As a pet parent of chihuahuas, do you get a lot of questions about them? I do.
Or maybe you are curious about chihuahuas yourself?
I decided to look up and answer some of the top questions people have about chihuahuas.
Check out them out below and see which ones you have been asked. Or which ones you have asked yourself.
Check out our main post that showcases all our chihuahua fact articles!
Are Chihuahuas Mean?
Well, they can be. Any dog can be and chihuahuas are no exception.
It all depends on nature and nurture.
Chihuahuas have been over-bred over the years and because of that, some of them have not so nice personalities.
And some, just haven’t received the proper training.
I can tell you though, there are many sweet, good-natured chihuahuas out there. My two are so sweet, they don’t have a mean bone in their wee little bodies.
Are Chihuahuas Good With Kids?
They are best with older kids. Small children can be a little too rough on these tiny dogs. Not meaning too, they may accidentally hurt them.
And chihuahuas can bite the child out of fear of getting hurt.
Are Chihuahuas Related to Wolves?
All dogs are related to wolves indirectly. Hard to believe chihuahuas are too but they are.
They also may be related to Fennic foxes too.
Are Chihuahuas from Mexico?
Yes, it is believed they originated in Chihuahua Mexico, hence the name.
When do Chihuahuas’ Ears Stand Up?
They should be up by the time your chihuahua puppy is 9 months old. If they are not up by then, they probably will never stand up.
Some chihuahuas do have floppy ears their entire life, but are still pure bred chihuahuas.
When do Chihuahuas Stop Growing?
Chihuahuas do most of their growing in their first 6 months.
From 6 to 12 months, they will continue to grow, but at much slower rate.
Usually by 10 to 12 months, they are as tall as they are going to get. They may fill out some more over the next year though.
Why do Chihuahuas Burrow?
Chihuahuas tend to love to burrow much more than other breeds.
Burrowing makes them feel safe and snug. It also adds extra warmth, which chis need.
Are Chihuahuas Smart?
Overall yes they can be quite intelligent. They do have the largest brain size in relation to body size.
But as I mentioned earlier, the breed has been over bred with unscrupulous puppy mill breeders so in some cases their intelligence has been diluted due to years of bad breeding practices.
Are Chihuahuas Hypoallergenic?
No, according to the AKC Chihuahuas are not on the list of dogs that are hypoallergenic.
You can lessen their allergy stimulating dander by brushing them daily and bathing every few weeks.
Are Chihuahuas Good Family Dogs?
Chihuahuas can be good family dogs but they do better with one or two people.
Can Chihuahuas Be House trained?
Yes, but it isn’t always easy. Potty training issues seems to be the biggest complaint I hear from pet parents.
It can be done with consistency and determination.
This post contains more info about housetraining a chihuahua.
Are Chihuahuas Loyal?
Chihuahuas are known for their loyalty. They usually pick one person in the household who is “their human”. They may love everyone in the house but are extremely loyal to their human.
Are Chihuahuas Aggressive?
Yes, they can be. Some chihuahuas do seem to have a Napoleon complex.
They see themselves as much bigger and tougher than they really are.
Proper training from an early age is a necessity with these little guys to keep them from getting out of line.
Why do Chihuahuas Bark So Much?
Chihuahuas bark a lot for different reasons: to warn you of something, out of boredom and frustration, out of fear (being loud makes them feel tougher), and out of habit.
They make great watch dogs though. Nobody is going to get into your house without them telling you about it.
So have you had any of these questions yourself? Or have other people asked you any of them?
Are there any questions you hear all of the time that aren’t in this article? Let us know in the comments!
For a more comical look at questions people ask about chihuahuas, check out Silly Questions Asked About Chihuahuas.
My Pomeranians and Poodles bark much much more than my Chihuahuas do.
LOL, I have heard that Poms are big barkers but I didn’t think poodles were. I grew up with poodles and they weren’t particularly “barky”. I bet the Pom has taught the poodle to bark a lot.
Actually the biggest (and loudest) barker is my Mini Poodle who is the third oldest in the house.. The Poms are newcomers. We got Tedd May 2018 as a puppy. While we were there she was telling us they were retiring his Mom because Tedd’s only sibling, a brother, passed. She was telling us how hard it will be to find her a good home because she is terrified of men. I laughed and pointed behind her to where my hubby was standing cuddling Tedd’s Mama and cooing to her, and Mama looked positively in love with him (and he her). The breeder was shocked and in the spur of the moment asked if we wanted her too. I said we only brought enough to pay for Tedd and she said I will give her to you. I have never seen her react to a man like that before. My hubby looked at me and said can we take her please?? (As if I would say no.. lol) So we left with two Poms that day. Anyway to the point, no Fergie nor his big mouthed children learned barking from the Poms. They were in full voice when the Poms arrived on the scene and to this day Fergie continues to have the loudest, longest lasting bark of them all.. lol
What a sweet story! And Fergie has such a sweet little face.
Hi, there my chihuahua is only weeks off turning 12. She has just started growling and biting me when I put her harness on to take her for a walk! Is there any reason for this? Or can someone tell me how to go about resolving this problem? All advice greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Margaret
She may be in pain. I would have her checked by the vet to make sure she doesn’t have arthritis or something else bothering her. I have 1 that will be 12 in August. So far no problems.
I agree. If this is a new thing, she may be hurting and that’s why she doesn’t want it on.
I love that pic of her. She’s a cutie!
Actually both of my fur-babies are barkers. I have a chihuahua and a Boston-rat terrier. But I can’t be too upset with them because my neighbor comes and goes alot and gets slot of visitors.
What a beautiful chi Laura. Love her coloring.
I have a rescue part chi that is about 15 years old. He itches all the time and scratches constantly.
He has seizures and is on Phenobaritol for that. He will lift up his leg to peepee and scratch instead.
It is really getting on my nerves. I have even considered letting him go on the rainbow stairway to doggie heaven. The Vet has tried steriod shot. Did not help. When the weather gets cold, this goes away, but every spring and summer, the itching and scratching begins. He has had a flea treatment because of fleas, but the scratching still goes on. I feel like his quality of life is gone and mine is going. I am 85 years old and this is really bothering me, but I love this dog and don’t want him to suffer.
Does anyone have any thoughts that will help me decide what to do.
Oh wow, Peggy, that’s a tough one. It’s definitely seasonal allergies but I’m not sure what you can do to help him. Want me to ask in our Facebook group? Maybe someone there will have some suggestions for you.
What are you feeding him? My boy Chihuahua (Neekie) and my Husky (Leiska) are both allergic to Chicken dry food (they can eat regular chicken for humans). Both get terribly itchy and scratch to the point of hotspots. The food that works the best for both of them has been American Journey Salmon and brown rice (or Salmon and Sweet Potato). We buy this from Chewy.com Although lately we tried American Journey’s Rainbow Trout and Herring which has proven to be a huge hit here. Both work great to keep the weight down on our two Chihuahuas who have a tendency to gain weight too much. So perhaps a diet change will help him.
I just found out my Chi has conjestive Heart Failure . Do you have any information on this condition. She is only 10 years!
I haven’t written an article about this but plan to. I’ve had a little experience with CHF as my mother had it almost 10 years before she passed and my first chi Kilo had it too and lived several good years with it before she passed.
I like this article about CHF: https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/healthcare/congestive-heart-failure-in-dogs
Is It better to have two Chis?
In many cases yes. They are very social and if you can’t be with them all the time, another small dog really helps them.
my chihuahua keeps losing it fur on his back and where his tail starts on the top , ive given him piriton for a few weeks as he itches and shakes as though hes wet , also sneezes , when i takes him around our back yard \9 which is slabbe ) , he stops doing this while on the tablets , but about a week after he starts again , wont give him the tablets for long as im worried i might overdpse him, his food been changed , cant take him vets as were on lockdown and its emergancies only , feel so sorry for him , can anyone help , thank you .
I’m not sure what you can do for him. He definitely has allergies. Benadryl may help but I wouldn’t give it to him if you are giving him something else.
As soon as you are able to go back to the vet, ask them for the injection for itching and allergies. They gave it to my dog and it lasts about 6-8 weeks.
@Cathy, hes had injections from the vets before the lockdown , also a bottle of medicated bath from , them , but as soon as he finishes his course of tables , he started iching again about a week after , im feel so sorry forhim and his fur missing makes it look like in neglecting him , but i love him to bits and im at my wits end
Hi I have 2 Chi’s my girl just turned 3 and weighs 3 lbs
Her breeder didn’t think spaying was a good idea ( anesthesia issues ) she was under 2 lbs when I got her at 7 months old Since then 2 vets have agreed with her
She’s gone into heat about every 5 months
It’s been about 5 months now and she’s been acting very different
Very needy shaking all the time ( never did before) decreased appetite, hiding
Are these symptoms prior to going into heat ?? She never did any of these things before her heat cycle
I’m concerned about Pyometra ??
Also thinking about getting her spayed after this heat ??? Opinions ??
Thank you !
Yes, those could be symptoms of the heat. That’s the way my Kilo acted when she was heat (she wasn’t able to have surgery either). But if she’s acting different than she did the last time she was heat, I’d check with your vet.
Also if she can be safely spayed, than go for it. That has to be your vet’s call though since they would know whether it could be done safely.
@Rosalie Rempel, I’m not sure if you have had your baby spayed yet. It looks like you wrote this several months ago. My girl is a rescue, 10 years old and tiny at 3 pounds. She was spayed, with all the test run prior to make sure for her safety, and she did great and is a lot happier!
I love my Chihuahuas, but am having a little trouble with them having accidents in the house. They go outside, but then come back in and go on the carpet
Once they have decided on a spot, it’s really hard to get them to stop. One suggestion is to clean the carpet really well with an enzyme cleaner to get all traces of the smell out. Then watch them and if they look like they are going to pee on the carpet, take them right back out until they pee out there. Give them a treat and and praise them if they do it. You may need to keep them on a leash while inside attached to you so you have control of them while they are re-learning house training.
@Cathy, Try washing your carpet with white vinegar my Chihuahuas hate the smell. Seems to stop them.
Actually they aren’t peeing on the carpets. Being boys, they pee on chair legs and against trashcans and stuff. that’s why I thought putting something out for them to pee on like s small fire hydrant may be a good idea.
I have a question, my chihuahuas ears have suddenly started drooping. They stood up before. What causes this ?
How old is your dog? This is common in puppies when they are teething but not so much in adult dogs. Sometimes an ear infection will cause it. Check the inside and see if they look red, swollen, have tiny black dots or has a bad smell.
Why does my little Tiny when he’s playing he always backs he’s butt up to the other dogs and looks at them,why he is play growling and barking?
I don’t know but it sounds adorable!
I always heard that Chihuahuas bark a lot, but that’s not the story with my Yoda. Yes, he barks when someone’s at the door, but that’s about it. His little brother from another mother, Chewie (a toy terrier) is the barker in our family. Yoda is the best, most chill chi I have ever met! He and Chewie, although not related, even by breed, are as close as two brothers can be (Yoda is 8 y.o. and Chewie is 7). And Yoda is amazing at using the pee pad when he doesn’t feel like going outside.
We currently live in Kyiv, Ukraine (my spouse is Ukrainian) and they have been my warrior pups throughout this terrible war.
I love my little guys and can’t imagine life without them.
I love their names! Mine don’t bark that much either unless someone is at the door.
Yikes, I worry for all of yall living in the Ukraine right now. I wish someone would just take Putin out. He’s crazy! Take care!
@Cathy, Thank you Cathy!
@Vera, I pray for your country, every day. I too, hope Putin is removed.
hi my dog is turning twelve soon and im worried that he is gonna get parrelizid and we will have to let him go any way to stop that
Mylyn, why would you think your dog would become paralyzed? That rarely happens.
What is the most recommended puppy and adult food for Chihuahuas?
I don’t have a favorite. It depends on the dog, the health conditions, age, etc. But here’s a good article that answers your question: https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/chihuahuas/
My Chi is almost 2 years old. She peas on the designated pad most of the time. There are times when she peas outside the pad. We have tried many things but to no avail. I need some answers and welcome any suggestions.
Maybe a bigger pad?
One thing that may help is to wipe a little of her pee in the center of the pad to attract her to that spot.