How to Train a Chihuahua

This is my own Chihuahua puppy, Maya.
Click here to learn the techniques I used to quickly and easily teach her to sit, stay, lie down, be quiet, walk on a leash, and use a litter box.

One of the most common dog breeds in the United States is the cute and diminutive Chihuahua. Yet many dog owners never make an effort to learn how to train a Chihuahua, assuming that such a small dog can't get into very much trouble. As a Chihuahua parent myself, I can tell you that this couldn't be further from the truth!

There is no disputing the fact that the tiny Chihuahua is incredibly cute, however you also need to understand that it is one of the more aggressive dog breeds and can be extremely stubborn in terms of following commands. Therefore proper training can be time intensive and ought to start as early as possible.

Why You Need to Know How to Train a Chihuahua

A Chihuahua’s temperament is unique in many different ways. To start with, the dog will be perfectly content just spending all of its time with you. As companion dogs, Chihuahuas are bred to become attached at the hip to their owner regardless of where you go. However, that attachment may also result in dominant behaviors and if they are not correctly socialized with other dogs, there can be a number of aggression problems.

The majority of Chihuahuas act bigger than they appear, which while extremely cute, can be very dangerous if your dog is not trained appropriately. Also, Chihuahuas can be standoffish with strangers, get aggressive towards other dogs, snappy with children, as well as excessively jumpy to sounds outside. The good news is that all of these behaviors can be controlled with good training.

Click Here to Stop Your Chihuahua's Aggression, Barking and Whining Now!

How to Train a Chihuahua

The very first thing you must do when training a Chihuahua is to take charge of the home. Surprisingly, that cute little dog believes he is in control of the home and will do whatever he needs to prove it to you if you allow him.

Therefore you have to set up boundaries and be the leader of the pack. Here are a few basic tips to preserving alpha leadership over your Chihuahua.

Feeding Times - Feed your Chihuahua at fixed intervals. Do not allow your dog to decide when he wants to eat.

Walking - Take your Chihuahua for a walk twice a day or more, however be sure you control the walk. Do not let your dog pull or dictate the direction. When learning how to train a Chihuahua, leash control is essential.

Jumping and Furniture - With a small dog such as a Chihuahua, it is easy to let the dog get up anytime he wishes. But control over your space is vital to imposing boundaries. Never respond to barking or whining and establish boundaries for which furniture the dog is allowed on.

Coming and Going - Ignore your dog when you leave and return to your home. Only pay attention to your Chihuahua once he gets to a calm, relaxed state.

To really learn how to train a Chihuahua, you have to be the alpha leader, in case the dog thinks he's in control.

Optimizing Mental Stimulation

A Chihuahua can be tired out fast enough, but the majority still do not get sufficient exercise or mental stimulation. How many people do you see playing fetch or visiting dog parks with a small dog like that? Train your Chihuahua with basic commands such as sit and stay, lie down, speak and quiet, fetch, and whatever else you want.

When it comes to learning how to train a Chihuahua, minimizing the opportunities for the dog to challenge you and to be overwhelmed with energy and boredom will get rid of a great deal of the bad temperament problems that many people have in relation to their rambunctious little pals.

With proper training, the Chihuahua is an absolutly delightful dog that is a joy to have around.

For a top quality guide to train your Chihuahua the right way, I strongly recommend that you check out Secrets to Dog Training.