity. We need to look under the hood and fix it there. Turn your chi into an optimist, create a more relaxed chilled out animal that’s not always on the lookout for trouble. Reshape their thinking so when they see another dog, they can ignore it.

This may sound like an impossible dream, but it can be done. You can have a chihuahua that walks along happily and doesn’t go off like a rocket when they see another dog

Louise Kirby

My name is Louise Kirby and I’m a freelance writer and certified Pro Dog Trainer. I adore and train all breeds but have a special interest in chihuahuas and their rehabilitation. Chihuahuas are awesome little dogs, spunky, full of joy, loyal and tenacious. But some present with behaviours that make them a challenge to manage. I’m on a mission to restore the relationship between owners and their dogs. To help you get back the dog you always dreamed of. That’s why dog training is a happiness project!

anal glands

How to get a calm chihuahua

January 20, 2021August 10, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Why calm is important for your chihuahua

Chihuahuas like a bark, anyone who has one will have experienced the sudden vertical take-off followed by crazy barking because they’ve heard something; a car door slamming, the cat exiting through the cat flap, or person walking past the house with their own dog in tow. The list of things your chihuahua will bark at is long! If you have multiple chihuahuas then you will have experienced the ‘group’ frenzy in which they all charge like nutcases and none of them know why they are even barking.

A dog that barks all day is not only a nuisance to you and your neighbours it’s also not good for them. Like humans, dogs have a sympathetic nervous system which deals with the fight and flight response and a parasympathetic nervous system which deals with, among other things, digestion and healing. When your dog is in a state of high excitement the PSNS shuts down, if this state persists it will affect your chihuahua’s opportunity to heal and repair and properly digest food. You can then easily make the leap to allergies and illness.

Creating a calm environment is an important part of reducing chihuahua barking. It’s part of a three step process which includes understanding your chihuahuas emotional ‘bucket’. Like humans each dog has their own bucket which can fill quickly and once it does you will get a behavioural response which is often barking. Understanding what pays into your chihuahua’s emotional bucket is extremely helpful.

Limit rehearsal of barking behaviour

A dog will do what it always does and if this is charging around the garden chasing pigeons or barking out the window everyday they will get extremely good at it.

I don’t allow my crew to bark out the window at passersby or to charge around the garden barking at critters. This was one of Arlos favourite pastimes but, it creates a higher level of arousal that puts your chihuahua in the mood for yet more barking and over excitement. Managing this stops them rehearsing trigger barking. You can achieve this with stair gates and puppy pens. I also limit time in the garden unless I am supervising. I don’t want them running about rehearsing unwanted behaviours.

Passive calming activities for mental health

Rethink how you feed your chihuahua and use their food in more creative ways. This will also help if your chihuahua is a picky eater. Instead of putting all their daily food in a bowl, employ a range of passive calming activities like scatter-feeding, (throwing food on the grass for them to hunt). If you live in a flat or apartment then use a snuffle mat, they are cheap and easy to wash.

Lick mats are super, don’t assume they are only for treats like peanut butter. You can push their wet food onto it. They will enjoy licking the mat for a while after their meal is over. Licking produces serotonin which is a calming hormone. This is why they lick their paws when they are in pain or stressed.

Kong feeding is also a good way to keep your chihuahua busy and engaged. There are a range of feeding puzzles like this on the market now. You can also buy snakes and wheels that you push their dinner into. These activities do more than keep your chihuahua busy. A dog is a natural scavenger and working for food is part of their DNA. Having to work for food, either in the garden or out of a Kong pays into this. It’s called contrafreeloading and is good for their mental health and is naturally calming.

Natural chews

Chewing and gnawing is not only calming it’s also good for cleaning teeth. We just discovered dried tracheas, cut them into slices. (Use secateurs not a kitchen knife or you could end up in A&E.) It even takes Minnie a while to chew one. Hooves are a good as well and last for ages. There are a good range of natural chews on the market, ostrich spaghetti, rabbits ears. You can buy them from most good pet shops. It’s never a good idea to give you dog anything plastic to chew like meat flavoured nyon bone. Chihuahuas are very tenacious chewers and can easily digest lumps of this.

Rest

Chihuahuas do like a snooze, but can be up in an instant, so it’s not a real rest. Making sure they get a good rest where their choices for charging about are limited is always a good idea. Macy and Prince who have always been crate trained get a good two hour snooze in their crate in the afternoon.

Calming supplement

As part of our ‘calming regime’ I have been giving mine the supplement Calm-K9 in the morning. They get half a teaspoon in their food every day. Obviously they don’t instantly stop all their barky excitable behavior, but over a short time it has definitely had a beneficial effect on their levels of over arousal, their ability to calm down and focus on training. I took Prince out yesterday and we got around the field without a single bark. I was able to work on his training and he was much more engaged. Nomaly he would be barking at birds and crisp packets!

How Calm-K9 works with brain and gut

Brain wellness and gut wellness work together to create boost levels of serotonin and tryptophan. (Tryptophan isn’t made in the body it has to come from a healthy diet and could be missing from some commercial dog foods. Serotonin and tryptophan will boost mood and the tryptophan (an important amino acid will induce calmness and focus.)

Does Calm-K9 help reduce chihuahua barking?

Honestly, it’s been a game changer. This is why I became a partner for this product. I wish you could see this, but as I write this the army base local to us is doing its daily artillery practice. The cannon and gunfire can be heard clearly and is very loud. Our neighbours dog is going nuts, but my crew are just chilling on their boundaries. (raised beds)

Once the charging about would have been impossible to unpick, all the dogs would have been up and barking, running about egging each other on. That’s the joy of the chihuahua feedback loop! But I have been able to work with them to reduce the stress they feel when the bangs start, and now they don’t worry at all. It’s also worked with fireworks.

It has also had a hugely beneficial impact on their tummies. Improving the hardness of poop and reducing anal gland issues. That alone is saving me £££ at the vets. My vet has a wing named after Mika’s bum!

If continual barking is an issue in your house, this is the product is going to help!

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There are a range of different things you can do to stop your chihuahua barking and to get a calmer dog. The effect of this on our household has been amazing. Chihuahuas will always be excitable dogs that will run about barking, but it doesn’t have to be excessive and annoying. You can get a good balance and your chihuahua will enjoy having things to do.

Avoid air horns, water or rattling cans

Avoid anything that add excitement and stress to the situation , like air horns or squirting water, or shaking noisy cans at them. It may stop the immediate barking behaviour but it pays into your dog’s emotional bucket and can result in other behaviours that you won’t associate with the original issue, like paw licking, fear barking at other things, predicting your movements then snapping & growling. These adverses training methods also withdraw from your relationship bank account. This nibbles away at trust and can backfire in the long term.

Thank you for using my affiliate link to buy your products. If you buy this product I get paid a small commission and it all helps me keep Chihuahua Power on the road. But please be assured I only recommend products I use myself.

About the author

Louise Kirby

Get help with chihuahua behaviour

Join the happiness project now!

Your chihuahua transformation starts with a free discovery chat to see how I can best help you. Please get in touch I look forward to hearing from you. Together we can get back the dog you always wanted.

General

Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome and Chihuahuas

May 14, 2020September 29, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Chihuahuas – A Brachycephalic Breed

The Symptoms & Management of Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome

Chihuahuas have been selectively bred over time to give them their short stature and flat faces that we’ve fallen in love with. Their flat faces put them into the Brachycephalic Dog Breed (BAS) category (along with other dogs such as Bulldogs & Pugs) due to the slight compression of the respiratory tract which has the potential to cause airway obstruction.

The extent of these respiratory differences between Chihuahuas and other canine breeds, and the level to which they cause airway problems is different between one Chihuahua to another. This can easily be managed with some advice that we will explain within this article.

BAS or Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome

BAS is an obstruction to the airway caused by air turbulence in the upper respiratory system which has the potential to lead to more serious problems such as tracheal collapse.

Breeds with BAS will often have far greater problems with heat and strenuous exercise; and in more problematic cases, an increased chance of heat stroke can occur which may be life-threatening.

The diagnosis of Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome should only be done by professionals and is to be based on the assessment of the respiratory tract to identify anything that isn’t normal.

A positive is that BAS can be managed, and early intervention often leads to much better outcomes.

Management Recommendations

These are the management recommendations professionals make to Chihuahua owners to manage the risk of Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome:

Exercise Recommendations

Over exertion can lead to overheating and breathing issues, this means exercising your Chihuahua should be done in as smart manner, this also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise your pup as conversely obesity exacerbates airway obstruction. Basically, Chihuahua should not being doing strenuous exercise in hot or humid weather; look into alternative options such as indoor exercise ideas within an air conditioned room.

Use of a Harness

A collar can put intense pressure on the neck area and increase the symptoms of BAS. Always use a low-front harness that is recommended for these breeds.

Over-Heating

As a Chihuahua owner you probably already know that your dog is not able to regulate their body temperature as well as other breeds, what this means is that you should take extra measures to ensure they are not put into situations that they might overheat. Alternative options to outdoor exercise in the heat and/or humidity include indoor exercise and ensuring a cool temperature in your home and plenty of water.

Conclusion

Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome is an often misunderstood or totally unknown issue that affects many Chihuahuas and other flat faced dog breeds. As responsible dog owners we need to ensure we understand the correct management of the syndrome and educate other owners of the potential harm.

General

Preventing heart disease in chihuahuas

June 10, 2019January 8, 2021
by Louise Kirby

Preventing heart disease in chihuahuas

How common is heart disease in chihuahuas?

Heart disease in chihuahuas is common, they can suffer from a condition called mitral valve disease, also known as chronic valvular disease. This can affect several small dog breeds like dachshunds and toy poodles.

There is a further increase in this disease amongst dogs that have been deliberately bred to be miniature sometimes referred to as teacups. Read more about teacups health here.

Mitral valve disease is when the valve that separates the left ventricle of the heart from the left atrium starts to degenerate and allows blood to leak back into the left atrium.

Larger dogs may suffer with dilated cardiomyopathy, this disease weakens the heart and makes it less efficient at pumping blood around the body. Because it’s working harder than normal it will make the heart larger.

The first sign that your chihuahua has a heart condition could be a tell-tale murmur, a vet would be able to pick up the irregular heartbeat during a routine exam. If your chihuahua was going in for any kind of surgery your vet is likely to check their heart before deciding if he can have a GA (general anaesthetic)

Heart disease can eventually lead to heart failure which is when the heart finds it difficult to meet the bodies demands.

These symptoms could include:

Fatigue /fainting or collapse

Rapid panting/breathing after exercise or play.

Coughing

Weight loss or gain

Swelling of the abdomen

Blueness of the gums.

What causes heart disease in chihuahuas

Heart disease can be something your chihuahua is born with (congenital), or it could be something that develops over time.

According the Healthy Pets Mercola there is now a blood test your vet can do to see if your dog is at risk of developing heart disease.

The test is called a proBNP test. BNP = B-type Natriuretic Peptide.

The proBNP is a blood test that measures how much peptide hormone, released by the heart, is in circulation in your pet’s body. This hormone is only released when the heart is pushed beyond its capacity.

There is no actual cure for heart disease in chihuahuas, but there are medications that can slow its progress. If your chihuahua is diagnosed with this condition, he will be carefully monitored by your vet. You may be sent to see a specialist. With proper monitoring your chihuahua can still have a long, happy life. You may just need to make some changes to your lifestyle.

How to stop heart disease developing

Like any long-term condition prevention is always better than cure. Obviously, if your chihuahua has been born with a heart murmur it can’t be helped and must be managed but there are steps you can take to prevent heart disease developing in the first place.

Keep your chihuahua at a healthy weight. If your chihuahua is a bit tubby then plan to reduce his weight slowly. Read what to do if your chihuahua is overweight here.

Make sure your chihuahua has a healthy diet that has a variety of fresh veg, proteins and healthy fats. Avoid dry food if you can as it contains a lot or carbohydrates that turn into sugar. Here is some more info about carbohydrates and dog food.

Get plenty of exercise. Chihuahuas need a good run and plenty of exercise, a young male chihuahua could easily need two good walks a day. It also affects their behaviour if they are under exercised. Read should I let my chihuahua off lead.

Avoid smoking or vaping around your dog. Like people, dogs can be affected by second hand smoking.

Keep their teeth clean. There is a clear statistical link between tooth decay and heart disease in dogs. Chihuahuas are prone to tooth decay because their teeth are small and close together and because their temperament doesn’t always make teeth cleaning easy. If you have a puppy introduce teeth cleaning straight away so they are used to it. Read 9 things to do with your puppy from the off.

Are you managing heart disease for your chihuahua. We would love your feedback. Please leave comments below.

Behaviour

Is picking up your chihuahua making him aggressive?

March 4, 2019September 29, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Why picking up your chihuahua could lead to problems

When you have a large, heavy dog picking him up and moving him into position just isn’t possible, so it becomes a matter of training him or at least bribing him to do what you want. Either way the dog is getting some say in the process.

But because they are small picking up your chihuahua is just second nature. We just bend down and scoop him up. You might be putting them in the car or getting them ready for a walk, stopping them from biting the delivery man or taking him to the vet or groomers where they get plonked on the table and handled some more.

According to dog trainer Victoria Stillwell;

‘Small dogs are often physically managed and manipulated against their will simply because of their size. This can create frustration in a dog and a distrust of hands reaching for him. This can result in an aggressive display by the dog when he or she feels invaded’.

So, it starts to become understandable that your chihuahua growls or snaps when hands reach out for him. He fears being swept up against his will, stuffed into clothes he doesn’t want to wear or being carried somewhere he doesn’t want to go.

Picking up your chihuahua all the time can also impact behaviour. If he is growling at a stranger, barking at another dog, or refusing to walk past an object our instinct is to pick him up to avoid a nasty confrontation or just to get moving. But by doing this up we re-enforce the notion that there is something to be afraid of. This will make him react to the same situation in the same way again and perpetuate the problem.

Petting on the head

Chihuahuas and most other dogs really don’t appreciate being petted on the head. They may just tolerate it from you but most certainly won’t from strangers. Small dogs are hard-wired to think attack from above and any dog considers touching his head as an aggressive action. Don’t force your chihuahua to allow strangers to pet him unless he has initiated the contact by going up to them.

Teach command words

Instead, teach your chihuahua some command words that will get him to move on cue. That could be jumping onto your lap, or off and on the furniture.

Give them the tools to move about independently, steps so they can get on the bed (if it’s allowed) that sort of thing.

Take some time to teach them to walk nicely on the lead, then they can walk more rather than be carried or pulled along. Chihuahuas are just as capable as walking to heel as a large dog.

Don’t allow the children to manhandle your chi and treat him like a toy. Make sure your children follow a no-picking-up rule, unless it’s an emergency.

Lastly, if your chihuahua will tolerate all the above without showing you the ‘curled-lip-of doom’. It is still a good idea to cut down the handling. Instead of showing aggression, they may be retreating inwards and start to shut down. This can manifest itself in several behaviour issues that will be hard to unpick later.

We want our chihuahuas to be independent, curious and confident little dogs. Not worry that every hand that reaches out to him is a potential threat.

Training is key, it’s easy to neglect basic training because chihuahuas are small. But it’s a mistake because chis are super intelligent and love to learn new things and it helps them to understand how to negotiate the human world.

Take away

Less picking up your chihuahua, more training and walking!

About the author

Louise Kirby

Get help with chihuahua behaviour

Join the happiness project now!

Allergies

Help my chihuahua has dry itchy skin!

April 22, 2018June 1, 2022
by Louise Kirby

My chihuahua has dry itchy skin, what’s causing it?

If your chihuahua has dry itchy skin, it’s probably driving him crazy. Making him scratch and nibble at different areas and rubbing himself along the furniture to try and get some relief. (This can also be an indicator that a he has compacted anal glands so never ignore this type of behaviour.) He may find it hard to settle at night and possibly display some behaviour changes.

If the itching and scratching gets out of control your chihuahua may scratch so much he causes skin damage and hot spots. Hot spots are raised red patches of skin that ooze and are intensely irritating and if left untreated can get infected.

You can also see the dry skin by parting the fur. Like dandruff in people, you will see little flakes of skin sitting at the base of the hair. (If the flakes look like they are moving around, you’re not seeing things, you have a different problem. See below:

What causes dry itchy skin?

There are several reasons that your chihuahua has dry itchy skin.

#1 Grooming

It is essential to have a good grooming routine and to get your chihuahua used to being brushed as a puppy. Brushing helps distribute the oils over your chi’s skin and fur. Your chihuahua should enjoy being brushed (Minnie loves it and will roll over the second you get the brush out). As well as maintaining a good healthy coat, it is a lovely bonding exercise.

Shampoo, make sure you use dog appropriate shampoo. Human shampoo can be too acidic and contain too much fragrance. Use a shampoo that contains humectants or moisturizers. Natural humectants are aloe and honey. If your chihuahua is prone to dry skin avoid the blow dryer. Pat him dry after a bath and let him shake and run about to get dry. Be prepared for the zoomies after a bath, It’s how dogs deal with the stress of the situation. Don’t over bath your chi chi either as it can wash out the oils in his fur.

#2 Fleas, Mites & Mange

Fleas: When a flea bites your dog, he is going to bite at it to get some relief. Nibbling towards the tail area can be an indication of fleas. A bath in neem oil shampoo will kill all fleas and mites without dousing your chihuahua in harmful chemicals. But if the greater good is served by using a spot on product then I would use it. Itching will be driving your chi nuts and also contribute to reactive behaviour. It is possible that your chihuahua has flea allergy dermatitis, this is likely to need medication from the vet.

Mites: Mites can be misery for your dog. This is where you may see the ‘dandruff’ (Cheyletiella mites) walking around on its own, or tiny red patches of dots (harvest mites). Cheyletiella mites or ‘walking dandruff’ is highly contagious so jump on this PDQ.

Mange: This will present as scaly patches of dark skin and dandruff. This is also caused by a mite (Sarcoptes scabiei) they burrow into the skin and cause appalling itching. Your chihuahua will scratch frantically and could damage himself. It is also highly contagious.

Fleas, mites and mange can be treated with neem oil and neem oil shampoo. Read: neem oil and why you can’t live without it.

#3 Allergies

Dogs like people can have allergies to pollen, grass, and VOC’s from household cleaners. Read: Household products that can cause allergies in dogs. The symptoms will be irritable skin, runny nose, eyes and itchy paws. You need to eliminate the allergies from your chihuahua’s environment. For that, consider keeping your indoor areas clean to reduce the chance of allergies in your furry friend. For starters, get your carpets and rugs cleaned thoroughly. Contact a professional from Brown Family Chem-Dry and get the task done as soon as possible. Also, test your indoor air quality so that both you and your chihuahua do not develop respiratory allergies.

Keep in mind that if you still find the symptoms of allergies in your pet, after doing all this, then you need to consult a vet near you quickly. He can suggest you what to do about the problem. For instance, he an suggest you to administer a small dose of antihistamine to dampen down the symptoms. Read: Human medicines I can give my dog. I use a 1/4 a tablet twice a day. But check the does with your vet.

#4 Diet

Poor diet, loaded with carbohydrate and grains can play havoc with your chihuahuas skin. Dogs have no need of either of these ingredients in their diet, but low-quality kibble will be full of both. Owners have been inadvertently feeding this to their dogs for years because they trust the big brands to deliver the best nutrition. Even grain-free will be loaded with carbs because they are needed in the cooking process.

Yeast Infection: Carbohydrate will turn to sugars that your dog can’t process and as well as making your chihuahua fat, could cause a yeast infection. Read: Has your chihuahua got a yeast infection?

Leaky Gut: Grains and rice can cause an allergic reaction and contribute to ‘leaky gut syndrome’, leaky gut is a major contributor to food allergies. Read: Why you must stop feeding carbohydrates to your chihuahua.

The best bet is to switch your dog’s food to a good quality wet food or fresh home cooked. Like humans, dogs need a variety of good quality protein and fats to keep them healthy. Remember expensive doesn’t always mean quality. You are looking for a good quality protein food. Mix the proteins up, fish, meat, offal and eggs. Add a little bit of sardine to their nosh once or twice a week as it’s better to get the oils from source. You could also feed them a lightly fried egg twice a week. Keep the yolk runny so you don’t destroy the long-chain-fatty-acids. Add a probiotic to their food to address any gut flora imbalances, what’s going on in your dog’s gut has a massive impact on health and behaviour.

#4 Thyroid disease

Thyroid disease or hypothyroidism can cause a dry brittle coat, thick scaly scabs and dark patches of skin. You would need to discuss treatment with your vet.

How to help with dry itchy skin

Colloidal Oatmeal Bath

So if your poor chihuahua has dry itchy skin, you can make up this soothing bath. Colloidal oatmeal bath sounds complicated than it is. Colloidal means very small particles that are suspended evenly in a medium, in this case water. You can make this yourself if you can grind oats down to a fine powder.

Buy some organic oatmeal (not instant) and grind it down to a very fine powder.
Add 2-3 cups to lukewarm water and swish it around until it has dissolved.
Get your chihuahua to soak in the bath for about 10 minutes. Gently tip some over his back.
If your chihuahua is very sticky afterwards, then rinse him lightly with warm water.
Pat dry with a towel and let your chi air dry.

Be careful as the bath will be very slippery.

Do this 2-3 times a week until you see an improvement in his condition.

The oatmeal should be very soothing and draw out the irritation in his skin.

If you have any remedies for dealing with dry itchy skin we would love to hear from you. Please post in the comments below.

Louise Kirby

Fun

10 Old wives tales about dogs. Are they true…

November 12, 2017April 21, 2018
by Louise Kirby

10 of the most common old wives’ tales about dogs.

There are some persistent old wives tales about dogs, so we had a dig about to find out if there is any truth behind some of the most common.

#1 Wet nose means your dog is healthy

Some level of truth but not to be relied on. An ill dog can have a moist nose. Go with appetite, energy and temperature as an indicator of how they feel.

#2 Letting your dog lick a wound will help it heal

No, dogs have a huge number of bacteria in their mouths. Don’t do it!

#3 Garlic will help prevent fleas

There is some basis in this, but too much garlic can be toxic to dogs, use with care.

#4 Dogs can only see in black and white

Not true, dogs can see in colour, they see colour best on the blue end of the spectrum.

#5 Dogs age seven years to one human year

Yes and no, dogs age much faster than that in the first year of their life. A one-year-old dog is about the equivalent of your fifteen-year-old teenager. But as they mature it settles more into the seven-year pattern.

#6 A wagging tail means the dog is happy

No not true. A dog can communicate many emotions by the way he wags his tail. You need context and body posture. A general rule of thumb if you’re not sure then don’t approach.

#7 Playing tug will make your dog aggressive

Not true, you can play tug happily with your dog.

#8 Rubbing your dog’s nose is his pee will house train him

Absolute rubbish, your dog won’t understand why you’re doing this and you will confuse and frighten him.

#9 You can stop a wound from bleeding with cayenne pepper.

True, this works for people as well.

#10 Dogs align themselves with the earth’s magnetic fields when they poop.

Yes, scientists tell us this is true.

If you have any other old wives tales about dogs we would love to hear them. Please post them in the comments.

General

Is This the End Of The Solitary Dog Walk?

August 9, 2017August 9, 2017
by Louise Kirby

Is this the end of the solitary dog walk?

Simple Pleasure

I take a lot of pleasure from walking our dogs, often over the meadows or in the woods. I find the process of tootling along behind them while they dart in and out of the grass or chase each other cathartic. After my cancer diagnosis in March it helped me process the information and now all the drama is done it helps me put things back together.

But are we facing the end of the solitary dog walk? The horrific murder of an elderly dog walker in Norfolk this week, the rise in dognapping and reports of sex attacks on walkers and runners is enough to make anyone think twice about taking the dogs out on their own.

Solitude as a Freedom

When we are walking over the meadows and it’s deserted, once I would have enjoyed the solitude, but now I find myself feeling vulnerable. What would I do if someone tackled me for the dogs, or if I walked into a crowd of ne’er-do-well’s intent on intimidation?

Once I turned around and came home because of the way some bloke on a bike slowed to look at the dogs. This encounter led me to do some research and write the article ‘Chihuahua are being dognapped‘ and they are, along with Frenchies, Staffies and Gundogs. Dognapping is not an opportunist crime it is a serious, organised crime wave. With lone dog walkers and professional dog walkers being targeted.

Offensive Weapon

In the UK, it is an offence to have any kind of weapon that you could use to defend yourself. Producing a Smith & Wesson from your back pocket is likely to see you surrounded by a SWAT team. Even a can of pepper spray if you use it on another person could get you arrested.

I don’t really want to see people walking around armed to the teeth. It damages social structure and erodes our way of life. But what are you meant to do as an individual when it feels like the law and the odds are against you?

Are the attacks on lone individuals any worse than it was ten or twenty years ago? Someone will probably have figures that tell me it isn’t. Maybe it’s me that’s changed, a loss of confidence in people to behave with the decency that a functioning society needs.

There are some basic steps to help you protect yourself, walk with a buddy, change your route, walk when there are more people about. But this takes away the idea that you are free to take a walk with your pooch and enjoy the isolation.

So, what does the future hold for the simple pleasure of a ramble with your dogs? It’s not much to ask for in the grand scheme of things. For the time being I will make damn sure I continue with my solitary dog walks. I might get myself one of those trekking poles, but obviously I would never use it as a weapon!

How do you feel about walking your dog on your own? Have you changed your habits because of the fear of attack?

General

Jamie & Chihuahua Butch Homeless

July 27, 2017July 27, 2017
by Louise Kirby

Jamie and Butch the Chihuahua

We came across homeless Jamie and Butch begging in Reading Town centre (SE England) a few weeks ago.

We heard them rather than saw them, as at the time Butch was giving a passer by a good telling off, as only a chihuahua can do. Butch is a stunning little dog, and being chihuahua-biased we had to go and find out more about them both.

A couple of weeks later I caught up with Jamie again and we went and had a coffee. Jamie begs outside John Lewis and EE depending on who else is out on the street. Not everyone who begs is homeless, but Jamie tells me he has been sleeping in the doorway of John Lewis and is hoping for a place at St Mungo’s homeless shelter.

Jamie is 26, and underneath the woolly hat and beard is a good looking young man that could be anyone’s son. He is polite and possibly a bit shy.

So how does a young man with his whole life ahead end up sitting in the doorway of a shop hoping that people will give him enough money to get by on?

Local Boy

Jamie went to school locally and has lived here as a child, but like many homeless people, a chaotic home life and mental health issues takes it toll of a fragile family unit before it breaks down completely.

Jamie left school without gaining any qualifications, spent some time in foster care and then in hospital after a mental breakdown.

He tells me he was helped by the Launchpad project in Reading (an organisation that helps with homelessness) and did have housing for a while but his mental health deteriorated and he was unable to engage in the programme and he ended up back on the streets again. Jamie admits it was a missed opportunity to get back on track.

I asked him what role alcohol and drugs had played in his problems. He doesn’t drink he assures me and hadn’t smoked weed for over five years. When I asked if smoking weed had contributed to his mental health problems he confesses that maybe it had. But he was confident that his mental health had improved and he was reducing down his meds.

Butch the chihuahua is around one-year old, and is a stunning little dog. Full of personality and the usual chihuahua spirit that anyone who owns a chi will recognise. He regularly barks at passers-by, people with umbrellas and children in pushchairs. He certainly needs some training.

Butch Not Helping!

I can’t help but think that Butch might be hampering Jamie’s donations as Butch often sounds anything other than grateful when people approach. Jamie laughed and agreed that he did do better before he had Butch.

But like most chihuahuas most of it is bravado, and when you sit down with him he is in your lap and enjoying a scratch behind the ears. He seemed a bit thin but lively and in good health. The Blue Cross sometimes help with any medical problems but luckily so far, Butch hasn’t needed any.

It seems the focus of their day is to get enough money from begging to be able to afford to stay overnight at the Gorge bed & breakfast in Caversham, £20 per night and you get breakfast. If they don’t raise enough then they sleep in doorways. When it’s cold Butch snuggles down under his coat in the sleeping bag.

I asked what the main issues were of life on the street. Jamie said it was, getting to sleep, having your stuff stolen and boredom. Butch gets bored as well which is why he barks so much. But in general people were kind and he often had enough to eat.

And what would his answer be to people who said he shouldn’t have a dog if he can’t look after himself?

“Butch is my friend’ he said, ‘I wouldn’t part with him for the world.”

So, what was he hoping for in the future?

“I want what anyone wants, a place of my own, a job. A chance to get back on track.”

On the way home as I drive down past the Majenski Stadium, I looked at all the new flats and apartments being built. In my head I can see Jamie pottering around the kitchen cooking his tea and I want that for him too.