When wanting to adopt an adult Chihuahua, you have a few options. You can search the newspaper and adopt directly from the surrendering owner, check the local animal control facilities, work with an area shelter, or contact a Chihuahua purebred rescue organisation. Though an excellent Chi can be discovered in any of these locations, some demand more dog intelligence and expertise than others. Here\\\\\\\’s what to expect from each source.
Looking for good owners for this charming chis.
Looking for a solid reason to consider adopting a rescued Chihuahua? An adult dog can be ideal in any of the following situations:
You have one Chi and wish to add another.
You\\\\\\\’ve lost a beloved senior and want another adult canine.
Your life is so busy that you don\\\\\\\’t have the time or energy to devote to raising a child.
You enjoy the notion of giving a great small dog a second opportunity in life.
Of course, no one truly requires a reason to adopt. Adult Chis fit into any home and make excellent pets.
Toy Breed Does Not Mean \\\\\\\”Toy\\\\\\\”
People frequently believe that the only reason a purebred dog would be surrendered to a shelter or abandoned on a country road is that there is something seriously wrong with the dog. This is not true 99.9% of the time. Typically, the cause is that the dog is acting like a dog and demonstrating dog-like behaviours that the owners were not prepared to handle.
This is especially true of Chihuahuas. Extensive media coverage of the breed in television advertisements, print ads, movies, and as a pocket pet for celebrities has fuelled a resurgent desire in owning the tiniest of the toy breeds. Unfortunately for Chis, puppy buyers are frequently unaware that, although weighing only a few pounds, the Chihuahua has all of the behaviours, motivations, and requirements of a dog. The Chihuahua is not a stuffed animal or a fashion accessory.
According to recent estimates, 50% or more of shelter dogs are purebred, with breeds varying by region of the country. Chihuahua populations vary around the United States, with the West Coast being a hub of rescue activity. Every month, organisations in the Los Angeles area report hundreds of Chihuahuas in need of homes.
Just as macho men used to seek for tough-looking dogs to prove their manhood, star-struck teenagers and celebrity wannabes are now hunting for Chihuahuas to tote as status symbols. As soon as these individuals discover that this Chihuahua needs to relieve itself regularly, is not content to sit in a Gucci purse all day (but would rather chase and dismember lizards), requires veterinary care (sometimes a lot of care), and may be either terrified of people (making it hard to show off to friends) or willing to snarl and bite anyone and everyone who comes near (if not socialised well as a puppy), the Chihuahua is unceremoniously dumped at the nearest shelter.
Older Chihuahuas are ideal for owners who do not have time to teach a young puppy, and they make excellent companions.
Other Reasons for Abandoned Chi
Other reasons that purebred Chis end up in need of rescue vary. Some of the more commonly given reasons for surrendering a dog to a shelter or rescue include divorce, the arrival of a new baby, inability to pay for the dog\\\\\\\’s veterinary bills, a job relocation, a move to a property where dogs are not allowed (sadly, often a retirement community or an assisted-living facility), and the death of the owner. Some of these reasons are valid, making the surrender even more difficult for both the dog and the owner.
Looking for a good home.
The local newspaper is a popular source for finding adult Chihuahuas for adoption. Pet owners who like their dogs but have encountered situations beyond their control that require them to surrender their Chihuahuas will frequently publish an ad in the newspaper to screen possible adopters. This type of owner is not wanting to make a profit; rather, he wants to have some say in ensuring that his dog has a permanent, loving home.
What To Expect
You should anticipate to be asked to visit the owner\\\\\\\’s home to meet the dog. While there, the owner will most likely ask you about how you plan to care for and treat the dog. You should also take this opportunity to question the owner about why he is giving up his Chihuahua.
Request permission to review the dog\\\\\\\’s veterinary records from the veterinarian. If the dog has any major or persistent health conditions that necessitate expensive medications or treatments, you should be aware of them from the start.
Even if the price is not specified in the advertisement, expect to pay a low sum for the dog—perhaps $100 to $200. Though the owner may give you the dog, it is normally recommended that the adoptive person pay for it. This ensures that the adopter is sincere about adopting the dog and deters those who attempt to scoop up unwanted toy breeds for unscrupulous purposes. (In this world, there are those who do not value life and enjoy tormenting helpless, defenceless creatures.)
Buyer beware.
Be aware, however, that if you take this dog home and things do not work out, the vendor will not be able to take the dog back. If he could keep the dog, he would not try to find her a nice home. It\\\\\\\’s a buyer beware situation. However, if you spend enough time with the animal and the owner, consult with the owner\\\\\\\’s veterinarian, and even consider bringing a Chihuahua fancier along to help evaluate the dog\\\\\\\’s temperament, you can adopt a charming, lovable dog who will provide you with years of companionship.
Shelter and Pounds
Shelters and pounds, sometimes known as animal control institutions, may include adult Chihuahuas that are available for adoption. In fact, these facilities continue to be the principal source of Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes chosen by service dog training organisations as possible aid dogs for the hearing impaired. Many people believe that shelters and pounds are interchangeable because they are both set up similarly and provide the same services to potential adopters. Although both facilities provide dogs for adoption, there are some key differences between the two that should be considered when looking for an adult Chi to rescue.
Municipal animal control facilities are mandated by antidiscrimination regulations to adopt out any animal to anyone without question. For the frequently abused Chihuahua, this adoption attitude can be heartbreaking. Fortunately, Chihuahua rescues work closely with these shelters to save as many Chis as possible, though there will always be too many that go through the cracks.
Animal Control Facilities (Pounds)
Animal control facilities are not privately sponsored through donations; rather, they are administered with municipal revenue. Most municipalities do not spend much for this service, therefore animal-control facilities are usually conducted on a shoestring budget. They have inadequate facilities and can only keep pets for a short period of time. The majority of the dogs there are strays who have no identity and have been picked up by animal control authorities.
When a stray dog enters a pound, it is marked with a number and
in a huge kennel or run with all other dogs gathered that day. Because the dogs are not treated for fleas or ticks or medicated for any ailments, unvaccinated dogs are at high danger of contracting lethal canine viruses. The dogs are not spayed or neutered, as the facility\\\\\\\’s primary concern is eliminating stray canines from the streets. Dogs in oestrus can become impregnated if they are maintained with intact males.
Why are the dogs euthanised?
It\\\\\\\’s not that the staff doesn\\\\\\\’t want to help or keep these dogs around. Instead, they are restricted by space limits. Dogs are only kept at the shelter for as long as space allows before being destroyed to make place for newly picked up strays.
If you adopt a dog from a pound, you will be responsible for determining his temperament, behaviour, and physical health. As previously stated, animal control facilities do not have the funds to engage individuals to examine and place pets. In fact, under the city\\\\\\\’s nondiscrimination legislation, the pounds must place any unclaimed dog with anybody who can pay the adoption fee. Good dogs can be discovered in pounds; nevertheless, it is recommended that you have a Chi specialist with you to assist you in appraising any potential pet.
Nonprofit shelters
Nonprofit shelters typically provide more examination and placement services than animal control. Depending on the amount of volunteers, staff expertise, and the all-important operational budget, a shelter can provide anything from extremely limited services (similar to a local pound but with the ability to vet adopters) to a wide range of programs.
Some of the best shelters offer veterinary care (such as vaccinations, heartworm testing and treatment, flea/tick treatment), professional screening of prospective owners and placement of dogs by certified animal behaviourists, extensive temperament testing, and even training by skilled and experienced dog trainers to assist difficult dogs in finding homes.
Most shelters fall in between those that provide the best services and those that provide more limited services. Regardless of the shelter\\\\\\\’s capabilities, staff personnel and volunteers can still be extremely helpful to potential adopters.
When a dog is surrendered to a shelter, the staff asks the owner to complete a questionnaire about the dog\\\\\\\’s temperament, likes, dislikes, age, and the reason for surrendering the pet. Keep in mind that an owner who is giving up his pet will commonly invent all kinds of problems so that he does not feel bad or is viewed by the staff as a liar for abandoning a perfectly good dog. As a result, the information on the intake sheet should be interpreted with caution.
Chihuahuas are notoriously tough to house train. If you see that the previous owners were unable to housetrain the Chi, don\\\\\\\’t be discouraged. Unless the dog has a health concern (which your veterinarian can evaluate and perhaps cure), with time, patience, and a lot of dedication, most Chihuahuas can become housetrained.
The input and observations of shelter workers and volunteers may be more essential than the information provided by the surrendering owner. Ask everyone you can find what they think of the dog you\\\\\\\’re interested in and how she\\\\\\\’s behaved since she arrived at the shelter. If she\\\\\\\’s a fantastic little dog, you\\\\\\\’ll get some positive responses.
Small breeds and mixtures of small breeds are quite popular, and shelters report having little trouble adopting out the little guys. In reality, many potential adopters are placed on a wait list. If you want to adopt a Chi from a shelter, be patient and flexible in your dog requirements. If you\\\\\\\’re fixated on a female, you can miss out on the ideal companion just because he happens to be male. Try to judge each dog individually.
Working with a Chihuahua Rescue.
Without a doubt, the greatest method to locate the Chihuahua you\\\\\\\’re looking for, one that is almost certain to meet and exceed your expectations, is through a Chihuahua breed rescue. Chihuahua rescues are conducted by specialists, or Chihuahua enthusiasts with substantial breed experience. These people are knowledgeable about Chihuahuas. They can tell the difference between a legitimately shy dog and one that hasn\\\\\\\’t had much life experience or socialisation. Rescue volunteers can also tell which dogs are violent and which are reacting in self-defence or terror. Most importantly, these folks understand how to help these abandoned Chihuahuas become the greatest dogs they can be and find them wonderful homes.
The Application Process
When adopting through a rescue, you will be requested to complete a lengthy questionnaire or application. The information on this lengthy form assists rescue organisers in matching the greatest dog to the best candidate. The rescue will want to know about your home, your working hours, where your dog will stay when you are not home, how much time you can devote to your dog, how you intend to housetrain the dog, your experience with dogs and Chis, why you want to adopt a Chihuahua, and many other details about your life.
Another source for rescued Chihuahuas is a toy breed rescue. These rescues specialise in all toy breeds and are frequently located in locations that require such an umbrella organisation. They work in the same way as a Chihuahua rescue and are a wonderful source of rescued Chis.
After you submit your adoption application, a member of Rescue will contact you. He will answer any questions you may have regarding the breed and the adoption process, as well as pose a few additional questions for you to answer. The rationale for the thorough investigation is because breed rescues want to ensure that you can provide a safe, loving permanent home for an adult Chi in need. Most of these ne\\\\\\\’er-do-wells are discouraged from approaching a rescue by requiring them to fill out a lengthy application, followed by a phone interview, and charging an adoption fee.
The Rescue Staff
Once your application is approved, the rescue will start presenting you to different rescue canines as they become available for adoption. The rescue will only show you dogs that they believe could be good matches for you. These dogs were surrendered to the rescue by their owners, as well as from shelters and animal control institutions. Once a dog is safely in the rescue\\\\\\\’s adoption program, she is given a thorough veterinary inspection, updated on vaccines, bathed, groomed, and then fostered for at least a week or longer by an experienced Chi owner. The foster home assesses the dog\\\\\\\’s temperament. The organisation wants to know how the Chihuahua interacts around other pets, strangers, and youngsters. They want to know whether this Chihuahua has any hot spots (areas of her body where she dislikes being touched) or if the dog has any behavioural quirks or phobias. Basically, the rescue\\\\\\\’s mission is to get to know this dog inside and out.
To locate a Chihuahua rescue in your region, contact the Chihuahua Club of America\\\\\\\’s breed rescue. (See Appendix A for more details.) This nationwide rescue has built a network of reliable Chihuahua connections around the country.
Once the rescue learns what makes a certain Chihuahua tick, the foster parent works on making the new rescue more adoptable— If she is not already prepared for adoption. Perhaps the most essential feature of adopting a Chihuahua rescue dog is the opportunity to adopt a known entity. Rescue volunteers truly work to assist the dog transition to home life, and they will not partner the dog until she is prepared.
Which one?
If you adopt a dog from a Chihuahua rescue, you\\\\\\\’ll get a lot of help picking which pup is ideal for you. When working with a private individual, an animal control institution, or a shelter, the decision of which dog to live with and enjoy for the next decade or two will most likely be yours to make. Remember that when looking for adoptable pets, you\\\\\\\’re seeking for a Chihuahua with a fantastic disposition and good health, not just one that looks cute. The source from which you adopt your dog will impact how much effort you will need to do in to discover what the Chi is truly like.
Evaluating health and temperament.
Adult canines arrive with baggage. They\\\\\\\’ve lived a life largely unknown to everyone but the original owner. All of their life experiences up to this point have shaped who they are, and those experiences will influence who this dog becomes when he is placed in a loving home.
Health
Some of what you\\\\\\\’ll find at shelters and pounds is superficial. A dog that has been treated for a severe flea infestation may develop healed wounds or patches of lost fur. An underfed Chi may appear thin, but if she\\\\\\\’s eating healthily and prospering, the current appearance will pass.
What you need to concentrate on are the major concerns, or ones that will not go away. If the shelter has had a veterinarian evaluate the Chihuahua, the staff will be able to tell you about any problems that were discovered. Many heart abnormalities can be diagnosed during a physical exam and subsequently verified with further testing. If a dog is asymptomatic, a conventional veterinarian checkup will indicate no orthopaedic issues, such as luxating patellas or hip dysplasia.
The good news is that by the time a Chihuahua reaches adulthood, many significant diseases or ailments will have already manifested themselves in more visible ways than they would in puppies. If the Chi has skin allergies, for example, you are more likely to notice this as the dog matures.
When adopting a dog from a shelter, it is always a good idea to make your veterinarian one of the first stops on the way home. Even if the Chi has had a veterinary inspection, your doctor may be able to detect something the shelter overlooked. When dealing with a rescued adult, you simply want to ensure that you understand
If you know anybody who has a long history of Chihuahuas or is particularly knowledgeable about dog behaviour, ask if he will accompany you to see the dog. An expert can often see what rookie owners cannot.
Temperament
How can you determine what you\\\\\\\’re dealing with when you look at a dog in the shelter, sitting behind the cage door? Actually, you cannot. It is quite difficult to judge a dog\\\\\\\’s disposition in a shelter setting. The stress of being cooped up with dozens of other dogs in a noisy, intimidating atmosphere can frighten even the bravest Chis.
You\\\\\\\’ll have to separate the Chihuahua from the noise. Shelters often include an area where you may take your dog and spend some time in a relatively tranquil atmosphere. Even yet, it may be tough for the dog to truly relax and start acting like herself.
If you\\\\\\\’re unsure about a dog\\\\\\\’s temperament, try to visit her numerous times so she can get to know you better. Of course, if the dog is in the pound, time might be of the essence. Alternatively, if the Chi is in the shelter, she may be adopted fast. If you think you might be interested in a dog but aren\\\\\\\’t sure, ask the shelter if you can put a deposit down while you think about it overnight. It\\\\\\\’s always better to be safe than sorry when you discover weeks later that the puppy you\\\\\\\’ve adopted is far too much for you to handle.