behaviour | Chihuahua School by Chihuahua Power

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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, 2022August 1, 2022
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.

Characteristics

How to deal with chihuahua aggression

December 13, 2021September 19, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Chihuahua aggression is something I get asked about a lot. They have a reputation for being yappy and aggressive. If you are a chihuahua parent, then you may be familiar with the ‘curled lip of doom’ and the growl of disapproval towards strangers and the full on meltdown at other dogs. But you also know that, at home your chihuahua is adorable, cute, and hilarious. So, what on earth is going on?

Are chihuahuas more aggressive than other dog breeds?

I want to say no here, but the evidence does point towards yes. So why is that?

They are small, chihuahuas being the smallest dog breed. They naturally need to be wary of what’s around them and above them.

Another reason is that conventional training and socialization ideas do not generally work for chihuahuas and other toy breeds. Owners often start out with the idea of taking them to puppy class to then find out their dog is completely overwhelmed by the noise and larger breeds. They then either shut down and become a nervous wreck or they have a meltdown barking and lunging at the other dogs. This becomes a default behavior when they see another dog.

Owners then take to the internet and start copying adverse training methods like spraying water or rattling cans at their dogs.

Wholesale neutering of male dogs. Remove a male dog’s testosterone and you can turn your male dog into a fear barker. Research has shown that male dogs do better if left intact and females do better if spayed.

Willingness to let bad behavior go. Because chihuahuas are small some owners tolerate more. A snapping growling chihuahua can be laughed at, just search YouTube but a snapping growling German Shepherd is not so easily ignored.

Chihuahua aggression can manifest in different ways.

Growling at partners
Snapping at fingers when you take things away
Barking out the window
Snapping and growling when you move them
Chasing at the fence
Barking at other dogs on walks
Guarding their food

I’m sure there are other examples I haven’t thought of. So why do they do it, why are chihuahuas so keen to live up to their reputation of being yappy and aggressive? Why can’t they be more chilled out and friendly?

What chihuahua aggression isn’t

What I want to explain first is what chihuahua aggression isn’t. They aren’t protecting you; they don’t think they are a rottweiler and they don’t want to dominate every dog they see. I hear these things a lot from owners. They misunderstand their dog’s behavior and put a human narrative on what they see. The good news is it’s also unlikely to be anything you’ve done.

So, what is causing chihuahua aggression?

When a dog sees something, they will ask themselves ‘what does this object mean for me’ and is it good or is it bad? If they are barking at it then most certainly the answer is ‘it’s bad’. This will then instantly fill up their emotional bucket.

What is an emotional bucket?

If you follow my blog or ever listen to a Facebook live, you will hear me talk about a dog’s emotional bucket. Like humans they have one and like humans they fill and, once full, you get on overspill behavior. Think when you have ‘one nerve left’ and someone gets on it, and you explode.

Things that pay into a dog’s emotional bucket are interesting, fear, anxiety, feeling unwell or itchy. But also, happy events like fast play, a family member coming home or even a walk. Happy excitement and worry excitement fill up a dog’s bucket in the same way and have the same effect once your dog see’s something they are not sure about.

It’s also how quickly emotions drain. How fast your dog can calm themselves down and the size of the bucket. Dogs that are more chilled and relaxed are likely to have a larger emotional bucket that drains easily.

Pessimism

This will certainly be playing a big part in how your chihuahua behaves. Dogs tend towards pessimism and optimism in the same way humans do. A happy-go-lucky dog that runs up to everyone pleased to see them will lean towards optimism and the more cautious dog that hangs back, avoids things are more likely to be a little more pessimistic.

But before you worry your dog is a pessimist, this is a more natural state for an animal. In the wild, an animal that avoids ambiguity or things it’s not sure about is more likely to live longer and get to pass on its genes. An animal that sees no danger is more likely to get eaten. But this is not the case for our domestic dogs, so we want our dogs to change from a pessimist to an optimist.

Resource Guarding

Pessimism is most certainly playing a part in a dog that resource guards, a dog that worries food or possessions are going to be taken away and will snap or growl at people or other dogs that come near them in certain situations. This can get so bad that just walking past their bed while they are in it will get you growled or snapped at. This is not ideal.

Lack of confidence

Lack of confidence will certainly be paying into their emotional bucket and cause your chihuahua to bark at novelty or things they are not sure about. If you take your chihuahua out for a walk and someone appears in the field, or a crow fly’s down, or a carrier bag blows past they may start to bark at it. This is because they are unsure of the object and ‘what it means for them’ and this worries them. Building a tolerance of novelty or new things and growing your chihuahua’s confidence are key.

Illness

Being itchy, in pain or having a tummy upset will have a big impact on your chihuahuas demeanor. Dealing with anything physical like this would be the first place to start when trying to unpick your chihuahuas aggressive behavior. Imagine constantly itching and not even being able to scratch it. This would make even the most even tempered of us a little tetchy. Diet will certainly be part of this picture and poor diets will often be the cause of gastric upset, itchy skin and sticky ears.

Diet

Whenever I start with a new client, one of the first things I will ask is what are you feeding your dog? If it’s a weak or dry diet, then this is where we will start to unpick their behavior struggles. A properly balanced diet is essential and dry food, no matter how science based the packet looks, is not a good diet. There is also a lot of research that shows a direct link between gut biome and brain function. So, step one is certainly make sure your dog is getting a good diet based on fat and protein.

Training methods

I am adding this in here because it’s so important to your relationship with your chihuahua. They bark a lot, and this can be annoying and get you into trouble with your neighbors or landlord. If they are barking, they are worried about something. Shouting, spraying them with water, using an air horn or another gadget to stop them are very common methods to interrupt this behavior. While it may do so it will be adding to the excitement of the situation and filling their bucket, so you will pay for it later and your dog will start to not trust you.

Rest

Being overwrought and overtired can also pay into behavior. Chihuahuas do like a snooze in the day, but they are also up and barking in a nanosecond. So, it’s not real deep rest. They need a good snooze out of the way of footfall, children, and general interference. If you have crate trained your chihuahua then use a crate or if not, then use a puppy pen and put them down for a good nap in the day.

Can you cure chihuahua aggression?

Certainly! you can work with your dog and turn them from a pessimist to an optimist, grow their confidence and tolerance of novelty, build a calming protocol so they have appropriate rest and calming activities and make sure they have a well-balanced diet.

How we do this is by using short training games that anyone can access. Games that help re-shape their brain and help them relearn responses to situations. Anyone can do it if you have a few minutes to spare for your chihuahua each day.

Got more than one chihuahua. No problem, you can still resolve the issues.

Where to start to transform my chihuahuas behavior?

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!

Shop here

Use 10%OFFSUPERSAVER for 10% off

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

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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.

barking

9 things you must do with your chihuahua puppy from…

January 9, 2021May 4, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Your chihuahua puppy is an open book

Their brain is a mass of flexible pathways and with the right management and training it’s easy to help them become bright, cheerful and an optimistic dogs. If we get it wrong then we can create the exact opposite, a dog that’s brarky, bitey and pessimistic. Turning a pessimistic, over cautious dog around can be hard work.

Some of the personality has already been shaped by the breeder, so it’s extremely important to buy your chihuahua puppy from an experienced, reputable breeder. A puppy born to a stressed mother is more likely to have behaviour problems. This is one of many reason you need to make certain you are not buying from a puppy farm. Puppy farm dogs live in the worst situations and suffer dreadful cruelty. Please be super cautious.

A good breeder is likely to have done some of the work already by playing low level household cd’s and getting the puppy used to being handled. Don’t be scared to question the breeder and find out what socialization they have had.

#1: Socialise (not)

Ok so this is a departure from everything (including me) used to be told. We used to be told that our puppies should meet as many people and dogs as possible before they are sixteen weeks old, sixteen weeks being the theoretical ‘fear window’ cut off point. We were advised that we had to cram in as many experiences as possible before this magical date. However new thinking and research suggests that the ‘fear window’ idea is nonsense and pushing your puppy through a schedule of socialization can cause harm rather than good.

Your puppy does need to meet new people and other dogs, but they need to be very positive, gentle and controlled interactions. Tom Mitchell (Behavavet) teaches that one negative experience can outway a hundred positive ones. I believe this is the error we made with Price. We diligently took him to puppy socialisation, he barked at everything and became very stressed. Now he’s a nightmare around other dogs and it’s taking a huge amount of work to undo the damage. So only introduce your puppy to a very gentle, calm older dog when you think he’s ready. Build on it gently and slowly. If your chihuahua is stressed and unhappy don’t do it.

#2: Clean their teeth.

Get them used to teeth cleaning from the off. Chihuahuas have big issues with their teeth. Bad oral hygiene can cause major health issues as they get older. The bacteria in their mouth can cause heart disease, strokes and contribute to cancer. Keep teeth clean and get into a good, regular teeth cleaning routine.

#3 Baths and grooming your chihuahua puppy

Get used to being handled at the groomers and being bathed, brushed and having their nails clipped. If you are going to a groomers then go to one that’s calm and quiet. Maybe ask for an appointment when they are closed to start with. If you take your chi into a loud scary environment with lots of big dogs you could ruin the experience for ever.

#4: Household noise

Introduce household noises, like the vacuum cleaner and hair dryer so they are not stressed out by everyday activities. You can do this from a low level CD or start from another room so you don’t scare them. Playing background sounds of thunderstorms as a pup has been shown to reduce issues of noise phobias later on in life.

#5: Bedtime

Decide where your chi is going to sleep and stick to it. Many people allow their dogs to sleep on the bed, there is nothing wrong with this if it makes you all happy, but it can be a nuisance if your dog’s a fidget, you go on holiday, your chi must be boarded or stay in hospital..

A good compromise is having them sleeping in a basket on the bedroom floor or a crate as a den. I am not a fan of leaving a dog in a locked crate during the day, but a crate as a cosy den gives your chihuahua a place of his own and somewhere to go when things get too hectic. Read the Crate Debate

#6: Barking

Barking is a thing with chihuahuas and if you live somewhere that noise is an issue then think long and hard about whether a chihuahua is the right dog for you.

But, it is possible to teach them what to bark at. They consider it their job to alert you to security breaches, teaching them what you consider a breach can be done. it’s about being calm and have calm as part of your training protocol.

It is never acceptable to use electronic gadgets, squirt your dog with water, rattle tins filled with coins or anything that will scare your dog into silence. All you will end up with is a sad dog who is afraid to speak. Never ever consider de-barking your dog (illegal in the UK) it is beyond cruel and inhumane. Re-home your dog before you consider this. Barking is one of the main behaviour problems with chihuahuas. Understanding why they bark and being able to respond to them correctly is key to getting excessive.

#7: Get them used to you leaving

Chihuahuas are prone to imprinting on one person in the family and then making them their favourite. When that person goes out they can become stressed. Get your chihuahua used to your coming and going so this does not become an issue. It’s very hard to undo later. Go in and out regularly without making a big thing about it. Don’t over pet them before you go or make a massive fuss when you get back in. If you are not stressed your chihuahua puppy will take his cue from you. If you do have separation anxiety issues read: How to deal with separation anxiety

#8: Don’t ignore basic training

Many owners think, as their chihuahua is small, they don’t need to be trained. This is not true. A badly-behaved dog is a pain in the butt. Chihuahuas don’t always do well at training school unless it’s for small dogs and even then they may bark with stress. Once they are barking and over aroused they can’t learn anything. Consider games based learning which is the type of training I teach. You can do this at home if you can’t get to a training school.

#9 Get them used to a crate or a pen

I know the title says nine but this is important as well. Get them used to a crate. Now, once upon a time I was dead against crates and would never advocate using one. But since becoming a dog trainer and having my own litter of puppies I have had a re-think. A puppy needs plenty of rest. It’s called active rest, this means putting them down for a nap somewhere where they don’t get to zoom about when they hear a noise. You are taking the decisions away from them so they can have an uninterrupted sleep. If your puppy doesn’t get a good sleep in the day you will end up with an overstimulated, bitey, barky dog.

What a crate isn’t, is a place to leave your dog for hours on end while you go to work nor is it a solution for toilet training. Obviously with COVID many people are working from home, (this will have it’s own repercussions later on). A crate is a den, a safe comfy cosy place your chi feels safe to snooze. It should be a family rule that when puppy is sleeping he is left alone.

Hard work but worth the effort

Having a puppy is hard work, having a chihuahua puppy is even harder. They are wilful, extremely naughty and very destructive. They are also super cute, smell divine and will love you forever. Putting the work in now will ensure you don’t end up with a chi-zilla.

So many chihuahuas are surrendered because of appalling behaviour. 99.9% of these cases is because the dog has been poorly socialised, spoilt and babied. They are not accessories to go in a handbag, to be carried around or dressed up like a doll.

Chihuahuas are dogs not toys, they must be treated like a dog and will respect you as their guardian for setting the correct boundaries and taking care of their needs.

I will be running puppy classes online and in person once the s

About the author

Louise Kirby

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Behaviour

How to stop your male chihuahua marking in the…

May 30, 2019August 14, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Is your chihuahua marking in the house? Young male dogs will love to mark their territory. But it’s not the only reason a dog marks in the house and believe it or not marking is not confined to intact males. Females and neutered males can also mark.

But, it’s unbelievably annoying and will need patience and some detective work to get to the bottom of why your chihuahua is marking.

What chihuahua marking is and isn’t!

It’s important to know the difference between chihuahua marking and full on urinating. It should be easy to see as a full bladder empty will leave a puddle. Marking is just a squirt and usually up something vertical. You will see the tell-tale yellow drips that are surprisingly hard to clean off.

Firstly, if your chihuahua is emptying his bladder in the house and he has previously been fully potty trained he might be ill and need to see the vet. Rule this out first before you take any further action.

But if he is still a young dog you may just have more work to do and need to go back to basic potty training. You can read more about potty training here.

Why Castration may not be the answer

Some owners will jump straight to castration as a cure for a chihuahua marking indoors. But this is a very drastic action to take and may not cure it. It would also need to be done at a very young age before the need to mark becomes instinct.

However, castration should only be done for medical reasons, not behaviour and not on a dog under one as he needs the testosterone for his development. Castration can also make a dog fearful as the testosterone gives him his confidence. As chihuahuas are prone to fear biting and reactive barking, taking away the testosterone you could end up with a fearful reactive dog who marks because of stress.

Why do they do it?

So, once you have established that your chihuahua is marking and not urinating what can you do? There are three main reasons why your dog may mark in the house and out on walks;

Marking territory

Any dog will want to mark his territory but unlike us they can’t put up fences, so they leave a chemical message instead. Other dogs will sniff and get the message of who lives here. It is likely that your chihuahua’s territory extends further than your drive.

They will also over-mark other animal smells as well as other dogs. Chihuahuas are small and will often go to some lengths to get their mark higher than other dogs, so they look larger.

Pee-mail

This is the same as your business card. Your chihuahua marking is leaving his details in a communal space for other dogs to ‘read’. From this information another dog can tell the gender, sexual status and rank. Females in heat may mark to leave messages for male dogs about her sexual availability.

A dog’s primary sense is smell and his nose is a marvellous thing. It is important for your dog’s mental health that he gets the opportunity to have a good sniff while out on a walk. You can find out more about how amazing their noses are here.

Anxiety or stress

A dog or bitch may mark if they are feeling stress or anxiety. While there are medications, such as this CBD for pets, which can help a dog relax, certain situations can increase a dog’s anxiety. If a new person or pet is introduced into the household, your chihuahua marks to cover-up the unfamiliar smells that are bothering them. Once it smells right again, they will start to relax.

An example of this may be peeing on a new pet’s bed, peeing on a new partners bed, up a visitor’s suitcases or on a new baby’s blanket. It can be hard to spot the signs your chihuahua is stressed, read this article about stress.

How to stop your chihuahua marking

Clean all the areas he has marked with an enzyme based cleaner. Avoid anything that has ammonia in it as this is similar in smell to urine. Use a black light to see any urine spots.
Make sure your dog is getting plenty of potty breaks and is on a regular schedule for outside breaks. If necessary, go back to toilet training day one.
Also make sure your chihuahua is getting enough stimulation. Young males are full of energy. Go out for regular walks if your chihuahua can cope and does not bark at other dogs. Make sure your dog is ’employed’ try scatter feeding and maybe introduce a canine sport, like scenting or agility.
Is your chihuahua marking because of stress or anxiety over a new person in the house? This might manifest itself as your chihuahua peeing on this person’s bed or belongings.

To help your chihuahua get over this your new incomer needs to spend some time making friends with your chihuahua. They need to bond with your chi and become a provider in your chihuahuas eyes, by walking, feeding grooming and playing with them.

Also wash the place where he has marked with an enzyme based cleaner, and if it’s a bed spend some time with your chihuahua on the bed playing so it changes significance.

A new baby could be a major stress for any dog, make sure lots of good things happen for your chihuahua around the baby. Wash any blankets that have been targeted and follow the advice from number 4.
If you have visitors or workman in the house, lift anything that might be a target. If this is just a temporary situation then just keep your chihuahua out the way.
Don’t bring other unknown dogs into the house without prior meetings on neutral territory and don’t allow you dog to watch other dogs out of the window. Barking out the window riles your dog up and causes stress and anxiety.
Take care when introducing new animals into the home. Take time to introduce them to each other calmly. It may take a few days for things to settle down.
Supervise your chihuahua and if you see him about to cock his leg then issue an interrupter noise. (not anything adversis like a horn or pot of coins.) Take him straight outside reward with food when he pees outside.
To stop your chihuahua marking when you can’t see him, reduce his access around the house. Do this with stair gates or if necessary, tether him to you with one of those training collars for dogs. This way you will remember to take him out for potty breaks and your dog will learn what to do and what not to do in and around the house.
Calm everything down. If your chi is anxious and overwrought he is likely to mark. Make sure he has passive calming activities like long term chews, lick matt (see below). Make sure he has a rest during the day. Active rest is as important as stimulation. Use a covered crate if he is happy in a crate, or a gate area so he can’t zoom off at the slightest call-to-action.
Constant to-doing. What I mean by this is the constant charging around the house at the slightest noise. This running around sticking their nose into everything is exhausting and over stimulating. A dog that is tired and stressed will lift their leg and mark as part of the running around excitement process. Putting in a protocol of calmness will have a massive impact on how much your dog will mark in the house.
Stop them rehearsing over excitement behaviours, like barking out the window, running a fence, chasing the cat which will also increase stress and anxiety. When Prince gets himself in a tizzy over something one of the first this he will do is lift his leg, so reducing the opportunities for this will make a big difference all round.

Try this: I use this on my dog and it helps with calming them down, puts them in a better headspace for learning and it has a happy affect on their poop. (I’m convinced it’s helping reduce the issues with anal glands.)

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Dealing with chihuahua marking can be a real frustration, but if you can find the trigger you have a chance of sorting out the reason they’re doing it.

Louise Kirby

Behaviour

My chihuahua hates my partner.

April 29, 2019May 9, 2022
by Louise Kirby

When it seems your chihuahua hates your partner, it can cause a lot of tension and unhappiness in the household. But, don’t despair it’s more common than you think. ‘My chihuahua hates my partner and growls at him’ is one of the more common question that come into the blog. In fact our Prince had to go and stay with my daughter while the girls were in season. This is exactly what he did when her BF came to stay. Prince was growling and barking at him being a right PITA.

While any dog can take against any person, man, woman or child, in most of the cases we have helped it has been a chihuahua taking against a male partner. But the advice below is good for any gender and any age.

Don’t despair

Don’t despair if your chihuahua growls at your partner we can help you turn your partner and your chihuahua into BFFs.

First you need to do a little detective work and decide why your chihuahua hates your partner

If she is barking like crazy, then running off to hide and refusing to interact, it probably a fear-based issue.

If she is growling and snapping at him when he sits next to you on the sofa, then it’s likely to be a resource guarding behaviour.

What to do if she is scared of your partner

If you think you are dealing with a fear based issue and your chihuahua is scared of your partner then, first, take the heat out of the situation. Give both your partner and your chihuahua a rest from the stress.

Your partner needs to ignore the dog. No eye contact, trying to coax her or pet her and no trying to force any kind of interaction. Do this for a couple of days.

Next your partner needs to sit on the floor and talk to you naturally. While he is doing this toss out a couple of high value treats. I mean high value, none of this kibble nonsense. Go for a nice bit of sausage or cheese.

The treats need to land far away enough that your chihuahua feels she can take them without being under pressure.

Gradually, over time have the treat getting closer until it is on your partner’s leg. Still don’t acknowledge or try to engage.

Move from this to eating out of a flat hand. Still no engagement.

Once your chihuahua is eating out of a flat hand your partner can start to talk to the dog in a calm soothing way. Don’t make direct eye contact. Dogs consider this aggressive and rude.

Progress to taking from fingers and calling the chi to you. You can try some contact but don’t try to pat on the head. Dogs consider this an aggressive action. Go for a tickle under the chin or a scratch behind the ears.

Build on this new found trust and get your partner to put down your chihuahuas food, take her for a walk and put the harness on, brush her and play games with her. Everything needs to be done very calmly and in stages.

I can’t tell you how long this will take, it depends on how deep your chihuahua’s issues go. It took Prince just a couple of days to realise what side his bread was buttered. Now him and the BF are BFF’s.

Some tips on avoiding getting off on the wrong paw.

Does your partner comes home wearing outdoor clothing, big boots, high viz jackets or a hat? If your chi is a rescue from a puppy farm this type of clothes may remind her of the people who ran the farm. She may just find these clothes threatening. A lot of dogs dislike high viz jackets.

Avoid patting the dog on the head or making direct, staring eye contact, all dogs consider this aggressive behaviour.

When first introducing your chihuahua to another person, let her come to them rather than chasing her around insisting on a cuddle.

In summary, gently does it.

However, if your chihuahua never grows fond of your partner you may have to consider re-homing. It’s sad but eventually you’ll meet someone your chihuahua likes!

About the author

Louise Kirby

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Get help with chihuahua behaviour

Fun

Should I let my chihuahua off-lead?

November 11, 2018May 4, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Deciding to let your chihuahua off-lead can seem daunting. What if he runs away? What if another dog attacks him or what if he attacks another dog or gets stolen? If you live in the United States you have other worries like coyotes, snakes and bears that might see your chihuahua as prey. In the UK it was reported that a seagull took a chihuahua. I don’t know if this is true but it is something to think about if you have a tiny dog.

Good behaviour

Some chihuahuas will also chase joggers and cyclists and might even try to jump up and nip at their ankles. Mika used to do this if a jogger came up behind him. Small children may also run up to your dog, assuming because he is small and cute he is also friendly. Only to be met with a warning growl and the chihuahua ‘curled lip of doom’. Ignoring these cues as a child might, could mean that your dog’s anxiety escalates, and he bites to defend himself. So, with all this going on it’s no wonder that people choose to not let their chihuahua off-lead.

The case for walking your chihuahua off-lead

I have always allowed my dogs to walk off-lead if it’s appropriate. It’s something we have encouraged from puppy-hood. Or, as Mika was a rescue, as soon as we felt confident, he would stay with us and come when called. To give this some context, we never walk off-lead near the road. Also I won’t hesitate to put them back on the lead if the situation requires it. I am very cautious with Arlo around other dogs, he is OK if they ignore him but will run at them if they look at him or show interest. I don’t want to put him in any kind of situation that he can’t handle and it’s up to me to make that decision on his behalf.

But if I can let them off, I will. I love to see them charging around playing with each other. Running and playing helps burn off fat, is good for the heart and builds up muscle. Keep walks short and successful and don’t be tempted to overwalk your dog. If you chihuahua has a meltdown at another dog, cut your losses and take them home.

When a walk isn’t a good idea.

If your chihuahua is not coping with walks then don’t feel you have to take them out. If they are barking and lunging at other dogs, people and birds then that’s a sure sign your dog needs their confidence building up and the walk is not serving them well. Stop the walks and let your chihuahua empty their stress bucket, play some confidence building games in the garden, then re-introduce the walk in tiny circuits until they are able to cope.

Your responsibility if your chihuahua is off-lead

If you are walking your chihuahua off-lead be responsible. Walking along engrossed in your phone while your dog wanders about unsupervised is asking for trouble. You are required by law to keep your dog under control. Be vigilant, especially if your chi is reactive towards other dogs. Parents of small dogs get very upset when large dogs can run at them, but this works two ways. Other dog owners also get upset when an aggressive chihuahua starts to bark or worse snap at their dogs. If you dog is aggressive towards other dogs you need to work on this at home and then reintroduce the walk.

So, if you see another dog walking towards you and you think your chihuahua may react, call him back so he is under your control and put him on the lead if necessary. The same thing goes for joggers and cyclists.

Good proximity and recall is vital to successful off lead walking, and no dog should be running around off-lead if he won’t come back to their owner when called. If you are not sure about your chihuahua’s recall, then keep him on a lead in a public place. Only let him off in a private secure field then work on his proximity and recall.

Picking where you walk is key, walking in a busy local doggy park might be stressful for you and your chihuahua off-lead. Can you find a quiet field that has more space and fewer dogs?

Chihuahuas are known for preferring their own breed, but some will tolerate other calm dogs, so why not get together with some friends and hire a secure dog walking field. This has become very popular in the UK. Prices tend to be around £10 per hour.

Staying safe

It is ludicrous to have to remind people about staying safe when they are out walking with their dog. But dog thefts are on the rise and chihuahuas are still a desired breed. Here are some tips on how to not be a target for dog-nappers.

Never walk a bitch when she is in season. A season can last longer than you think and they are still fertile after the bleeding has stopped. Ask your vet for advice if you’re not sure.

Avoid using an extendable lead, they are dangerous for people and dogs.

Getting lost

If the worst does happen and you chihuahua gets spooked and runs off, it is very distressing. This happened to Arlo when an aggressive husky ran at our little walking pack. Arlo ran away in the melee and got separated. Here are some tips on how to deal with a lost dog. It’s worth a read as what you would do by instinct is the wrong thing