Chihuahua Expert

Being a truck driver by trade, you wouldn't expect me to be an expert on something as delicate a Chihuahuas. But my cousin had one when I was young. "Bougaire" was probably the most aggravating creature in the universe, pound for pound. He was spoiled and pampered and impossible to deal with. He would run up and bite small children on the back of the legs and then run away. His training was woefully inadequate, to say the least. Bougaire was my first Chihuahua experience and I didn't like him at all.

Smokey was the next Chihuahua I met. I had to baby sit him for a relative and swore I'd never have another one of the little buggers around me. Smokey's favorite "bathroom" was in shoes. He also liked to relieve himself on pillows (usually while someone was trying to sleep on the pillow!)

Then I met "Hoss" who was a fine little guy. He was as spindly and delicate as a Chihuahua can get, but thought he was king of the hill. He growled and barked menacingly at intruders while warming up to friends very quickly. He was well trained and good natured.

"Amica" belonged to some friends of mine. She took protectiveness to a fine art and fiercely protected her people and her home.

The wife and I got "Brandi" awhile back and found that she had been badly mistreated by her previous owners. Re-training her was a challenge, to say the least.
With all this experience, I'm something of an expert where the proper care, feeding and training of Chihuahuas is concerned.

Aggressive Chihuahuas like Bougaire need discipline. Not spanking, because they're too delicate and can be easily injured. Most dogs (of all breeds) respond to a sharp "No!" and it's a good word to get their attention. You have to be consistent and watch them carefully to catch them every time they do something they shouldn't. This should solve the behavioral problems with time and patience.

A Chihuahua like Smokey, who potties in the wrong places, can be broken of the habit with a little regular pepper. If he's backing up to fill your shoes, he'll sniff them first. The pepper will make him sneeze and hurt his nose, taking away the attraction. Putting pepper on your pillow might not be such a great idea, so try a little Tabasco instead. He won't like the smell and if you use a colored pillowcase, the stains won't matter.

If your Chihuahua is like Hoss, congratulations. He's a good example of the breed and an asset to your home.

Amica may never be friendly to strangers. She needs a home where her protectiveness is needed and appreciated. Lots of company and small children might not be best for her.

Brandi was almost skeletal when we got her. She was timid and nervous, shaking most of the time. She liked cheddar cheese (but not American cheese), chicken skin, pork chop bones, and oatmeal. At first she wouldn't eat or drink anything. After a few days, she licked the condensed moisture off a drinking glass and we started giving her water in a similar glass. She drank so much in the first couple of days, we thought she'd pop! At first we had to feed her tiny bites by hand to get her to eat anything. It took a couple of weeks to convince her that food in her bowl was all right to eat. It's a slow and gentle process, but well worth it.
Brandi had spent her entire life indoors and didn't know how to react to our yard. At first she was terrified, then she started lying in the sunshine, then exploring. It took more than a week, but she finally started running and dancing around the yard. Then she stopped coming when called... Our yard is secure and we didn't have to worry about her getting out, so we left her alone in the yard when she refused to come in. It didn't take long, but soon she came when we called (not liking being alone in the big, wide world, I guess!)

There are societies who save endangered Chihuahuas and give them to good homes or foster homes. If you're interested, you can contact: The American Kennel Club

5580 Centerview Dr.

Raleigh, NC 27606

(919) 233-9767

www.akc.org

or

United Kennel Club

100 E, Kilgore Rd.

Kalamazoo, Mi. 49002

(269) 343-9020

www.ukcdogs.com