how do i make a chihuahua feel more at home?

Question

im getting a chihuahua. what do i do if it bites.

Answer 1

I have a chihuahua and when he bits I tell him "NO" and give him something safe for him to chew on. He loves puppy knog and also all natural "texas toothpicks" they are good for his teeth too. I get them at a specialty pet store.

Answer 2

You did not say whether the dog is a puppy or a grown dog that someone is passing on to you.

If it's a puppy, you should have no trouble with biting. If it's grown and the dog doesn't know you, ask the previous owner if the dog will take to strangers.
Chihuahuas need warmth and company. If you are gone all day, make sure there is a warm bed with sides to keep drafts out. A box with the front cut out for entry will satisfy initially.

The dog will sense your caring or fear. Don't cross the 'dog bite' bridge before you get to it. If the dog seems unfriendly when you first get it, leave it in a tall box or pet carrier for awhile and talk to it. Put some newspaper in the box and some water. Offer it some food or a small milk bone. Every time you pass the box, say hello____. The dog will pick up on your friendliness and probably clamor to get out.

Gingerly/carefully try to pet it before you let it out into the house. If it doesn't growl or nip at you but seems to enjoy your petting, take it out for a little while and let it get to know your place. Be sure to collar and leash it for potty walks if no other. That makes you the master-in-charge. Keep the leash short and the dog close to your heel. You should have little or no problems if you keep to staying in charge.

Watch out for other dogs, chihuahuas don't know they are little, they'll take on anything.

Answer 3

A lot of chihuahuas can be nippy. The key is to be firm with him/her from the start and do not allow any nipping or chewing of hands, feet clothing, etc.Also make sure that you play with the ears, feet, open mouth and look at teeth etc at least once a day. This helps them to get used to you examining them and also makes them easier for others to handle. Expose them to as many people and situations as possible- good socialization is the key to a good, well adjusted dog. When he/she nips or chews you can either hold mouth closed and say in a low growly voice "no Bite", or flip him/her on their back and say no bite. The tone of voice is very important. Also consistency is the key here. If this does not work, put the puppy down give it something suitable to chew on, like toy or rawhide, and walk away. Also to make him/her feel more at home a cozy crate of a comfy bed will help. Dont let a puppy sleep in the bed with you because this makes them think they are dominant or equal to you. This is not the message to send. Make sure they have their own place where they can get away and feel comfy and safe to sleep. This will be better for them and you as well. Good luck!

Answer 4

If it bites. Correct it. Make it understand that is not good. The chihuahua will make itself feel at home the more he/she gets to know you.

Answer 5

Hi! I have a male and a female chihuahua who had three puppies 13 weeks ago. We were going to sell the pups, but decided to keep them instead. I would not give them up for anything. Chihuahua's are very loving, loyal to their owners, protective, friendly if they are raised that way, easy to take care of, very low maintenance, great watch dogs, and they love to be held and cuddled. You can also take them with you just about anywhere. As far as how to make it feel more secure, just treat it right, give it alot of love, and if you can, get him/her some clothes, a special little bed, toys, collars with little bells so they don't get stepped on, and lot's of treats. When you first bring it home, it may be a little scared because of its unfamiliar surroundings, but in time, it will adjust, and believe me, they are alot of fun. Just give it a little time to adjust, and comfort it.. As far as biting you, just like with any breed, if it does not feel threatened in any way, you don't really have to worry about getting bit.Hope this helps! Good Luck! Have lot's of fun with him/her.

Answer 6

make sure to give it enough "alone time" when it first arrives, so it can accustom itself to its new surroundings. don't play or pet it for at least the first two to three hours. after it starts feeling somewhat more secure in its new environment, it'll begin to start looking for someone to play with - mainly, you!. as long as you're gentle and kind, therefore not making it feel unsafe or threatened, it will not bite. good luck ! =]

Answer 7

if it bites tell it"no" then pat it a little bit on the hard side on the bottom and keep doing that untill it learns to behave

Answer 8

to make it feel more at home shrink and grow fur

and if it bites put a plaster on it








you not the dog

Answer 9

The best thing you can do for you and your Chihuahua is to educate yourself prior to bringing the pet home. You need to learn to be the leader of the pack when it comes to your dog. Dogs are pack animals and it's important that your dog learn that you are the leader. This will make the dog more comfortable and will help it know exactly what is expected and how to behave. Dog training is really for both of you. Make sure you enroll in a good class and properly socialize your dog. I strongly recommend the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, he is a wonderful dog trainer and has a wealth of information on his site as well as books, DVD's, etc. By educating yourself with him book you will be helping to give your dog the best start and that will make your dog feel more at home than any 'outfit', toys, etc...

Make sure that your dog comes from a responsible breeder, check to see how the parents behave. As a puppy learns so much from it's mother and litter mates right from the beginning. If the mother dog has aggression problems or isn't properly socialized her puppies will be more likely to be more aggressive. Good breading makes a huge difference, genetics are just as important with choosing your puppy. Also you want to ensure the dogs have been kept in clean conditions, if they haven't and have been allowed to defecate where they sleep beware, this will make it harder to properly housetrain your dog. Dogs who have been allowed to do this (pet store dogs especially) are known as dirty puppies, it means they will pee and poop anywhere including where they sleep. A dog will naturally want to keep his bed area clean. Often pet store puppies, puppies from puppy brokers, bad breeders or puppy farms no longer have this natural instinct as they have been taught it's okay to go anywhere.

Get a very small crate, you may need to block off some of the crate if it is large enough for the puppy to use the bathroom on one end of the crate and sleep in the other. Your puppy will feel secure in a crate, he will learn this is his 'room' as they are naturally den animals. Read books and information on crate training, it's one of the quickest ways to teach your puppy that he has a secure place of his own and to housetrain your puppy. Our dog’s crates fold down so when we travel we always take the crates with us. Then no matter where we go the dogs know they have a safe place of their own.

Make sure your puppy is supervised at all times when out of the crate. Make sure you get a good product such as Get Serious or Nature's Miracle for cleaning up accidents promptly, these products remove the 'scent' a dog will leave behind after an accident. Normal household cleaners don't remove the enzymes and the puppy will think it's okay to go in this area.

Puppies can get mouthy, they need to chew. Make sure to get some good chew toys. When your puppy nips or chews something other than their toy, use a firm NO term, not screaming or yelling, just a firm deep no. Then give your puppy something appropriate to chew on instead. When the puppy chews it's toy instead say 'yes' or 'good'. You can then reward the puppy with a small training treat or a soft pet of the head.

Make sure you take your puppy potty after drinking water and after eating. As well as after a long play session or when your puppy wakes up from a nap.

Properly socialize your puppy with other dogs, pets and people. Be sure and ask your vet questions as well. They are there not only for the health of your pet but with training questions as well. You may want to write down your questions prior to a vet visit so that it's easier to remember what you wanted to ask. It's easy to get distracted in a busy vet’s office.

Teaching your puppy proper manners, being the leader and proper socializing the puppy are the most important things you can do to set up a good relationship between you and your dog. Knowing what to expect and how to behave is the best gift you can give your dog. It will ensure your puppy doesn't become aggressive or spoiled. You will both be happier in the long run! Reward good behavior with training treats, they are smaller than regular treats so you can give them more often for good behavior. Learning commands like sit, stay, etc. Also boost your dogs self esteem, they enjoy learning new things just as you do. While your puppy is small limit the training time to shorter periods of time as it is harder for a puppy to concentrate as they grow older their attention span is longer. Dogs enjoy 'working' they like to have a purpose just like people. Agility is a great outlet for Chihuahua’s excess energy. They also make great 'pet therapy' dogs because of their small size. Children, cancer patients or senior citizens in the hospital, hospice or nursing homes often benefit from pet therapy. It's also good for your dog to have a 'job'. Make sure to walk your dog often as dogs that are well exercised have less aggression or other behavior problems. A tired dog is a happy dog!

You want to set you puppy up for success and

Answer 10

if your so scared its going to bite you then do get the dog !!!!!!!