Chihuahua Topic of the Month

  

There are just a few rules to remember before you play new games with your puppy or dog:     

1- The rules for the game should remain the same…while it is a game that you are playing, it will involve your Chihuahua listening to you…This means that it is akin to teaching commands, so you want consistency.

2- It is best to take breaks…your dog will have better focus if they are not pressed into playing for too long of a time.

3- When learning to play a new game, your pup or dog will have more fun and catch on faster if they are given small, healthy treats.

4- Stop the game play BEFORE your Chihuahua gets bored with it…And it should be you, the leader, who decides when the game play will stop.

This is a great game to play with your Chihuahua. It will keep him or her from being bored (the #1 cause of misbehaving) and it will stimulate their mind. Don’t worry, it’s also fun!

Command your dog to sit in 1 room while you go into another room. If they have not yet mastered the sit & stay commands, you can leash them BUT be careful that in doing so you do not create a choking hazard.

While you are in another room, place the 3 buckets in a line, upside down. They should be spaced about 1 foot apart.

Place a doggie treat under 1 of the containers.

Call your Chihuahua over to you or if they were leashed, release them and bring them over to the pails.

With a happy tone, say, “Where’s the treat?” or “Where’s the snack?” (whichever word your Chihuahua is used to).

Encourage him or her to smell the pails. When they show excitement that they have sniffed out the 1 with the treat, turn it over and allow him or her to grab it. Give great praise.

You can then continue playing this game by changing which pail you hide the treat under. Additionally, when they become used to this game, you can add more buckets to make it more challenging. As time goes on, you can encourage him or her to indicate their “find” to you by pawing at the pail or barking at the correct one. In time, you will have 1 smart scent detecting dog!

Flirt Pole 

This particular game play is perfect for dogs who need more exercise. It offers great cardio in a short amount of time. It is also perfect for owners who want a game that gives their Chihuahua exercise but keeps the human side of exercise to a minimum. Some Chihuahuas can become so focused on this game, that the game cannot last too long or else they will be over-exercised.

A flirt pole is a simple item, it is a pole that has a rope connected to it and from that rope hangs a dog toy. These can be found at pet supply stores; although you can easily make your own. One method that we have used is to simply use the handle of a clean, un-used plunger…a nylon rope is then attached to that and a toy attached to the other end of the rope. The rope should be 2-3 feet long.

There are some rules that should be established before playing this:

• Do not allow your Chihuahua to jump at you.

• Do not allow your Chihuahua to grab the toy from you until you command so.

• Your Chihuahua must give up the toy and release it to you when you command it.

• Your Chihuahua may naturally become excited when playing, however if he or she shows any signs of aggressive play, stop the game.

You will develop your own rhythm and find that certain actions you take cause the most enthusiasm from you Chihuahua…But basically, the only instruction is that you walk along with the flirt pole, toy dangling out of reach of your dog, and you move it around…allow your Chihuahua to jump up for it several times…have them chase after it, really work for it…

And then you say a command such as “Time” or “Finish” (any command that shows YOU are deciding when they have jumped and tried enough to earn it) and then dangle the toy in such a way that when you say the command, your Chihuahua is able to mouth it.

This game is great exercise for your Chihuahua, but also when the weather is warm, it is a wonderful way to allow them to play outside but have a water source to cool them down. Never play this game if the temperature is below 70° F.

Just like the Flirt Pole dog game mentioned above, this is a chase game.

You will want to set the nozzle on an outdoor water hose so that it shoots out a jet of water…and then you simply move it around so that your Chihuahua chases it. Just make sure that the force of the water is not too strong depending on the size and weight of your Chihuahua. Never aim the water directly at their face.

Many dogs love playing this game, but in some cases a Chihuahua may NOT like water…and if that is the case, do not try to force them to enjoy this.

If your Chihuahua is having fun, that will be great! The only time you will want to stop the game or stop to enforce rules is if he or she gets so excited that they try and attack the hose – this is a big no-no and should not be allowed. Only continue on when they listen to you and only chase after the water itself as you move it around.