What To Know Before Choosing A Chihuahua As A Pet

The Chihuahua is a sassy small pet with a very big personality. These pets know what they want and are single minded in their determination. For their size, they make an excellent watchdog, but are often considered as yappy unless the owner teaches them to control their barking.

In recent years Chihuahuas have become popular for a couple of reasons. The sassy animal in the Taco Bell commercial first brought them to attention. The second is that these sometimes tiny dogs have become popular purse dogs for many celebrities. They have an expressive face with big (for their size) round eyes that reveal their thoughts.

While Chihuahuas are endearing, they are sometimes too fragile and small for younger children. They have a tendency toward being high strung and often nip or snap. If threatened, frightened or defending their territory or people, they can bite.

It is important for the Chihuahua to be trained and socialized early. Owners often allow them to become tyrants because of their size. They must have consistent and gentle training from the time they are a puppy to control the nipping and fights with other dogs. They are often unaware of their size and will challenge other animals much larger in size. Like other small dogs, it is sometimes to house train these dogs without patience and consistency.