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Toys for and Training of the
Spoiled Rotten Canine Companion
Small
dogs require small
toys, (essentials, not optionals) however, you must be careful that there are not small
pieces which might come off and get stuck in his throat. These are not extras, but essentials for your pet. Chew toys promote
healthy gums and teeth. They will also discourage chewing on things of yours!
Rawhide toys are favorites, but on rare occasions
dog have been choked on a piece of rawhide caught in their throats. When you are not present, do not leave rawhide where your
pet can reach it.
Chew toys of hard nylon are safe even when no
one is around. Gummy-nylon chews are also good. Solid, hard-rubber toys are also safe and fun.
Squeaky toys, light rubber or plastic critters
with squeakers inside are popular, but safe only when you are supervising, or joining in the fun. Don’t leave it out
when you are not present as the squeaker could come out and choke your pet.
Flat fleecy toys are popular and machine washable.
If they shred, dispose of them and get another. They are safe for your pet when you are not present.
Braided rope toys are fun for you and your pet.
They help keep teeth tartar free. If you can’t find a small one in the dog section, check in the bird section. They usually last for years, however, if your Chi starts unstringing it, don’t leave
him alone with it. Swallowed strings can cause serious intestinal problems.
Fetching toys are always fun for you and your pet. The soft rubber types should always be put away when you are finished playing. If the
rubber begins to disintegrate, dispose of it and get a new one.
Don’t let
him have all his toys at once. Instead, put a few away and rotate them
ever few days so he doesn’t become bored.
A sweater is a good investment for your Chihuahua
to help him avoid chills. If the chi is a female, the more of her bald belly it covers, the better. If it is a male, you won’t
want to cover that part due to pee pee activity.
Developmental Stages Of Puppy Behavior
Although feeding time is important, it’s also vital
to include petting, talking and playing, in order to help your puppy build good "people-skills." Well-socialized mothers are
more likely to have well-socialized puppies. Puppies "feed" off of their mother’s calm or fearful attitude toward people.
Puppies are usually weaned at six or seven weeks, but are still learning important skills as their mother gradually
leaves them more and more. Ideally, puppies should stay with their littermates (or other role-model dogs) for at least 12
weeks.
Puppies separated from their littermates too early often don’t develop appropriate "social skills," such
as learning how to send and receive signals, what an "inhibited bite" means, how far to go in play wrestling and so forth.
Play is important to help puppies increase their physical coordination, social skills and learning limits. Interacting with
their mother and littermates helps them learn "how to be a dog" and is also a way to explore ranking ("who’s in charge").
Skills
not acquired during the first eight weeks may be lost forever. While these stages are important and fairly consistent, a dog’s
mind remains receptive to new experiences and lessons well beyond puppy-hood. Most dogs are still puppies, in mind and body,
through the first two years.
The following chart provides general guidelines for the stages of development.
0
- 2 weeks = Neonatal
Most influenced by their mother.
Touch and taste present at birth.
2 - 4 weeks
= Transitional
Most influenced by their mother and littermates.
Eyes open, teeth erupt, hearing and smell developing.
Beginning to stand, walk a little, wag, bark.
By four or five weeks, sight is well-developed.
During
this period, puppies need opportunities to meet other dogs and people.
By four to six weeks they’re most influenced
by their littermates and are learning about being a dog.
From four to 12 weeks they’re most influenced by their
littermates and people. They’re also learning to play, including social skills, inhibited bite, social structure/ranking
and physical coordination.
By three to five weeks they’re becoming aware of their surroundings, companions (dogs
and people) and relationships, including play.
By five to seven weeks they’re developing curiosity and exploring
new experiences. They need positive "people" experiences during this time.
By seven to nine weeks they’re refining
they’re physical skills/coordination (including housetraining) and full use of senses.
By eight to ten weeks
they experience real fear -- when puppies can be alarmed by normal objects and experiences and need positive training.
By
nine to 12 weeks they’re refining reactions, social skills (appropriate interactions) with littermates and are exploring
the environment, spaces and objects. Beginning to focus on people. This is a good time to begin training.
3 - 6 months
= Ranking
Most influenced by "littermates" (playmates now include those of other species). Beginning to see and use
ranking (dominant and submissive) within the pack, including humans. Teething and chewing. At four months they experience
another fear stage.
6 - 18 months = Adolescence
Most influenced by human and dog "pack" members.
At
seven to nine months they go through a second chewing phase -- part of exploring territory. Heightened exploration of dominance,
including challenging
humans.
If not spayed or neutered, beginnings of sexual behavior.
Copied from another true breeders page, because no matter what you've heard, this is who we are.
Copied from another purebred breeders' page:
This is so very true.
Dear Past And Future Puppy Owners,
I loved them first. I thought of you years before you even realized. I planned for and cared about your baby long before
you started thinking of adding to your family. I worried about your future with that puppy before you knew there would be
one.
There were hours upon hours spent researching lines for the parents of your puppies. Going over breeder after breeder,
choosing not only my pet but looking for a dog that will make you your pet. Worrying if you'd be happy, if I had chosen correctly
and your puppy would grow up healthy and happy. Going over puppy after puppy with fellow breeders, running over my program
with as many knowledgeable breeders as I can, determined to not miss anything. Tracing lines back as far as I could, learning
the ins and outs not only for my knowledge but so that I was informed, prepared to go over every detail with you, to answer
the questions that sometimes you don't even ask.
Then there's years of watching your puppies parents grow. Loving them and enjoying them as part of my family. Taking them
every where I can, training them, socializing them, watching how they fill out. Asking myself I had made the right choice
in both of them. Scrutinizing their conformation, how they move, and their temperament. There was the stress of health testing.
Praying not only that my babies were healthy but that they had the genes to make your baby healthy.
Finally came the time to put your puppies parents together. For the next 63 days I worried, I obsessed, I grew excited.
I watched your puppies mom like a hawk. Making sure my baby was ok, monitoring her diet better than I do my own. Concerned
that she was getting enough of the right nutrients and that your growing baby was getting the best start possible. I spent
hours on the couch, floor, and dog bed with her watching her tummy grow and anxiously waiting. As your baby and mine grew
I laid my hands on her tummy and felt the first movements of your puppy. As the time grew close I spent most nights in the
nursery with her. Making sure she didn't go into labor without me knowing, in case something went wrong and one of our babies
needed help. When labor started my whole life stopped. I spent every second with her. Your baby was born into my hands and
I held my breath as I cleaned them up, watching for movement and breathing, cleaning them up, checking them over, and wondering
if you'd love them as much as I already did. I helped your babies brother when mom got tired and he was stuck. I cried when
your babies sister didn't make it.
For the first 8 weeks most of my life was filled with your baby. Watching them grow and making sure I was doing everything
possible to make sure they started their lives the right way. Making sure each one was getting enough to eat, enough socialization
time, that they were de-wormed and given their shots. I was the first person they saw when they opened their eyes. I spent
my weeks playing with them and keeping them safe.
I searched for you and interviewed you. As you spoke I tried to read your character. Would you love them as much as I
do? Would you bring them in as part of your family? Would you care for this tiny life that I brought into this world that
I am responsible for? Some of you were turned away but some of you were welcomed into our family. The day you took your baby
home was harder than I'd ever let on. I was excited for you but I was also terrified. Had I chosen correctly? Were you who
you seemed to be?
My love and worry didn't end there. I thought about your baby regularly, saddened when I didn't get updates, ecstatic
when I did. I hoped you were caring for your baby the way I care for mine. I answered your questions happily and answered
them again just as happily to your babies siblings new parents. When your puppies sister ate a couch I stayed up that night
she was at the vets, waiting to hear that she was ok. When their brothers parents decided he no longer fit in their life I
welcomed him home, sorry that I had chosen wrong for him and promised him it wouldn't happen again.
I loved your baby first and I will never stop.
Signed,
Author Unknown
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Toenails,
when to cut
Your
Chi’s toenails are too long if they make clicking noises when he walks
or if they touch the ground when he is standing still. Toenails that are too long cause a dog to walk on the back of
his feet, causing splayed toes, a poor gait, and possible back and hip alignment
problems if the situation goes on too long. If toenails are not cut for months, the nails can curl under the foot and penetrate
the foot pad, causing the dog lameness and more serious problems. Another problem with elongated toenails is the quick (blood
vein) of the toenail may extend downward to the end of the nail, causing the dog pain and bleeding if the nail is cut or broken.
Don’t try to trim your dogs nails the first week you have him. Instead, get him used to having
his feet touched. It’s only fair to warn you that some Chihuahuas are so terrified of having their nails cut,
they become micro monsters at the sight of clippers. If so, it may take 2 people to do the job. Remember, the leg you are
holding is tiny and fragile, so be careful. IT is breakable. If you can’t do the job at home, let the vet or a professional
groomer do it.
Picking
up puppy
Teach your children to pick puppy up properly. Use two hands to pick him up. One hand goes under his
chest and the other cups his rear. Check your hands the first few times to be sure you are not applying pressure to front
legs, spreading them too far apart or compressing them—habitual spreading or compression can cause permanent damage
to elbows, legs or shoulders. Place your thumb on one side of your dog and your little finger on the other, supporting his
chest with the middle three. Hold him gently but firmly (puppies wiggle and jump)
against your body with both hands so no part of him dangles.
It is better if small children remain seated while holding the puppy, and supervised for both of their
safety.
NEVER leave your puppy alone in a place where he could fall. If you get off the chair or furniture,
automatically place him on the floor.
TIP: laundry baskets are not good containers for puppies, they will climb out and fall on their heads—oops.
Teach your child how to pet the puppy. On the back, not the head, due to the soft spot. Tell your child
not to close their hand on the puppy or squeeze it. Remember, the puppy has only one thing to hold with (not hands, teeth)
and he will be playing when you think he is biting! And when puppy wants to leave,
let him.
Honking or reverse sneezing.
Ok, here's
a question for y'all: Does anyone know the cause for so-called "reverse
sneezing" in Chihuahuas (and other small breeds)? All the Chis I have owned have done this - I call
it "honking" - and I know that it doesn't seem to harm them, and usually
happens when they are excited. But it has always been somewhat of a mystery
to me.
Right now, I am training/taking care of a little female that gets it pretty
severely, at times sounding like a cough, and causing her to gag a bit.
This seems to be an "outward" energy, rather than "inward", and she gets
it quite a lot. I have one other girl who can occasionally get "severe"
bouts of this, lasting up to 10 minutes or so, but it seems to have no lasting
effects, and does not seem to be collapsing trachea. I usually try to comfort
them in some way during these episodes, but nothing I've tried seems to
lessen them.
When
you are in the middle of moving the dog around the ring waiting it out doesn't work very good. I have noticed that Jaguar
has a post nasal drip sound when he get's this the worst so what your vet and my vet say's makes sense. So the "drip" displaces
the palate. Hmmmm. I am going to try Janettes remedy of pusing the nose towards the chest. Sounds good to me. This is why
the Benadryl is working.
I've used that method as well and teach my dogs to "swallow." It takes time but they know what to
do. Recently I found a slightly different method that seems to work even better. I have the dog breathe into my
cupped hand (rebreathing the same air) and I still tell them to swallow which they do. It works really well and they
don't mind it as much either.
To help a dog swallow, gently rub the throat.
Since some of this is allergy related, try using food with no soy, wheat, or corn as these are the main
problems for allergies with dogs.
We signed the AKC Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise to show our commitment to our four-legged friends
and we hope you will too!
AKC RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER PET PROMISE
As a dog owner, I do solemnly swear:
*
I will never overlook my responsibilities for this living being and recognize that my dog's welfare is totally dependent on
me.
* I will always provide fresh water and quality food for my dog.
* I will socialize my dog via exposure
to new people, places and other dogs.
* I will take pride in my dog's appearance with regular grooming.
* I
will recognize the necessity of basic training by teaching my dog to reliably sit, stay and come when called.
* I will
take my dog to the vet regularly and keep all vaccinations current.
* I will pick-up and properly dispose of my dog's
waste.
* I will make sure my dog is regarded as an AKC Canine Good CitizenŽ by being aware of my responsibilities
to my neighbors and to the community.
* I will ensure that the proper amount of exercise and mental stimulation appropriate
for my dog's age, breed and energy level is provided.
* I will make certain that my dog is identified with both a collar
tag and a microchip and I will adhere to local leash laws.
The materials, information and answers provided through this website are not intended to replace the medical
advice or services of a qualified veterinarian or other pet health care professional. Consult your own veterinarian for answers
to specific medical questions, including diagnosis, treatment, therapy or medical attention.
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