Teaching Your Chihuahua To Behave

Now that you are a proud owner of an adorable Chihuahua puppy, what are you going to do next? Why, Chihuahua obedience training of course! That cute little bundle will become a cute little ball of terror before you know it, unless you teach him the rules of the house as soon as possible. Although many people consider Chihuahuas hard to train, with patience and consistency, you will persevere. And you will have a happy, well-behaved pooch to show for it.

Training sessions for your new puppy will need to be kept short and free of distractions to be effective. As your dog matures, you will be able to extend the amount of time that you spend in Chihuahua obedience training. Make sure that your sessions are positive for your dog by loading them with plenty of praise and the occasional cookie. In addition, it is important that you enforce the rules of the house to your dog as consistently as possible. If you never want that furry body on your white sofa, don’t ever let him try it out for size. Not once. Not ever. Consistency is one of the biggest keys in owning a well-behaved Chihuahua.

The most important commands for your Chihuahua to learn during Chihuahua obedience training are sit, stay, come and down. Even if that pup is merely jumping up and down at your kneecaps, dogs that jump are not well-trained dogs. Another important command that your dog needs to learn is "no". This command should always be given in a firm, low voice with a stern facial expression, so that your puppy learns right away that no means no! It is also important to give the command when your dog is in the middle of an infraction, like when he wraps his chops around your designer sandals. If you do it minutes or even seconds after the offense, your dog will have no idea what you are talking about.

Once "no" is a part of your pup’s vocabulary, begin working on the commands like "come" and "sit". With plenty of praise and cookies, your puppy should be able to learn these commands fairly quickly. Make sure that you offer simple, one word commands with plenty of positive reinforcement when your dog does your bidding.

Training a dog is never something that can be done overnight and Chihuahua obedience training is no exception to the rule. Before you even bring that puppy home from the breeder, you should be prepared to put in the time and effort that will be required to train your dog properly. By using short sessions that are free of distractions and peppering your sessions with plenty of praise and yummy treats, your Chihuahua puppy will understand what you want and will be happy to oblige in no time at all.

A well-trained dog has a healthy respect for the rules of the house, and can be a pleasure to have around even when company comes to call. It is important to train your pets, no matter how big or small they might be, because this is an important part of responsible dog ownership. If you feel that you need help in the dog training arena, you can always find an obedience class in your community that will help you to train your dog in no time. Happy training!

As a dog trainer for many years, Sandra Dean knows how much time and patience goes into training any dog properly. By learning all you can about Chihuahua training you will be prepared to give your new puppy the best care possible. By researching articles like this one and reading the various dog training books available you will be well prepared for the training of your Chihuahua puppy.