Training a dog may just be one of the most difficult things you will have to do when it comes to raising one. Chihuahuas are no exception! I have 10 great chihuahua training tips that I think you will find very helpful.
It would be a big mistake to think that because a Chihuahua is small and his bite wouldn’t hurt anyone (you’d be surprised how much their bite hurts) that they don’t need any training.
Chihuahuas are tiny, cute, and very entertaining IF they are trained properly. If they aren’t they can be little tyrants.
Oh, you may get lucky and find a Chihuahua right from the start that never misbehaves and is well mannered most of the time, but that is rare. Don’t count on it.
Chihuahuas need training and socialization just as much as a bigger breed dog needs. Chihuahuas are the second breed found most often in shelters — second only to pit bulls. Does that surprise you?
Shelters will tell you that people that surrender their Chihuahuas give behavior problems as the number one reason. All of those behavior problems could have been avoided with proper training and socialization. I’m hoping that these chihuahua training tips will help Chihuahua owners correct or avoid these behavior problems.
I want to make it clear that I am saying nothing bad about either breed. No dog is inherently bad. Their behavior — good or bad — develops over time through their experiences and environment.
So, to help you out, I have 10 training tips that I wish I had known when I got my first Chihuahua. Whether you have a new puppy or rescued an adult I think you will find these 10 tips very helpful. They are:
- If you have a puppy, remember that he is an infant dog, not an adult. Adjust your expectations accordingly. Allow their little brains to develop before you expect perfection — sorry to disappoint you but he’ll never be perfect while being trained.
- When you get a new dog whether a puppy or an adult that is not housebroken, “puppy” proof your home using baby gates, crates, and/or pens. Eliminating opportunities, accidents, and destructive behavior can be avoided this way. Then those bad habits are never allowed to develop and become extremely difficult to correct later.
- Dogs, like human babies, are not born knowing English, or whatever language you speak. They don’t know what the word “no”, “nit”, “non”, or “nada” means. Instead, you have to show them what the word means. So don’t expect him to just stop whatever he is doing just because you said “no”.
- Your Chihuahua may not be able to “talk” to you in your language, but he does talk to you the only way he knows how — in dog language. But you have to learn dog language. When training a dog you must be observant, pay attention to what he is saying to you. Here is a good article for that: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-read-dog-body-language/
- Always use high-value treats when training. You will be surprised at how much harder you dog will work for a piece of cheese or liver, or a piece of chicken (no seasoning, please) compared to even the most premium store-bought dog treats. These work best in training sessions where there are a lot of distractions. A high-value treat means different things to different Chihuahuas, so learn what is his mostest favorite treat. Keep it soft so you don’t have to wait for him to chew it. And one more thing; keep calories in mind. If you have a training session that day, cut back the serving size on his evening meal to avoid over-weight issues.
- Catch him doing something good. It’s all too easy to scold a dog when he does something wrong, but if you reward him out of the blue for something good, he will understand immediately that what he did was something good. All Chihuahuas are eager to please. As an example, most Chihuahuas will stand on their hind legs in anticipation of food. Reward them when they do, and you can use that to train him to “dance” and entertain family and friends.
- Remember that Chihuahuas are not tiny humans. They don’t think like humans. They don’t plot revenge or even understand the concept. Everything they do is to make themselves feel happy or safe. Pleasing you makes them happy. They don’t poop in your shoe because you scolded them for something. If they do poop in your shoe it’s most likely because you have yelled at him for making an accident in the house and he is just trying to hide it because he understands it doesn’t please you. This is why tip #1 is first. If they don’t have the opportunity to learn the behavior it won’t become engrained in their little brains.
- Dogs do the things that we reinforce. Many of our dog’s bad behaviors are caused by us. We often reinforce bad behaviors without even realizing it. As an example, you have a tiny, cute little 9-week old puppy on your lap, a family member comes over to pet him and he growls. His tiny little growl is so cute you can’t help but laugh and even give him kisses and affection. You just reinforced that behavior and if you allow it to continue it will become a bad behavior that when he gets older is not so cute!
- Learn to be quick when you are training your Chihuahua. If you reward him just a second after he has done what you asked he won’t have any idea what he did that was good. Worse you might inadvertently be rewarding the wrong behavior. For example, you are training him to sit. He sits for you just like you asked, but by the time you dig a treat out of your pocket, he is standing again. You just rewarded him for standing, not sitting. Have those treats out and ready.
- Always be happy when your Chihuahua comes to you. One of the most common complaints from owners is that their Chihuahua won’t come to them when called. When they do, praise them excessively with treats, a toy, or lots of praise. If your dog hates baths, never ever call him to you for a bath.
Finally, always keep a positive attitude, be happy and upbeat when you are training. Training is supposed to be fun for you and your Chihuahua. Make sure you Chihuahua gets plenty of physical and mental exercise every day. A tired Chihuahua is a well-behaved Chihuahua.
Last, but not least, don’t be hard on yourself. Remember that if you have never trained a dog before then you are learning right along with your Chihuahua. Continue the training process throughout your Chihuahua’s life and before you know it you will both have this training thing down!
You can find training tips anywhere, get yours from a Chihuahua expert! Having years of experience raising Chihuahuas, I can help you train your Chihuahua better than anyone else. Get my downloadable book by clicking the button below:
