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Chihuahuas need more than love and attention. They also need consistent discipline. Animal behaviorists and shelters see plenty of rude toy dogs who were given "lots of love and attention", but no discipline.
Discipline means:
setting simple, fair rules of conduct
enforcing them every single time your little one
goes against them
showing her again and again the good manners you
expect of her
Is your Chi rude?
She is, if she:
1. Sasses back when you tell her to do something
2. Decides who is welcome in your home, and continues to bark at visitors even after you have let them in
3. Growls when you wake her up, when you try to move her from her favorite chair, when you approach her food or bone, or when you touch some "forbidden" part of her body, such as her ears or tail
4. Raises a ruckus when the "peasants" next door are toiling in their own garden - rushing the fence, barking and refusing to stop
5. Runs away from you when you've caught her doing something wrong, leading you on a merry chase around the house or yard
6. Pitches a fit when you try to clip her nails or open her mouth
7. Snatches treats from your hand as though she hasn't eaten in weeks
8. Shrieks when left home alone or when she doesn't get her own way
9. Ignores the word No, or only "obeys" when she's in the mood
A Chihuahua who respects you would never pull these bratty stunts.
Why is this so bad?
Lack of respect is no laughing matter. Although your Chihuahua will definitely rule your heart, she must never be allowed to rule your household.
Because...
She depends on you for her health and safety. There will be times when you must give medicines, take something out of her mouth, or roll her over to remove a knot from her belly. You must be able to restrain and handle her in any way that you see fit, at any time you see fit. The choice should never be hers.
Once you have lived with a dog who both loves AND respects you, you will never want to go back. The greatest combination of feelings one can have for another living being is Love and Respect. Dogs love blindly - they add respect only if you earn it. A loving AND respectful dog is a true joy to live with.
* The above is an insert from "Chihuahua Kingdom" web site.
How Will I Train My Dog To Respect Me?
This training should start the day you first buy the have the puppy. It makes it a lot easier. For those of you that have had a dog for years it will be a lot harder. Just like children, dogs all can be punished a different way. Each of you know what your dog hates. Does your dog hate to be locked in a room or be ignored? Well these are some of the ways to stop their lack of respect. Tapping the dog sometimes helps. But a lot of people take it too far. Chihuahuas are very sensitive animals and they have a sensitive body structure. So I suggest to not hit your dog at all. A very good practice to see if the dog respects you is to hold the dog and place him on a flat surface (maybe the floor or a couch). Place him on his side. Most dogs hate this position, but if your chi respects you as his or her master then he will not struggle to get away. Try this practice. It is a good test on if your Chi is a resident of your household or the master.
Your dog should know who the master is. Dogs that have too many masters are often confused. So if you want your Chi to know that you are boss you should be the only one to feed him and give him water. He should respond to your voice above all other people in your household. He will still respect others but he will know that you are the head honcho. For more tips on this subject please e-mail me.
Many people also have a problem with the Chihuahua being hesitant when you call him or try to pick him up. Chihuahuas are a bit high strung but there is a way to get him out of this bad habit. Tie a fishing string to his collar. Call him and if he doesn't respond right away pull the dog to you (do not yank to hard). After a little while of this, when you call him he will come running right away.
There is also the common problem of your chi barking at neighbors or visitors. That training should start while the dog is young. Try to introduce your dog to as many people as possible. If he stays around the same people all the time he will become a pain in the you know what to all "outsiders".
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