Chihuahuas are one of the tiniest dog breeds on the planet. These dogs are every bit as impressive as their name suggests! Chihuahuas are sometimes refer to as “nasty” or “biting” dogs, and some people dislike them for it. Why are Chihuahuas Mean?
They are unquestionably well-known, and they have a terrible reputation among the general public because they are perceived as cruel. These claims are valid, but chihuahuas are not naturally vicious dogs, contrary to popular belief.
Several Factors Contribute to their Mean Behavior
🦴 Chihuahuas are tiny dogs
Chihuahuas are well-known for their small size, and they are acutely aware of this fact as well. As a result, from the perspective of a chihuahua, everything and everyone else is too large in comparison.
When a dog is threatened by something, it will respond with a natural “fight or flight” response. These tiny dogs notice a giant dog approaching them, they become incredibly defensive. When they are in their protective mode, they may exhibit behaviors that appear to be predatory.
These little dogs have a character for being obnoxious and unruly. However, because of their small size, chihuahuas are more susceptible to being intimidated, and as a result, their “fight” response is more likely to be triggered in them.
🦴 Poor Breeding
Chihuahuas receive not only their physical appearance but also their characteristics from their parents and grandparents. It’s pretty intriguing.
As a result, their personality is influence by the genetic temperament of their forefathers and foremothers. If two dogs with bad temperaments are bred together. The gene for a lousy character will be passed on to their offspring.
These little dogs, like human beings, have inherent traits and characteristics from their ancestors, just as humans do. Friendly ancestors are more likely to have social offspring than hostile ancestors. As a result, if you plan to adopt from a breeder. It is recommend that you meet the chihuahua parents first.
In this way, you will get a sense of what type of pet you will have. Chihuahuas can be loud, calm, social, antisocial, or bold; they are all distinct personalities. According to studies, genetics contribute to only 35% of your dog’s personality. The remaining 65% resulting from socialization and training.
This demonstrates that the environment, the environment, and the company have a significant impact on the temperament of these small dogs. They will undoubtedly pick up both bad and good habits from their surroundings. And even though you get a chihuahua with a gene for a short fuse, training is still essential, which brings us to the next point that we will cover: socialization.
🦴 Inadequate or incorrect socialization and training
The period between the ages of seven and sixteen weeks is the most critical for socialization. Some dog owners do not attempt to train their dogs, while others overindulge in spoiling them.
This can include transporting them everywhere, denying them the opportunity to interact with animals or people other than themselves, excusing bad behavior, and laughing it off when signs of aggression are display.
This type of treatment can make chihuahuas wary of everyone. Making them more likely to bark and bite when someone intrudes into their territory. Pushing them out of their comfort zone, handling them roughly, and another adverse history with people or other animals at an early age can leave chihuahuas permanently paranoid and defensive when they encounter strangers for the rest of their lives.
Past experiences have a significant impact on these little dogs, just as they do on human beings. They can retain negative memories from the past and associate specific places and people with those negative recollections.
Consider this scenario: A stranger accidentally hit the dog with a stone while walking through a park, and the dog became fearful of walking near-strangers, meeting them, or even visiting that park again. Consequently, you must learn to recognize and understand your dog’s behavior.
🦴 They are currently on a period (for females chihuahuas)
A female dog may have a period twice a year, once every six months, or once every twelve months. Female dogs, on the other hand, have a different menstrual cycle interval depending on their breed. As a result, a giant female dog may go through a menstrual cycle three times per year.
If you have a female chihuahua, she is acting irritable because she is in the middle of her menstrual cycle.
When in doubt, check on your female chihuahuas to see if they are on their period; if they are, be patient with them as they may become agitated throughout their period week.
Providing your female Chihuahua with their favorite food and ensuring that she drinks enough water to stay hydrated are the most effective things you can do for her while menstruating. “
Having a diaper ready for your female chihuahuas is also recommend if you want to avoid blood stains on your carpet or your floor.
🦴 Depressed
Various factors can cause dogs to become depressed, including moving into a new house, having a new dog, having a new pet, or feeling abandoned by their owners.
It’s important to remember that an angry dog is not necessarily a happy dog and that an always angry dog is a nervous dog. If your chihuahuas are going through a period of depression or sadness, they may become easily irritated, and they may also become angry most of the time.
However, there are some things that you can do to prevent your chihuahuas from spiraling into a state of depression in the future. You can use up a little more time with them, talk to them, and even pet them if you want to. Anything you can do to alleviate their sadness will be greatly appreciated by them.
🦴 They Are Trying to Get Your Attention
Chihuahuas are considered to be a responsible breed of dog and can be left alone for extend periods. However, if your Chihuahua spends too much time alone, they may become depressed or even turn away from you completely.
Although your Chihuahua is independent, they may occasionally crave attention. Your chihuahuas might be a little bossy every time they want to be petted or played with. They will sometimes become agitated to command you to pet them or pay attention to their needs.
Dogs, like people, have feelings. That is why they are aware of your distancing yourself from them. Dogs, like humans, will yearn for their owner’s attention at all times. Because dogs are reliant on humans, as opposed to cats, who are far more self-sufficient.
Your Chihuahua is likely getting frustrate and angry every time you pick up your laptop or sit down to work. This is because they are trying to get your attention.
Every day, give your chihuahuas some love and attention. The scientific community has determined that chihuahuas may require two or more hours of attention per day to be stable and happy.
🦴 A lack of exposure to social situations
Many years ago, I had an eight-pound chihuahua who lived with me, and I noticed a few things about him during his time here. In the past few weeks, I’ve seen that my Chihuahua becomes agitated whenever people come to my house or when he encounters other dogs while I’m taking him to the mall or the park.
I looked into the temperament of my Chihuahua on the internet and discovered that chihuahuas might become agitated all of the time if they do not receive enough socialization. Chihuahuas confined to their homes and have no opportunity to interact with other people or dogs are more likely to be aggressive toward them.
Every dog needs to be socially healthy to thrive. Animals, like humans, require a social life to thrive. Dogs that have been domesticate and have healthy social interactions with other dogs or humans are less probably to experience anxiety or depression than other dogs or humans.
You must take your chihuahuas on walks every weekend if you want them to be friendly to other dogs and people. Set a schedule for taking your Chihuahua out, and make sure to do so once a week so that they become accustomed to interacting with other people and dogs.
Doing this regularly is indeed beneficial to your Chihuahua’s health, and it will also make them more pleasant and friendly dogs.
🦴 They don’t feel safe
Regardless of their breed, all dogs are trained to take a defensive stance whenever they detect a potential threat or danger approaching them or their owner. Being on the defensive all of the time, on the other hand, is not normal.
Your Chihuahua is constantly agitate because they believe that their lives are in danger. They don’t feel safe, and they think that everything new to them is a threat to their safety. That is why they must act agitated to scare away other dogs or people they believe are a threat to them.
This is not good for your Chihuahua’s health.
Your responsibility is to ensure that your Chihuahua always feels safe by creating a safe environment for them. Chihuahuas don’t deserve to scare and anxious all of the time, and neither do you.
If you know from the beginning that you will be unable to provide a safe environment for your dogs, then refrain from getting one. They will only experience anxiety every time and may succumb to their illness sooner rather than later.
Best Way To Teach My Chihuahua Not To Be Mean
The following are the various steps you can take to train your Chihuahua not to constantly agitate:
✔️ Instruct them on how to be respectful.
Dogs are deem to be among the most intelligent animals on the planet. They can pick up information quickly and retain it.
The only way to make your chi-chi less aggressive is to teach them the importance of being obedient. How? You can improve your performance by instilling respectful commands such as sit, stay, come, and stop.
It is essential to reward your chihuahuas when they perform the obedient commands that you have given them to ensure that they continue to follow your orders. The more you reward them, the more likely they will follow your instructions and do the things you taught them regularly.
On the other hand, training them necessitates patience, as dogs are intelligent but not as bright as humans. Ensure to be patient with them and to carry on with your obedient training routine as usual.
✔️ Instruct them on how to interact with others.
Allow your Chihuahua to socialize with other dogs or people who are not their own. Introduce them to other dogs or other people in a non-threatening and appropriate manner.
Reward your Chihuahua after socializing well and showing no signs of becoming angry with other people or animals. However, if your Chihuahua is interacting with other people, keep an eye on them because they may become aggressive or angry at any point in the interaction.
If they become aggressive, make sure to remove them from the situation as soon as possible to avoid them biting anyone. When your chihuahuas act anxious or aggressively, do not reward them with treats or pets or carry them around with you.
✔️ Maintain A Positive Relationship With Your Chihuahua.
In addition, even if you are the dog’s owner, your Chihuahua may be aggressive toward you. The most common reason your Chihuahua acts aggressively or is constantly angry with you is that they are not obedient to you and your instructions.
However, there is another reason for their behavior: they no longer feel your love for them. If you don’t spend sufficiently with your Chihuahua, they will be able to tell that you are trying to distance yourself from them.
It is possible to help your chihuahua cope with their aggressive behavior by cultivating a positive relationship with them. Keep in mind that spending two or more hours with them every day is essential to keeping them happy and healthy.
Varieties of Chihuahuas
If you want to acquire a chihuahua, you should think about what type of Chihuahua you would like to buy first. The following are the various breeds of chihuahuas that you can purchase.
📌 Chihuahuas with short and long hair are the most common
The only difference between short and long-haired chihuahuas is the thickness of their coats or their fur.
Depending on the breed, long-haired chihuahuas can have a variety of coat colors. It can occupy two to three years for long-haired chihuahuas to reach their full coat development.
It is beneficial to have a chihuahua with long hair. Conversely, if you are a stubborn pet owner who prefers to spend less time grooming their chihuahuas, I recommend that you get a short-haired chihuahua instead
📌 Chihuahuas with Apple Heads are a type of Chihuahua.
First and foremost, the shape of their skill, similar to the formation of an apple, is something you might notice in this type of Chihuahua. It is for this reason that they are refer to as apple-headed chihuahuas.
It is believed that they are born with molera, which is a condition in which the muzzle is shorter than in other breeds of Chihuahua. A molera is a small hole in the top of the Chihuahua’s skull that allows the dog to breathe. A similar structure can be found in human babies, called the bregmatic or anterior fontanelle.
📌 Chihuahuas with Deer Heads
Deer head chihuahuas, like Apple head chihuahuas, can distinguish from one another by the shape of their skulls.
Would you please continue reading this section if you missed the subtle distinction between deer heads and apple-headed chihuahuas?
They may not appear to be identical twins, but they do have one thing in common. Dogs with deer head shapes have a slightly longer head shape, and their noses do not have a slope to them like other breeds. In addition, when fully grown, deer head chihuahuas weigh significantly more than apple head chihuahuas do.
📌 Teacup Chihuahuas are a small breed of Chihuahua.
You may be wondering what the meaning of this chi-name chi is. The only grounds they are referred to as “teacups” is because they are too small to fit in a standard-sized teacup.
Teacup chihuahuas are the smallest breed of Chihuahua, and they weigh less than five pounds, making them small to be carried in your hand with your index finger and middle finger.
However, while it is lovely to see teacup chis around because they are so tiny and adorable, this particular breed of Chihuahua does not feel the same way. Why? In addition to being considered abnormal due to their small size, teacup chihuahuas are likely to suffer from genetic issues, making particularly painful.
Final Words
However, just because they’re small and have a reputation for being “mean” doesn’t mean they should be avoided at all costs. It would benefit if you discussed the possibility that your dog is not adequately trained and does not possess the necessary socialization abilities. As a dog owner, you can assist your dog in improving its socialization skills.
Furthermore, if your Chihuahua’s ancestors were a little aggressive, your small dog’s aggressiveness may be a result of hereditary factors. In any case, do not generalize about your little dog and do not assume that he is innately rude.
They, like humans, are capable of adapting to a variety of new environments and situations. The most important thing is to train them to be respectful while also being gentle with them. Be there to defend them when they require your assistance, but also teach them to be confident in their abilities and abilities.
You should assist your small dog in making new acquaintances. Please don’t keep them away from past their limits, and always patient with them because chihuahuas are extremely loyal canines who deserve to treat as such.
Because their breed lives for an extended period, proper training and socialization are essential. Most importantly, it would help if you recognized that not all chihuahuas are vicious and must extend a warm welcome to them with open arms.
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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.