Have you ever seen a baby playing with a chihuahua? Some of the dogs you see in movies are on the streets seem to be cute themselves. You can’t help but think, “Oh, my child would love to have such an adorable companion!”. Chihuahuas are considered to be the smallest breed. These dogs are usually aware of their fragility and that’s why they don’t particularly trust children.
As the Chihuahua is a small dog, there are many things you must take into consideration. Before picking this cute furry little dog, you need to analyze all the factors of getting one and answers the question, “are Chihuahuas good with babies?” Here are some characteristics to help you decide with that:
1. Chihuahuas are adorable.
These dogs are so sweet and small that they can easily get fit into your arm or lap of a kid since Chihuahua love warm places and they always want to cuddle and be in close contact with someone.
2. Chihuahuas are loyal and caring.
It is fun to be with them and watch them playing for long periods as they are very affectionate. Chihuahuas as most dogs will love you unconditionally but since Chihuahuas are fragile, you must take extra care with them. They are comparatively weak dogs and easily get injured so special care and a lot of attention towards their health must be required.
3. Chihuahuas are good watchdogs.
They have excellent eyesight and hearing capabilities so having them around provides security at home. As most dogs are, they will alert you if a stranger enters or trespasses into the house as a dog’s instinct is to bark when it’s unfamiliar with the person. You will feel less stress that burglars and thieves are sneaking in with Chihuahuas around.
4. Chihuahuas are good learners.
They can be taught to use the litter box. You tell them once or seeing an example you are showing them, just like kids, they will obey and imitate you like the intelligence of this dog rating is 125 out of 138. Training them for various habits is easy although you need to avoid letting them do high-impact exercises as they have a weak and thin skeletal system.
5. Chihuahuas are easy to groom.
Some people being fancy having a well-groomed puppy but it takes only a few minutes to groom a Chihuahua by giving them a refreshing bath and trim their nails regularly. As this dog has short hair, minimal time is required for brushing and as babies especially female babies love to do girly kinds of stuff like brushing hair, they will love it.
6. Chihuahuas have a longer lifespan.
Although they are very sensitive and can have health issues, this breed of dogs lives between 11 and 20 years so in those years of existing together with a kid creates an attachment that’s good for a companion while the kid is also growing up together with a Chihuahua. Ideally, they live more than 15 years so the kids will also grow with them until the adolescence stage. The longer these dogs live, the longer you will be able to spend and nurture them.
7. Chihuahua is a good travel buddy.
Traveling with a small in size dog like a Chihuahua is very easy since it can fit in a handbag, They love to travel with their owners and can become comfortable within small spaces. Therefore, carrying them along is convenient.
Socialization between a Chihuahua and children is a two-way street because as a pet owner and an adult, we have to teach the dog to trust our kid and also teach the kid how to behave and interact and also to trust the Chihuahua. When you bring your puppy home, the first thing you want to do is to teach the dog to trust you which they will probably trust you right away if you’re the one that feeds the puppy but you also want your Chihuahua to learn to trust the children.
If you think about what it is that would make a Chihuahua not trust a child, most likely it’s because children can be unpredictable, loud, and scary for a small dog, and the same reason why a child might be afraid of a chihuahua. After all, they would bark non-stop ended up scaring the kid.
Here are some tips to train the children and the Chihuahua to get along:
1. Supervised Play Sessions
The first thing to do is to allow the kids to hold and pet the Chihuahua and let the Chihuahua know that the kids are just as trustworthy as the adults. It’s best to have those family times when everyone is sitting there together so that adults can monitor the kid is handling the puppy properly.
The kids should be able to pick the puppy up and hold them close to their body to create an attachment as sometimes when there’s a kid that’s holding a pet that they’re a little bit uncertain of, they don’t tend to want to hold it close to their body and just hold it out inches away that will make the puppy feel not secure.
2. Be gentle, soothing, and quiet when holding a Chihuahua
Make sure that the kids know how to quiet and calm or don’t move quickly because any sort of a sudden movement like that is something that can scare a Chihuahua. Any kind of sudden noise or sudden movement is something that can alarm a Chihuahua and we don’t want that. Something that scared them when they were young can stay with them for a long time and can cause emotional trauma. A traumatized Chihuahua can be anxious, self-injurious, or even aggressive at some point with that situation.
3. Never yell or drop the Chihuahua
Make sure the kids would never yell at the Chihuahua or drop them in any way.
4. Place the dog on the kid’s lap
Put the Chihuahua into the kid’s lap and let them hold the Chihuahua themselves.
5. Give snacks
Give the kids some snacks and let the kids give them snacks to the Chihuahua. In that way, the dog will like the one who’s feeding them which is the kid.
6. Give the Chihuahua exposure to kids
Take time to have kids when visiting a park or somewhere that has kids playing around, let them pet your Chihuahua. Always let your Chihuahua under your supervision to have plenty of exposure with other people and kids that will build your Chihuahua to have the confidence to be with other persons.
7. Get some chew toys
Give a Chihuahua a chew toy and have them available right away if the kids are playing with them whenever the Chihuahua does put its little sharp puppy teeth on them even though it’s generally just a play bite but sometimes kids are scared by that because it can hurt a little bit and they’ll jerk back that will scare a Chihuahua. Replace your finger with a chew toy so that the dog will learn that fingers are not for chewing off.
8. Have the puppies go belly up
You can hold the puppy like a baby that will be a good exercise to trust their human especially to kids who can hold the puppy to feel secure.
Make sure you have a confident persona and you always demonstrate that in front of the dog just by talking calmly to them to be able to communicate with them even though they can’t understand it but your tone if you’re talking impacts them a lot. One way to build a Chihuahua’s confidence is to let them have their own space in their den. Sometimes, they just need some quiet time as we all do sometimes so that they can rest and relax if they’re feeling stressed out.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Chihuahuas good with kids?
Children may not be able to take care of fragile dogs if they will be simple and rough handling ones, then that can easily harm the dog. A small kid can perceive this dog more like a toy than a living being. Besides, most dogs of this breed are like children themselves. Most Chihuahuas do not get well with the young children as they fear they will get hurt but if they will be handled with care, the kid and a Chihuahua can get along well.
Are Chihuahuas aggressive?
Holding a Chihuahua when a stranger is present emboldens the dog to growl and snap because the Chihuahua thinks that it is protecting you. If Chihuahuas feel uncomfortable or threatened, they can nip or bite as they don’t adapt well to changes in locations easily. However, if this dog is raised and socialized from an early stage, they are excellent pets. You can also train them to overcome this. If a Chihuahua isn’t trained, it may start to bite.
Do Chihuahuas like other dogs?
Chihuahuas often do not do well with other animals as other dogs can hurt them while playing. If another dog snaps, it can be life-threatening for him. They tend to prefer to be with other Chihuahuas also but there are exceptions that they may get along with other animals in your household.
Do Chihuahuas pick one person?
The Chihuahua tends to bond with a single person in the family. They usually aren’t family dogs as they are not able to create a bond with the entire family. They are attached to one owner and become jealous if someone else appears in their owner’s life.
Conclusion:
Chihuahuas are very particular about their territory and the place where they live. You have read all the facts about Chihuahua now, so decide for yourself, whether or not to get one. If a Chihuahua trusts you as a person, they’re going to want to do what you want them to do. If a Chihuahua does need correction, it’s best to let them have some alone time to think. The most important thing is to be a responsible owner all the time.
Here at ILoveChihuahua, we share our personal experiences as owners of this feisty breed. We talk about recommended methods, dog supplies picks, and advice on common Chihuahua problems. Our goal is to promote responsible dog ownership, so there would be fewer Chihuahuas in shelters.
