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What You Should Know About Owning a Chihuahua
by Joshua Mcphearson
Chihuahuas are the smallest dogs in the world, and take their name from Chihuahua, Mexico, where they were discovered in the mid-19th century. These dogs are thought to be descended from Chinese dogs which came over the land bridge from Asia thousands of years ago. The first chihuahua was registered with the American Kennel Club around the turn of the last century.
You can recognize a chihuahua by it's big eyes and ears and tiny bodies. There are two coat varieties - the smooth, glossy short coat that's more familiar, and a long, soft variation. Chihuahuas of both types come in a number of different colors, from white, fawn and brown to black, blue brindle, chocolate and tan. These little dogs are known for loyalty, fierce devotion, and a ferocious manner for such a tiny dog. They mostly become attached to one or two people, and are extremely protective of them.
Chihuahuas are suitable for most environments, but they're bad with kids or other pets. They tend to attack larger animals, and may bite when scared. They also tend to be alarmed by strangers. However, a chihuahua is an excellent only dog in a small apartment, since they won't have problems with exercise the way a larger pet might. Training your chihuahua is important if you want to avoid the stereotypical high strung pet.
Chihuahuas can be hard to train at first - you need to be patient and committed. A lot of intensive socialization from an early age is required, and you'll need to provide plenty of reinforcement for good behavior. Chihuahuas can suffer from a number of veterinary problems, so you'll have to pay close attention to health and behavior. These little dogs can quickly become obese and diabetic if overfed, and an obese chihuahua may also have respiratory and joint problems due to weight. Dental care is also important.
These little dogs' large eyes can lead to them suffering from eye trouble, and infrequent feedings may lead to blood sugar problems. Keep an eye on your chihuahua to make sure he or she is in good health. You don't need to worry about your chihuahua trembling, however. This is a common behavior in excited dogs, not a health problem. Well cared for chihuahuas will live as long as eighteen years.
Regular grooming is important, too. If you have a short haired chihuahua, use a natural bristle brush to distribute oils and remove dead hair, and a flea comb to remove these pests. A long haired chihuahua will need a wide toothed comb or pin brush and regular grooming. If mats develop, use a detangler, and pay a lot of attention to the eyes and ears of your little dog. Shedding chihuahua should be groomed every day to help remove excess fur. You may need to trim fur on your chihuahua's feet to prevent slipping.
About the Author
Find out more about Chihuahuas and Chihuahua clothes at ChihuahuaThreads.com.
Stay Leader of the Pack by Not Reinforcing Bad Behaviour
By Alexzandria Elizabeth
Everyone that has ever owned a pet would probably have had some sort of behaviour problems at some time. Some pets can however have such bad behaviour problems that lead to them being removed from the home and even being put to sleep. This is very unfortunate and sad and is an incredibly hard decision for a family to make. Before making a decision like that, make sure that you have investigated all possible solutions to your pet's behaviour problem.
Don't reinforce bad behaviour. If the dog pees on the floor don't yell and scream and hit the dog. This gives them attention and the next time they are seeking attention they may respond by peeing on the floor again.
So how should you react to that situation? If you see your dog peeing on the floor give him a firm 'no' and pick him up and put him outside - where he should be going to the toilet. This way he hears the word 'no', which is a word that he will begin to recognize, and he is also being put outside and therefore not receiving attention.
Training your pet right from the start is a big step in preventing possible bad behaviour problems. Behaviour problems such as biting and aggression are problems that cannot be tolerated from any pet and these are the problems that often lead to the worst possible outcome for the pet.
You will be surprise at how well this works as once your dog knows his place he will accept it as this is the natural instincts for a dog. So by setting the ground rules right from the start and not reinforcing bad behaviours you are letting your dog know you are the leader of the pack and will help to prevent any bad behaviour problems in the future.
Dogs in the wild live in packs and there is always a leader of the pack. Any dog will at some stage try to take its place at the top of the pack and so it is important from the very first day that you bring your pet into your home that you let him know where his place is in the pack. To learn how to be alpha dog click here!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexzandria_Elizabeth
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