14 Things Every Chihuahua Owner Should Have

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Owning the smallest breed of dog in the world comes with great joy and unique challenges, like finding quality products that are small enough for your Chihuahua to use.

Based upon my experience with my Chihuahuas and the recommendations made by my readers, I have compiled a list of 14 products that every Chihuahua owner should have:

1. A Quality Harness

Chihuahuas should never be walked using only a collar; they should be walked using harnesses, as they are highly susceptible to neck injuries.

Finding a harness made for someone so small is not always easy. Many dogs of this size have no problem slipping out of certain styles of harnesses. Others have clips so small that they are difficult to clip and un-clip.

Thankfully, there is a perfect harness for Chihuahuas, the EasyGO Harness by Dogo. My readers love this harness because:

• It is easy to put on and take off.
• Getting a custom fit is simple and fast.
• It is escape proof when put on correctly.
• It is available in many adorable styles perfect for daily walks or special occasions.
• The harnesses come with a matching leash.
• The style is comfortable for Chihuahuas to wear.
• It is durable and good quality.
• It is machine washable.

2. A Snuggle Sweater

All Chihuahua owners know that snuggling your Chihuahua is a daily responsibility. No matter what you are doing, your Chihuahua will stop you and ask to be held.

If you work from home or have to sit at a desk, your little furry friend may paw at you and fuss until he is held, then you are awkwardly holding him while trying to type.

There is a solution to the snuggle struggle: a snuggle sweater.

These are hoodies designed specifically for snuggling with your Chihuahua! Pet Pouch Hoodies feature a kangaroo style pouch on the front for your Chihuahua to snuggle in.

Now you can snuggle your Chihuahua and have both hands free to type when sitting at a desk or on the couch with a lap top. When walking around with your Chihuahua in the pouch, it is always recommended to support him with one hand so he doesn’t fall out.

3. A Quality Play Pen

Chihuahuas should be crated or kept in a play pen when their owners are not home to protect them from injuring themselves and to prevent accidents in the house. Play pens are also ideal to use when traveling.

Ruff ‘n Ruffus makes a mesh play pen that can be easily folded up for efficient storage when not is use or for travel.

Iris makes a plastic play pen should you prefer a sturdier option for daily use. This is the one we have used for years. I fold it up and store it behind the couch when not in use.

4. A Breakaway Cat Collar

When there are many people in your house, or for just the general safety of your Chihuahua, it is wise to have her wear a collar with a bell.

The bell will alert you to their whereabouts if you cannot hear the pitter patter of their precious paws. This prevents Chihuahuas from escaping when people enter or exit your home, or from being shut in a door or stepped on, etc.

Due to their small stature, and the fact that dog collars do not come with bells, cat collars are the best option.

Be sure to purchase a collar with a breakaway clip such as these Collars by Blueberry Pet, rather than a traditional metal belt buckle style clip, as a dog who catches their collar on something could choke or seriously injure themselves without a breakaway clip.

5. Quality Shampoo

Regularly bathing your Chihuahua is a necessary part of her basic care. Using a quality shampoo is important, as a poor quality shampoo may irritate your Chihuahua’s skin.

Buddy Biscuits makes a line of shampoos called Buddy Wash, which is made in the USA with natural ingredients.

Bonus, their shampoos smell amazing! Try their delicious smelling Lavender grooming bundle which includes a bottle of shampoo and grooming spray to stay fresh between baths, since bathing a dog too often is bad for their skin as well.

6. A Ceramic Water Fountain

Fresh, moving water is more appealing to most dogs than stagnant water in a bowl. A water fountain has a water filter which helps keep water clean and fresh. Also, some Chihuahuas do not like drinking water, and fresh moving water may motivate them to drink more.

Many pet fountains and dishes are made of plastic, however, plastic dog dishes have tested highest for bacteria according to Psychology Today.

I recommend the Drinkwell Avalon Pet Fountain because it is a ceramic fountain, and it offers two drinking options; a small stream to sip from or a lower level bowl to drink from.

7. Sturdy Pet Steps

Purchasing a sturdy set of steps gives Chihuahuas a safer way to jump up onto furniture which may prevent injuries to their fragile legs. Many pet steps on the market are hollow and may feel unstable, which many dogs will refuse to use out of fear.

I recommend foam steps, such as Best Pet Supplies Foam Pet Stairs, as they are sturdy and stable which gives dogs confidence to use them and prevents injury from a human error of incorrect set up, as there is no assembly required.

And you can get these with 3 steps, 4 steps and 5 steps. I also like that the cover is washable.

Some prefer ramps in which case, try this one from NYW PET Gear StRamp .

NYW PET Gear StRamp Dog Cat...Shop on Amazon

8. A Food Puzzle

Many Chihuahuas are highly food driven and eat too quickly. Others could benefit from mental stimulation. Help your Chihuahua slow down when they eat and provide mental stimulation by making them work for their meals with the Northmate Mini Interactive Dog Feeder.

9. Tiny Toys

Due to their tiny mouths, it can be tough to find toys that are small enough for Chihuahuas to carry and play with. Here is an assortment of tiny toys perfect for Chihuahuas:

• • • Kong X-Small Plush Teddy*
    • Kong X-Small Plush Frog*
    • Kong X-Small Plush Duck*
    • Kong X-Small Sports Balls Pack
    • Nylabone Mini FlexiChews
    • Nylabone X-Small Bacon DuraChew
    • Nylabone Small Dog Triple Pack My dogs love these.
    • Nylabone DuraChew Flavor Frenzy Triple Pack  
    • Outward Hound Hide a Squirrel Puzzle Toy*

*The x-small plush Kong toys have velcro in their backs to easily replace their squeakers when they stop squeaking, and Kong sells replacement mini squeakers.
*While the squirrel puzzle toy was made for larger dogs, the squirrels themselves are Chihuahua sized and a Chihuahua could still enjoy the challenge of pulling the squirrels out of the log.If you are in doubt of which toys to buy, buy all of them. If you are unsure of how many to buy, always buy more toys than you think you should. Dogs who have lots of toys are less likely to chew on inappropriate items such as shoes or furniture.

10. Pet Stain Cleaning Solution

Some male Chihuahuas like to mark their territory. A Chihuahua who uses a pee pad may miss the pad sometimes. All Chihuahuas have accidents or occasionally vomit. Pet stains may be very difficult to remove, especially from carpet.Nature’s Miracle Advanced removes the toughest stains such as old urine, blood and diarrhea. This cleaning solution should be a household staple for all pet parents due to the solution’s effectiveness. Bonus, this cleaning solution has a pleasant clean smell rather than an over powering smell like bleach does.

11. Horse Brushes

You might have read this one twice, but it is not a mistake, I really meant horse brushes! Owners of short coated Chihuahuas should consider purchasing two horse brushes for grooming their Chihuahuas:

Jelly scrubbers are in the grooming box of almost all horse owners. These are glittery flexible rubber brushes with a fine bristle side and a thicker nubby side for massaging horses. They are about the size of an adult human’s hand.

Since Chihuahuas love to be petted and massaged, and you can fit your whole hand on the back of many Chihuahuas, it makes sense that they would appreciate the bliss of jelly scrubber back massage too.

Mini brushes made of soft goat hair are usually used to groom horse’s faces.

These mini brushes are great to brush the dander and dry skin your Chihuahua after their jelly scrubber massage. Chihuahuas may also find gentle strokes of the soft goat hair brush relaxing after a jelly scrubber massage, or just in general.

12. Lots of Blankets

There is one sure way to trap a Chihuahua or to regain favor in the eyes of your Chihuahua after you have committed a grand transgression, such as moving when they are comfortable: creating a blanket nest. They are powerless to resist a cozy nest of blankets because of how much they love to snuggle in them.

The great part about having tiny dogs who love blankets so much is that they are small enough to use human baby blankets. This means that you will always be able to find cute, affordable, and easy to wash blankets, since human baby blankets are always cute, usually inexpensive or frequently on sale, and easy to wash.

I recommend extra plush and soft baby blankets, such as this Tadpoles Popcorn Plush and Sherpa Ultra Soft Baby Blanket.

13. Puppy Pads

Chihuahuas are notorious for being difficult to house train. Even chis that are house trained may refuse to go out to do their business if it is raining, snowing or too cold.

It’s a good idea to keep a pack of potty pads around for those times. And of course, if you are training a puppy, have a senior dog or if your chi still has accidents, potty pads are a must.

You can get the disposable kind or the washable kind.

For disposable pads, I recommend the ASPCA brand. I also like these extra large sized puppy pads from the American Kennel Club as they cover more floor space.

We use washable puppy pads. You can get the ones we use here on Chewy or here on Amazon.

Simple Solution Large Washa...Shop on Amazon

14. Sweater

Chis are notoriously known to get cold a lot. If you live anywhere other than a hot climate, your chihuahua will need one or more sweaters or sweatshirt for at least part of the year.

Of course you can buy lots of adorable clothes for your chi if you want. But you don’t need to. One or two sweaters should be enough.

Click the link for more information about where to find clothing for small dogs.

My favorite sweatshirt is one for my boy dogs (Lucy is double coated and is rarely cold) is the CHBORLESS Pet Dog Sweater. It’s called a sweater but the material is more like sweatshirt material. It comes in multiple sizes and colors. The extra small fits my 5 pound Ziggy perfectly.
You can see how handsome my boys look in their sweatshirts in the photo below:

• • Are there any products that I did not list that you have found to be essential in caring for your Chihuahua? Tell me what your favorite products are in the comments below!