Who Should Not Own A Chi Chi

As irresistible as a puppy is, there are certain households where a Chihuahua would be more of a problem than a delight.

·Puppies are not suitable companions for pregnant women, as dog hair and dog dander (skin flakes) in the air may also overstimulate the mother’s immune system and create allergic responses or respiratory problems both for the human mom and her unborn child.

·Chihuahua puppies are not recommended as pets in households with infants. Chihuahuas are also very jealous creatures and they may harm the baby. A Chihuahua puppy will often seek out a cradle because it is a place of warmth and there are blankets to burrow under. This could accidentally smother a child.

·Chihuahuas are not recommended for households with toddlers. Toddlers may be tempted to accidentally abuse a puppy by pulling, hitting or tugging on the animal. This could cause the dog to attack the toddler, leaving scratches and bites. Most Chihuahuas feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can’t help making — and stress and fearfulness (even defensive biting) may be the result.

·Don’t even think of owning a dog if you can’t afford to take yourself. You have to make a lifetime commitment to taking care of this tiny dog the same way you would a child.

·You should also not own a dog if you or a member of your family suffers from schizophrenia, manic depression, alcoholism, and addiction. attention deficit disorder or a personality disorder. Unfortunately, one of the main traits of these diseases is irresponsibility. Like children, puppies need routine, responsible care and consistency in order to be happy and healthy.

·You should also not consider adopting a chi if your plan of action is to let it roam around outside. Chihuahuas are indoor pets. Letting them wander around outside makes the vulnerable to poisons, verbal and physical abuse, attacks from other animals, falls, accidents, theft and extremely contagious diseases such as worms and tuberculosis.

Chihuahua pups and aggressive alpha dogs also don’t mix. A larger dog can grab a Chihuahua and break his neck with one quick shake. Owning a toy breed means constant supervision and surveillance of what’s going on around your tiny dog. Dogs are pack animals and if you are the owner of an alpha dog, (one that considers itself to be the leader of a pack) then he may see the puppy as an intruder. A puppy just does not know how to act in a submissive manner when confronted by an aggressive animal such as a pit bull or German shepherd

Also you should not consider owning a puppy if you cannot grasp the concept that these cute little animals eventually transform into dog. The number of dogs abandoned in our humane societies and pet shelters are a testimony to people who have broken a promise that they have made in their heart to a puppy who had the gall to turn into a dog.

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Understanding Fear Biting

Adult dogs that bite often do so because they need to lash out at whatever s causing them to feel anxious. Dogs with this problem have usually either been abused or are naturally very timid and shy dogs.
With care and patience, most adult dogs can be successfully trained not to bite. Punishing a dog that bites because of fear is not a good idea, as the punishment only increases his fear. This can create a vicious cycle where the dog becomes increasingly anxious and just lashes out more and more.
The bad news is that in the case of an abused dog, (and it is easy to adopt a dog with a history of being abused from a shelter) that it can take months or even years of rehabilitation for him not to lash out and bite at things that trigger his anxiety. In this case, all you can do is take note of what triggers the dog’s fear and what makes him anxious and try to steer him away from those situations. An example is the dog that was beaten with belt. The dog may freak out or lash and bite at people when he sees them reaching to undo their pants or clothing or when he sees them opening a closet as he is afraid he is going to be beaten.

If he has specific fears, then try gradually reintroducing the object or situation that brought on the fear. For example if he is scared of people then utilize some dog loving friends to approach your leashed dog without attempting to touch him. Once his confidence has built up you can increase the amount of time that he is exposed to different people and start physical contact. Using a muzzle is a good idea if you are unsure of how your dog might react in a certain situation and especially if that situation involves children.

Adult dogs have stronger jaws and stronger teeth, so biting and nipping is often a much more serious situation with them. Not only can an adult dog cause another creature or human a terrible injury, it is also harder for them to break the habit.

An adult dog that bites is usually an aggressive dog. An adult dog usually bites because they are displaying fear based, dominance, protective or territorial aggressive behavior.

The main causes of biting and nipping in adult dogs are fear, anxiety, memories of abuse, teasing from children, jealousy, possessiveness, pain and illness.

If your dog is a severe fear biter than you may need to take him to see a certified professional animal behaviorist to try and modify his behavior. He or she may be able to delve deeper into your dog’s individual psyche and help retrain your dog’s behavior. It is imperative that a biting problem is dealt with immediately as the consequences of having your dog, say, bite a child could well lead to a criminal conviction for you an euthanasia for your dog.

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