Archive for the ‘Chi Advice’ Category

There's always time for a nap.

People Sometimes Have to Work

Unfortunately it’s almost impossible to spend 24 hours a day with your dog. People tend to have to work during the day in order to support their dog’s many needs. People also do errands and go out for entertainment purposes without their canine companions. Shocking, I know.

In truth, we dogs occasionally like having a little time to ourselves. It gives us a chance to catch up on naps and play with our toys without constantly having to entertain our human caretakers.

Do You Suffer from Separation Anxiety?

I know my daddy has separation anxiety when he has to leave me alone. We’re both lucky in that he works at home and so he almost never leaves. Help.

Actually I do like having him there. But I save my energy for when my other daddy comes home from work. Then I have three or four hours of fetch to contend with.

Even Chihuahuas Need Some Alone Time

Most dogs get to nap all day long. I have to go on three long walks every day. I show my displeasure by dragging my little feet. I secretly smile when I see my daddy’s frustration with me. Occasionally he’ll pick me up for part of the walk.

But hey, I don’t put a harness on him and pull him from a comfy bed to go out and walk. They made indoor piddle pads for a reason.

Alleviate Boredom for Your Lonely Chihuahua

If you do have to leave your little dog at home alone, make sure they have plenty of toys and chewies to play with so they are not bored. Keep the TV remote accessible (kidding). Don’t forget water. A few snacks would be nice too.

If your dog is anxious and destructive or barks continually, you may want to invest in a dog walker to help with the boredom. You could take your Chihuahua to day care, but I for one would hate that. I prefer my home environment.

For additional helpful information read Reducing Separation Anxiety in Your Chihuahua from Dummies.com

I'm ready to play, after my nap.

I enjoy sleeping. It’s fun, relaxing and gives me energy to play with my Daddies all evening long. I have many places to sleep so I can pick and choose the best options. There’s my regular, sturdy bed next to the living room floor heater that’s ideal in winter. It has two blankies over the top of the bed so I can easily run under the covers if ever I need a quick nap and wish to hide.

I also have a portable bed that is next to my daddy in his office where he works during the day. It has a little pillow and a comfy blankie. This is the same bed that magically appears beside my daddies bed at night. I prefer to sleep in my own bed at night because I don’t want to be disturbed by my daddies. Also, their bed is so high I might hurt myself if I decide to jump off and use the restroom (piddle pads).

Generally a Chihuahua sleeps 12 – 14 hours a day. Some sleep up to 18 hours a day. There’s light sleep and there’s REM (Rapid Eye Movement) deep sleep. We wake often to make sure our environment is kept safe and secure.

I would sleep longer during the day but my daddy wakes me for several long walks. I don’t believe in exercise but my daddy does. What can you do.

Here’s more information on the Behavior and Temperament of Chihuahuas from PetChiDog.

You never know what you may catch in a social situation.

I was just given a reprieve today from my vet and I will opt out of getting a bordetella vaccination. The question is, is this vaccine really necessary? Opinions differ. My opinion is no.

The bordetella vaccine prevents kennel cough, a bacteria that is spread through the air (yikes). It is recommended if your dog socializes with other dogs whose histories are questionable. But if your dog mostly stays at home and avoids dog parks, kennels and the groomer, this vaccine is probably unnecessary (consult your own vet, don’t take my biased opinion).

As an aside, I don’t see any reason for boarding your dog in a kennel. It’s lonely, uncomfortable and scary. You’re usually placed in a small, enclosed space without any of your familiar smells and belongings. No toys, no blankie, no chewy. And lots of strangers and other dogs who bark and whine. Ah, but I digress.

Keep in mind that the bordetella vaccine has side effects which could be worse than the kennel cough itself. This includes hives, nausea, diarrhea or even death! Can you imagine dying from a vaccine. I shudder at the thought. Also the vaccine only lasts about 6 months and may not cover every strain. So you could get the vaccine and still get kennel cough. My daddy’s Chihuahua before me got really sick from the bordetella nasal spray. Ugh.

Check out “Information on Bordetella Vaccination for Dogs” from eHow for much more information on this vaccine. And don’t forget to ask your vet what they recommend for your own particular dog.

What’s your opinion?

Recovering from my knee "procedure".

Mostly because it has come out of place. I’ve recently recovered from my knee surgery to fix my Luxating Patella. This is a common problem for little dogs like myself, where your kneecap pops out and makes walking difficult. So I had the surgery and everything was fine. It had something to do with fixing the groove so the kneecap stays in place.

Except after a while the pin that was used in surgery to help keep the kneecap in place came loose. My vet assured me this was not a problem.

Then I started limping and hip hopping so it became a bit of a problem. The answer was to remove the pin. It was no longer needed and served its purpose. Lucky for me this was a simple outpatient procedure that just required a local anesthetic. In less than 10 minutes the pin was out. I didn’t even require stitches.

Daddy was told not to let me lick the area where the pin was removed. So of course the first thing I did when I got home was to lick that area. What? It required my attention. I had to clean it and help it to heal. Don’t even think of putting that ugly cone around my neck.

Check out Complications from Luxating Patella Surgery from eHow for more technical information on this issue.

Please leave me alone.

Chihuahuas, like most dogs and people too, sometimes get upset stomachs. You can tell when we vomit all over the floor, sofa and even in our beds. Sometimes we give you a warning with a heaving, yucky sound. That’s your chance to move us gently to a better spot or grab a paper towel or two.

Most likely your little Chi ate something “bad”. A few nights ago one of my daddies tossed a foam pillow on the floor and left it there. Of course I had to inspect it with my mouth. By the time I was discovered by my other daddy I had chewed up a nice little hole in the pillow. He tried to get the pieces from me but I showed him. I ate them. Yumm. Except a few hours later I got the shivers. Then I proceeded to hurl my dinner, lunch and breakfast at once. After decorating the carpet in several places I took to my sickbed and hid under the covers until the shivering went away. I was not  hungry that night.

The best thing to do is leave your little dog alone if that’s what they want. They need time to recuperate. Make sure they are warm and comfortable. Keep a watchful eye out for any signs of serious distress.

The next day I was back to normal and ate as usual. But you may want to consult your vet as to what to feed your Chi with an upset tummy. You may want to try boiled ground beef, turkey or chicken mixed with plain white rice with a little extra water to prevent dehydration.

You can find lots of advice and remedies online for Chihuahuas who have upset stomachs, like Chihuahua Vomiting (ugh) from Caring For Chihuahuas. You can also find great info on “Homecare for the Vomiting Dog” from PetPlace.com.

Again, if your little Chi is up-chucking all over the place all day long you should consult your vet immediately.

That bone is mine! Let me at it.

Hard as it is to believe, your Chihuahua is a dog and dogs love bones. They smell good and we absolutely love to chew them.

I seem to be finding bones wherever I walk lately. Are people throwing their chicken bones out the window?

My daddy won’t let me keep the bones I find and I let him know that I am not happy with him stealing my bones from me. He says genuine animal bones can be dangerous. They chip and can damage your dog’s interior organs. They can also harm your dog’s digestive track.

Sounds dreadful. But still I can’t resist. That’s why daddy recommends a safe rawhide or nylon bone instead. Not as good, but better than nothing, I guess.

The morale of this story is think twice before giving or allowing your dog to have a bone. Read “Bone Fragments Cause Canine Gastrointestinal Problems” by Joy Butler to get the real scoop.

I won't go. You can't make me!

A Well Behaved Chihuahua Should Walk At Your Side

How do you get your little Chihuahua to walk nicely with you? In my case, you don’t. I’m in control most of the time and I know it.

The trick is to not let your dog be in control. If your dog knows it can get away with being stubborn it will. With one daddy I usually win. He’s a pushover. The other daddy will not give in to my stubbornness so I relent and walk nicely. Sort of.

At the beginning of each walk I get excited to go and explore. This lasts about one or two houses. Then I want to take my time and sniff everything. And if I find a treat, so much the better.

But daddy wants to exercise. He wants me to move and I don’t. Unless, of course, I see another dog, a squirrel, a cat, a kid on a skateboard, a garbage truck or any other object of particular interest.

At a certain point on my one to two mile hike I realize we’re going home, finally. So I take the lead and pull. Unless I find a really good smell or the wind blows a leaf my way.

If I protest long enough my easy daddy gets frustrated and “air-lifts” me for a while. It’s certainly a quicker way to get where we’re going.

Personally I don’t see the point in all these walks. True, I get to meet new friends and find treats. I catalog new smells and mark my territory. Occasionally I leave a gift which daddy insists on bringing home. These are all important jobs.

But in the end we get home and I’m exhausted and need to take a nap. Maybe that’s what daddy had in mind all along.

Helpful tips:

• Try coaxing your little dog with praise and words like “Let’s Go”
• When/if your dog walks nicely give a little treat. Not too much, you don’t want to overfeed them.
• If your dog refuses to budge, try waiting them out. If they move toward you, reward and praise.
• Use a harness on your Chihuahua. A collar can hurt their little throats.
• Try not to drag your dog. It could hurt their feet and looks really bad.
• If all else fails, pick up your Chi and carry them a bit. Then put them back on the ground and see if they get the hint (probably not a good training tip).
• If your Chi pulls you, be grateful they are finally moving. Try walking faster to keep up. (This is probably not a good tip either.)

Checking out hydrants relieves my stress.

Lots of things can stress your Chihuahua.

We take our cue from our human companions as well as the environment. We Chihuahuas are very intuitive and we know when something is up with our parents. Also stressful situations like thunderstorms, fireworks, sirens, strangers at the door, strange company, noisy children, people putting their hands in front of our faces, being left alone, arguing parents. Ay, the list goes on.

Because Chihuahuas tend to be nervous types, a little bit of stress can cause unwanted behavior. Don’t ask.

There’s a great article called “Our Stress, Depression, Joy…Can Dogs Tell” by Dr. Nicholas Dodman. Dogs really know when something is wrong and whether they should hide or attack. I have lots of hiding places and know just where to go where I can’t be caught.

Depending on our personality, we can either act out in an aggressive or annoying way or just take to our beds and nap. Nice soothing classical music helps us relax. Just make sure it’s not the 1812 Overture.

[Advertising Alert!]

Music My Pet is one of several CDs made especially to help your dog relax. It makes a perfect gift for that hyper dog, and their human caretakers.

Sleeping on the job.

Because we can. Just like humans, dogs can get the hiccups. Mostly this happens with puppies if they eat or drink too fast. They usually outgrow this.

Sometimes I still get the hiccups just because. Mostly hiccups are harmless, but if you notice other symptoms such as vomiting, see your dreaded vet.

My daddy forget to take a picture of me bathing so this will have to do.

I disagree. I just had a bath today and it was certainly not fun. One daddy held me in the bathtub, which had a couple of inches of warm water in it, while my other daddy poured a bucket of warm water all over me. Then he rubbed me down with puppy shampoo from Target. He got into all my crevices and unmentionable places. Then he wiped me all over with a wash cloth.

The final step was a rinse or two with a bucket of warm water and then a romp around the bathroom while my two daddies dried me off with a huge towel. The final step was an application of Advantage Flea Medication and now I’m all set.

True I smell clean and pretty but I’m sure glad it’s over.

It is recommended that you bathe your Chihuahua monthly. And don’t get water in your Chihuahua’s ears as it could lead to an infection. A lot of Chihuahua’s ears stand up so this could be troublesome. Mine do not, most of the time. Guess I’m lucky, huh.

Ear infections are not fun. I understand the Chihuahua before me had a few infections and drops had to be put in her ears. Plus the drops had to be refrigerated. Can you image someone putting cold drops in your ears. This could cause grumpiness.

Check out Grooming Your Chihuahua 101 from Chihuahua Puppies Guide for more useful info.