How to Train Chihuahuas

Training your Chihuahua will be one of the most important things you will ever do.  If you invest the time and energy into training your Chihuahua, it will greatly benefit you both.  Keep reading ‘How to Train Chihuahua’s’ to find out more!

How to Train Chihuahuas: The Rewards You Will Gain

These are the goals you should strive for when training your Chihuahua:

• The relationship between you and your Chihuahua: The most important thing to begin with is creating an excellent relationship between you and your Chihuahua.  This includes establishing your alpha leader position.  There are a number of ways you can create this alpha leader status.  When you get home do not give your Chihuahua attention for the first five to fifteen minutes.  Secondly, always feed your Chihuahua after you have eaten.  Both these things will show your Chihuahua that you are higher up in your pack (family) and they will respect you more.  By establishing your alpha leader position early on it will make training a whole lot easier!
• Strive to have fun: Training should not be boring or seen as a task.  It should be fun!  If you establish your alpha position first your Chihuahua will respect you and enjoy your training sessions more.  This, in turn, will make training a whole lot more fun and rewarding!

How to Train Chihuahuas: The Process

It is important to set up guidelines to follow when training your Chihuahua.  Use the following as a guide:

• Finding the balance between correction and rewards: If you yell at your Chihuahua too often when they do something wrong, then this will lead to confusion.  However, if you over praise your Chihuahua when they do something good then this can also lead to misunderstanding.  The best solution is to find a balance in the middle.  Don’t tell your Chihuahua off to often, yet don’t praise them too much.  By finding a good balance between the both it will create a calming and less confusing environment.
• Repetition and Persistence: It is very important to be persistent and patient when training your Chihuahua.  Keep reminding yourself that your Chihuahua will not learn things the first time around.  You need to focus on repetition.  Repeat commands a number of times, every single day.  If your Chihuahua can follow the command straight away without having to stop and think about what they need to do, then they have memorized it.  Repetition and persistence are two golden things to remember when training your Chihuahua.
• Consistency: You need to be consistent when training your Chihuahua.  If you teach your Chihuahua a certain command then do not change the way you deliver this later on.  If you do make changes it will just confuse your Chihuahua.  So be consistent!  If you teach a command one way, then keep it that way.  Consistency is also important for other Chihuahua behavior.  If you don’t want your Chihuahua jumping on the couch then never let your Chihuahua on the couch.  Be consistent with everything you do – it will make your Chihuahua learn at a much faster rate.
• Punishing for no reason: If you tell your Chihuahua off for something they haven’t been taught not to do then it will just confuse them.  For example, do not punish your Chihuahua if they chew on your good shoe if they haven’t been trained about appropriate chewing.  They won’t know what they are doing wrong if they haven’t been trained on what they can and can’t chew.  You can tell your Chihuahua off after you have gone through the process of teaching them about appropriate chewing.

Training your Chihuahua does not have to be a chore.  It can be fun and rewarding for both you and your Chihuahua.  As previously mentioned, remember to establish your alpha leader position first.  This will make training your Chihuahua a lot easier!  So learn the tips in this ‘How to Train Your Chihuahua’ article and take the time to start training your Chihuahua today!  The rewards will be well worth it!