Chihuahua Training – Chihuahua Problem Behaviors

Chihuahuas are big dogs in tiny bodies. This makes them prone to two common Chihuahua behaviors – aggression and using the house as a toilet. Both of these two problems are serious, but curable. The first thing you need to do is get your Chihuahua to the vet to be sure the aggression or the lack of being able to “hold it” is not due to a medical condition.

If the vet cannot find a medical reason for your Chihuahua’s problem behaviors, then your dog needs some Chihuahua training, which is basically the same as any kind of dog training. Do not hit your Chihuahua for any reason – they physically cannot take it. Yelling is more than enough of a reprimand. Some hate getting squirted by a water pistol. The Chihuahua is not purposefully trying to drive you insane. They just haven’t gotten the message of how to behave properly yet.

Chihuahuas will almost always act tough when strangers come calling, whether the strangers are animal or human. If you are not sure how your Chihuahua is going to behave, supervise the interaction, keep the Chihuahua on a leash or keep the Chihuahua in another room when visitors call. The goal of Chihuahua training is to teach the Chihuahua to let you make all the tough decisions. When you are boss dog, this actually relaxes the Chihuahua.

Don’t hit your Chihuahua, don’t scream for hours on end and don’t make an incredibly big deal of each and every bark. You need to act calm, cool and collected. You need to reinforce good behavior. For aggression, you need the help of a professional dog trainer. You can practice what you learn with dog training books and videos. Patience, persistence and practice in short sessions will help make you and your dog get along better.
Make sure your Chihuahua is not being overfed – this can lead to hyperactivity, which leads to barking and aggression. Also, make sure your Chihuahua gets regular daily exercise. Remember – a tired Chihuahua is a good Chihuahua. Since they are so small, they don’t need hikes in the woods. Also, get your dog neutered. This will help your dog trainer considerably in dealing with your Chihuahua problem behaviors.

When your Chihuahua is relaxed and lets you be the top dog, they will also bark less. Dog training books can help you get your dog to bark less. Remember – your dog thinks barking is helping you out. But Chihuahuas are intelligent enough to adjust. Never hit your Chihuahua (even if the little monster deserves it), because the Chihuahua may die from the injuries. A scolding is usually enough to make your point. Only get your Chihuahua debarked by a professional vet as a last resort.

Those who dedicate themselves to Chihuahua training know that they are really training the owner. A lot of quality information can be found by watching Animal Planet and reading many dog training books.

Tags: Chihuahua behaviors, Chihuahua Problem Behaviors, Chihuahua training, Chihuahuas