Chihuahua Puppy Training

As most owners will tell you, Chihuahuas are bold and boisterous little dogs who think they are big dogs!  When it comes to Chihuahua puppy training it’s important to socialize your Chihuahua well from an early age.

Socialization

Socialization is particularly important for feisty little dogs like Chihuahuas because, left unsocialized, they can tend to try to dominate other pets in the household.  They may become nuisance barkers and try to prove how tough they are in the neighborhood, even if they never leave the house.  Proper socialization can help avert problems like these by teaching your Chihuahua puppy how to get along well with other animals

Many times a small dog like a Chihuahua acts like they have no idea how small they are.  Your Chihuahua may behave like he’s as big as a Mastiff. If you’re out walking him and you encounter a larger dog, your little Chihuahua may run right up to him and start barking at him.  Your Chihuahua may be fearless but not all large dogs will put up with this kind of behavior.  For your dog’s safety and just because it’s good manners, you do need to socialize your small dog so he doesn’t challenge larger dogs.  You will also need to keep your small dog on a leash and have control of him at all times when out in public.  It may be cute to see a small dog running up to big dogs but it can also be deadly.

To socialize your Chihuahua puppy you should begin taking him to pet stores and parks as soon as he has all of his vaccinations.  Let him meet other friendly dogs and friendly people.  Make sure your puppy is on a leash and ask owners before allowing your puppy to go up to their dogs.  Meeting other friendly dogs will teach your Chihuahua puppy how to properly interact with them without barking at them or getting in their face.

You should also take dog treats with you so when you meet people who want to pet your Chihuahua puppy you can give them a treat to hand to your puppy.  Do encourage friendly strangers to pet your puppy.  This will show your puppy that people are friendly and that you approve of them.  This training can prevent a lot of nuisance barking later on since your Chihuahua won’t see every person as a threat.

Make sure you take your Chihuahua puppy to lots of different places so he gets used to seeing new places and things.  This will help build his confidence.  Confident dogs do not have separation anxiety and they are comfortable being left alone at home when you need to go out.  They are secure and well-adjusted.

Puppy Training Basics

In other ways, training your Chihuahua puppy is much like training other puppies.  You can start training your puppy around 6 to 8 weeks of age.  Your puppy will learn quickly at this age but his attention span will be short.  Teach your puppy in short 10-15 minute training sessions and keep them fun.

For a Chihuahua puppy you can choose either a flat nylon buckle collar and leash or some people prefer a martingale collar and leash because of the Chihuahua’s small neck.  The martingale may be made as a large cloth piece at the front of the neck to prevent choking.  The most important things you can teach your puppy at this young age are to come when called, to sit, and to walk on a leash.  All of these lessons can be taught either with toys, with food or by using clicker training.

Chihuahuas are exceptionally bright dogs and training them is not difficult, as long as they are motivated and feel like cooperating.

Your Chihuahua puppy is a tough little dog, despite his small size.  Teach him good manners and the basics of puppy training and he should be on his way to being a great pet. I highly recommend making sure that your Chihuahua is properly trained where possible. I have found a great resource on how to train your Chihuahua. You can visit it by clicking the link below.