I am looking to buy a Chihuahua, but first had a few questions.
1) If socialized early, can they be good with kids?
2) Are they really as loud with barking and as mean as people make them out to be?
3) How much does one cost from a GOOD breeder that already has socialized them and stuff?
4) Leaving them alone in the day?
5) Anything else I should know?
Thank You! =]
Tags: thank, Kids, Costi have chihuahua that dont want to eat, my chiuaua is great with my toddler
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
ya i think if u get one he will live
1-5: Yo quiero Taco Bell.
ya it’ll live
They can be pretty good with kids of trained early
They bark way to much! But there are certain techniques for helping that
Im not sure, about maybe $700 and over
You shouldnt leave them alone, but you can it wont do harm
Also be vry careful with them, because there very fragile
Adopt an animal from the Humane Society.
good with kids, good breader 1000 pounds, not loud there too small, but if your leavin a dog alone all day whats the point in havin one??? thats not very fair is it???
they are okay if left home alone. i have a pameranian/chihuahua mix (she is mostly chihuahua) so i would know. they are not that loud. they are good with kids so don’t worry.
It is ok to leave them home alone…….
no they are not good with kids even if staring out early…
and yes they are as loud as people make them out to be….
They love there owners though (adult)
I dont know about kids. I had one from 9 weeks and she wasnt good w kids. She was treated very well, its their disposition. They bark, but I see others that bark as much. The price varies, i got one 18 years ago, she was $200, the one I have now came from a shelter.
Some are good alone in the day, some not.
I love them alot, but they tend to make wee wee mistakes.
They are very affectionate and loyal. Many only eat what they want. They love to stay by your side and get in the bed.
Good luck
any dog can be good with kids as long as they are socialized into that environment and trained properly.
take your new puppy to obedience training and socialize her with other dogs too!
chihuhuas aren’t stereotyped the best, but if trained well they will be amazing pets. they have such a bad rep cause little old ladies buy them and spoil them so they take advantage of it, but that can be true with any dog.
i’m not sure about the price part, if you go to a local shelter they could probably give you names of local breeders.
you can leave them alone during the day as long as you have the right schedule for them. feeding times, walks and washroom breaks to avoid messes in the house.
they can be pretty hyper, so walk her everyday!
make sure you train her good if you plan to keep her around kids, any animal with teeth can be scary to a baby/toddler and they need to know they are good to go!
good luck!
1) If socialized early, can they be good with kids? Most Chis are okay with kids. The problem is most kids are not good with chis. They are so small and fragile they end up with broken legs because children fight over them or play too rough with them.
2) Are they really as loud with barking and as mean as people make them out to be? They are not really yappy dogs, no. But any dog can become yappy if you don’t know how to train and address the barking issue.
3) How much does one cost from a GOOD breeder that already has socialized them and stuff? Guess… $800 – $2500…maybe more. Not too sure. Why don’t you see if there is a Chi rescue near you? A lot of times they are purebred and they have puppies. They might not allow adoptions to families with children though. In that case try a shelter too.
4) Leaving them alone in the day? Puppies can only hold their bladder for a few hours at a time. If you are at work for longer than 3 hours you might just need an adult chi.
5) Anything else I should know? They are good dogs that can easily become aggressive if you baby them. Remember just because they are small doesn’t mean they are not dogs.. they still need exercise and mental stimulation. And would like to not potty inside on a wee pad everyday.
my mom had 12 chihuahuas wen she was a kid, she says they are usually quite snappy unfortunatly, and not too good with kids, but they are not all the same. They can caost up to £1000 they are quite dear. I don’t know about leaving them alone, should be okay I think. They have a loud bark, but could be trained. Good Luck
1.) Chihuahuas can be great with children. The problem; many people tend to turn them into protective sociopaths because of the lap dog syndrome. Make sure to treat the dog like a larger dog and hopefully they won’t become over protective.
2.) Some chihuahuas are loud and some are quiet. This is dependent on the dog and the owner. A good idea is to buy a dog that you can see and meet the parent dogs. If they have a good temperment the chances are good that the puppy will also.
3.) You can expect to pay anywhere from $700.00 to $2000.00 and up. Find a private seller who just happens to have puppies from their family pets. You can find great deals and sometimes, outstanding puppies.
4.) They are fine to leave alone in the day. Again, try not to turn them into overprotective lap dogs or they can develop anxiety based neurosi and become chewers and mutilaters.
5.) Chihuahuas are one of the most rewarding animals to own, they are extrememly loving and protective. The difficulty is in raising them correctly.
Good luck.
1) All dogs have the potential to be good with kids, it’s the owner to take responsible actions to place the dog in classes for training, and socialization.
2) Chihuahua’s can be yappy, but — some cannot. You can train the “Shh!”
3) Chihuahua’s from a reputable breeder can vary from $350-$1,000, perhaps more. You would purchase a puppy, and they aren’t really “already socialized”, that’s your job as a pet parent.
4) Why would you leave a dog alone all day? They are pack animals and need to have someone there. A few hours, 2 or so, would be okay, but they have teeny bladders and need to be let out several times a day. If you are going to be gone all day, I suggest not getting a dog and get a reptile or something that prefers to be alone.
5) It’s going to cost you money, for vet bills, food, accessories, books on the breed .. ETC, so make sure this is what you want.
1: Any dog can be good if socialized early with kids. However, smaller dogs cannot take much of the everyday play from younger kids and should not be put in any situation other than petting with smaller kids. Also, kids and dogs should never be alone unsupervised (common sense).
2:Once again, training and socializing will matter. If you want a nice, quiet dog, you can train it to be one. Each dog has a different personality, pick a quieter, calmer dog from the litter or shelter.
3: I would imagine you’d be paying around $1000+ for a small breed dog from a good breeder. Breeding is more difficult on these dogs and they often require c-sections.
However, with the recent craze in dogs that fit in purses, I’m sure you can get a great shelter dog for about $100. Look into rescues as well, they often have puppies too!
4: Smaller dogs=smaller bladders. That being said, I encourage you NOT to use “pee pads.” Teaching a dog that it is ok to go inside is never a good idea and will have you ripping your hair out later. If you work long hours and cant take regular breaks and come home (or have someone else come over) and let the dog out for a few months, an adult dog should be your choice. The rule for puppies and eliminating is general age in months + one or 2 hours. So, new puppy (Chi’s usually should not leave mom until 10-12 weeks!) that means a 2-3 hours max before it needs to be let out!
5: My best recommendation is more to do with kids and dogs rather than the breed specifically. If you have kids or are planning on having kids, I do recommend getting something a little larger that can handle kids. I think this is often why these dogs are percieved as “mean.” Younger kids need to be taught what is acceptable with dogs and what isn’t, and even “acceptable” behavior with a lab can severely hurt or kill a small breed dog. Not intentionally, but kids are clumsy and rough.
I have two Chihuahuas, they both came from rescue and I would urge you to adopt first. I got Cooper from rescue when he was 6 months old and PJ from rescue when he was 7.5 months old.
Both of my fixed boys are great with kids, even though no kids live in the house they are very nice to them when kids are around.
Cooper barks a little but only if he sees something, PJ hardly ever barks. I think you should be very firm with a Chi and don’t treat them like a baby putting them in dresses and carrying them around in a bag. That is how they get the mean complex, they aren’t treated like a dog but rather a toy. if you train them correctly, treat them like any other dog they will be just as good or better than another small dog.
I’m rarely not at home, but have traveled for a day or two and both of them are very well behaved and have full run of the house. They were easy to potty train and listen very well. They like to just sleep in my bed when I’m gone.
I take Cooper and PJ to the dog beach and Cooper will out fetch a Golden Retriever, everyone at the beach is amazed with their fetching abilities. It just goes to show you there is more to a Chihuahua then yapping, it is all in how you treat them. I think they are awesome little dogs with a lot of personality packed into a little package. I recommend going for a normal size Chihuahua as the super tiny ill breed ones have a lot of health problems. My Cooper is 7.8 pounds and PJ is 6.6 pounds and both are very healthy and very sturdy dogs. You start getting under 5 pounds and risk of injury increases.
My parents had Chihuahuas my entire childhood. One used to sleep in my bed, the other on my father’s pillow. (ewww). They were loud when they barked, the high pitch could shatter glass, however they were not permitted to bark senselessly, so never really did. They seemed fine to be left at home during the day, but then they did have each other, and plenty of comfy beds to snuggle in to. Their meanness comes from insecurity, ours felt secure and safe, so we never had a problem with them and the people that visited our house.
If you want a “nice” dog however you do need to put in the hours and the love as this breed is very affectionate, and therefor needy. As with ALL breeds of dog though you are going to find that some are just plain mean. They have personalities just like humans..some are nice, some are awful!
As for breeders..they don’t generally “socialise” the dog for you, though some “family” breeders who only have the one pair of dogs may have put in the ground work of love for you.
Best of luck, I hope you find a pup that is perfect for you.
DONT BUY A CHIHUAHUA!!!!!!!!!My cousins chihuahua is the most annoying dog in the world (my opinion).He barks a lot and most importantly bites a lot. I dont think that it’ll get along with children well cos it bit 2 of my cousin sister one 8 yrs old one 7 yrs old!
1) any dog can be good with kids if socialized and trained properly.. this also means teaching the kids how to properly interact with the dog too! Kids should be taught not to pull ears/tails, and how to properly hold and pick up a dog. Many small dogs do not like children, simply because kids try to pick them up, and ussually do not properly support them, and end up dropping and hurting the dog.
2) Many small dogs have terrible temperments for 2 reasons.. 1 is poor breeding, the other is just the way people raise them. They are so cute, people often let their small dogs get away with obnoxious and aggressive behavoiurs. Had it been a big dog, these behavoirs would have been nipped in the bud.. instead, people laugh at the little yappy Chihuahua and encourage the behavoir. They still need training and socialization!
3) Price can vary depending on the bloodlines, pet quality, show quality etc. If you are wanting one already socialized, then you are wanting an adult. Breeders do not often have adults available with the exception of retired dogs, one that may have been returned to them, or a pup that did not quite turn out to be show quality. To find some breeders, contact the breed’s parent club and get a referral. It is also possible to find a nice Chi thru rescue as well.
4) they can be left alone as much as any other breed. If you work full time, just be sure to provide it exercize either before you leave, or when you return home. If you are a work-o-holic that is hardly home, then you need to reconsider getting a dog.
i have a long hair chiwawa im still considered a kid and hes good with me they do havve aloud sharp bark but hey only bark if theres somthing to bark at get one from the humane socity because they get oer stoked quickly and is only 100 dallors and u need to give ur chiwawa a play mate and tey r very playful
ours is very good with our 4 & 5yr monsters and they can really get on her nerves, ours is 2 1/2yr old and she is so loveable and sweet , very good natured, we also have a 2yr old male and he’s good also,you have to go a bit slower getting to know him but he’s good with our kids, we paid 250.00 for him, it’s all in taking them around people and people with children, ours don’t bark too much unless someone is knocking on the door,it’s good to crate train them, that way they get use to it, and you don’t have to worry, all in all they are good pets, good luck finding a good one, papers don’t really matter if you just want a pet, good luck & God bless
I knew a lady who bred and competed with Rottweilers in conformation and Obedience for 30 years. As she got older, her arthritis and other physical problems rendered her unable to handle the big dogs.
So, she switched to Chihuahuas. As a rule, I don’t like dogs generally percieved as “yappy little ankle biters”. But this lady’s Chihuahuas- purchased from responsible breeders, trained skillfully and socialized…..were quite honestly some of the most pleasant little dogs I have had the pleasure of knowing.
She told everyone who commented on her dogs’ good behavior, that she simply did what worked for her Rottweilers. She had the same household rules for her Chihuahuas…..no special treatment just because they were small. No jumping. No getting on the furniture. No growling or nasty behavior. She refused to pick them up and carry them around everywhere. She taught them obedience commands, and they had to “earn” the right to do things. Just because they weren’t ‘working dogs’ doesn’t mean they couldn’t be expected to do a “job”. They had to “sit” before going outdoors. Sit before meals. Sit to be leashed. If they barked excessively or without reason, she re-directed the behavior by having them do a down-stay and rewarding them for calm quiet behavior.
It worked…..so for the answers to 1 and 2, I think if you really dedicate yourself to training your dog, and expecting proper behavior from him, you can end up with a good pet. If you coddle a Chihuahua and allow bad behavior just because he’s little, you’ll end up with a tyrant who thinks he rules the house.
As others have said, Chis can be good with kids, but not all kids are gentle and careful enough for a Chi. It depends on your kid, you’ve got to make that call. Most kids can be “trained” and you can dedicate yourself to training the kid to handle the dog properly, at the same time you’re teaching the dog to behave properly. Just be careful and never let dog and kid play unsupervised…..kids will be kids, and dogs will react as dogs (which means someone will get hurt or bitten). Some kids go through those “roughhouse” phases and you’ll never know when they’ll get the idea to strap the dog onto a radio controlled car and send him on a joyride through the neighborhood, or something.
I don’t imagine a pet Chihuahua from a responsible breeder would cost more than $800 dollars. Ensure the breeder does all the respective health tests for the breed and isn’t into the ridiculous practice of breeding “teacups”.
Leaving them alone during the day- puppy Chihuahuas need to stay hydrated & fed or they can be prone to hypoglycemia. Lots of people put pedialyte in the water & leave food out all day. They’re so little, many folks prefer to paper or litter-train a Chihuahua. Litter training is easy and dogs take to it fairly well, you can Google it if you like. If you choose to do this, you can make a little area, in the kitchen or utility room- or fence off a spot with X-Pens, cover the floor with papers or puppy pads, and leave him with his food, water, toys, litter pan, and blankets.
1) Yes, they can be great with kids. My little chi loves kids, just yesterday we were walking back to the apartment when a little boy walked by and she got so excited. It was too cute. You do have to be careful and watch the dog and child closely because chihuahuas tend to be skidish with fast movements of children. Also because they are small and fragile.
2) A lot of people think chihuahuas are little yappers but I think it is all in how you train your pup. My little girl only barks if someone knocks on the door and it is really isnt a bark either, it is just a little woof. You just need to take time and train, “shh” or “quiet” works well.
3) A good breeder would sell their dogs 300-500. I wouldn’t pay anymore then that because that tells you they aren’t breeding for quality just for money. You could also find Chihuahuas at petfinder.com or a shelter.
4) My husband and I trained our little pup from 10 weeks to sleep by herself and to stay home while we worked. Of course we didn’t leave her alone all day but 4 hours should be the max time they are alone.
5) Chihuahuas tend to be more needy, or affectionate I should say. So if you don’t want constant attention from your pup then a chihuahua is not for you. Unless you want to get two of them that helps keep them company. Overall I think they are great dogs. Make sure you treat them like a dog. Teach them to walk on a leash, ect. I am not the one to carry my dog around in a bag. I don’t find it neccessary. If you want more advice or have more questions feel free to email. Good luck.
Chihuahuas are great dogs, but they are not for everybody
Here is information on the breed that will help you decide whether or not this breed is right for you.
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/chihuahuas.html
http://www.akc.org/breeds/chihuahua/index.cfm
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/chihuahua.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihuahua_(dog)
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