How to Train a Chihuahua? Potty, Crate and Obedience Chihuahua Training.

Chihuahua is a popular breed of dog which is known for its cute eyes and adorable smile.

Hiring a professional trainer to train your pet could be very expensive while the results are not granted.

So, it is better to learn how to train a Chihuahua on your own simply with the help of the latest technology like the internet.

This will not save your money and time but also give you better information related to Chihuahua training.

If you want to learn how to train Chihuahua then you should read this article till the end because in this article I am covering all related information which will help you to train your Chihuahua properly without hurting him or herself.

Chihuahua has aggression in nature, that’s why they required extra care and love during the training process.

This article is also good for those who want to train Chihuahua puppies.

The following article will also give an overview related to Chihuahua potty training.

Table of Contents

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1 of 9. Fitting a Chihuahua Into Your Life

It is easy to read the guide but it could be difficult to follow the whole instruction because we all have a busy life.

That’s why we are always in search of a short cut to save time and use alternatives.

I know some of my friends who adopted different pets and send them back to the pet shop or training center for the training.

Sending your pet to a training center is not a bad idea but this takes your pet time to get attracted to you because your pet does not spend much time with you.

Even I was guilty once when my first Chihuahua was well trained by my big brother but he hardly knows me or plays with me in my spare time.

So, if you have decided to have Chihuahua in your life then you must done Chihuahua training on your own.

This will keep him attached to you and he will be following your commands easily.

You can fit a Chihuahua in your life easier by making some rules, scheduling and spending time with it.

I know, its required time but not much as you are expecting as you are not going to train your Chihuahua 24 hours a day but few minutes to maximum one hour a day.

Yes, it is possible by the following steps:

1.1. First Step. Understand the life of Chihuahua

Before you bring Chihuahua in your file, you must know about the lifestyle of this adorable breed of dog.

You must know about their food, how much time they expect from Chihuahua owners, what are the health problems, how to train them and what type of grooming equipment you must have at for your Chihuahua.

1.2. Second Step. Have Short Training Session

Instead of spending hours in Chihuahua training, it is a good idea to set short training sessions.

This can help you and your dog to spend more time in a day.

For example, you can spend 15 minutes in the morning, evening and then after dinner instead of spending one hour in the morning and disappear from the vision of your dog.

1.3. Third Step. Make a Schedule for Training

The scheduling of a training session will make you and your dog live easy.

Scheduling is also the key to a success Chihuahua training because it will make your dog know that what time is your time and schedule about different things like potty, lunch, dinner and walk, etc.

1.4. Fourth Step. Take Your Dog Along with You

If you don’t have time for an outing with your dog, then you can take it along with you whenever you go to public places like workout walk, shopping mall and picking your kids from school, etc.

You can also be creative in this by keeping your Chihuahua at your side when you are watching TV, cooking food in the kitchen or working out in the gym, etc.

2 of 9. The Chihuahua Temperament

Know about the Chihuahua temperament is necessary for both; new dog parents and one who already has Chihuahua in their life.

This will help you to decide whether you should keep Chihuahua in your life and how the temperament of Chihuahua will help you in successful training.

So, before you start learning how to train a Chihuahua, you must know about the temperament of your dog.

It will solve many problems including how to fit Chihuahua in your life, how to deal with it in a different situation and what not to do and what to do during training etc.

2.1. Good Temperament

Just look at Chihuahua, they are small in size, cute, loving nature, adorable and fit almost anywhere in the house.

As compare to petting other dogs, it is very economical to have Chihuahua because they do not require much space in your house while training them is not as difficult as training a big dog.

You can carry them in your car, take them to walk and also have it in your arms without getting your clothes messy.

Other than these, the good temperament of Chihuahua includes their powerful listening and watching ability.

They can recognize your voice easily and can differentiate between strangers and owners more quickly as compared to other breeds of the dog.

Another fact which makes the temperament of Chihuahua good is health problems.

Yes, they have relatively low health problems and live on average for more than 10 years without having any serious health issues.

2.2. Bad Temperament

To understand the bad side of Chihuahua is very important before starting the training of the dog.

Negligence will lead to a lot of problems including serious injuries.

Chihuahua required extra care.

Especially if you are training Chihuahua puppies, you need to spend a lot of time in the first week of training.

They could hurt you if you do not spend enough time with them or prefer other pets in front of them.

Chihuahua is not a breed of dog to have with small kids.

They do not tolerate the carefree kids at all until properly trained for weeks.

Regarding the emotion, Chihuahua gets aggressive very quickly if you do not spend proper time with them, that’s why they depend on the owner most and want them around all the time.

So make sure that you know about your dog temperament before you following our guide as following the wrong guide can make your dog aggressive which could lead to something wrong.

3 of 9. Chihuahua Health Problems

Our guide is incomplete without discussing common Chihuahua health problems.

Chihuahua is known as one of the healthiest breeds of dogs but still having information about their health-related problem is one of the most important parts of Chihuahua training.

They have very few genetic defects.

But it does not mean that you ignore them in terms of their health concern.

There are several health problems Chihuahua can be faced during their life.

So, being an owner of this breed of dog, you must know about some of the common health issues which you can face:

3.1. Patellar Luxation

Usually, small size dog gets affected by Patellar Luxation including Chihuahua but the rate of getting knees problem among this dog breed is quite low.

The symptoms of Patellar Luxation include difficulty in walking, sitting down, running and standing up, etc.

Surgical treatment may be needed in extreme cases.

3.2. Tracheal Collapse

This health problem is quite common among Chihuahua.

In this disorder, the dog faces a breathing-related problem which includes wheezing, gagging, seizures and coughing, etc.

These problems can be treated automatically with the passage of time and some time required a visit to the vet.

3.3. Dry Eyes

Like other breeds of dog, Chihuahua can face a common eye problem called dry eyes but among this breed of dog, this is one of the most uncommon eye diseases which has been reported yet.

The treatment required eye drops for lubrication and can be permanently treated easily.

During the Chihuahua training, you must have basic knowledge about these and other Chihuahua health problems to ensure that your dog is healthy otherwise due to any health issue, your dog can be aggressive, can hurt you. So keep eye on all the related symptoms and get them treated on time.

4 of 9. Chihuahua Obedience Training

Obedience training is not something which all dog owners want but including this in your Chihuahua training could be fun for both; the dog and dog owner.

This helps the dog to concentrate, obey the orders of owners and built confidence.

In obedience training, Chihuahua usually learns to participate in different sports like obedience and agility.

This could lead your dog to take participate in dog shows.

The obedience training is perfect for those who are training Chihuahua puppies because they can learn different sports more easily as compared to adult dogs.

As a dog owner, you have to give more effort than a dog to teach him different things.

The most common things which Chihuahua learns in obedience training include:

• Following the basic instruction of the owner
• Sit, stand and walk on the owner’s command
• The heel on and off lead (walk traditional position)
• Being quite in front of strangers and other pets

Obedience training should not be very challenging for your dog as Chihuahua is a small dog and cannot do many things that you can teach the dogs with big sizes.

The main goal of this training should be to build a relationship with the dog and build his confidence.

4.1. Chihuahua Barking! Why? How to Stop?

Why Do Chihuahuas Bark so Much?

Barking is the way your pet communicates.

But excessive and inappropriate barking is a problem that a large number of Chihuahua owners face.

To solve the problem, first, you need to find out why the Chihuahua bark so much?

And there may be several reasons:

• Bored dogs bark a lot
• To attract attention to a game or walk
• Drawing attention to anything else that they think deserves attention
• Warning about the intrusion of uninvited guests into your territory
• Defensive reaction to the threat – another dog, animal, person, object or loud noise
• When the dog feels lonely
• Dementia – Chihuahua barks caused by this condition cannot be stopped by training methods
• Excitation
• Dreaming

But in certain cases, barking a Chihuahua is not entirely appropriate.

These include barking:

• At other dogs
• At peoples – foot-passengers, postal workers, neighbors or your guests
• At objects – moving by cars, vacuum cleaner, trash cash

When Chihuahua starts barking and this bark isn’t appropriate, to avoid troubles, reassure the dog.

How to do it, read in the next section.

How to Stop a Chihuahua from Barking?

To stop Chihuahua barking you need to find out why the dog barks.

The following training method will help stop barking.

You need to teach Chihuahua basic commands: Speak and Quiet Command.

It is easy.

First, we will teach to bark a dog.

Yes, yes, you read it right.

But Chihuahua must do it on command.

And then we teach the opposite command – to be silent.

1. Ask someone to knock or ring the door.
2. Then bring a treat to the dog’s nose and say “speak.”
3. If the dog barks, then give the dog a treat and your attention.
4. Repeat until the Chihuahua barks at the command.

Now teach the dog to be silent.

1. Make the dog started barking at the command taught earlier.
2. Bring a treat to a dog’s nose and say “Quiet”.
3. When the dog stop barking, reward her with a treat and your love.
4. Repeat until the dog learns to shut up on command.

There is another way to stop dog barking.

Offer him to execute a command incompatible with barking – play to be dead or somersault.

How to Stop my Chihuahua From Barking at Other Dogs?

If your dog starts barking when seeing another dog, then use the following training methods.

1. Move away from the place of irritation, i.e. another dog.
2. If your pet saw another dog and did not start barking at the same time, you can distract him with a delicious treat.
3. Give attention to your pet and fix it with a verbal anchor, like “look”, “watch me”.
4. Go closer to another dog. Gradually approaching, do not forget to give beautiful delicacies to your Chihuahua if she does not start to bark. Once barking, you need to step back a bit and start again.
5. Distract the dog with such a game that she will not be able to bark and play at the same time.
6. Do not forget about persistence in training. They should be held on a positive note – affection, verbal encouragement and, of course, favorite treats.

Positive Reinforcement

Correcting an inappropriate barking problem requires positive reinforcement.

The punishment in the form of a scream at the dog will only be an encouragement to continue barking.

Quiet behavior in this case should be associated with treats.

In many cases, inappropriate barking is caused by a lack of physical activity.

Enough 30 minutes of jogging or other type of activity and your pet will be more calm.

Consistency in Training

In teaching a Chihuahua to stop barking requires constancy.

The dog has completed your command (any of the above), then received a treat.

The rest of the family must also adhere to the rules of training.

Otherwise, different training methods will confuse the dog and complicate the training.

What Not to Do?

Don’t Reward Inappropriate Barking

Don’t avoid inappropriate barking with rewards – a toy, attention, a treats.

It will only make it worse.

The dog will begin to believe that he/she received that reward because of the barking and the next time will ask for it using barking.

Just ignore such behavior in this case.

Don’t Wear a Muzzle on a Dog

The muzzle is not intended to prevent and stop barking.

It prevent eating or drinkig.

On the contrary, muzzle causes stress and anxiety.

Do not forget about positive reinforcement.

Not punishment.

Don’t Use a Shock Collar

They are based on the use of pain if the dog begins to bark.

A dog is a member of the family, and one does not want to harm the family.

Or another case against such collars.

Your dog is sitting quietly in the yard with a collar that responds to barking … to any barking.

The neighbours dog starts barking.

Who will suffer in this case?

This will cause your adorable pet a huge stress and misunderstanding of what is happening.

Don’t Use a Spray Collar

Again, this is a way to punish a dog, although not as hard as the previous one.

Training should be positive.

The shock collar also responds to the barking of other dogs.

Better use safer and more efficient ways to train a chihuahua not to bark.

The best way to get a Chihuahua to stop barking is to remove the cause of the barking.

Simple and effective!

4.2. Chihuahua Bites! How to Stop?

Why Do My Chihuahua Bites?

Chihuahuas are not aggressive in nature.

Chihuahua bites the owner on many reasons:

• Syndrome of a small dog
• The desire to take their place in this world
• Aggressive way of reporting that he needs something
• Protecting her belongings
• Aggression caused by pain or puppy protection
• Hypothyroidism and Lyme Disease may increase pet aggression

How to Train a Chihuahua Not to Bite?

In some cases, dog aggression cannot be removed by training.

To eliminate a Chihuahua biting, you need to understand and remove its cause.

Since the Chihuahua is difficult to train, we advise you to start training in puppyhood, when they can be trained much easier.

There are two methods of how to train a Chihuahua not to bite.

The Redirect Method

1. Keep your fingers
2. Suggest chew toys instead of fingers
3. Give treats from the palm of your hand to prevent bite and to encourage good behavior
4. Spend the dog’s extra energy playing with her
5. Suggest puzzle toys to keep the dog’s nose and mouth busy

The Interrupt Method

1. Supervise and separate if your dog misbehaves
2. You can catch a bite by seeing signals from a dog – showing of teeth, the opening of her mouth, tucked tail, ears all the way back, and wide eyes
3. Break the bite and turn away
4. Stop contact so that the dog understands that the game is over
5. After some time, you can continue the game, but again, until the bite

5 of 9. How to Potty Train a Chihuahua?

Giving Chihuahua potty training to puppies is much easy then a grown Chihuahua.

After the birth of puppies, it took their brain 6-12 months to get fully developed.

This is the ideal timing for potty training and housebreaking.

You can easily train your dog when and where to go for potty and how to keep the house clean etc.

5.1. Decide a Specific Bathroom Spot

For housebreaking and Chihuahua potty training, deciding a specific spot is very important.

You can choose a place outside of your house or make a toilet for your puppy within a house.

This spot should be permanent so that your dog can recognize it at a toilet in the future.

Usually, they recognize the toilet by sniffing.

At the start of Chihuahua potty training, you should reward your puppy whenever he recognizes this port for potty.

5.2. Take Your Dog on a Walk After a Meal

Taking your dog for a walk right after a meal is a great idea because they have a fast metabolism and their bowel time is around 15-30 minutes after eating meals.

At the start, you have to keep eye on your dog to know that they are only going to specific spots for the toilet instead of making a new spot.

If you have a toilet at home, then make its access easy for your puppy and keep him around after meals.

5.3. Use a Reward-Based Approach

Using a reward-based training approach is a good choice because the dog has nature to do positive things and follow the orders in exchange for a reward.

Chihuahua relies on food mostly as compared to other times of rewards.

So, when you reward them in return for following your command, they will make it a habit and make the whole housebreaking training process easy for you.

6 of 9. How to Handle Your Chihuahua

During Chihuahua training, handling aggressive behavior could be very challenging and frustrating for the dog owner.

Normally being aggressive is not the nature of Chihuahua but sometimes they could feel jealous if you have other pets in your house.

So, during your Chihuahua training, you must focus on handling part as you won’t like to get bitten by your dog or harming someone else at home.

6.1. Know You Chihuahua First

Until you do not understand the mentality of your Chihuahua, you won’t able to train him properly.

You can easily know about his mentality simply by observing what does he like, what makes him aggressive and what toys he likes to play most.

The toy can be used to cool down your dog in case of aggression.

6.2. Make Rules for Your Chihuahua

Training Chihuahua puppies about the rules are very easy as compare to teaching rules to an adult dog.

These rules should not be limited to your dog only.

If you are teaching him to obey a rule, then you must also follow it all the time in front of your dog.

In this, you can set rules for what to eat, where to sit, how to react in front of guests and other dogs, etc.

These rules can be taught to the dog during basic training.

6.3. Know How to Response Your Dog

Your dog must have at least one toy which he loves to play.

This could be his weakness as well.

Use it to respond to your dog in different situations.

For example, if your dog is not following your potty training then the response in the same way by taking his favorite toy away from him etc.

7 of 9. What to Teach Your Chihuahua

Teaching about different tricks is an important part.

Like other breeds of the dog, you can teach several different tricks to your Chihuahua training other than just responding to the clicker, knowing the name and touching to the required object.

Defiantly, it could take the time to learn different tricks especially if you have not bought your Chihuahua at the time of birth.

As compare to young and adult dog, training Chihuahua puppies are quite easier.

The basic things which your dog must learn include:

• Sit, down, stand and release commands
• Come to your side or stay away from you
• Take or leave the object from the owner’s hand
• Bringing an item like a toy when you asked
• Learn the name and identify the names of objects
• Different types of jumping like leap and hoop
• Ask for food, go to a place and shake hands
• Fetching, leasing and getting dish for food
• Searching, finding and catching items

On the advanced level, you can teach jump rope and other types of jumping tricks.

But don’t overburden your Chihuahua with many tricks and know that whether your Chihuahua likes to get trained new tricks or not.

The one in which your pet show more interest should be taught more at it will be picked by Chihuahua easily and quickly.

8 of 9. Improving Mental Stimulation

Improving the mental stimulation of Chihuahua can help your dog to learn new things easily.

This is why mental stimulation is one of the most important facts of Chihuahua training because it brings the best among them.

It has been believed that playing with dogs is enough for this purpose but it does not.

You need to challenge the brain of your dog to improve their mental stimulation.

8.1. Purchase Puzzles Toys

Today, there are so many puzzle games are available for dogs to play.

Purchasing 1 or 2 of the challenging puzzle games help a lot in the improvement of the mental stimulation of Chihuahua.

Purchase puzzle toys as per the age of your dog.

Do not go for a very challenging game for your newborn Chihuahua or 1-year-old puppies.

8.2. Let Your Dog Explore

Taking your dog to walk is a great way to improve their physical health.

You can use this time for mental stimulation by allowing them to explore new things during the walk.

Allow them to sniff and explore new items around them.

So next time when you take your dog to walk, instead of walking straight, allow them to sniff and explore new track on their own.

8.3. Teach Your Dog New Tricks

Teaching your dog new tricks does not make your dog popular among your friends and family but also it does increase their confidence to try new things.

Instead of very general tricks, it is always better to go with advanced level tricks which could be anything from jumping to following your directions, etc.

You can also use the internet to learn new tricks for your dog.

One of the best ways to teach a new trick is to show your dog TV where dogs are doing something different and tricky etc.

8.4. Play Nose Work Games

Chihuahua has a great power of smell.

So why not play nose work games?

You can make your nose games for mental stimulation which includes hiding their food or their favorite toy and allow them to find these things around the house.

This will build confidence within them. To make them more productive, purchase nose work games for your dog.

8.5. Play Like a Dog

Playing like a dog can help your dog to learn new things in a much shorter time.

This sounds a bit weird but they will follow the new things more quickly when they see that Chihuahua owners are doing it for them.

You can jump for them in front of them and do different things in front of them to teach them how to do it correctly etc.

Video: How To Train A Chihuahua Dog

Click here to see the video.

9 of 9. Final Verdict – The Best Way How to Train a Chihuahua

To train your Chihuahua in terms of the best way, first, you need to be the friend of your dog and won his heart.

This could be done by spending maximum time with your dog.

Keep your dog along with you when you eating, watching TV, working out, walking or doing other regular stuff.

Without having a good relationship with your dog, you cannot learn how to train a Chihuahua.

So, if you are interested in doing this training on your own, then the first step should be to make your dog your best friend.

If you’re interested in reading similar articles, here’s a good one on Dog Training Whistle.

We’ve also posted a good guide Dog Pees on Bed.