Those of us who are lucky enough to be owned by a chihuahua, know the reputation these little dogs have. We have heard it all about how chihuahua temperaments are horrible.
I can’t tell you how many snide remarks I have heard people say about chihuahuas that simply aren’t true. Many people seem to think chis are mean, aggressive and hard to train. That may be true in some cases as it is for any dog.
Chihuahuas, like other dogs (and people too for that matter) are individuals with their own personalities and behaviors so it isn’t fair to stick them all in the same bucket and proclaim they are all a certain way.
But, in general, many of them do have some or all of the following characteristics:
Chihuahuas are Devoted
Chihuahuas are the most devoted breed I have ever come across and I have owned many different breeds of dogs in my life.
Chihuahuas seem to choose their human. Even though they can love many people, they will form a particularly strong bond with one person in the home.
Chihuahuas are Stubborn
Chihuahuas tend to want things their way and are sometimes hard to train because of it.
Chihuahuas are Smart
Chihuahuas have the largest brain to body size ratio of any breed of dog. If they want to learn something, they can pick it up very quick. If your dog is food motivated, this can be a great incentive to training him or her.
Chihuahuas can be hard to house train
House training issues can come from several reasons:
- Like we talked about earlier, they are stubborn.
- They don’t like being outside much, specially if it’s cold or wet outside.
- They have tiny little bladders and may need to go potty more often than other dogs.
Chihuahuas are protective
It’s been said that chihuahuas have a Napoleon complex. These little guys are brave and will fight to the death to protect the ones they love.
Chihuahuas are fearless
Chihuahuas have no idea how small they are. This can get them in trouble with larger animals who can really hurt them.
Chihuahuas can be snippy and act crazy
Unfortunately they got this reputation for a reason. This is often due to over breeding by breeders who were out to make a quick buck and didn’t care about the quality of the breed.
Of course there are many very sweet chihuahuas out there. I own two of them that are even tempered and sweet. But as a former groomer and working in a few kennels and pet hotels, I came across some crazy ones too.
Chihuahuas are intuitive
I can attest to this personally. My 2 chis always seem to know when I’m upset and do their best to comfort me.
Dogs in general are very good at reading body and facial language and picking up on our moods. Chihuahuas are no exception to this.
I know these temperament traits won’t apply to every chihuahua but can you think of anything I missed? If so, leave a comment and let us know.
ALSO READ:
Why you should get a Chihuahua
My chi Bella is a Service dog for medical alert. She loves eveyone and everyone loves her. Has saved my life many times.
That’s wonderful Debbie. Bella sounds like an amazing little dog.
My little Tiny loves to be held by anyone. or the ones i trust to hold him. hes a sweet little boy. the only time he growls or grumbles is when he plays with his stinky doggy toy <3 🙂
LOL. I can just picture him growling at his toy Michelle. I bet he’s adorable.
My Chi is very smart and very loving. She loves to be with her people. She’s 15 years old and very bonded to me, but enjoys hanging with the other household people as well. I am about the only person who can pick her up without getting nipped at. She was rescued from a puppy mill and we don’t know how many litters she had.
Chis are very forgiving. For what she has been through, she still loves people. Her tail never stops! When her tail stops wagging, we go directly to the vet because that means there is a problem. She’s my furry love!
She’s a cutie Melissa. I’m glad she got out of the puppy mill and got a good home with you1
Our Chihuahuas are very smart. They are very protective. Love to be outside. Love to sleep next to me. Hate it when I am gone. They try to cheer me up when I am sad or don’t feel good. They like to follow me around the house. I love them dearly. In 2016 I lost my late husband and you could tell it saddened them. They were very depressed and kept looking for him for a long time. Last year I lost one of my Chihuahuas and it had the same effeyon them.
I’m glad you have your chihuahuas Diana. They sound like wonderful little pups.
My little guy is named Max. We rescued him from a neighbor when he was 1 and a half. Heis in great shape now. He can locate lost dogs that live in the neighborhood, in fact he did it last week. Because he knows all the little girl dogs , because he ran loose around the neighborhood. He is 4 now and we love him very much. He has some emotional issues, but , him and I went through puppy school. His trainer is Caroline Brenner at Pepsmart, and she told me how to help him. He still has a few issues, because they used to put him at in the rain and he has trauma from they way he was treated. His thunder shirt works wonders for that, the thunder shirt is worth every penny. He is a happy little guy since we have had him. And he knows we love him greatly.
Poor little guy! I’m glad Max has you to give him a good home now Jane.
Out of curiosity, what are some of the things your trainer taught you to do to help him?
Gem is a certified therapy dog. Started training at 5 1/2 months old , at one year old passed test for therapy dog has cgc title and novice therapy dog through AKC. We are a team and as you can see she loves the work she does spreading smiles and joy!
Gem is precious Liz! I bet she brings a smile to everyone she meets.
This is my bella she is sweet but lazy too and sometimes quite:)
I love Bella’s little face! She looks like she’s smiling.
My chi is 7 years old she was born a twin and he was male so she goes toilet female and male way lol…she is the sweetest wee woman ..but very aggressive towards big dogs when I take her out for her walk I use my disability scooter …I have been diagnosed diabetic about a year now …recently when I have my dinner and seem to doze off in the chair after she won’t let me …she comes and gentle woof at me until I wake up..then she goes back to sleep…the min I doze off she comes and wakes me again….I think she has sensed when my sugar count is high …such a clever wee dog…my world ❤
They do say dogs can sense things like that so I’m sure your little chi is protecting you.
I have my first chi and she can do this also! She whines and noses me if my sugars are too high or low. Such a blessing to have her… And such a sweet little lovebug, my Honeybee.
They are such amazing little critters! Your chi is so cute!
My little girl is very spoiled but she is very smart too. My husband is a diabetic and she wakes him up at night if his sugar drops. This has happened several times so we know she watches over him all the time. I do believe that she is closer to him but I don’t think she would let anyone hurt me either. She is very pickey about her food and she has to sleep between us every night. It doesn’t matter because we love her with all of our heart.
What a good little girl she is Cathy! I’m glad she is keeping your husband out of trouble.
I have three Chihuahuas, all rescued. My two girls as babies and my boy from a crack house. They all have different personalities, but are all sweet. They make a racket, but are the best alarms money can buy! I also have a rescued rat terrier and a Great Dane who thinks he’s a Chihuahua! Love my babies!
Wow, you have a full house. So glad your got your chis away from a crack house.
We adopted a precious senior chihuahua last July – she was found in a landfill! Her human is our granddaughter and she’s just as crazy about her! We finally got her built up enough to get a dental done, the poor baby had to have all her teeth but two removed. She also is heartworm positive, so we’re doing a slow kill regime. We absolutely love our Lacey!
Thank God you gave that sweet baby a good home Dorothy!
My Pokita is 14 and I have had her since a tiny baby. She only weighs 4lbs. She is a very timid Chi . She loves to be with me But is not cuddly, prefers not to be held or touched. However she tolerates it but you can tell it bothers her . So I try not to push her. She used to give me (only) kisses but no longer . However , she is a very sweet Chi and everyone who visits comments on how sweet she is. I love her so much and try to make her life as calm as possible and avoid stressful situations for her.
I’m glad you let Pokita be herself and not try to make her cuddly when she prefers not to be.
Bentley is a perfect gentleman, once he knows you and he’s sure you’re not going to hurt me or the cats, or try to cut his toenails. He frequently crawls up my abdomen and onto my chest just to commune, nose to nose. He likes cats and is especially close to his Kittyfriend, Isabella. He gets a little crazy now and then, but don’t we all?
LOL, yes we do Kyla.
Although my chi’s can be a bit yappy at times, they are the sweetest! I wouldn’t have my life any other way!
They are such cuties Lindsay! You are very blessed.
My chichiwawa sometimes eats her poo or mostly hides a small bit her bed she 2years and has done it since early age any suggestions
Ooh yuck! I guess she’s saving it for later. Actually eating poop is somewhat common. We have an article about it here:
https://ilovemychi.com/why-dogs-eat-poop/
She’s a beautiful little chi Lee.
Ah, can’t beat a bit of confirmation bias can you! It’s a dog, it has the brain of a dog, it has the temperament of a dog but most of all it thinks it’s a medium-sized dog and can’t figure out why its body is so small.
This is because a few thousand years of human interference have created this tiny breed (and others). Natural evolution would have countered that but evolution takes hundreds or thousands of millennia.
There’s very little special about any breed that can’t be dealt with by learning how dogs think (in the wild) and treating them as such. What we see as affection, etc. are natural traits that we’ve anthropomorphized. Licking and humping (for instance) are not sexual but passive-aggressive. Urination when they see us isn’t “nerves” it’s actually the dog’s way of showing deference to a senior pack member.
I could go on but I doubt most of you will believe me because I’m just some random dude on the Internet…
You made some valid points Marc but I still think chihuahuas are very special little dogs.
I am so very lucky to have my two Chihuahuas. In 2010 just before I was diagnosed with cancer I went out to look at some Chihuahuas to possible bring one home. One of them would not stop trying to climb in my lap. Her name is Chio and we adopted her that night. She has been with me non stop ever since. I then adopted another Chihuahua online from Los Angles and her name is Little Angel. She is deaf and starting to go blind from cataracts. Both my girls are the sweetest things for me. And L.A. (as I like to call her) loves to be with anyone who will hold her and rub her belly. She even let a little girl hold her in the Vet’s office the other day.
Aww, they are precious Dianna!
Thank you, Cathy. Sorry about the picture being upside down.
No problem Dianna. You can still tell they are adorable.
My Butterscotch is so sweet he doesn’t think that he’s a dog he thinks he is a baby. When I go to the bathroom he has to go, whenever I move he moves. He is so loveable and wants to kiss on everyone. He is so spoiled we love so much.
He looks lovable. What a sweet face!
My Pebbles is my sweet Princess! I read your article. She is one chihuahua that has a sweet loving personality. She loves everyone and everyone seems too love her. I agree that chis chooses their humans. Pebbles was my daughters pup. Her boyfriend bought Pebbles as a gift for my daughter. When they moved home from west they stayed with us for a few months until set up in their own place. I fell in love with Pebbles and she me. She was with me everywhere all the time when I was home. She choose me! When my daughter and her boyfriend moved out, Pebbles stayed. They couldn’t break our bond. Even though my daughter missed her she knew we belong together. She choose me!
That was such an unselfish thing for your daughter to do. You raised her right.
Pebbles is a beautiful girl.
I have one of each temperament. My 7 yo female I bought and was love at first site for both of us. A couple months ago I rescued adopted a 1 1/2 yo male. He loves me but NO ONE else. He’s a work in progress. He had several adoptions that didn’t work out but I’m as stubborn as a Chi. After time maybe he will learn to accept others.
I love that Maggie! I’m glad you are as stubborn as he is!
My baby girl (Chihuahua),is as sweet, loving, and caring as can be, and yes she is very protective of her mommy and she will lick my tears when I cry, she has a loving heart of gold and she also thinks she’s gigantic and bullet proof, she isn’t scared of anything, she is my everything and my world, she has my heart completely.
Yep, that’s what makes them so special. Your baby sounds wonderful Shelly.
chi’s are the best dog to adjust to disabilities and aid their owner without training. I am hard of hearing, my chi’s have all adapted to how to let me know things that I cannot hear. The first one taught ME how to communicate with him, now I always know what each one is trying to tell me.
Love the breed!! Ive had the pleasure of being the owner to 3 Chihuahuas!! I’ve found them to be Loyal, Loving,sometimes stubborn, little Joys!! All 3 of them have been very smart,but can be hard to train. They eventually get it but you have to be consistent. Penelope was my “soul mate” (RIP) Extremely bonded to me at the same time, was an all around sweet dog!I do recommend them having a playmate. I don’t believe they do well as a only pet.
You described chis to a T Patti.
My chihuahua is veey loving, needy and jealous. If my chi is next to me and my other dog (who is half chi) comes up to me for some loving then my chihuahua will snap at him, but I love him.
Yeah they tend to be very territorial and jealous.
I have two white long haired chihuahuas I adopted from the Humane Society. They are mother and daughter and so adorable. Chis definitely have their own personalities. The mom tries to get between me and baby if I am giving baby lovies. They are not yappy. They love to snuggle up with me at bed time. They do bark at people until they see I am in good company. The baby just loves my son. She goes crazy when he comes to the door. The mom is warming up to him nicely. I just love them so much. The moms name is Chichi and the baby is Penelope. My grand kids are great around them.
They sound like wonderful little chis Sharon. I love white chihuahuas.
my chihuahua picked me i rescued her every time would walk away she would cry but now she is home with me my baby girl love her to death her name is princess and she is 9 years old she is daddys girl
They do seem to pick us. I know my Lucy picked me.
My Chi hurt her neck, so I started using a harness. She didn’t have any problems after that.
Yeah their necks are so fragile. Harnesses are so much better for them.
My Chihuahua Tiny is an intelligent and sensitive animal. He began licking my breast and shortly later I found out I had breast cancer. He was trying to help me. Now I pay attention when he pays attention.
That’s amazing Debra! So glad he was able to help you.
My chi – Lily – taught herself to alert me when my sugars are out of whack. She’s saved my life many times, especially at night.
Good for Lily! She’s a hero!
I have two. Carlos is a small nervous boy who loves Milo. Milo is a big long haired boy chi with anger management issues because of being abused as a young pup . Only I can touch him.
Does Milo like Carlos?
My Mi is protective.
Yes she is friendly with everyone.
I am having health care folks working with me she greets them but I know she doesn’t leave my side. It’s as if she is checking what these people are doing to me.
They all tell me she isn’t typical Chiapas
She’s such a great little caretaker Ethel! You are lucky to have her.
My Chico is the best little man I have ever known
He knows exactly what I need, even if I don’t. Whether it’s a kiss, a hug, or silly antics. He won’t leave my side if I am sick. He is so smart. He will learn a trick after doing it 2 times,he can kick a ball back and forth with me. I love my baby boy.
He sounds like a wonderful little chi Amy!
Our Chilli’s half Chi. The Chi genes seem dominant! Luckily, he shares his love between us.
That’s good David.
I own two chihuahuas , one i raised from 8 weeks and one 11 months and both are the sweetest most loving dogs in the world, they love my family and everyone they meet, they are well behaved and not mean , both outside trained and pee pad trained. Moral of the story just like any dog its how you raise them. Their only downfall is how needy they are and some dont realize this before getting one but i love that part and am happy to give them all the love, cuddles and kisses they want n need because in return they fill my heart with never ending love
Very true Kristen.
My little chi is 14 weeks old and very loving. My patience is wearing thin because I can’t get him potty trained. I have tried pee pads and the bells. I’ve seen very little progress. Any suggestions?
Join the club Cari. Potty training is the hardest thing chi parents have to deal with and sometimes they never get trained.
We have a few posts with some tips:
https://ilovemychi.com/housetraining-your-chihuahua/
https://ilovemychi.com/how-i-potty-trained-my-impossible-chihuahua/
Having a hard time potty training my boy is he gets up on my bed and pees. Have tried discipline conjoining and pushing them outside but to no avail. I’m open to suggestions
I had one dog who did that. By peeing on your bed, he is claiming ownership of the bed/and or you. I finally just had to keep the door closed and not allow him in there. Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you.
I did have a female dog who peed one time on my bed right in front of me while staring me in the the eye. I felt like she was trying to send me a message. She was completely potty trained and had never done this anywhere in the house before. I did kind of yell a loud NO because I was so shocked. I washed everything in hot water and added white vinegar to the wash and made sure I cleaned the mattress where it got onto with a pet enzyme cleaner. She never did do it again.
My little Bertie is very loving he likes to be stroke by people when we are at the park but he can be stubborn too. I find him more socially loving to people then I thought he would be and people have commented how friendly he is xx
That’s great Bernadette! Many chis only like their owner and no one else.
Hi Cathy , Chanel and Champ want to be on your page . How can I do that ?
Hi Doreen, do you mean you want to be in one of the posts on this website? Or in the newsletter? Or as chi of the day on the Facebook page?
We just lost our little chihuahua Taco. We were devastated. Because they are brave. (She’d bark at thunder, was never afraid of it). And loyal. And funny. She loved everyone in the family, but chose my husband as her #1. He wasn’t happy when I first brought her home, but he soon fell under her little chi spell.
I too said that they had a bad reputation. She was very very sweet. I said the little light in our house had gone out…
I’m so sorry Hermetta. They definitely leave a hole in our hearts when they leave us.
Having been owned by many chihuahuas over the past 30 years. I have noticed that they are wonderful in the morning. And when tired at night. They can be very cranky! Also. Never waken a sleeping chi!!
Mine aren’t cranky at night but when they are ready to go to bed, they bug me about it until I get up and go to bed. LOL
yes my chi is very stuborn and agresive at first till he gets to know the person and that happens when they enter the house often l have different care workers that come once in a while so he doesn’t take lightly to them but my home care worker comes every day and he adores her.he doesn’t stop barking when someone is in the house.l don’t believe in bark colars but l was thinking of a muzzle teperarly til he gets the message that he shouldn’t bark at people when they are in the house.sorry for the long comment but l certenly agree with your story.
Yes a muzzle may help with that. I also found startling them with a loud noise helps. I put some coins in a soda can and taped the top shut and when the dogs start barking, I shake it. It usually quiets them.
I love my Rocky and Bell,I can not leave the room without them watching me, they sleep with me under the covers ❤️❤️❤️
They do make great little bed buddies.
I have a Chihuahua Terrier.
She is so Sweet. I have keep an eye on her, sometimes she has to chew something she not suppose to, thankfully she doesn’t chew on my furniture.
She is a good girl.
I love her soo much❤️
I think their reputation for being “hard to potty train” is due to the fact that their potties are really tiny & therefore less trouble for their humans to clean up so we have less incentive. I’ve had several chihuahuas & chihuahua mixed babies. I use a timer to remind myself to take her out. Every hour, then every two etc. I give lavish praise when she goes potty. The last one, a rescue, was trained in a few days.
Good points Liz.
My chi, Rocket, who was featured several months ago is my support animal and knows when my anxiety or PTSD is acting up. He is very alert and calms me down. He is extremely playful and doesn’t matter what time of the day (or night)! When I take him with me many people are surprised how calm he is and that he wants attention from anyone who is willing to pet him.
Very good article. My Chihuahua (Lewy)is very well mannered and I call him my little gentleman. He is polite was never hard to train. Very sensitive too.
My other one is a Chihuahua Cavalier( Augustus)and talk about Stubborn! First 3 months he did not sleep, hard to potty train and was a very aggressive puppy. But with time and training he is becoming a champion. Love them with all my being. ❤️❤️❤️
I’m glad you didn’t give up on Augusus!
Cathy,
You hit the nail on the proverbial head in describing a Chihuahua. I’m on my first at 70 years old, I have loved all my dogs over the years. However, this little 8 lb velcro sweetie has my heart from the time I am up in the morning to greeting me with major kissies when I return home. They are just pure love on 4 paws!
That’s a good description of them “pure love on 4 paws”.
I think our chihuahua’s are also funny. They both do things that make us laugh when trying to get out attention. They definitely look at us and respond to things we say as if they understand every word. They are natural dancers. 😉
Yes they can be quite entertaining. I laugh at my fur babies multiple times a day.
My little Chi loves everyone and everyone loves her. This is my second chihuahua and my first one was just as lovable. I think socializing them early helps. I have two granddaughters so there really is not a choice on how well she behaves as I think she knows (might sounds silly) how much a love my granddaughters as well and is a perfect companion with them. I wouldn’t have any other breed. ❤️
That’s great Felecia and I agree that socializing them early really makes a big difference.
My little chihuahua is 3 years old and doesn’t like any harness or collars. I’ve read the article, and followed the advice but I’m still struggling to get him use to them and walk in them. Any further advice, thanks
Skip the collar, just concentrate on the harness. The best ways to get him used to the harness is to make it a pleasant experience and put it on and keep it on to where he is used to it. So, first find a treat that he really loves. We call them high value treats, I buy tiny dried liver treats off of Amazon. Keep a handful in a baggie in your pocket and give him one when you pull out his harness. Give him a few more as you put on the harness. Praise him too and tell him what a good boy he is as you are doing all this. Don’t take him for a walk yet. Just leave the harness on for an hour or two. You can take him for a walk during this time if needed, but leave the harness on so he will get used to wearing it.
If he fights you when trying to put on the harness. watch this video to show you how to do it: https://youtu.be/fECybhd8C6A?si=lCfZXUSSIV5xnpFf