Archive for the ‘Chi Behavior’ 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 worked hard to earn this nap.

Chihuahuas are, like most dogs, fond of taking many naps throughout the day. We learn early on that naps are fun and an enjoyable way to spend a day.

We sleep up to 18 hours a day so we’re pretty good at it.

In between naps, of course, we must work hard. I usually spend my days guarding, entertaining, exercising, supervising and protecting my daddies. Without me they would be lost.

I decided to list some of my favorite places to sleep and/or nap. They’re actually the same thing except naps are shorter. I am always on the alert though. My work is never done.

1. In my office daybed. It’s pink and has a pretty daisy on it. A blankie is always on top.
2. In my living room bed. Bigger than my pink bed with a nice blankie tent. A great place to hide.
3. Anyplace there is sunlight. We Chihuahuas love to sunbathe and look for that special spot.
4. On a pillow.
5. On the sofa.
6. On the carpet.
7. On one of my daddy’s lap.
8. In my daddies’ bed.
9. In my own bed next to daddy. It’s the same as my office daybed. I think they move it back and forth.
10. Anyplace under a blankie.

Check out more information about a Chihuahua’s temperament at YourPurebredPuppy.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.

Searching for the right spot.

Glad you asked that. Most people don’t realize that dogs have scent glands in their paws. Kicking the grass or dirt or whatever happens to be around after relieving ourselves is our way of “spreading our scent” and “marking our territory.” It’s also a way of showing dominance.

I’ve been doing this behavior a lot lately to show that I really do rule the world. This is my way of showing it, a little bit at a time. Someday everyone will realize that I am the queen of the Universe and they shall obey me.

This has happened a few times. Everything is fine, I’m playing, acting my normal, cheerful self. Then it suddenly strikes. I freak and start running around the room with my tail between my legs. I have that scared look in my eyes. My ears are down. Then comes the shivers.

Just last night I was having a good time. I had a nice walk. Ate my dinner and was playing catch with my stuffed racoon and my two daddies. When I tore the foot partly off my racoon my daddy took it away before I had a chance to eat the tempting stuffing. I waited patiently while my daddy sewed my racoon’s foot back on and we played some more. Both daddies were on the floor so I had all the attention I could want. Except for that distracting television on the wall, of course.

I even enjoyed a crumb or two that fell on the floor from a cookie. Then I freaked. Eventually I ended up on my daddy’s lap under a blankie, shivering. This is so not like me. Usually nighttime is play time until I wear my daddies out.

From there I went to my other daddy on the couch and perched myself on his neck while leaning against the sofa back. I could not find a good place to rest. I did not want any snacks. I ignored the chex-mix my daddy was eating and eventually ran into my bed and hid under my blankies. In the middle of the night I went into the bedroom and hid under the blankies in my other bed.

Come morning I was back to normal as if nothing had happened. There was no barfing, no diarrhea, no loud noises, no earthquake, no explanation. I did get lots of worried attention, though. Not much helpful info online.

Has this ever happened to you, or your Chihuahua?

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.

Sniffing is serious business.

Do you feel like your dog is an anchor when you take them on a walk? Just think how you would feel if someone put a collar around your neck and dragged you outside. Sometimes we really want to go out and sometimes a nice warm bed seems much nicer.

Once we are outside we do enjoy sniffing stuff. And occasionally we feel the urge to taste and/or eat stuff. Some of this stuff may not be appealing to you but that’s because you’re uninformed of the quality, texture, taste and most importantly smell of the stuff.

“The percentage of the dog’s brain that is devoted to analyzing smells is actually 40 times larger than that of a human! It’s been estimated that dogs can identify smells somewhere between 1,000 to 10,000 times better than nasally challenged humans can.” Read more at Understanding a Dog’s Sense of Smell from Dummies.com.

In addition, “…a dog has a phenomenal olfactory memory. A dog can remember smells long after being exposed to the original odor. Not only can your dog recognize that a certain neighborhood cat passed by the day before, he can even tell what that cat had for dinner!” Read more at Dog Sense of Smell from Dog.com.

Thus, when you take us dogs for a walk you may be thinking a bathroom walk or an exercise walk. But we’re thinking this is serious business. We must sniff and catalog everything we pass. And then store it in our brains for later retrieval. Think of your dog as a living computer. Treat your iDog with respect and don’t pull us when we’re working.

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.

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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.