Ways You’re Hurting Your Chihuahua Without Realizing

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We all want the best for our dogs, and most of us do a very good job of taking care of them. But there may be some ways that you are hurting your chihuahua that you don’t realize.

Here are the most common ways that Chihuahuas are neglected:

• Meals and fresh water daily.
• A safe place to sleep at night inside.
• Shelter from extreme cold or heat. 
• Looking out for your dog; protection from hazards of daily life.
• Grooming; regular nail trims, brushing, and baths.
• Regular preventative veterinary care, and as needed, emergency veterinary care.
• Regular exercise and mental stimulation such as training, walks, and play. 
• Love and affection; speaking kindly to your dog, petting, snuggling, comforting at veterinary appointments, etc.

When proper care is not provided, it is called neglect. When proper care is withheld and dogs (or other animals) are treated cruelly, such as physically beaten, starved, ignored, sexually assaulted, etc, it is called abuse.

If you are aware of a dog or other animal being neglected or abused, please contact your local animal control agency or local law enforcement immediately.

If you need further assistance, contact the ASPCA. They cannot speak up for themselves, so you have an obligation to be their voice. If you see something, say something!

Ways You’re Hurting Your Chihuahua Without Realizing

Here are the most common ways that Chihuahuas are neglected:

Lack of Veterinary Care

Arranging regular veterinary care is crucial to ensuring that your Chihuahua is healthy and as a result of being healthy, pain-free, comfortable, and happy.

Not Feeding a Balanced Diet

Chihuahuas, and all dogs, require a balanced diet similar to how we do. They cannot survive on table scraps and remain healthy; not only are dogs unable to eat all the same foods that we do, but table scraps do not provide a balanced diet.

Dry or wet dog food is the way most pet parents accomplish this because it is convenient. If you would prefer to make your dog’s food, be sure to consult with a veterinarian to ensure that your dog’s nutritional needs are being met. They will likely recommend that you add a vitamin supplement to the food, such as The Missing Link.

Not Providing Enough Exercise

When Chihuahuas do not receive enough exercise, they become obese and their joints become stiff and uncomfortable, especially senior dogs.

Despite their small size and lower energy level, they still need daily walks. You must consider that their little legs do not have the same capacity as a large breed dog, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be exercised. Try to do two to three walks a day for about ten to fifteen minutes each if possible.

Not Socializing Your Dog

Unsocialized dogs are frightened by everyday situations; this makes life stressful for your dog. Further, unsocialized dogs may bite out of fear, creating a liability for owners.

Socializing your Chihuahua means exposing them to a variety of positive interactions with people (babies to senior adults) and common situations (riding in the car, shopping in pet-friendly stores, visiting crowded events, veterinary appointments, grooming, walking in the country and the city, etc) so that they are comfortable simply living life.

Not Providing Mental Stimulation

If your Chihuahua does not receive mental stimulation daily, such as playtime and short and sweet training sessions, he or she will be bored. Bored dogs are unhappy, destructive, and hyperactive. These dogs are more likely to exhibit unwanted behaviors such as chewing up pillows or shoes, marking inside the house, excessive barking, etc.

Not Grooming Your Chihuahua

As a breed, Chihuahuas have very minimal grooming requirements. However, those requirements are important to their health and well-being:

• Regular nail trims are not optional. If allowed to overgrow, their toenails will curl back into their paws, making it painful and difficult to walk and further, posing a threat of infection.
• Long coat Chis need regular brushing.
• Both long and smooth coat Chihuahuas require a bath at least once per month, or after they become dirty.
• Regular tooth brushing is crucial to the overall long-term health of Chihuahuas. When oral health is neglected, infections occur in the mouth. This makes it difficult or painful for your Chi to eat, results in tooth loss, and may cause their body to succumb to complications from the infection.

What Chihuahuas As A Breed Need From Their Owners

Based on the characteristics of the Chihuahua breed and their dynamics with humans, these little dogs need unique care such as:

Not showing affection with food.

Conclusion

To properly care for a Chihuahua, you must: provide healthy meals and a balanced amount of treats; provide daily exercise, training, and playtime; preventative and emergency veterinary care; love and affection; shelter and safety.

Being mindful of your Chihuahua’s needs is crucial to being a good pet parent and providing them with the best possible care.

This includes understanding their clingy and affectionate nature, setting healthy boundaries, and not using food as a means of showing affection. It is also important to prioritize regular veterinary care, feeding a balanced diet, providing enough exercise and mental stimulation, socializing your dog, and grooming them regularly.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that your Chihuahua is healthy, happy, and well-cared for.

Additionally, if you suspect that a Chihuahua or any other animal is being neglected or abused, it is important to speak up and contact the proper authorities for assistance.