How To Train A Chihuahua? Can You Command Your Chihuahua Correctly?

Chihuahuas seem like tiny dogs that require extreme care and patience while handling, but once these little dogs learn to be obedient from a young age, they are the best companions.

Are you willing to get a Chihuahua and cuddle it all day long? As exciting as it feels, it is also a must that you know how to train a Chihuahua.

Chihuahuas need special care because of their small size, and they find it difficult to adjust quickly to a new neighborhood. They require a specific training schedule and a routine of repeated sessions to understand basic commands.

Whether it is potty training, going for a walk, eating habits, everything requires a lot of patience and skills, especially when it comes to Chihuahuas.

It is different to train a Chihuahua puppy than to train a normal and popular breed of dog.

It is advised to start training your Chihuahua puppy well in advance so that when it turns into an adult it will be your best companion. Read on to find out the benefits of having a Chihuahua as compared to larger dogs.

After reading about how to train a Chihuahua from a young age, also check out where do Chihuahuas come from and how to train a pitbull.

Why are Chihuahuas so hard to house train?

Chihuahua owners face a primary difficulty in training their Chihuahuas when it comes to house training them. Chihuahuas have a stubborn personality. Hence, they like to do things their own way. This is the main obstacle in training this dog.

Another part of this difficulty is the small size of Chihuahuas. The other breeds are easier to train, but when it comes to Chihuahuas, things might get quite out of hand.

Due to their miniature size, Chihuahuas can easily slip away and start doing things they want, which can appear to be troublesome. Before the owner even realizes it, the damage has already been done!

Chihuahuas have a huge appetite, but their bodies can't hold waste, so they are frequently in need of elimination. They have to increase their potty rounds, and hence it becomes difficult for the owners to keep a watch during the initial days of their training.

Chihuahuas are native to Mexico. They belong to a country that has a warm climate. They were bred to be household dogs. So, to some extent, they are well behaved.

Hence, they have become more weather-sensitive than other breeds. Chihuahuas can resist being in the cold, snow, and rain. But their aversion to adverse weather can frustrate the owner during house training.

Besides these mentioned training obstacles, Chihuahuas also have a nervous personality. This can be a behavioral trait for small dogs or even puppies. Chihuahuas can feel insecure about the area around your home.

If you live in a noisy place in a neighborhood with constant traffic or kids playing, then Chihuahuas might feel insecure about that. They may feel threatened by those noises. Being around a nervous dog is also not comfortable for the owner.

Also, another important factor to be considered while training your pet is that Chihuahuas are more sensitive to punishment during training compared to other dogs. Raising your voice for no reason, or celebrating too loudly, may scare the dog.

If you potty train your Chihuahua, and he does it right, make sure that you don't get too excited about it because it might scare your pet. This discourages them from coming near you. It is also hard for Chihuahuas to learn communication skills.

They find it difficult to figure out what some instructions mean or even the basic commands. At times, they may not understand when they have to inform the owner if they need something. It is harder for them to get better at communicating compared to other dogs.

How to train a Chihuahua?

The best time to start house training for Chihuahuas is when they are young puppies. It might not be possible for every owner out there, but as the dog gets older, house training becomes really difficult. The sooner, the better. Once the puppy gets to eight weeks old, you can start to train him. 

Whenever it comes to training your pets, patience is the key. Especially when it comes to Chihuahuas, perhaps you need extra patience. Potty training does take time. Some puppies find it difficult to hold their bladders until 12 weeks of age. So having an obedient dog is the goal, but patience is the process to achieve it.

A common trick in obedience training is to have reward-based training. Usually, dog training can get pretty harsh and aggressive if the dog does not comply with it. Owners then scold their dogs or rub their noses in such cases.

But this harsh technique is harmful to Chihuahuas. It can even traumatize them, which will lead to severe long-term effects. This may encourage the small dogs to not answer their owners when they are called.

Hence, the best way is to have reward-based training, and you can have definite results. One personality trait of Chihuahuas is that they are highly motivated to please their owners.

And if this includes their favorite treat, then it's a win-win. So, all you need to do is to find a favorite treat for the dog and he will work to earn it.

Another way to train and encourage the obedient behavior of your dog is to take him out for a walk. Roaming in the open gives them a sense of freedom and will encourage them to be well-behaved.

A Chihuahua puppy, in particular, may find it interesting to roam outside frequently and will mind his own business. There is much more to the outer world than a home can offer and this will make your pet happy. It will make the Chihuahua socialize in the outer world.

It doesn't always have to be fancy playdates with another puppy or just a walk. Socializing dogs goes beyond interacting with other breeds.

It is exposure to a wide range of uncommon and unexpected situations and individuals. Processing the world outside the home is also crucial in dog training. If you are training your Chihuahua pup, make sure that you take them out every 20-30 minutes.

This will not only help in bonding with each other but will also give you a happy and calm puppy. In the future, this practice will make him a calm dog.

All puppies need to be handled with care, but extra care is needed when it comes to a Chihuahua puppy. This also includes handling a puppy by people other than the owner.

Since these are small dogs, it is evident that they will be carried around and passed from one person to another. If the Chihuahua puppy is not properly socialized then it might feel scared. It is important for the puppy to be fearless or it may even end up biting the people around it.

Chihuahua Obedience Training

Whenever you take your dog out for a walk, the most important and noticeable thing is how obedient your dog is. Hence, it is necessary that the dog must know how to walk politely on a leash in public.

Be it an adult Chihuahua or a puppy, they are small in size and people may refrain from training them to walk politely.

Obedience training provides a background for your dog to understand your basic commands and instructions. An obedient dog is also the most loved in public. People love to interact with dogs who are obedient and have basic behavioral discipline.

The specific training involves teaching your pet to practice walking alongside its owner. This can be done by having continuous sessions with your dog. Set a routine and go out.

Maintain that timetable and practice training sessions with your pet. Make sure that you visit the same places every time and at the same time. This will help them naturally adapt to the routine. Use a stick with a target to show them where to sit and when to stop.

When you sit beside them, make sure that you don't move much or shuffle, because even the slightest noise will scare them. This will hamper the training sessions. Give them a treat when they complete a task.

Also, there are obedience training schools that offer training courses for your dog. Once done with basic training by professionals and experts, your pet is ready to understand your instructions.

These experts focus on practical training and up-to-date commands to tell their dogs or puppies to learn them in daily life. Trainers also encourage positive reinforcement rather than harsh punishment to make their dogs more obedient.

The training class will cover basic disciplinary actions like sitting down when an owner stops walking, walking on the left side of the owner, standing up when some other person or a friendly stranger pets him, responding when called and going to the owner, remaining calm and in position even when other dogs are making chaos, and avoiding distraction amidst outer surroundings.

The goal of obedience training is to create a happy partnership between the owner and the dog. Did you know that obedience training is also a popular dog sport?

So, if you and your Chihuahua enjoy training, you can take up this sport as a hobby!

Chihuahua Toilet Training Limitations

Being small in size, they have an immense appetite but will not have the capacity to store it, which requires them to take a potty break more often. 

This is the most essential part of dog training. Chihuahuas also need to be trained longer since they are stubborn and may not comply with all the instructions given by the owner as compared to an older dog.

These difficult dogs are also easily scared, which makes it a little tricky for them to pee in the outer world. If not trained to pee at home, they may not obey and it may take time to figure out their own potty and pee instincts.

Although, with an effective routine, it can be assumed that your puppy can hold it for about two to three hours during the day, especially when they are 10-12 weeks.

During the night, it can be considered up to five to six hours.

So, let's say if the owner has to work outside of the house for a minimum of eight hours, they may need to come on their own or have a puppy sitter to hop around every time it is lunch break or potty break.

Experts say that adult Chihuahuas can never be able to hold their pee for more than six hours.

So, if you traditionally have a work shift, then you need to have a potty routine for your dog.

But if your workplace is filled with dog lovers and has a required setting, then taking your dog with you to work can also be a possible option.

What is small dog syndrome?

Interestingly, even humans have a similar syndrome. Small Man syndrome, which is popularly known as Napoleon Syndrome, as the name suggests, originates from Napoleon, who was a short but aggressive and dominant leader in several battles. It is similar when it comes to the Chihuahua breed.

The small syndrome is the most common behavior among small dogs. It makes them capable of dominating bigger animals.

The small syndrome makes your dog more aggressive and can dominate larger animals. Your dog might feel less concerned about you because they no longer want to behave according to your commands. So, they will decide what they want and when they want it.

Your instructions will not be responded to, and it may feel like your dog is out of your control. What drives this small syndrome behavior is the small size of this particular breed. The reason is that they are smaller than other animals and humans, which generates a normal tendency to act tough to survive on the planet.

How to train a Chihuahua not to bite?

This one is an essential training requirement for pet owners. Chihuahuas need to learn to be comfortable even when they are not around their owners. That means they need to feel comfortable in their home all alone so that they will not bark all day and be fearless and calm.

In particular, baby Chihuahuas need to be given crate training where they are provided with a space to create their own comfort. This will reduce their barking instincts.

After a certain period of comfort, the puppy might also start to feel separation anxiety when the owner is not around. Therefore, a crate will be the most convenient and comfortable place for the puppy whenever you are not around or going for a long weekend.

Once they find comfort in the place and amidst the crowd, they will feel less threatened and will not bite. Chihuahuas bite only if they feel threatened.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to train a Chihuahua, then why not take a look at can dogs have citrus or Chihuahua facts?