Breeding and Whelping Chihuahuas

To Breed or Not To Breed

We all love our little Chihuahuas and because we believe our dog is so wonderful, we often think that there should be more of them.  When deciding whether or not to breed, remember that the puppies may not be like your Chi at all.  Genetics and bloodline have a lot to do with how the puppies turn out, and you may end up with a few surprises in temperament and looks.

Talk to your veterinarian to see if your little girl is a good candidate for breeding.  Many Chis are too small to whelp safely and it is best not to attempt it.  Dogs can, and do, die during whelping and small breeds have a particularly tough time.

Also consider the overall health of your female Chi.  Does she have dental bite issues, knee problems or any other health issues that shouldn’t be passed on to a litter of puppies?  Whether breeding short or long haired Chihuahuas, bringing a litter into the world with nagging health issues is irresponsible.

The Decision is Made:  Pregnancy

If you have decided to go ahead with breeding and your female is now pregnant, take extra care with her nutrition.  Feed good quality food and discuss supplements with your veterinarian.  Vets can often confirm pregnancy about 28 days after breeding with abdominal palpation.  Later on in the pregnancy, x-rays can be taken to find out home many puppies your female Chi is carrying.  This can help when whelping time comes.

Normal gestation for a dog is sixty three days, but because of their small size many Chihuahuas go into labour two to three days early.  When it gets close to the delivery time, make sure you have someone with your girl at all times.  Small breeds like Chis should not be left alone to deliver their puppies as complications can arise.

Whelping

If you haven’t left your girl alone, then you will be ready when she begins to whelp.  She may pant, lick herself and assume a prone position in preparation for giving birth.  Some dogs refuse food, vomit and become restless during early stages of whelping.  Try to keep your girl comfortable in a warm location and monitor her progress.

If your girl has been straining to deliver for two hours or more and has not produced a puppy it’s time to go to the vet.  The puppy may be breech (coming out feet first) or is too large for your dog to deliver naturally.  Chi litters usually range from one to three pups and the fewer the puppies the larger they are.

If your veterinarian decides that your Chi needs to deliver her litter by caesarean section then be prepared for them to use a general anaesthetic for the procedure.  The veterinarian staff will care for the puppies and stimulate them just like their mother would until she comes out of the sedation.  The pups and mother are then reunited immediately.

Cost is a Consideration

Cost is a major consideration when deciding to breed your Chihuahua.  If surgery is necessary to deliver the litter it can be expensive so make sure you set aside enough money.  Also most breeders have the puppies vet checked and vaccinated at 6-8 weeks before being sold.  If there are any health concerns with the puppies you will be responsible for those vet bills as well.  

Many Chi owners are thrilled with their little dog and love to dress them up, buy fancy Chihuahua collars and do everything they can for them.  Dog parks, following up on Chihuahua training tips, and arranging doggy play dates are all fun.  These things are all expensive, but pale in comparison to the cost of whelping should your dog need veterinary assistance.  Before deciding to breed your Chi, find out all the possible costs and see if it is something that you can afford.  Breeding should not be a whim, but an informed, educated decision.

What Kind of Behaviour to Expect from your Chihuahua

If you are planning to buy a Chihuahua puppy in the near future, or have acquired one recently, there are a couple of important things you should know about Chihuahua behaviour. If you what to expect, you can save yourself a lot of hassle and frustration later on.

Common Chihuahua Behaviour Characteristics

 

One of the most common behaviour characteristics of Chihuahuas, is the devotion and loyalty they have towards their owners. This is great if you live alone, or are part of a small household, but it can be troublesome when you socialise.

 

You need to start getting your Chi used to other people from a young age, so that they are not perceived as a threat. It is not uncommon for Chihuahuas to become jealous of anyone who gets attention from their owners; this includes other animals. A jealous Chi will think nothing of taking on a much bigger dog in a territorial fight for your affection. While your Chi may be brave and foolhardy, he or she is definitely not “combat effective” against other dogs.

 

Your Chihuahua will naturally want to be at the head of your household. You need to keep reminding your Chi that you are in charge, and that members of your family rank higher in the “pack”. The negative behaviour that results from a Chihuahua's attitude of superiority, is most evident with owners with owners who spoil their pets and literally drop everything to cater to every whim for them.

 

On the subject of dropping, because yo will be carrying or holding your Chihuahua quite often, be aware of their tendency to launch themselves at other animals, or any perceived threats they may encounter. this happens without warning, and can easily result in broken bones for your Chi.

 

Biting is something all puppies do, but Chihuahuas can become very problematic, if biting is allowed to go unchecked. One expert recommends that you replicate the way in which puppies are treated by their mothers in a litter. If your Chi puppy bites, make an exclamation of pain (even if it doesn't really hurt) and nip your chi behind the neck. Replacement therapy also works, which means you give your Chihuahua a gift, such as a rubber toy to chew on and bite, instead of your hand.

 

Chi's are naturally curious and playful. If you spend long hours away from home, leaving your Chi alone, it is common for your Chi to become bored. Large bored dogs in big yards will dig holes or chew on fences, in the case of a house-bound Chi, your furniture, curtains, clothing and carpets could become potential targets for destruction.

 

Chihuahuas become startled and nervous quite easily, so adopting a Chi when you have small children, is not a good idea. Children can actually harm a Chi without intending to do so, and some people's children are just plain malicious, so be careful of kids around your Chi.

 

Your Chi's Hereditary Behaviour

While many Chihuahua training tips are effective for correcting bad behaviour that is common the breed, some Chi's are more problematic than others, due to hereditary traits. If a Chihuahua puppy has aggressive, anti-social parents, then it is very likely that the puppy will share those same traits, making your training job much more difficult.

Reputable Chihuahua breeders ought to allow you to see what the mother is like. You can then gauge more less how your Chi puppy will behave.

Teaching Your Chihuahua Obedience

Chihuahuas are a special breed of dog. Despite their diminutive size, they perceive themselves as much larger, more important animals. All dogs think in terms of “pack logic”. When a dog becomes a member of a new household, the dog does not assess its “rank” according to its place among the other pets (if there any), because they do not differentiate between dogs and humans. Dogs think that people are, in fact, “tall dogs”.

It might be to the special care that humans offer their Chihuahuas, that they automatically assume they are the “alpha dog” in a family. After all, they are very often hand fed, they wear dog clothing, they have their own special Chihuahua gifts and toys, they always sleep inside the house, and are generally spoiled in comparison to other dog breeds. 

Starting Obedience Training

From an early age, it is important for you to start training your Chihuahua to behave properly. If you neglect to do this, any negative traits they have, such as barking incessantly and biting people, will only get worse with time. You need to demonstrate to your Chi that you are the “alpha dog” of your household. 

Here are a couple of Chihuahua training tips: you should start training Chi puppies from the age of 2 months, any earlier may be counter-productive. When you do your training, make sure there are no distractions for your Chi, so avoid having the television on if you do this indoors. The optimal training session is 20 minutes long, anything longer will just confuse your Chi. Try to conduct three training sessions per day, with a minimum of one hour between sessions.

If you choose to use tasty treats as “rewards” as part of your Chi training regime, avoid sugary ones. Chihuahuas already have blood sugar issues, and introducing sugar into their diet just complicates things for their metabolism. Only give your Chi a reward when they actually do something correctly. The same goes for verbal rewards. Don't say: “Good girl!” if your Chi has done nothing more than fail to misbehave. You need to stay consistent, and be very patient. Chihuahuas can be trained just like any other dog.

If your Chi does something wrong, stop them from doing so as gently as possible and try to reinforce the proper behaviour or response. Do not shout at your Chi all the time, and never use physical punishment. This will just scare your Chi and quite possible harm them... they are delicate, despite their bravado and excitable temperament.

 

Combining voice commands with hand signals, will make your Chi understand and recognise your commands more easily. Avoid using similar sounding words for different commands. You can even consider using foreign words for basic dog commands – many K9 police dog trainers and officers use German to communicate with their dogs.

Your Chihuahua will be intensely loyal and protective over you, so it is important that you ensure that your Chi follows your orders and does not act aggressively towards strangers and other dogs.

Why Training is Good

Your Chi needs obedience training and structure. If you don't actively enforce obedience, you will end up with an unmanageable little tyrant on your hands – especially if your Chi is not your only pet. Potty training is especially important. Chihuahuas are tiny, and they tend to eat a series of small meals every day – that means they need to defecate many times a day. This can get very messy. Having a Chi, or more than one Chi that is untrained, can negatively affect your entire household: refer to MTV's series The Osbournes, where the Pomeranians, Chins and Chi's take over the house like they own it.

Holistic Nutrition for Your Chihuahua

One of the big problems with feeding Chihuahuas a healthy, balanced diet, is people's misconceptions about dog food in general. Dog owners are far too easily misled by claims from dog food manufacturers about the benefits of “scientifically formulated diets”. 

 

Dogs are primarily carnivores and like eating raw meat and chewing on real bones. They do not eat cereal, wheat or corn in the wild. They do not cook their food, or process it in any way, or need extra flavouring or colouring for the animals they have hunted and killed. They can quite safely eat semi-rotting meat and their stomachs and digestive systems have not become “weaker” because of domestication. Bear in mind that all dogs are genetically descended from wolves, even little Chihuahuas.

Going Organic and Holistic with the BARF Diet

Many pet owners treat their Chihuahuas like little toys, dolls or like small four-legged human companions. Chi owners will refer to this behaviour as “pet love”, while more level-headed pet owners will think it is eccentric at best. They dress their Chi's in little outfits, buy them Chihuahua gifts and designer Chihuahua collars and shoes. What they also do, is feed them “human” gourmet food.

While this may be better than feeding your Chi on commercial dog pellets or canned food, what your Chi really wants and needs, is raw food. That is where the “BARF” diet comes in – Bones And Raw Food.

The BARF diet is based on what dogs eat in the wild, and on what keeps dogs healthy. Cheap commercial dog food is no good for your Chihuahua. They are small, have tiny digestive tracts and many of them suffer from blood sugar imbalances. Chi's benefit a lot from a raw food diet. There are a couple of special considerations though: you should feed your Chi bite-sized chunks of meat, like chicken, beef or pork, that is raw. If you are using meat that was frozen, make sure that it is properly thawed out.

Mixing in raw fruit and vegetables is necessary for a balanced diet. Be sure to pulverise fruit and vegetables and remove the inedible parts. In the wild, dogs will eat the stomach contents of the herbivorous animal they kill. Even domesticated dogs love eating stuff like rotting fruit that lies under trees in the garden.

Raw food has all the nutrition locked in to it that a dog requires to stay healthy. Cooking removes a lot of the vitamins and minerals. The advantage of feeding your Chi raw food, is that you have complete control over the quality of the food and you know exactly what proportions are used.

 

Formulated Expensive Dog Food

 

Many companies have expensive specially formulated dog food that is supposed to contain everything your dog needs. the fact is, would you eat processed food all the time and expect to be healthy? Dogs and people benefit from a normal, diverse diet. Over a long period of time, your body will get the right nutrients of needs, from a variety of food sources. The same goes for a dog.

 

No matter how good a commercial product is supposed to be, the manufacturers are still trying to make a profit, therefore they will use filler foodstuffs whenever they can. Many dogs died a few years ago, due to melamine used in dog food, to boost the protein percentage.

You really don't know what goes into commercial dog food. Most people are oblivious about how bad human commercially prepared food is.

Consider how many dogs in modernised countries in Europe and the USA, have dietary problems, in comparison to dogs in countries like Australia, where they are fed primarily on bones and scraps, instead of commercially produced food. Then make your decision about what to feed your Chihuahua.

Remember that a Chihuahua needs frequent small meals, and that those meals need to be as nutritious and healthy as possible, due to the unique needs of the breed. If you feed you Chi junk food, as far as canine food goes, there will be consequences.

Limbo Rock — Cute Overload

Limbo Rock

May 31, 2011 By Not That Mike The Other Mike 28 Comments

We’ve seen juggling otters before, but this clever cutie raises the bar by juggling a rock over and under a tree branch, with an over-the-head flip for a finale.

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Chihuahua Behaviour

Introduction

Chihuahuas have a certain reputation for aggression that you need to consider before you decide to take one into your home.  In addition to this trait, however, they are fiercely loyal and affectionate to their families.

Behaviour traits are often genetic and are passed down bloodlines.  If possible spend some time with the doggy parents of your potential new puppy.  Their attitudes often reveal a lot about what traits to expect in your Chi.

Aggression

Whether your new puppy is a short or long haired Chihuahua, aggression can be a problem.  Chis are really a big dog wrapped into a small dog body.  Some of their aggression comes from a fear response.  Their small size makes them vulnerable but instead of retreating, they choose to go on the attack.

Fear aggression can occur is any breed of dog, but many Chihuahuas have outgoing, spirited natures which makes aggression more of a problem.  They are not the type of dog to turn the other cheek when they feel slighted.

Chis usually get along with other family pets once they have gotten to know each other, but will react strongly to strange animals.  They will often bark incessantly and try to attack other animals.  It is important to put a stop to this behaviour immediately as it just escalates with time.  Occasionally Chihuahuas respond to humans in the same manner and can become very territorial about their owners.

Loyalty

Of all dog breeds, Chihuahuas are among the most bonded with their owners.  Some of this is because they are so small they are often taken everywhere the owner goes.  This constant companionship will make your Chi incredibly loving and loyal.  They make perfect lap dogs and like nothing better than to snuggle on the couch with you.

Be careful when introducing new pets or people into their little world.  If they feel that the new intruder is competition for your attention there could be problems.  Many women have had their loyal little Chi attack their new boyfriends in an act of protection.  Introductions need to be slow and steady and your Chihuahua needs to feel that their position in your life is secure.

Some people shower their pet with Chihuahua gifts in an effort to show their love and reassure the dog.  Dogs respond best to time and attention, not fancy presents, so make sure to spend the same amount of time with your Chi that you always have.

If your Chi is being overly aggressive or is taking loyalty a step too far, make sure you seek professional help.  Finding an expert who specialises in small dogs is important.  Getting Chihuahua training tips from someone used to handling German Shepherds would be unwise.  Chihuahuas are among the tiniest dogs in the world, and it is easy for them to get hurt if the training methods are too harsh.  Positive reinforcement and subtle correction works well with Chis.

Even though they are small, Chihuahuas are still canines and have a pack mentality.  In order for your Chi to be obedient they must see you as their pack leader.  If you back down during a confrontation with your puppy, it will see itself as the leader.  You need to make sure that the dog follows your commands, not the other way around.

The Good and The Bad

When you take a new puppy into your home, it is important to remember that you take the good with the bad.  Many Chihuahuas are tiny, feisty bundles of energy.  Others can be shy and quiet.  Whatever personality traits your puppy is blessed with, they are all prone to the same dog behaviour issues.  Love and attention, professional help, and a calm patient demeanour are all elements that can help address potential behaviour problems.

Ooh, Hello Sugah!

APRIL 28, 2011

 by 

NOT THAT MIKE THE OTHER MIKE

Welcome to mah bood-wah, honey child! Do pah-don me fuh just a moment while ah glide into somethin’ a little more comfortabuhls…

That sugar glider flying squirrel should open up a kissing booth, Miriam S.

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