Each rescued adult dog is unique. Each has her own life experiences that have shaped her into the dog she is now. These previous life experiences might also make your Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s transition to home life easier or more difficult.
Time is a fantastic healer for dogs who have some challenges to overcome—especially when the Chi owner is ready for anything and willing to give the dog the time she needs to develop into a lovely pet.
The first 24 hours
If you adopt a Chihuahua from a reputable breed rescue or buy a former show dog from a breeder, you are unlikely to be surprised when you bring your new adult dog home.
If you are adopting a Chi that you are unfamiliar with, you should be prepared with potential obstacles. Knowing what to expect and how to respond when problems arise is critical in ensuring that your adopted Chi continues to progress in the correct way. A few teaching skills and a lot of patience can transform even a difficult youngster into an excellent companion.
Just as with a puppy, the first day your rescued Chihuahua arrives home is usually the most stressful. Everything and everyone is unusual and new. A more assertive Chi may enter your home, check around, determine which couch is the plushest, and settle right in. Often, they are older Chihuahuas who have had nothing but a beautiful existence.
Senior Chis are sometimes disregarded in shelters and rescues because potential adopters are concerned that they will not have as long to enjoy these pets. Senior Chis, on the other hand, have demonstrated their good health by living to be so old. These are also the dogs who adapt most easily to new homes, which is a great advantage.
A dog who was bold and playful in the foster home may take one step into your home and attempt to scramble out the door. She may get horrified by all she sees and begin shivering, freezing in place, or pancake (the Chi\\\\\\\’s method of flattening themselves to evade predators).
Most likely, you will adopt a dog that fits somewhere in between the two extremes. This is the dog who has had little experience with a family but is eager to make your home her home. She is ready for a lifetime commitment, but due to her previous experiences and limited time with you, she is not yet ready to entirely put her life in your hands and trust you implicitly. Trust takes time.
Minimise Stress
Most adopted Chihuahuas lack social skills. Their former owners most likely did not spend much time socialising them with people from other backgrounds and experiences. As a result, the Chi lacks self-confidence and is uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations. Symptoms of anxiety may include the following:
PacingRestlessnessPantingShedding Trembling, loss of appetite. Whining and whimpering
To make your Chihuahua feel more at peace in your home, consider gating her into a room so she may explore every inch of it fast. Place a crate with nice bedding on the floor with the entrance latched open. This provides a safe haven for your Chihuahua. Ensure that a fresh bowl of clean, chilled water is always accessible in this room for your new Chi. Stress can rapidly dehydrate a dog.
Can I invite friends over to meet my new dog?
A house full of loud guests could overwhelm an unsure Chihuahua. Wait until your new dog trusts you, then introduce other people as part of her ongoing socialisation. Coach your visitors so they understand to allow the dog make the approach and resist the urge to take her up.
Sit on the floor with your dog, letting her come to you for pats and affection. If she is food-oriented, reward her trust with small rewards. With a nervous dog, completely ignore her while sitting on the floor. Do not even make eye contact. Let her approach you at her own pace.
Allow her to lick your hands and, if she is interested in eating, take tiny bits of rewards off your hands. Avoid making any unexpected moves that could send her skittering to the furthest corners of the room. Even the shyest of dogs will warm up to you in twenty minutes to half an hour if you allow her to make all the moves.
Gentle Handling
When handling your new Chi, be gentle. A dog\\\\\\\’s natural reaction to pain is to bite the cause. Take precautions until you know if your Chihuahua has any sensitive places. While petting your dog, look for flinching, a fast turning of the head (a sign of an impending snap), yelping, and shaking.
Handling the paws and nails upsets many dogs. With an adult dog, this fear could be due to a botched toenail clipping that caused a lot of pain, or it could be because the dog has never had this area handled before.
Keep in mind that a sensitive location does not always correspond to an area where the Chi is experiencing pain. Past injuries or portions of the body that have previously experienced pain (for example, a severely infected ear) can still be reactive sites, or locations to which the Chi will respond as if he is in genuine agony.
Observe Your Reactions
Unfortunately, many rescued adult Chihuahuas have had very little (if any) experience living in a home. You may discover that the dog you\\\\\\\’ve adopted takes everything in stride, expressing mainly curiosity at the varied sounds emerging from household appliances, air ducts, rolling garbage cans, and the vacuum cleaner. If, however, your Chi expresses fear towards something in your home, you must know how to respond.
To help your Chi overcome her fear of a certain household object, apply the phrase \\\\\\\”Ignore bad reactions, but reward good behaviour.\\\\\\\” For example, if the sound of a flushing toilet sends your Chi rushing into another room, quivering, do nothing. Do not try to run to the rescue, cuddle, or coo at the shaking dog.
Dogs regard positive physical touch with their special people as the greatest reward of all. You\\\\\\\’ve reinforced your Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s sensitivity to the flushing toilet by praising him for running away from it. It is preferable to ignore fearful or noisy (barking) responses to everyday sights and sounds while rewarding positive responses. Over time, your Chi will react less and less to what she fears.
Danger Zone.
Statistically, the highest percentage of severe dog-bite injuries perpetrated on owners comes when a new dog is introduced into the family. This is the most stressful moment for the dog, and all breeds are more inclined to bite during this period. The faster the dog adjusts to her new surroundings, the less stressed she is, and the lower the danger of a stress-induced bite. It could last a few days or weeks.
What this implies for you is that you should not put your newly acquired Chihuahua in a situation where she may become scared, overwhelmed, or feel directly challenged. Give her time to adjust and, more importantly, to trust you. Avoid confrontations by restricting the dog\\\\\\\’s access to one room and prohibiting her from stealing objects she cannot have.
Furthermore, do not trust your Chihuahua. Your newly adopted Chihuahua must gain your trust. This takes time and does not happen overnight. Consider this: Would you trust a complete stranger to come into your home and supervise your children while you were away on vacation? Of course not. However, we often expect an acquired dog to behave perfectly, even when under great stress. Please bear this in mind. Proceed gently with your Chihuahua. Give her the opportunity to prove her dependability.
With adequate care and attention, your Chi will soon look up to you.
First Night Blues.
Your adopted Chihuahua may or may not show any concern on her first night in your home. As an adult, she will not miss her littermates or be saddened by her separation from her mother. If she\\\\\\\’s from the shelter, she won\\\\\\\’t be crying (figuratively speaking) about leaving the other shelter dogs. Even if she has been in a foster family, she may not have developed a deep enough attachment with her foster mother to experience separation anxiety.
Your new Chi will most likely experience some fear (again) as a result of being in a strange new environment. She may cry or bark upon being put in her crate (oh, the injustice!). As she adjusts to her new surroundings—and her crate—this emotion will fade rapidly. Here are some tips to assist her get through the first few nights:
Use a crate at night.
Make sure the container is warm, comfy, and free of drafts.
Place the crate close to your bed, or sleep next to it on the floor, so she can see you.
Ignore whimpering, yapping, and barking unless you understand that it is a sign that your dog has to relieve herself. Don\\\\\\\’t comfort her when she\\\\\\\’s crying. (That was a prize, remember?)
Give her a busy toy that she can work on, such as a Kong or another rubber toy filled with treats.
Consider spraying DAP or using an atomiser to help relax your Chi.
Rub Rescue Remedy onto her gums or place a few drops in her water dish.
Do not put your Chi in bed with you since you might smoosh her or she may snap.
Give her a small treat if you notice her being quiet.
Be patient; she will catch on quickly.
An adult Chi should be able to sleep all night in her box. Keep in mind, however, that this only applies to healthy, quiet adult Chis. If your adopted Chihuahua was worried throughout the day, drank a lot of water before bedtime, or isn\\\\\\\’t sleeping in her crate but is awake and active at night, she will need to empty herself at least once, if not twice.
The Next Few Months
Every adopted dog has a unique and often unknown background. Every event the dog has had, including the ones she is now having, moulds and forms her temperament, health, and the amount of personal baggage she carries with her.
its adopted dog and its owner are unique individuals. Some owners are better prepared to deal with the issues that an adopted dog may provide. These owners are frequently experienced dog owners who have previously lived with Chihuahuas, possibly as rescues. They are patient and confident in their ability to guide the dog along. Other Chihuahua owners are new to the breed and may be new to dog ownership.
Add to this the fact that each adopted dog has her unique schedule for healing, learning, and adapting. Patience and tenacity are the two traits most required while caring for a rescued adult dog, whether you are a first-time owner or have decades of experience. Do not give up on your little man. Virtually all difficulties can be solved with the right training tools.
What exactly defines a dog that is good with children? A kid-friendly dog, regardless of breed, appreciates spending time with sensitive, responsible older children. It does not imply that the dog will not respond with a bark, snap, or bite if it is taunted, abused, or injured—even if the injury is accidental. It does not imply that a child can pull anything out of the dog\\\\\\\’s jaws at any time.
Adult Chis and Children
Breed rescues are extremely hesitant to adopt an adult Chi to a home with youngsters. The younger the youngsters, the more hesitant. From the rescue\\\\\\\’s perspective, Chis and the small children are an accident waiting to happen. They understand from experience that even the most watchful parent will struggle to keep both child and Chi safe.
Risks for Children and Dogs
Babies are particularly vulnerable to predatory behaviour from dogs. Their unusual cries, along with the presence of milk or food on their clothing, have caused decent dogs to behave badly, even jumping into the baby\\\\\\\’s cot to harm them. Even the smallest dog can reach a newborn on the floor. In a swing, the mix of movement, food odours, and infant sounds might lead to a bad situation.
Toddlers toddle—and frequently fall, sometimes upon the dog, whose instinctive response to pain is to bite. A Chihuahua can also be crushed. At this age, children investigate their surroundings through tasting and touching, which often takes the form of biting, poking, prodding, and pinching. If a dog steals a toy away from a youngster, the toddler will immediately grab it back, potentially causing a dispute over the toy.
Certain characteristics of the Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s anatomy can make this breed especially vulnerable to harm from well-meaning children. Themolera, a hole in some Chihuahuas\\\\\\\’ skulls, and a Chi\\\\\\\’s huge, projecting eyes can both be severely harmed with no effort.
Young children like running, screaming, and playing. A Chihuahua might easily become scared of these children and decide to chase them. Young children, such as toddlers, are unable to resist picking up and holding small puppies or dogs. Holding a wiggling Chihuahua is challenging for anyone. Dropping the Chihuahua from even a short distance, such as a child\\\\\\\’s arms to the floor, could result in shattered bones.
Know the rules.
If you have children—or grandchildren, nieces, or nephews who visit frequently—you\\\\\\\’ll need to establish ground rules with them right away if you want to raise children alongside Chihuahuas in a safe environment for everyone involved. Here are some basic pointers:
The dog\\\\\\\’s crate is hers and should not be entered.
Holding the dog is only permitted when sitting on the floor with an adult present.
Never hit, prod, or tease the dog.
Never try to take a toy or food away from a dog, even if you own it; always seek assistance from an adult.
Do not yell or run into the home.
Do not press your face on the dog\\\\\\\’s face or attempt to kiss her.
Do not rub or push a sleeping Chi; instead, speak her name to arouse her.
As a parent, grandmother, aunt, or uncle, you are responsible for supervising all interactions between the child and dog. This does not imply that you should observe the kids and dog in the backyard from the kitchen window. It entails being within arms\\\\\\\’ reach of both children and dogs. Even then, things can happen so quickly that it may be nearly impossible to prevent an accident from occurring, but perhaps you can mitigate the consequences.
If you are unable to supervise, you must completely separate the youngster and the dog. More things occur while a parent or supervisory adult is not there than at any other moment. And if you don\\\\\\\’t see what happened, you may never learn the whole tale.
It\\\\\\\’s human tendency to blame the dog for everything, yet there\\\\\\\’s nearly always a cause (albeit sometimes a bad one) for a dog to snap. Set up a barrier to keep the dog in a room, or let her retire safely to her crate.
Typical Challenges of Rescued Dogs
Even if your adult dog was fostered in a family and thoroughly vetted, you will not know everything about her. For example, a Chihuahua may be OK around other dogs her size and hence considered dog-friendly, despite the fact that she is scared of other canines.
The idea here is to be on the watch for issues that may not have been apparent during the rescue or shelter. An adult dog who hasn\\\\\\\’t spent much time at home or with family may need to brush up on the following skills:
Relationships with strange dogs and living with other home pets Social abilities with people Housetraining Basic obedience training.
Fear from a lack of socialisation is a typical issue among Chihuahuas. If your Chi is shy or easily scared, check out Deborah Wood\\\\\\\’s book Help for Your Shy Dog: Turning Your Terrified.
The good news is that an adult dog learns rapidly and already possesses many of the abilities required to make an excellent companion. You also start with a dog who wants to please you and has chosen you as her human. Consider your Chihuahua a work in progress. Some dogs may require further training to progress. Diligence, love, and training can help you create the ideal canine companion—if your adopted dog isn\\\\\\\’t already one!
Who Can Help You?
If you have any issues or questions about your new Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s habits or behaviours and need assistance resolving them, you should first contact the breed rescue or shelter from whom you got your Chihuahua. These people have heard almost everything concerning unique or problematic behaviour. They also provide remedies for the bulk of your Chi problems.
If you did not adopt your Chihuahua from a breed rescue, you can still contact a local, regional, or national Chi rescue for guidance and assistance. These people specialise in problem resolution for the Chihuahua breed. There\\\\\\\’s nothing they\\\\\\\’d rather do than help a rescued Chi become a better family member.
If you are dissatisfied with these sources, or if the situation is more complex, there are various alternative options for getting the aid you require. These professionals include veterinary behaviourists, animal behaviourists, and trainers.
Veterinary Behaviourists
This individual is both a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) and a diplomate, or board-certified specialist, of the American College of Veterinary Behaviourists (ACVB). To discover a veterinary behaviourist, go to the American Veterinary Medical Association\\\\\\\’s website, www.avma.org.
Veterinary Behaviour Consultant
Many veterinarians are interested in animal behaviour, but are not The board has been certified by the ACVB. What these vets do have is a thorough understanding of behaviour, behaviour modification training, and medical remedies. If your veterinarian does not specialise in behaviour, request a referral to a respected professional in your region. You can also contact the AVMA for a referral to a veterinary behaviour specialist. Visit the Animal Hospital Association of America\\\\\\\’s website, www.aahanet.org.
Animal Behaviourists
The certified animal behaviourist has a Ph.D. in animal behaviour and is certified by the Animal Behaviour Society (ABS). Certified animal behaviourists can be found by visiting the ABS website at www.animalbehavior.org/ABS.
Many people name themselves behavioural experts, animal behaviourists, or a variety of other titles. Be careful of anyone who claims to be a behaviour specialist but has no educational background or certification in this field.
Trainers
To discover an experienced trainer who is skilled at resolving behavioural issues, ask your veterinarian, breed rescue, shelter, breeder, or other canine-savvy individuals for recommendations. You can also visit the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) website at www.apdt.com.
A rewarding endeavour.
Saving a life by taking in a rescued adult dog and providing her with a permanent, final home is admirable. Providing the veterinary attention and attentive nurturing required to restore your Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s health and vigour is inspiring.
But arguably the most thrilling and satisfying aspect of adopting and rearing an adult Chihuahua is the ability to gradually mould a reticent or frightened Chi into a \\\\\\\”Ms. Personality\\\\\\\”—if not around others, then around yourself—and knowing that you had everything to do with this incredible metamorphosis.
The resulting human-dog interaction is nothing short of remarkable, and that is no hyperbole. Dogs rarely get to choose their people; most are chosen by a person when they are puppies.
Adult dogs, on the other hand, usually win over their lifelong owners by making it clear that they are the one. The link between a dog and the person she chooses to stay with for the rest of her life is extremely strong. You almost cannot go wrong.
Owning a rescued dog is a unique experience that is unlike any other you have had while rearing a puppy.
Once you\\\\\\\’ve earned Chi\\\\\\\’s total trust, and she\\\\\\\’s earned yours, the rest is pretty much smooth sailing.
But be warned: adopting rescued adult Chis can be addictive. Some Chihuahua owners will quickly tell you that they would never choose a dog any other way.