21 Things NEVER to Say to a Chihuahua Dog Parent

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First of all I want to thank the members of our Facebook group for contributing to this article by answering the question “What things have people said about Chihuahuas that really irritated you?”

Here are the top things said to Chihuahua pet parents that irritate them. See how many things you can relate to.

1-“Ankle Biter”

This was the number one thing heard by Chi owners. One lady replied, “They actually go for the crotch first”. LOL

2-“That’s not a dog, it’s a rat”

This is the second most common comment heard. Not a nice thing to say, is it?

3. “That’s not a real dog”

Really? Well, mine sure is a real dog.

4-“What IS that? Don’t you step on it?”

No, Chis are usually pretty good at getting out of the way but you do need to be careful.

5-“That’s a teacup isn’t it?”

This is something even Chi owners say. Officially, according to the National Chihuahua Club of America, there is no such thing as a teacup Chihuahua. It’s just a marketing term breeders use to sell puppies. Personally, I do believe they need to change that since there are some Chis that are especially tiny.

6-“Why would you have a dog that can’t protect you?”

Frankly, most of us get dogs for companionship, not protection. But if someone broke into my house, my 80-pound Bulldog-German Shepherd mix would go hide under the bed. My Chihuahua would attack the intruder.

7-“I hate little dogs”

How rude of someone to say that! One person had a good comeback. She says “Yeah, I know how you feel. I can’t stand people who hate little dogs.”

8-“You know he’s not an ACTUAL child, right?”

Well, duh! But they are our fur kids.

9-“Old people raise Chihuahuas”

You better not tell Paris Hilton, Reese Witherspoon, Alyssa Milano, Hillary Duff, Christina Rici, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kimberly Stewart, and many other youngish stars that they are old for raising Chihuahuas.

10-“Chihuahuas are mean, aggressive, snappy, and bark too much.”

I have to admit, sometimes this is true. But don’t assume all Chis are this way. Mine isn’t and I know many others that are total sweeties.

11-“Why do you spend money on her? She’s just a dog”

I have heard this one myself from family members when I was trying to save Kilo. The 4 dogs I have now are what I spend most my money on and I don’t regret it one bit. They enrich my life and are worth every penny I spend on them.

12-“Gator bait”

A variation of this one is “fish bait”. Such a mean thing to say.

13 -Parents that tell their children to “go pet the Taco Bell dog”

The Taco Bell dog thing doesn’t bother me (we don’t hear that much anymore anyway) but having parents assume it’s okay for their children to pet a dog they don’t know is a disaster waiting to happen. Always ask the pet parent first if it’s okay to pet their dog, no matter what the breed is.

14-“Chihuahuas can’t be service dogs”

Why can’t they? Chihuahuas are extremely devoted and smart. They make excellent service dogs. I know of Chihuahuas that are Diabetic Alert Service Dogs, Medical Alert/Psychiatric Service Dogs, and more.

15-“Where’s the other half of your dog?”

I guess this is supposed to be humorous because Chis are small.

16-“He’s got big buggy Marty Feldman eyes!”

I love the big beautiful expressive eyes on a Chihuahua, don’t you?

17-“Chihuahuas are ugly”

I can’t believe the gall of someone who would say that to any pet parent. I haven’t yet seen a Chihuahua that I thought was ugly. They are gorgeous little dogs!

18-“Look at those ears, I bet we can get the NFL channel.”

This one doesn’t bother me too much as I LOVE big ears on a Chi. I think they are adorable!

19-“Chihuahuas are girly pets”

Oh yeah? Better not tell Mickey Rourke, Brian Littrell, The Rock, Noah Wyle, or George Lopez that. They have all owned Chihuahuas. There’s nothing sexier than a man holding a sweet little Chihuahua (in my opinion).

20-“Chihuahuas are accessory dogs”

This has been perpetuated by movies like  Legally Blond, and stars like Paris Hilton who walk around with a Chi in their arms when seen in public. There are plenty of people (like me and I bet you too) who just love the breed.

21-“My cat is bigger than that Chihuahua”

And your point is? So what? It’s not a contest of who’s the biggest.

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So have you heard any of these things said about your Chihuahua? Leave a comment and let us know what it was or even if it’s something not on the list, let us know. And be sure to read the comments to see what other people said.

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