Children and Chihuahuas

You may have both children and chihuahuas in your home.  If this is so or your chihuahua is around children a lot, it is important to read the following.  Children are always drawn to the cuteness of Chihuahuas and love to play with them. It’s always smart to be watchful when a new child is playing with your Chihuahua. This is not only for the safety of the children, but also for the safety of the Chihuahua.

Children and Chihuahuas – Do Not Leave Them Unsupervised Together

Chihuahuas are very small dogs; especially if you have Chihuahua puppies. So, when a child plays with them, they need to be extra careful. First of all, games that are played with a larger dog may not necessarily be good games for small dogs. For example, tug-of-war and sparring are two activities that should be cautioned against. A Chihuahua can be greatly hurt if it is squeezed too hard, fallen upon, hit with something or thrown around like a toy. It is always wise to only allow children around your pet if they are well supervised.

Safety is also an issue for the child. Some Chihuahuas are nervous and even scared when they are around children. This may be because they are mistreated by children or they are just confused with their difference in size from adult humans and don’t relate the two as being of the same group. In this case, take care to evaluate how your dog is behaving. If he starts to bare his teeth and get low to the ground (lower than he usually stands. I understand he’s small.), keep your child away at all costs. Your dog is not comfortable with the situation and may snap at the child.

Remember, small dogs love attention and their affection is easily bought over time. If raised together, Chihuahuas and children can grow up together being the best of friends.

Babies are no different. Never leave your baby alone with your dog. This isn’t to say that your dog will try to harm the baby but accidents do happen and dogs are still animals. It’s just common sense to keep your pet and your baby apart when you are away. If you’re worried about your dog being around your baby, try letting your dog get used to the idea of a baby in the home by allowing him in the room often and rewarding him when he behaves well. This will promote your dog enjoying the presence of the baby rather than resenting your young child for being there.

Allow your children to love your Chihuahua by caring for him properly and maturely and your Chihuahua will return that love 100 times!

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