I love eating out. I get to spend quality time with my daddies and see other people. Best of all, I get to go out and not stay home alone.

Often I get to eat a treat or two. If my daddy is eating a salad I get a crunchy piece of lettuce and some chicken too.

There’s also new people to meet and greet. I usually get to sit on one of my daddy’s lap for a while but I prefer the floor so I can suck up any food items that fall to the ground. Sometimes I catch something at a nearby table.

When dining out with your Chihuahua (or other dog breed), be sure to follow these helpful tips:

1. Keep your Chi off the table. Most people would balk at eating off a table that a dog has stood on.
2. Keep your Chi quiet. A well behaved Chihuahua is a joy to behold. A yapping, growling one is annoying.
3. Bring a toy or safe treat for your Chi to enjoy. Perhaps a chew toy would occupy them for  awhile.
4. Bring a bowl for water. Most restaurants with outdoor seating do not offer bowl service to dogs.
5. Bring a blanket or carrier in case your Chi gets cold or sleepy.
6. Be careful of poisonous foods that may fall near your Chi. These include raisins, grapes, seeds, chocolate and such. People do drop food.
7. Make sure your Chi will not bite others. Many people love putting their hands on or near a cute little Chihuahua. We don’t always like that.

You can also check out this informative article:

Doggie Dining Etiquette: Tips for Dining Out With Your Dog

Here’s a little video I saw on PetPlace.com. It teaches you how to trim your dog’s nails. All I can say is good luck to you.

Image by Stuart Miles

Children are unpredictable and active. I should know, my daddies just got two temporary foster kids. Their ages are 4 and 6. I don’t know how long they’ll be staying.

At first I was hesitant. I knew little about children other than that they tend to come up to me in herds and squeal, sticking their hands in my face.

But these two guys are mostly well-behaved and easy to play with. They keep me company and sometimes throw the ball or toy for me.

I have to watch after them. They need as much supervision as my daddies.

Children Can Be Dangerous to a Chihuahua

You must teach your children how fragile a Chihuahua is. I also recommend you don’t leave them alone together. I have been grabbed and picked up by both the 4 and 6 year old boys. I admit I did growl a few times, just as a warning.

Here are a few important tips to look out for:

1. Introduce your children to your Chi. Let the Chi get to know them.
2. Don’t touch. Children can easily break your Chi’s legs.
3. Don’t hold. Children can drop the Chi or hold them the wrong way.
4. Don’t feed. Children don’t understand that certain foods, like grapes, raisins and chocolate, can kill your Chi. After a few mishaps, my daddies are very diligent about feeding the kids these forbidden foods around me.
5. Don’t drop. Please don’t. We break.
6. Don’t tease. We hate being teased and will let you know it.

I am probably the exception to the Chihuahua rules. Perhaps because I’m a bit “grande”. Still, a 10 pound dog is a delicate creature too.

That said, I love my new family of kids, even if they’re only temporary. I look forward to seeing them and playing with them. I also know when to keep out of the way.

When it comes to Chihuahuas and children, proceed with caution.

You may find the following articles helpful on dealing with children and Chihuahuas.

Chihuahuas and Children

Is the Chihuahua Right for Me?

Follow Lucy on Twitter and like me on Facebook too!

Subscribe to Lucy’s fun-tabulous newsletter.

This is my favorite pose.

We are very emotional beings. We also enjoy being part of a pack. Most dogs and especially Chihuahuas love attention.

We want to be loved, petted, played with and taken care of. Don’t ignore us or you will pay the price!

Here are some of the ways we use to get your attention:

1. Whine. This is a good one. It’s very annoying and very successful. We can keep it up as long as you can stand it. Eventually you will give in.
2. Scratching your leg. This is especially good when demanding you play catch with us or give us a treat. Also very effective.
3. Barking. If we spot an intruder approaching the house, like a mailman or other dog, we may have to use our outside barking voice. For some reason, people don’t seem to enjoy our barking voice. It can range from low to shrieky. A lot of little dogs are known for being yippers.
4. Running around the house and causing havoc. We like to combine exercise with fun. Also a great attention getter.
5. Jumping on lap. How can you resist a little bundle of love jumping onto your lap. If it’s nap time, cover us in a blankie and we’ll love you forever. Otherwise, pet and pamper us.

You’ll love these great articles:

Do Dogs Have Feelings?

Can Dogs Sense Our Emotions?

Follow Lucy on Twitter and like me on Facebook too!

Subscribe to Lucy’s fun-tabulous newsletter.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Vets Are Scary Places

I hate going to the vet. I can sense when we’re going and I get extremely nervous. Once there I shake like a phone on vibrate.

Recently I had my yearly checkup. I did not need any vaccinations. I’m only 3 and half years old. But my daddy wanted to have me checked out.

The Leg Incident

When I play I play hard and there was a moment when I hurt my back leg. I yelped like a little girl. Both daddies were a bit panicked. After a few minutes I was okay. But my daddy did discover a growth.

Turns out it was a benign cyst. Something just to be watched.

But I did get my nails done and my tushy squeezed. I feel like a new girl.

This is why I suggest regular vet checkups. It always feels better when you know your Chi is healthy and happy.

Annual Vet Visit Checklist

Follow Lucy on Twitter and like me on Facebook too!

Subscribe to Lucy’s fun-tabulous newsletter.

Chis are highly intelligent and inquisitive. And we like lots of attention and know how to get it.

If they’re clever like me, they create a website and write informative and fun blog posts.

It’s true I get some help from my daddy. I have difficulty typing because I don’t have thumbs. Computer keyboards are not Chihuahua friendly.

So I dictate my thoughts in my native language and my daddy translates and types. I have complete editorial control and final say so of the way my website looks. Unless, of course, you don’t like it, then I blame my daddy.

Understanding How a Chihuahua Communicates

• Bark. It’s our main way of talking. Barking is a complex language. There are no “Bark to English” translation books. There are no known written examples of Bark (except for a musical). It just is.
• Whine. Not as loud as barking but just as annoying if done properly. I should teach a course on this. It’s a very effective way to get results.
• Scratching. I like to scratch my daddies’ leg to get attention. This usually works fine for getting my ball or stuffed rodent tossed. It sometimes works for getting an extra treat. I may be small but I like to be seen and noticed.
• Tail Wagging. This instrument has many meanings. It could show happiness (fast), sadness (droopy) and fear (between my legs). A book should be written on this alone.
• Ears. Very expressive, my ears can be up and perky (happy or inquisitive), floppy (relaxed), or down (scared).
• Body. The way I carry my body can show different moods and feelings. I can be erect and confident, crouching and ready to pounce, or crawling and ready to hide.

Be sure to check out these other articles for a more thorough understanding of this incredibly important topic:

Attention Seeking Behavior By Dr. Nicholas Dodman

Understanding and Communicating with Man’s Best Friend By Dog Whisperer Paul Owens

Understanding Dog Body Language and Verbal Clues

Follow Lucy on Twitter and like me on Facebook too!

Subscribe to Lucy’s fun-tabulous newsletter.

Whether or not Chihuahuas are affected by the winter blues, we are certainly not fond of cold weather.

Chihuahuas are known to love the heat. I for one can never be too warm. I am never far from a comfy blankie.

I also hate the rain. It’s very wet. Who wants to walk in wet grass and sloshy puddles. Boots are out of the question. I don’t like my feet touched. Did you know we use our feet as a sense of smell and to spread our scent? Snow… forget about it. It’s rare to find a Chi that likes playing in the snow.

Here are 10 of my favorite ways to feel better during winter:

1. Move to a warm climate. I live in Southern California where it is mostly warm. Although living by the beach can be a bit chilly.
2. Have central heat. Keep it warm inside.
3. Indoor plumbing for you Chihuahua. Why go outside in the cold and snow when there exists perfectly good piddle pads for easy indoor access.
4. Sunlamps and ocean sounds. Just kidding. Sorta.
5. A warm, inviting lap. Cover your Chihuahua with a cozy blanket when they’re all settled on you.
6. Lots of fun playing with toys and throwing balls. Exercise is always important for you and your Chi. All that movement keeps your Chihuahua warm.
7. Play some more. With all that attention we don’t have time to feel blue.
8. Food. I love to eat. Most Chihuahuas do. Feed us lots of small treats. You don’t want us to get too fat.
9. Clean water. Wash our water dish daily. Who wants to drink out of a slimy bowl of stagnant water. That would make anyone blue.
10. Give us lots of love and attention. We’re easy to please.

You may also enjoy this article from PetPlace.com:

SAD – How the Winter Blues Affects Your Dog

Follow Lucy on Twitter and like me on Facebook too!

Don’t forget to subscribe to Lucy’s Newsletter

Subscribe to Lucy’s fun-tabulous newsletter.

Check out the latest indoor toys from ChuckIt:

And it’s fun. We love to play and chasing is a form of play. Also we like to prey on things that move. It’s our instinct.

I especially like to chase big trucks. FedEx, UPS and garbage trucks are my favorites.

I also love to chase squirrels, cats, birds and other dogs.

But what really gets me going are skateboards and scooters. The sound of the little wheels on the pavement is just too hard to resist. I need to catch that person. I need to win.

In reality, I don’t actually chase these fun things. I’m tethered to my daddy and he won’t let me go. He can be a real drag. He would probably chase them too if he weren’t quite so old.

The dangers of chasing

This could be problematic. Especially if I escape from my daddy, because I probably will run after the skateboarder. Cars also share the street with skateboards. And a squished Chihuahua is not a happy sight.

Please share your happy chasing stories here.

Other related articles:

Dogs Chasing Bicycles, Skateboards and Other Moving Things

The Emotional Center of Gravity: Why Dogs Chase Moving Objects

Why Do Dogs Chase Cars?

Follow Lucy on Twitter and like me on Facebook too!

Don’t forget to subscribe to Lucy’s Newsletter (Coming Soon)

Subscribe to Lucy’s fun-tabulous newsletter.

As a proud Chihuahua I do not like getting dressed up for Halloween. Unless I’m wearing my pink parka to keep me warm, I prefer to run around naked. Except, of course, for my built in fur coat. I never take it off because that would hurt.

Still, some Chihuahuas may enjoy wearing something special for Halloween.

Here’s my advice on surviving Halloween:

1. If your Chi is fighting you on wearing a costume, don’t force them. (They’re probably embarrassed).
2. Taking your Chi trick-or-treating is probably not a good idea. Most of us Chis hate crowds and strangers. We’re very cute and everyone wants to touch us. Scary.
3. Avoid gaggles of children. Chihuahuas are small and break easily. Imagine a herd of kids screeching at you and waving wands and bags of candy. Yikes.
4. Never feed your Chihuahua candy. It’s not good for them and can be toxic, especially chocolate. Half eaten candy on the sidewalk is seen as a treat for you Chi. The trick for you would be taking your Chi to the emergency pet clinic for a stomach pumping. Ugh.
5. When at home, provide a nice, quite spot for your Chihuahua to hide in. It can be quite annoying when the doorbell rings or people knock constantly.
6. When giving out candy to trick-or-treaters, make sure you don’t drop any. We Chihuahuas are quick on picking up dropped treasures. Once it hits the floor, it’s ours.
7. Keep Halloween decorations away from your Chihuahua. We may enjoy eating them as much as candy.
8. Make sure you don’t let your Chi escape into the night. Some of us might be scared and confused by all the ruckus.
9. Don’t forget to give us a healthy dog treat when the Halloween ordeal is all over.

Check out these other interesting dog friendly Halloween articles:

Halloween Safety For Dogs

How to Safely Prepare Your Chihuahua for Halloween

If your Chihuahua does enjoy dressing up for Halloween and being the center of attention, check out these specials from PetSmart:

Save up to 75% on all Halloween costumes, Toys & Treats at the PetSmart Halloween Sale!

Save 20% On All Dog Halloween Costumes at PetSmart!

Don’t forget to subscribe to Lucy’s Newsletter (Coming Soon)

Subscribe to Lucy’s fun-tabulous newsletter.

For some reason we Chihuahuas (and all dogs) seem to cool ourselves through our mouths. Our skin does not sweat. I’m a lady, after all. And I wear a beautiful fur coat every day.

Sweating through our mouths may seem inefficient, but it’s the best we can do.

Sometimes panting makes us look like we’re smiling and happy. Keep thinking that.

It really means we’re hot and probably bothered.

Plenty of Water is Important

You must keep your Chi hydrated. We need to drink plenty of water, especially in warm weather. Encouraging your Chi to drink may not be easy but it’s worth the effort. In hot weather add an ice cube for enticement.

Some dogs like fancy fountain dishes. I just have a cheap aluminum bowl. It’s shiny. Aluminum is better than other types of bowls since it’s not porous and doesn’t breed germs. You should wash your Chi’s water dish once or twice a day. After all, it’s just sitting there on the floor all day and night. Would you drink out of that?

Use Caution When Exercising in the Heat

Exercise is important for all dogs, including little Chihuahuas. But if the weather is very hot, it’s best to walk your Chi in the early morning or late evening to avoid the hot sun. Keep in mind that our little feet are somewhat naked and are touching the hot sidewalk and asphalt. Ugh.

Do your Chihuahuas pant? Any stories?

Other articles on panting:

Reasons why Chihuahuas Pant

Why do dogs pant?

Another article on why dogs pant.