Does your Chihuahua accompany you everywhere you go, both inside and outside the house? If your Chihuahua follows you around the home, you’ll understand what it’s like to be trailed by a familiar four-legged shadow, whether you’re going from room to room, cooking in the kitchen, or even using the toilet.
Having a constant companion can be soothing or downright frustrating at times, but why does your dog follow you everywhere, and is this normal?
Why does my Chihuahua follow me around?
If your dog follows you around, it means they trust and love you and that you make them feel safe. Following you too closely might indicate boredom or a desire to be inquisitive. It is also a normal element of their social behavior.
❕ Waiting for Treats or Reward
What do you do when your dog follows you around? Do you ignore them, or do you offer them a touch, a hug, or perhaps a bite of food? It’s conceivable that your dog has discovered that following you around results in nice things. Reassurance, attention, and rewards are given to them every time they follow you, encouraging them to continue doing so.
❕ They want to know What’s Up
Dogs are inherently curious and enjoy learning about their surroundings. They follow you around because you are the person in the know and the doorway to all things interesting to them. Unfortunately, your dog’s inquisitive nature, mixed with a severe case of FOMO, means that they are frequently beneath your feet and putting their nose into everything.
❕ They are trying to tell you Something very Important
If your dog is barking, whining, or pacing, try following them and seeing where they lead you. It’s conceivable they’ll need more water, extra food, or to go outdoors to use the restroom. If your dog suddenly begins to follow you and is more attached than normal, it might indicate that they are feeling sick and want additional reassurance and affection.
❕ They are Terrified
Your dog perceives you as their defender and guardian, helping to keep them safe and secure. Thunderstorms and explosions may be frightening to some dogs, and they may follow you around to seek comfort from you. When dogs are afraid, they may pin back their ears, widen their eyes, and pant more than normal.
If they are afraid, they may want to be near you and may refuse to eat, drink, or play. However, there are several factors where you can help your dog feel comfortable and safe during fireworks and thunderstorms.
❕ They Love you
If your Chihuahua follows you around, it is most certainly an indication that they appreciate you. The hormone oxytocin is released when dogs connect with people they like. Oxytocin is the “love hormone” since it gives you that warm glow when you’re near someone you like. Dogs are highly sociable creatures who enjoy spending time with their owners.
You are your dog’s entire universe, and spending time with you is an important part of their lives. They like spending time with their closest buddy because you make them feel joyful, comfortable, and protected.
❕ They are Bored
Your dog may follow you around because they are seeking something to do. It could be fascinating to see what you’re up to, especially if there’s a chance of a stroke or a treatment. Consider if your dog is receiving adequate mental and physical stimulation; if not, you may need to find alternative methods to make life more interesting for them, such as longer or more frequent walks or providing chew toys or food puzzles to play with.
❕ They are waiting for you to play with them
Dogs are excellent at memorizing their daily routines. If it’s almost time for a walk or a meal, your dog probably knows and may follow you around the house to get you there faster. Dogs are adept at reading our body language and picking up on hints about what we intend to do next. If you intend to do something exciting, they’ll follow you around, hoping you’ll do it soon.
❕ It is their Natural Behavior
Following you around is part of your dog’s natural social behavior to monitor and follow what you’re doing to establish a healthy bond with you. This is known as allelomimetic behavior, and it serves a variety of functions. First, it is a method of establishing and maintaining social relationships. Second, it is a self-preservation behavior — being with someone you trust is a healthy place to be, and mimicking their behavior is part of the learning process.
How to Raise a Friendly Chihuahua Dog
Chihuahuas are a unique canine breed in that they rapidly fall in love with their masters but have little interest in meeting other humans or pets. The key to teaching your Chihuahua to be friendly from the start is to socialize him as soon as possible. If you consider adding a Chihuahua puppy to your household, allow as many people as possible to handle him as soon as you bring him home.
👍 Commands
Teach your Chihuahua all the commands he can learn as the leader of the pack in your home. Begin by teaching them to sit and lie down on command. Then go to adorable skills such as standing on hind legs, rolling over, or begging. Little dogs can learn various entertaining skills that will bring them favorable attention when they are performed.
Make sure to reward them with goodies at the end of each training session, in addition to the rewards he gets while learning.
👍 Meals
Allowing your Chihuahua to free feed is not a good idea. Instead, provide them with food regularly. Make a point of preparing his meals and laying them out at mealtimes. Also, ensure that they are consuming a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
👍 Teach them to Wait
If possible, train your Chihuahua to stand back from you as you prepare and set the dish. Your Chihuahua should be able to watch you preparing his meals but should not be allowed to jump or beg while you are doing so; you may train the ‘wait’ command to assist with this.
👍 Boundary
Demonstrate to your dog which areas of your home are his domain. For example, when house training your Chihuahua, walk him on a leash to a certain section of your yard and train him only to use that area. You demonstrate to them that you are the alpha dog and establish the rules by keeping them on a leash and showing them where to go.
👍 Shared Spaces
Keep your dog off your couch or bed while he is learning to be an excellent social dog. As they learn to obey you, provide them with a nice bed near you but on the floor. Recognize them with goodies and a calm tone while chatting, but don’t allow them on your level until you’re confident they’ll be a nice, well-rounded pet.
👍 Connect
Socialize your Chihuahua as often as possible to acquaint him with humans and other pets. The sooner and more frequently you can do this, the more suited he will be once he is among people and pets without your guidance.
👍 Combine these Tricks
Once your dog has completed obedience training, has been socialized, understands who feeds them and their role while waiting for their meals, and understands that they must earn their place on the couch or in your spaces, including your arms, combine all of these factors and increase their exposure to people and pets. Then, they’ll be OK if they are well-trained and well-adapted.
Potty Training a Chihuahua Puppy
The toilet and potty training will be an essential aspect of acclimating your puppy to home life. You’ll need to teach children when and where it’s proper to use the restroom. However, keep in mind that each puppy is unique, so housebreaking and training may take longer than expected.
✔️Create a Potty Routine
When you initially begin house training your Chihuahua puppy, you should create a schedule that revolves around their toileting needs. Fortunately, their bladders and intestines are pretty predictable, as they are influenced by their sleeping patterns and what they eat and drink.
It would be great if you always took your puppy out to the bathroom as soon as they woke up. Additionally, it would be excellent if you took them out the last thing at night or before leaving them alone for a lengthy amount of time to avoid any accidents overnight or while you are gone.
In addition, you should attempt to take your puppy out to the bathroom every thirty minutes to an hour. If they are new to training, it is ideal to start by bringing them out every half-hour and gradually increase to an hour.
✔️Watch what they Eat
Since puppies have undeveloped digestive systems, each meal stimulates their digestive system faster than it would in older dogs. In general, pups should urinate within fifteen minutes of eating and then defecate within half an hour.
✔️Limitation
When your Chihuahua is in the early stages of its potty training, restrict them to a small area or on a leash until you are satisfied that they can explore the home freely without having accidents.
Furthermore, consistency goes hand in hand with confinement. It entails introducing your dogs to certain toileting places so that they will learn to link going to the toilet with that region of the house or outdoors over time. Puppy pad or crate training is an excellent method to ease your dog into this aspect of potty training.
✔️Get a Puppy Pad
Puppy-pad training is beneficial for introducing the concept of your dog going to the bathroom in a certain location, but it is not a long-term solution. For example, you don’t want your Chihuahua puppy going to the potty inside instead of outside.
Essentially, the puppy pad aims to not only decrease trash but also to get your dog acclimated to the notion of doing their business in a designated place indoors.
✔️Crate Training
Crates are a safe and effective option to start potty training your Chihuahua puppy. It helps to avoid messes, allows you to keep a closer watch out for signals that he has to go, and, most importantly, teaches the dog to hold it until they are let outdoors to relieve themselves.
Make sure that their crate is big enough for the puppy to stand, turn around, and lie down in, but not big enough for him to defecate or urine in.
✔️Study the Signs
To avoid accidents at home, learn to recognize signals that your Chihuahua needs to go to the bathroom. Sniffing the floor, circling the room, seeming restless and agitated, and going into an area where they have previously toileted are all common symptoms. Every dog has distinct indications that indicate when they are ready to do their business; therefore, you must pay attention to and comprehend them.
✔️Use a Command they Understand
One of the most crucial parts of potty training your Chihuahua puppy is to pick a word they can identify with.
Teach them precise phrases or phrases that will ensure they realize it is safe to conduct their business. A signal to convince them that it is safe, and it will wire them to do it repeatedly.
✔️Give them a Treat
When your Chihuahua puppy has done peeing or pooping in the proper location, offer them a treat or positive reinforcement with praise. By rewarding positive behavior, you will establish a successful habit that will lead to much speedier housebreaking and training.
✔️Do not Scold them
Accidents may occur often, and while this might be frustrating, never yell at or reprimand the puppy. Instead, hold your tongue and don’t respond harshly because this might induce worry and fear, which can force them to pee or defecate more than they should.
How to Quiet a Barking Chihuahua
Although it may appear to be a dangerous endeavor, effective training may help you calm even the most chatty Chihuahuas. Remember that your two most effective weapons during this process are patience and consistency.
🐾Ignore their Barking
If you believe your Chihuahua is barking for attention, don’t respond until it stops. Even a passing glance at your pet might foster this unhealthy habit. Instead, when your dog stops barking, reward them, so they realize the value of being quiet.
🐾Breathe and be Calm
Shouting back at your noisy dog may encourage it to bark even louder. This is because the dog can detect your irritation through your loud voice. As a result, the dog feels frustrated, and his barking becomes exaggerated. As a result, you must remain calm and gentle with your canine partner.
🐾Be Authoritative
Chihuahuas, despite their little stature, have a commanding attitude. Because of this, a Chihuahua believes they are the boss of the house. In these situations, it is vital to let your dog know who is in charge. For example, never allow your Chihuahua to jump on you because it is a sign of dominance. Similarly, if you believe they are overly aggressive, keep them away from the furnishings.
🐾Apply the “Quiet” Method
One of the most famous methods for stopping the barking is the “talk” and “quiet” techniques. The first step in this approach is to educate your dog to bark on demand. Once the dog understands this, you may train them to obey your commands.
🐾Take Classes
If you have difficulty controlling your Chihuahua’s barking, you may enroll your dog in one of these classes. These lessons teach you to regulate your pet while exposing it to two of the most frequent barking motivators, dogs and people. Since many dogs and their parents are present, the regulated atmosphere ensures that no harm is done.
Chihuahua is Ideal for First-Time Dog Owners for a Variety of Reasons
Many allergy-prone dog owners prefer Chihuahuas because they are usually hypoallergenic. And because of their small stature and high activity level, most city people favor these dainty-sized pups.
👍Chihuahua is Low Maintenance
There are two kinds of Chihuahuas. The first kind is the Chihuahua with long hair. The second kind is the most prevalent, the short-haired Chihuahua. A Chihuahua with long hair has a lengthy coat. The coat of the short-haired Chihuahua is smooth, and the coats of these two Chihuahua breeds come in a range of hues.
Chihuahuas with short and silky coats don’t require much care or grooming. You’ll only need to brush your Chi once per several months if they have a short coat. Then, when it comes to bathing, bath them every few months. This will maintain their silky coat healthy and gleaming.
If you have longer-haired Chihuahuas, brush their coat once a week to prevent matting and knots. The Chihuahua is typically healthy, however, they must be aware of the many health issues that they may confront.
👍Indoor Exercise
Chihuahuas, despite their small stature, are high-energy canines. So, if you will be a first-time dog owner, then you will be relieved to hear that they will not take much of your time and energy. Chihuahuas require 20 to 30 minutes of exercise every day. In addition, running from room to room or following their human owners around the house helps them burn off surplus energy. As a result, Chihuahuas are ideal pets for busy pet owners.
If you want to take your Chihuahuas for a walk, a simple walk around the block will suffice to burn off some energy. Chihuahuas are calm canines who can sit in one location for hours at a time.
👍Training is a Breeze
It is critical to begin training your Chihuahuas when they are puppies. Training teaches discipline and helps to handle typical concerns like barking, aggressiveness, and resource guarding. The good news is that this canine breed is eager to learn and excels at obedience training. They also like pleasing you and when teaching your little puppies, be sure to provide a lot of positive reinforcement. They respond pretty effectively to positive reinforcement.
When there are goodies involved, Chihuahuas respond quite well. However, be mindful of how many goodies you give them since this might impact their weight. Small dog breeds, in general, cannot tolerate too many extra calories without gaining weight.
👍A Chihuahua can Fit anywhere
If your hectic schedule necessitates frequent travel, you’ll be relieved to hear that Chihuahuas are portable canines. Chihuahuas, like terrier dogs, have a high level of vocalization. Therefore, when they are pups, make sure you offer them adequate obedience training. As a result, they are well-mannered, pleasant, and easy companions when traveling.
👍A Chihuahua live a Long Life
The size of a dog influences its lifetime, according to the American Kennel Club. Many studies have indicated that smaller dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas, live longer than bigger dog types.
The Chihuahua breed has a life expectancy of 14 to 16 years since they weigh about 6.5 pounds. As a result, pet owners with smaller dogs may anticipate spending many years with their canines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it terrible if my Chihuahua follows me around all the time?
A: Although it might be unpleasant and even scary at times, the time your dog wants to follow you is nothing to worry about.
Q: What’s the deal with my clingy Chihuahua?
A: While clinging dog behavior may be motivated by mental or physical discomfort, a clingy dog is insecure and seeks attention, support, and reassurance.
Q: How do Chihuahua express their remorse?
A: Dogs apologize by developing droopy years, big eyes, and ceasing to pant or wag their tails.
Q: Is it possible for Chihuahua to have a favorite person?
A: Dogs frequently select a favorite person who matches their activity level and attitude.
Q: Is it permissible for my Chihuahua to sleep with me?
A: It’s safe as long as you’re both in good health.
Q: Do Chihuahua experience love when they are kissed?
A: When many dog owners kiss their pets, they speak to them in a cutesy or gentle tone, and the dog learns to link the kisses with the kind tone.
Final Thoughts
If your Chihuahua follows you around the home, you’re probably the one in your household who gives them the most attention. This might be food, affection, care, or enjoyment. It’s as easy as you being the one in your home who takes the greatest care of your dog.
If you want to learn how to care for your Chihuahua properly, click here. For more information about this breed, click here.
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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.
