jdomino said:
Find out if there is a chihuahua rescue group in your area. They could provide a lot information and help you pick out a dog.
Hi jd,
This is the best advice. A local chihuahua rescue group can also inform you about all the pro's and con's of the breed since they have so many dogs from people who wanted to get rid of them.
I have a Chihuahua, and I have talked with many chihuahua enthusiasts over the internet. I have heard some complaints about the breed, even from people who love them and have them as pets. They tend be difficult to potty train. They can be very stubborn about peeing on the rug once they get a spot started. My husband's chihuahua took two years to break her of the habit of peeing on the rug! Most people would have dumped the dog by then but my wonderful husband just learned to lay carpet and linoleum in the worst spot near the front door (that's where she would get nervous, I guess).
Chihuahua's can be very protective of their owners. That's why they snarl and snap when they are sitting on their owner's lap and another person walks up to say hello. You have to constantly warn people to not touch your dog when on the lap. My dog is more friendly if she's on the ground and not on my lap, but even then you have to approach her cautiously.
She barks if the phone rings. That is pretty annoying after awhile! She barks if anyone makes a knocking noise too. hahaha. She thinks it's the door.
My dog also insists on being on my lap or crammed next to me on the sofa. The reason is that she gets cold really easily. So you absolutely can not leave a chihuahua outside at all, not even for a little while (unless it's a sunny, warm day, and you have a very safe yard. Chihuahua's tend to get snatched since they look so cute and small, so I wouldn't leave mine outside alone at all.)
Most chihuahaus do not tolerate being left alone for very long. They do much better with older, retired people. If you do leave your chihuahua alone for long periods of time (like the normal 8 hours you would be working), the dog is likely to develop behaviorial problems such as defecating on your bed or on your sofa, or peeing on the floor. My dog actually defecated on my pillow on my bed, when I left her alone one night. My husband said she did that once to his bed years previous, when she was really mad at him.
If I leave her alone for any length of time, my chihuahua will bark and run in circles for hours and jump against the wall until there is a stain on the paint. I feel that is very unhealthy for any dog to be running for hours. She is lucky because I am staying at home, perhaps permanently. But I worry for her if I do get a job.
I know this sounds like a crazy dog. Maybe my dog is just more neurotic than most. But you never know what temperment you will get when you get a dog. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that chihuahuas tend to have certain health problems, as each breed of dog is known for different ailments. Chihuahua's tend to have luxating patella's, which means that their rear legs have badly formed knees. My dog needed knee surgery which cost me $1500. Also, chihuahuas tend to have narrow tracheas, so they cough a lot (they call this a reverse sneeze. It is a very weird sound.) Yup, you guessed it. My dog has a narrow trachea too. But thankfully, at this point, she doesn't need to go on medication for it. In some dogs, it's so severe that they need to take a drug that opens up the trachea or something like that.
Good luck in your pursuit of the perfect dog for you! Remember, don't rely on what the breeder says. She wants to sell dogs. A rescue group can tell you more information, as well as the books and web sites out there.
so I get both sides.
