Puppy And Dog Tips

You cannot stop the march of the tiny dogs! They are advancing on every major city. And why shouldn’t they? People want pet dogs, but they want them without the fuss, maintenance, and expense of keeping a normal size dog. Plus, with the size of the average apartment floor plan, people want a dog that can fit into the apartment. All of it, all at once.

Petite, cute chihuahua puppies are the economy-sized solution to the dog ownership puzzle. But don’t think that they let their size act as a deterrent to ferocity. Nope, a chihuahua on the alert and on guard will put up a fierce display, three whole pounds of canine machismo. If you want people to sneak up on you undetected, don’t get a chihuahua. They’re so aggressive, they’ll bark at airplanes flying over.

Of course it’s all show. If you were that size, courage would be your only defense, too. Breeders of chihuahua puppies regularly tout their merits as a great watch dog.

Different kinds of chihuahuas

The chihuahua breed, due to its popularity, has been refined into several varieties:

* Teacup chihuahua puppies – The even amazingly-smaller chihuahua! Teacup means just what it says; the new-born puppy can fit comfortably in a teacup. This doesn’t mean they like tea. They’re Mexican, so they like tequila. No, I’m just kidding! Alcohol is toxic to dogs.

* Long haired chihuahua puppies – Somewhat larger in appearance, because they have long hair. This gives them a somewhat elfish appearance. But don’t look for a luxurious coat like a bichon frise or a shih tzu. Their coat isn’t as attractive, but is also much easier to care for.

* Blue chihuahua puppies – No kidding! The “blue” is actually more of a gray color, like a greyhound or a Burmese cat. Quite handsome! But also rarer and more expensive.

* Brown chihuahua puppies – This is the more common color of chihuahua, ranging from light tan to golden brown. Some of them get almost a white color. The lighter-colored ones tend to develop stained fur in their old age.

* Tricolor chihuahua puppies – This is the variety with black, brown, and tan markings, similar to the markings on other tricolor dog breeds. Tricolor chihuahuas tend to be more even tempered than their high-strung cousins.

* Chihuahua and pomeranian mix puppies – This half-breed has almost become a popular breed in itself, amongst the various varieties of chihuahua mix puppies. What you tend to end up with is a smaller pomeranian rather than a furry chihuahua. A hilarious practice is to name them “wookie”, after the Star Wars character.

How to raise chihuahua puppies

Tenderly. Be aware that at the smallest range of the spectrum, especially with teacup-sized, there is a tendency towards birth defects and this breed has been prone to seizures caused by the extremely small size of its skull. This is the most effective guide I could find on raising and training a Chihuahua.

Because chihuahuas are prone to nip when frightened and are so small that they are fragile, it is definitely not recommended to have small children around them. Even a cat can be a threat.

Always keep them warm. They are very warm-blooded and have a high metabolism, so this breed definitely needs a warm bed and a sweater when it goes out, at least in the winter.

Feeding chihuahua puppies

Chihuahuas are prone to hypoglycemia, which means low blood sugar. They do best with concentrated wet, meaty, canned dog food and only some dry kibble on the side. Special care must be taken not to overfeed them, particularly not too much fat, since even a little extra weight is a lot for a chihuahua to carry around. For still another complication, chihuahuas tend to be very finicky eaters, so you should watch them carefully for signs of malnutrition.

One has to understand that the chihuahua is a very delicate breed. Expect to visit the vet more often. This isn’t like a hardier breed such as a labrador or shepherd, where you can just keep it in the yard with a bag of kibble and not worry. It’s a petite, fussy breed for petite, fussy people.

Caring for chihuahua puppies

If there’s anything that this breed is, it is loyal. Even when adopted into a large family, a chihuahua will frequently pick one person and be loyal to just that person, even to the point of being extremely jealous of that person’s other companions! They also tend to be cliquish – they get along well with other small dogs but not at all with larger breeds or any other species.

Grooming isn’t much of a concern with all but the long-haired varieties, and even they will do fine with an occasional brushing. What you have to watch out for are health problems. This breed is prone to eye infections, bone and joint problems, arthritis, malformed skulls, and bronchitis. Chihuahuas have a surprisingly long life expectancy, ranging from 12 to 18 years. Here s a short and cute video on Chihuahuas -

Above all, give them lots of gentle love and care. This is definitely a breed to be cherished.

Here’s that Chihuahua training guide I mentioned earlier.

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