Is a chihuahua a good pet to get if you have small children? I heard they can be very aggressive.....?

Question

FREMONT, Calif. Dec 30, 2005 (AP)— A pack of angry Chihuahuas attacked a police officer who was escorting a teenager home after a traffic stop, authorities said.

The officer suffered minor injuries, including bites to his ankle, Detective Bill Veteran said.

The five Chihuahuas escaped the 17-year-old boy's home and rushed the officer in the doorway Thursday, authorities said. The teenager had been detained after the traffic incident.

The officer was treated at a hospital and returned to work less than two hours later.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1456272

Answer 1

If you get a dog as a puppy and bring it up around children then it should be fine. If your kids are at that stage where they want to tug on the dog, pull ears, etc then you might want to wait until the kids are a bit older - it will save you and the dog a lot of headaches.

Answer 2

Where in the world are you people getting your Chihuahua's?
I raise Chihuahua's, and while the smaller, less sturdy ones are not a great choice for a home with small, wild children, the larger +6lb are just as good with children as any other breed.
If a parent allows their child to pull and drag the puppy around by the tail, ears and leg, the chihuahua doesn't have much recourse except to run and hide or bite, as it he tries to defend itself the best way it can.
Barbie Girl, gave the most sensible answer I saw.
If the parent shows the child how to handle the chihuahua, without trying to rip its limbs out of their sockets....and socializes the dog with other people, the dog will be well adjusted and love everyone.
Bad behavior is usually a taught condition, not a genetic condition.

Answer 3

That is a bunch of crap. Chihuahuas are only agressive if they arent socialized, along with every other breed of dog. Some chihuahuas though can be nervous since they are so small and everything else is big. Chihuahuas are fine with children if you get one as a puppy and it grows up with the children. Chihuauhuas arent meant for rough play like a boxer though. Chihuahuas have very fragile bones so you might want to get a more sterdier dog. I have a little girl who weighs three pounds. Chihuahuas are very very very small. They are obviuosly the smallest dog breed. They weigh 2-6lbs and their height ranges from 6-9". All of those stories are just made up. People dont know the breed and just assume ( because of what theyve heard and seen in movies ) that chihuahuas are vicous little dog who nip and bite everybody but their owner. In some cases thats true, but most cases happen with rescued chihuahuas. Good luck! I love chihuhuahuas and wouldnt trade her for the world

Answer 4

My a parents have two Chihuahuas both are always being played with by kids under five years of age and over twelve.They don't like to leave there dogs alone so they drop them off here I take them to the school there so good with the kids but they were raised with kids.My kids are all over them and theres never been a problem

Answer 5

Those dogs were in a pack, and they perceived a threat to a family member. Chi's are not normally aggressive, but they're not too good for children, either. It's just too easy for one to harm the other. A couple of times I've seen them nip kids in self-defense. The kids were just playing, but they played too rough for a small dog like that.
A medium-sized mutt from your local animal shelter makes the best and most practical pet for kids or adults, for lots of reasons. Mutts in general are happier, healthier, longer-lived, gentler, smarter, and more stable-tempered than ANY type of purebred dog.

Answer 6

Chihuahuas are aggressive, but very loyal to one person. They will tolerate others, but they are a one person dog. They DO NOT mix with Children at all. Young adults maybe.Even the 1/2 breeds are a little aggressive.

Answer 7

Chihuahuas are not good with children. They are very nervous dogs. Pooldes are great with kids though! Cocker spaniels are good too and the females are better with kids than the males.

Answer 8

chihuahua can be agressive. they are brave and protective, but due to their small size, they can be hypersensitive at times. dogs of small size see the world differently. they see huge people and huge kids. they are going to feel threatened at times, some breed of dogs will run away, some breed of dogs will chose to attack. chihuahua will most likely attack, or at least bark. They are, if properly trained and raised, fun and loving dogs. If you have kids and want small dogs, i would recommend malte-poo. they are maltese and mini-poodle mixed. maltese sometimes can be tiny bit aggressive, but they seldom attack and they are really loving dogs. poodle have really nice temper and are smart, but can be hyper at times. the mix of these two breeds are smart, loving, not overly hyper(because of the maltese blood). However, this is just a general description of the breed. you need to chat with the breeder and tell him/her about your kids, he/she will help you choose the dog that fit your family. also, you need to educate your kids to play nicely with the dogs. kids and dogs have to be supervised when they are together.

Answer 9

no. most are avery aggresive, and can pee on the carpet, because they are a VERY nervous breed of dog. I would go with (if you are looking for a small dog) a boston terrier; they are VERY even-tempered and great for kids, or just visit your local animal shelter. they will probably have some great kid-friendly dogs and you will save a life.


-KK

Answer 10

no they would be poor choice and not good for protecting children. Mixed dog at least 50 lbs from the Animal Protection with a good disposition would be a good choice.