Obedience Training Of Chihuahua

Chihuahuas are among the most popular dog breeds that are known for their adorable personality and tiny stature. They first originated in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, and they have become popular in the United States.

Chihuahuas can be a little bit stubborn by nature, so early training and socialization is very essential for making a well-behaved Chihuahua. Teaching a Chihuahua basic commands can build a strong bond between you and your loving pooch. These tiny creatures pack a lot of personalities, so it is very important to know how to train them. Today in this article, we are going to tell in detail about the Obedience Training Of Chihuahuas.

Breed Overview📋

Single or seniors, families with other animals

Smooth coat, short or long coat

5 to 8 inches

2 to 6 pounds

White, red, cream, merle, brown, fawn, tan, and black

feisty, Loyal, devoted, affectionate, smart, and independent

12 to 20 years

High

$800 to $2,500

Challenges Of Training A Chihuahua✔

Owners may face a few challenges when they come to train a Chihuahua. The challenges which owners can face while obedience training of Chihuahua are given below:

They Require A Lot Of Attention🧾

All dogs need attention, but Chihuahuas in particular are a breed that can grow anxious and possessive if they don’t receive enough attention from their owners. They may bark, bite or nip you, if they don’t get attention they crave from their chosen person. During a training process, provide your loving Chihuahua with plenty of physical and mental stimulation to help focus their attention on learning.

Their Small Size Require Special Equipments💢

As one of the tiniest dog breeds worldwide, chihuahuas require equipment that is appropriate for their size. Use a lightweight collar or harness made with cotton or nylon instead of choke collar.

They Are Prone To Destructive Chewing🎗

Every dog breed is prone to separation anxiety, boredom, frustration or depression, which can manifest as destructive chewing. Solve this problem by buying chew toys for your loving pooch which prevent destructive chewing and ensure they get plenty of exercise.

Tips For Training A Chihuahua📜

Whether you are training a puppy, young or older Chihuahua, consider these training tips:

Start As Soon As Possible🔔

If you adopt a Chihuahua puppy, you will have a better chance of success. Around 8 weeks of age, Chihuahuas start to learn basic commands, so it is a good time to start their obedience training. Start at a puppy age, but do a little work with your Chihuahua every day.

If you adopt an adult Chihuahua, then you can still look forward to successful Chihuahua Obedience Training. Training in puppy age is good, because that is the growing period of Chihuahua, but you can find training success with any Chihuahua. Adult and senior Chihuahuas are teachable, but they require more time and effort.

Be Patient And Diligent💇‍♂️

Because of their stubbornness and independent nature, these tiny dogs take more time and effort, so you must be patient and diligent during the obedience training of Chihuahuas. Effective dog training relies on repetition, so repeat every session several times. Always keep the training sessions short to encourage information retention and also take lots of breaks.

Have Their Favorite Treat On Hand🐱‍👤🤏

If your lovely Chihuahua does their best in all the training sessions, then offer them a tasty treat each step. This activity encourages them to keep behaving correctly. Although most dogs are driven by food, but Chihuahua also need your attention with tasty treats.

Know The Breed Characteristics🐶📋

We all know very well that Chihuahuas are intelligent and independent dogs, but they are also known for their stubborn and dominant nature that make it imperative for you to establish yourself as a leader. Like other dog breeds, these tiny dogs also want to make their owner happy.

Use Their Favorite Toys🪀

Chihuahua have a playful nature that loves to play all day long. So rewarding them their favorite toys is a way to show them that they are doing the right work. Playtime is a form of positive reinforcement that encourages your loving Chihuahua to keep up the good work.

What To Teach Your Chihuahua🧾🐕‍🦺

When training your loving Chihuahua, patience and consistency are absolutely essential. Avoid training your Chihuahua when you are tired and angry, because it can have a negative impact on your loving pooch. Take it just one step at a time and be sure to keep the treats ready before you start their obedience training. It is very important that the Chihuahua should be potty trained at an early age.

The basic commands that should not be ignored during the training are:

Sit
Down
Stay
Come
Heel
Roll over

You can put your lovely Chihuahua on a table while teaching these commands as it can be tiring if you have to bend all the time.

The Best Way To Train A Chihuahua🌿🐕

The first thing that you must do before obedience training your loving pooch is to take charge of your house, because these adorable dogs think that they look after the house and will do whatever they need to do to express to you that this is true. The following fundamentals need to be kept in mind when teaching your Chihuahua to obey:

You have to set boundaries and be the leader of the pack.
Feed your Chihuahua at set intervals, because these small dogs are very punctual and like to do all work on time. Never let the dog determine when he wants to eat. This activity shows the dog who makes decisions in the household.
Walk with your loving Chihuahua two times a day, but keep the walks short. Do not let the dog pull or indicate the direction you are going to go.
Small dog breeds like Chihuahuas, you can easily see them bouncing on the furniture. So it is important to impose limitations to save your house. Sometimes, never respond to the barking or whining and set restrictions on what furnishings the dog is allowed.
When you enter or exit the house, keep an eye on your Chihuahua. Only take notice of your loving pooch when it reaches a calm state.

For a successful obedience training of your Chihuahua,

you need to be the alpha leader.

What Do You Need To Train A Chihuahua🐱💢

There are many things that might help you train a Chihuahua. Here are some essential things that you must gather before starting your Chihuahua’s Obedience Training:

A Treat Pouch: During the training, a treat pouch helps to keep your hands free.
A Soft Collar: Nothing too heavy for your loving Chihuahua, buy a small soft collar to put their ID tag.
A Harness: Carry a harness that is both comfortable and easily adjustable for your Chihuahua, instead of pulling or tightening your dog during walking.
A 2-Meter Training Lead: Buy the best lead that is not too heavy for your small pooch.
Treat: Smellier treats are better for your loving pooch. Keep in mind, your Chihuahua has a small belly that fills up quickly.
Two Identical Toys: Buy two small identical toys that make it easy for your Chihuahua to play with them.
A Soft Grooming Brush
Non-slip Vet Bed
A Crate & Playpen
A Carrying Bag
It is important to Know what motivates your Chihuahua, because that thing can always be helpful when it comes to training and knowing what makes them tick.

How To Train A Chihuahua🐶🤏

There are many types of training that can be helpful for making your loving Chihuahua obedient and socialize, some are given below:

Basic Commands🌟

Sit Command🐶🤏

Stand in front of your loving pooch by taking a treat in your hand and hold it slightly over his head, so that he moves his head back to look at it. By doing this, his headquarters will automatically move down.
Move the treat around until your Chihuahua is seated.
As soon as he is in full sit position, say to them “SIT” and give them a tasty treat. Timing is the key, so make sure that you say “SIT” when they are in sitting position, not just as they are getting back up again.
Pick up a reward after a few tries, then settle back and watch. Your Chihuahua will be paying attention and will figure out that you want to tell him to sit. Say “SIT” and give him the treat when he’s seated.
When your loving pooch reliably sits every time when you say “SIT”, then practice it in different places where there are distractions.

Down Command🐕‍🦺

Down command is slightly harder to teach than “SIT”. Here are some useful steps that could help to train your Chihuahua down command:

Teaching your Chihuahua a down command is a little bit easy, so before starting knee down in front of your dog.
Asked him to “SIT” and give them treats when they obey.
By taking another treat in your other hand, gently move your hand down to the floor in front of them. Keep the treat close in your hand until they don’t lay down. Pull it a little further away and wait while he stretches forward to reach it. He may keep trying to get the treat from your hand, so be prepared to be patient.
As soon as he is lying down, say “DOWN” and give them a treat. Repeat this process again and again until he is “DOWN” mastered without distractions. Slowly reduce the treat when he goes into a “DOWN” position on request.

Play Dead Command🐾🐩

Kneel down in front of your Chihuahua by facing him and ask to go into the “DOWN” position. When he lays down in front of you, hold a treat in front of their nose and slightly bring it over his head, back toward his tail. He will follow the treat with his eyes and will turn on his side.
When your dog’s head hits the ground, say “PLAY DEAD” and give them a treat.
Repeat it several times over several play sessions until he will happily “PLAY DOWN” on request.

Roll Over Command🚇

To convert a “PLAY DEAD” to full “ROLL OVER” get your loving Chihuahua into the play dead position, and then take another treat in your hand and carry it over your pet and take it toward the back of his head. He will follow it and bring his body up and over into a roll-over. As he does so, say “ROLL OVER” and give them a tasty treat.
Practice it several times until your loving Chihuahua does it on request without being lured.

House Train A Chihuahua🏡🐕

Housetraining is a process of teaching your Chihuahua where to go to the bathroom. Here are some steps for potty train a Chihuahua:

First, pick a spot away from scary noises and teach your Chihuahua to use that place every time.
Use rewards and praise to encourage your Chihuahua to go outside for pee or poop in the right place.
If your loving pooch pee inside the house, don’t be frustrated, but immediately clean that spot to remove the smell.

Crate Training🎗🐱

It is very easy to crate train a Chihuahua. By following the below steps you can easily crate training a Chihuahua:

First of all, buy a crate that is both comfortable and easily adjustable for your loving pooch.
Talk to them cheerfully as you bring them over to the crate.
Keep the door of the crate always open and secured, so that it won’t hit your loving pooch.
Encourage your Chihuahua to enter the crate by placing a few tiny treats inside.
When your loving pooch starts to enter inside the crate without any distraction then, reward and praise them.

CONCLUSION✔📜

Some of the world’s tiniest dogs, chihuahuas are renowned for their strong personalities and little stature. These tiny dogs are very loving and known for their quick learning ability. Teaching your Chihuahua basic commands is very essential from an early age.

Puppy age is the best time of starting obedience training for Chihuahuas, because it’s their growing stage, so they learn more quickly. For socialization, take your Chihuahua around with other peoples and animals. A socialized and well-trained Chihuahua is a great pet that brings fun into your family and lightens up your home with their adorable personality.

FAQs❓❓

Chihuahuas are easy to handle, but they require consistent training and leadership from an early age. When they are still puppies, they are smart canines that are simple to train.

Sit in front of your Chihuahua and roll a ball toward them or shake a tug toy a little. If it does the same as you want, give them a treat and praise.

It will take time to change your Chihuahua’s perspective on life in order to teach her to be calm.

Chihuahuas are one of the aggressive dog breeds that can be incredibly stubborn when it comes to following commands.