• First of all, id tags. These are little tags that are attached to the Chihuahua’s collar. They are easy to read for anyone that finds your Chihuahua and usually have a phone number on them to allow the person that finds the Chihuahua to contact the owner. The only thing you need to be mindful of is that you have a small dog so you get a small id tag. Larger tags can get snagged on something and cause injury to your small canine companion. Like everything else, ensuring the proper size will have a direct correlation to the overall safety of your Chihuahua.
• Tattoos of your social security number, phone number or other means of contact are another option but I’d strongly advise against them. There are pain free methods of identifying your dog and you should try to make those work rather than do something that permanently affects your Chihuahua’s appearance.
• Microchips: One of the best methods of identifying your dog. Microchips are placed under the skin just above the shoulder of your dog. They are injected very precisely and with such ease that they will be a very minor affect on your dog’s comfort. They are only the size of about a half grain of rice and can be tracked by any vet using a special reader. These are better than tags because they can’t be removed accidentally where as a collar can be pulled off or lost.

I would actually recommend using both the tag and microchip. This helps by allowing regular people to identify your dog as well as having the ability for a vet to track them in case the collar is lost. Remember, if you move or change your phone number to always update your dog’s tag or chip.

Firstly you should choose a dry food that has a specific meat list in the title as the first ingredient, such as, chicken, beef, lamb or such. Choosing foods that just say “meat” or “poultry” should be avoided since they usually use these terms loosly.

Also, try and ensure you keep the dry food fresh at all times. It’s often easy to get in the habit of when you’re dog finishes eating you remove the food and give it back to them later or you just let it sit out until its gone. Although the food seems fine, molds and bacteria can attach themselves to this food when it’s left out and thus become ingested which is not good for your dog’s health. A good rule of thumb is to leave the food out for about 30 minutes and then discard it.

Keeping your food fresh can also be done by ensuring the bag is tightly sealed or tranferring the food into a tight container away from air. You don’t like stale food. Neither does your Chihuahua.

If you want to add a little treat to your dogs dry food, try mixing it with some vegetables so your dog can get the healthy benefits of different parts of the food pyramid.

Firstly, let’s consider where your litter of puppies will go. Chihuahuas are among some of the most popular breeds of small dogs. You may think that this means they should have no trouble finding a good home but you’d be surprised. A lot of people buy dogs because of a fad and do so based on impulse or short term interest. As a result, they lose interest and don’t provide them with the care that they need and deserve, often leaving them at shelters.

Next think about the fact that some breeders, breed Chihuahuas for the sole purpose of selling them for a profit. Chihuahuas are often times not very profitable. An average litter of Chihuahua puppies is only about three puppies. Since these dogs are so small, there are often medical complications with small female Chihuahuas. Some complications involve possibly the need of a cesarian section because the female is so small. Also once you factor out stud fees, prenatal care and registration, the profit margin is often very small and so breeders try to compensate by breeding their females at alarming rates which is very harmful to the poor dog. Even if you want to breed for the love of Chihuahuas, keep in mind that some of the puppies you are breeding may grow up to this awful fate.

Another concern is that you may not have the resources available to you that allow you to know where to find a proper stud with all of the best of characteristics for breeding. Breeding Chihuahuas is generally not for Novice Breeders since there are so many things to think about such as the coat type, size of female, and lineage of hereditary illnesses.

If you feel like you aren’t making the same mistakes I’ve just described then I wish you all of the luck in breeding. Just remember to be careful and mindful.

If your Chihuahua is barking at the presense of a foreign person or guest, then it’s just your dogs way of warning you that someone is there that normally isn’t and therefore may pose a threat. If this is happening around people you’ve invited in your home then try picking up your dog and saying something like “That’s Enough” or “No more.” and place them back down. If they stop barking, reward them with praise so they associate the praise with the command and the action. If they continue to bark, repeat the process. If this tactic isn’t working try putting them in another room for a few minutes until the barking subsides. Once it subsides allow them to reenter the room and praise them for being quiet again.

If your Chihuahua is barking due to being isolated, this can be caused by separation anxiety which is a common problem among Chihuahuas. Just because it’s common though, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat it seriously. This greatly affects their mental health and stress levels. If they are barking due to being in a separate room at night, try moving their bed into your room so they feel your presence. Do not scold your dog since the only reason they are barking is because they miss you!

Barking is a dog’s natural way at communicating. If their barking is too often and becoming to much of an inconvenience, then try the methods we’ve described. Remember, be patient. Barking is a problem that be resolved but it will go much smoother if your remain calm.

Chihuahuas love to play outside so if you can get them a pen or put up a fence, they’ll be much happier. It’s also in the best interest of their health since these dogs need to be active and exercise to develop well and live healthy.

They also make some for indoors in case you want to leave for a while but don’t want your Chihuahua to roam freely.

Chihuahuas are tempermental to temperature and weather so if you plan to leave your Chihuahua in a pen for a set amount of time ensure it’s not going to be in complete sunlight or else your dog will be uncomfortably warm. On the same note, if the weather looks like rain’s coming, maybe it’s not the best time to allow you Chihuahua to get soaking wet. Afterall, we don’t want a case of puppy hypothermia!

Typically, if your dog has this disease, it has had it all it’s life. Typically this condition is untreatable and most veterinarians will recommend putting your dog to sleep to prevent prolonged suffering. However, is some cases a dog can live a normal life with this condition. The only problem is they may have a poor capability for learning.

Chihuahua’s have one of the highest incidences of hydrocephalus in dog breeds. It will lead to a dome shaped head and may cause the eyes to point more outward than typical. Some symptoms that may but not necessarily mean your Chihuahua has hydrocephalus include the following:

• seizures
• slowed learning
• poor coordination
• vision problems

If you suspect that your chihuahua puppy may have this disease, contact your veterinarian immediately. Your Chihuahua’s health may depend on it.

If you notice that your Chihuahua has a Molera, do not be alarmed. It’s very normal for their breed. In fact sometimes they fuse together as the dog ages. After about three years if it hasn’t fused together, it probably won’t. This isn’t a problem though. It merely means that you need to be careful that your cute little dog doesn’t take too many blows to the head!

As long as you are careful to prevent things from falling on your Chihuahua, she should be fine. The Chihuahua Molera has about a 50% chance of closing fully at some point in the dog’s life. If it makes you feel better, a Chihuahua Molera is typically a good way to determine how pure bred your Chihuahua is since it is a condition only seen in Chihuahuas. In fact it used to be a way of determining such in shows.

Chihuahuas have a lot of energy and can be very destructive at times when you are away. One way to curb this destructive tendancy is to place your small pup into a crate. This doesn’t mean, put him in here all day and only let him out to eat at dinner time. Heavens no! Crates are not cages! If you want to keep your dog in a cage, you should not be a dog owner. Dogs, especially Chihuahuas are very sociable and it would be heartless and cruel if they are kept from their owners all day while they are home. Please only use crates for short periods of time.

As far as night goes, if your chihuahua doesn’t sleep with you in bed, you may consider placing them in a crate. This prevents them from roaming the house unattended for the entire evening. You better believe that your small dog won’t be sleeping the entire night. If he gets up, or doesn’t feel like sleeping, he’ll entertain himself somehow. That may not be something you want.

Chihuahua Crates are also a great training aid for potty training. You can teach your dog bladder control very effectively using a crate since most dogs will do everything possible not to defecate where they sleep. This means that you can keep them in a crate and then take them immediately outside to give them a chance to use the restroom. By doing this, you can praise them for using the bathroom when and where they are supposed to and they will learn much quicker.

How do you make the crate more personal and comfortable? Well you can do several things. First you can place pillows or a dog bed inside. You may want to throw some blankets or towels so they burrow under them to stay warm. Consider maybe putting in a chew toy so they have something to amuse themselves with. Another thing that may be considered is to wrap the crate with a towel or blanket, (leaving at least one side open for light and air) to prevent drafts from affecting them.

If used correctly, your chihuahua will not fear his crate but learn to love it. At some point, he’ll view it as a safe haven. After all, when he’s in the crate, nothing can get to him. What I typically do is leave the crate door open all day so he can go in and out as he pleases. My chihuahua Pancho loves to go in his crate for naps and toys. Treat the your Chihuahua dog crate like little safe haven and they will be grateful to you for supplying them with a useful fort.

First of all, let’s discuss the dog collar. Chihuahua collars should not be too large. Having a collar that is too large means that there is a chance of it coming off by slipping over the head. Small dogs have injured themselves greatly and in some instances died due to improper collar wearing. For example, if a chihuahua dog coller is too large, there is a chance of it getting snagged on something, whether it be on the corner of furniture or an outside tree. There is also the risk of it getting stuck in the chihuahua’s mouth; thus, putting unusual and dangerous stress on their tiny jaws!

On the flip side, you do not want a collar that is too small either. After all, a collar that is too tight may cut off the circulation to the small canine, causing discomfort. Another concern is that when your Chihuahua is exercising or working up a rapid heart beat, the neck may naturally swell due to expansion of blood vessels. If a collar is too tight, this will cause massive discomfort and place unnecessary stress on the dogs trachea or throat.

A rule of thumb is that you should be able to put at most between one and two fingers comfortably between the collar and the neck. Obviously the rule of thumb is dependant on the size of your chihuahua. If you just have a puppy, two fingers may put it into the category listed above as being too large. If you don’t know what kind of chihuahua dog collar to get still, check with your vet. Also, I’ve heard that a lot of chihuahua owners have purchased cat collars since they are all small in size.

First of all, there are benefits to homemade food as well as store bought food. I don’t know which one is the clear victor in superiority. What I do know, is a set of pros and cons for each.

Homemade dog food is good because it takes away all of the preservatives and other unnatural ingredients found in store bought food. By making your dog food, you are able to control what exactly is going into it. For example if your dog is getting a little chunky, maybe you’ll want to add a little more protein and a little left bread products. Also, by making homemade dog food, you give your dog variety which he will be very thankful for. Take care though in making your dog food if you make drastic changes to your pup’s diet. Drastic diet changes can cause upset stomach and lead to vomiting or a case of the runs. Dogs are meant for subtle change only. Gradually change their food if you want to vary up the menu.

Store bought foods on the other hand are good because they are backed by an organization which typically that takes pride in the fact that they’ve optimized their product to include all of the ingredients necessary for a healthy canine life. Also they are effective in tailoring their food to the exact needs based on the type of dog. If you want a food that is inexpensive and has a high probability of being good for your dog, a good store bought food is acceptable. Just make sure you’ve verified that it’s been approved by the AAFCO (an organization that determines if a food meets proper requirements).

If you buy store bought food, choosing between wet and dry becomes your next challenge. Choose dry food for a cheaper menu option. Although not as tasty as wet food, dry food will save a lot of cost and will be a fine choice for your chihuahua. Choose wet if you’d like to appeal to your pet’s taste buds. Being more moist and full of flavor, there is no doubt that dogs love wet food over dry food by far. You will pay extra for wet food however. As a result, if you want the best of both worlds, simply mix a small portion of wet food into the dry food.

Your dog will love it and you’ll be sure to be giving him the best nutrition of both worlds.