Behavior and Temperament of Chihuahuas

It is important to understand the expected behavior and temperament of the Chihuahua dog. If you are thinking about getting a Chihuahua, you will want to make sure that having this toy dog breed is a good fit for you and your family. You will want to be sure that owning a Chihuahua will be what you imagine it to be.

If you already have a Chihuahua and you find that their behavior seems a bit out of control or you wonder if it is normal, you will want to find out if you have a training issue or other problem. 

If you are bringing a Chihuahua home, you will want to know what to expect as far as behavior how this dog will interact with you. This is especially important if you have children.

Each Chihuahua is different because each has his or her own particular personality and way of perceiving the world. You must keep in mind that the Chihuahua is the smallest breed dog in the entire world. Despite this, there are some that work as service dogs.

One element that sets the Chihuahua aside from some other types of dogs is that a Chihuahua does not often choose just one human to think of as his "main owner". This dog easily attaches to many people. Therefore if you have family members in the home, you Chihuahua dog may become very attached to all of them. If they show aggression toward other dogs, training can help resolve this.

A Chihuahua dog will generally adapt quite well to just about any situation. The type of environment or home that is perfect for a Chihuahua is which ever home its owner is in. This dog will be happy as a clam in a sprawling farmhouse and just as content in a small apartment.

However, a Chihuahua must be an inside dog. And the Chihuahua should never be over-powered. He is so small that he will get scared if strongly intimidated. Some Chihuahuas have to take quite a while to get over an incident if they were hurt or scared by severe yelling. The home should be a peaceful one, where everyone is aware there is such a small animal walking around and he will be happy.

Going for walks and playing around outside in the sun will always be fun for him, but he must never be considered an outside dog. A Chihuahua will not last very long if he is tied up in the cold weather or put into a pen that is in the hot sun. Any owner of a Chihuahua must be 100% willing and able to keep this dog living in the house as part of the family.

Toy dogs are called lap dogs for a reason. Many thrive on human companionship and love to remain close. Some take this a bit too far and will become very clingy. There are way to help a clingy Chihuahua that will benefit both dog and owner.

Many owners wonder if the dog behavior is normal, and it is usually a big yes ! 

If your Chihuahua does this quite often, you should first examine your Chihuahua for any signs of health issues that would be causing your dog to feel very itchy and have an overwhelming need to scratch himself. Everything from food allergies to carpet cleaning solution allergies to fleas to skin infections can cause excess itching.

    * Redness

    * Swelling

    * Sores

    * Bumps

If you do spot any signs, you will then want your dog's veterinarian to perform tests to help find the culprit. If you see signs, you may also wish to read our Allergies section. If all is well and your dog does not have any skin conditions, you can rest assured that rolling around on the grass, rubbing against grass and other behavior such as this is perfectly normal for a dog.

If you find that this behavior is getting your Chihuahua too dirty and you wish for your dog to curb their love of the grass...you can try brushing your dog several times each day...this will feel good to him as the grass does, his "back will be scratched" and may limit outside behavior.

It is normal for a dog to sleep a lot. How much does a Chihuahua sleep? On average, 12 to 14 hours per day. However even 18 hours is not considered abnormal for a Chihuahua. There are 2 types of sleeping. One is a lighter sleep (called slow wave ) and the other is the deeper sleep ( known as REM - Rapid Eye Movement).

Dogs, just like humans do have these 2 different types of sleep. It is the REM deep sleep that really allows a person or dog to rest its body and begin fresh once again! The difference with dogs, including the Chihuahua, is that they wake much more often than we do. You may not notice, however dogs wake very often (even if it is just for a minute) and then go back to sleep. Because of this, a dog must sleep for many more hours than we do, to receive all the deep sleep that is needed. It is expected for older, senior Chihuahua dogs to take more frequent naps.

We have had many inquires regarding a Chihuahua hyperventilating. This can be a medical issue or a behavioral issues.

If your Chihuahua hyperventilates, please be sure to first have your dog given a full medical checkup. Kennel Cough and other respiratory health conditions can mimic hyperventilation. In some instances, it can be a sign of an allergic reaction. 

In the case of an allergic reaction, a dog may lick or eat something and then very quickly will begin to hyperventilate. In severe cases, the dog must then have a shot of adrenaline, given by the veterinarian or animal hospital, to help slow down the dog's heart rate.It is important to first rule out any of these causes.

If all is ruled out and your Chi is 100% healthy, you can then begin to address this as a behavioral issue.

When a person is hyperventilating, they breathe into a paper bag. You can help your Chihuahua by slightly covering his mouth, so that he breathes back in a bit of carbon dioxide to slow down or stop this.

You can also try to establish what is happening at the time when your Chi begins to do this. Does it happen when you come home and greet him? Does it happen when you are going to take him for a walk?

If you can pinpoint the situations that are causing your Chihuahua to become overexcited, you can then begin to train your Chihuahua to become used to those situations, at a slow and steady pace, so that he is better able to handle them.

For example, if your dog gets very excited when you enter the home, you will want to show your Chi that while this is a good thing, it is not a reason to lose control.

Train him by entering and exiting the home. Each time you enter, do not greet your dog. (Yes, it is tempting, but do not do it). Just read the mail for a minute, get a drink or do some activity that is quiet and takes a minute or so. Then, kneel down to your Chihuahua and in a very calm and soothing voice, greet him. Do not shower him with hugs and kisses. Just gently pat him and say hello. Once he is used to your presence, you can then begin to play with him.

You can use this type of training for just about any situation that is causing his excitement and hyperventilating. Always look at the situation, break it into smaller pieces and give your dog once piece at a time. Within a few weeks, your dog will learn that there is reason to be happy, but will be able to control himself and should no longer be overexcited.

There is a bit of a stereotype against Chihuahuas in the fact that some people believe that small breed toy dogs are "snappy" and bark a lot. This is not true. The behavior of a Chihuahua can be extremely calm and friendly; it depends on the dog and what type of training you give to him. A huge deciding factor in the personality of a Chihuahua is how the puppy was raised. 

It is the breeder who shapes so much of the dog's personality. Left alone in a cage, a Chi can become a terrified little pet in a new home. Raised with hands on care and love, a Chi can be comfortable around people, noises and the world. This is one element that outstanding breeders do. 

For this reason, we searched the country for top breeders who do so with devotion, dedication, love, patience, experience and more. If you are looking for a puppy and want to know who to trust, see our Chihuahua Breeders section for our exclusive list.

A Chihuahua will usually bark quite a bit if the dog is feeling threatened, being bothered while trying to eat his meal, etc. If you find that your dog is behaving badly when the house is peaceful and quiet, it is time to implement some training.

To keep the behavior of a Chihuahua calm, a person should be sure that the dog does not feel in danger. Being so small, no one should ever throw him around in play, there are much better ways to have fun with him. No one should ever tower above him and yell; this is not the correct training method and will cause adverse behavior in a Chihuahua .

Just like any other canine, a Chi should be left alone when eating. All dogs, no matter which breed, are descendants of wild dogs. They have a natural, build in instinct to feel as if they need to protect their food. as if someone is going to come and steal it! Their food should be placed in a quiet spot, in a quiet room. Once this dog is done with its dog food, the behavior of a Chihuahua will go right back to its normal, friendly self.