Toilet training
Some tips on toilet training your puppy Chihuahua. Make sure that your Chihuahua is taken to your chosen spot and encouraged to relieve himself when he first wakes up, after every meal and after every play session. A puppy generally does not have full control of their bladder and bowels until around 6 months of age. It is therefore your responsibility to make sure that your Chihuahua has enough opportunity and encouragement to go toilet at regular intervals. Praise him every time he does and he will soon get the idea.
I believe in using a crate/cage whist training, which is a safe and secure environment to leave your puppy for short periods of time when you are not home, is unsupervised and overnight. It prevents your puppy from getting into anything he shouldn’t albeit swallowing something that could be harmful, potentially fatal to such a small breed. Crate training also helps with the house training process, as dogs do not like to soil their sleeping quarters, therefore will need to relive themselves as soon as the crate/cage door is opened. Also leave paper or a wee pad down near the back door, in case of accidents during the times when you are not paying full attention to your puppies needs. Remember it is never the puppy’s fault, only your fault that you did not notice or pick up on the signs he wanted to go toilet. They are baby’s don’t forget and look to you to control the situation, until they understand what is required of them.
Chihuahua’s, like other small breeds are difficult to house train in relation to larger breeds of dog but it is far from impossible, just more difficult to notice the tiny accidents they may have, as any smells left lingering will encourage them to use that place as their toilet again and again, so be vigilant, keep your puppy to a routine and they will learn very quickly – though some, like people, learn quicker than others. Puppies I’ve had have been toilet trained anywhere from 3 – 7 months. Don’t loose patience, be persistent and together you will achieve the desired goal.
Bedding
Vet bedding or pro-fleece, I find, is the best form of bedding to line crates/cages and other dog beds, as its warm, durable, washable and long lasting. My Chihuahua’s also like a blanket in their bed to bury themselves; this is somewhat of a breed trait!
Training
Training varies for those who want a well behaved house pet to those who are training a dog to be able to hold its own in the show ring and therefore should be tackled differently, both however, should include the basics of house training, including, where to use the toilet, what to chew and what not to chew and what is acceptable behaviour within the home. Discipline, consistency and routine are key elements of training. You do not need to be harsh with your puppy whilst training, though undesired behaviour should be corrected and you must be consistent.
Train using reward, never punishment and you’ll find you will gain results much quicker. Do not scold your Chihuahua for something he has done 2, 5, 10 minutes ago, as you have only just noticed, this is now past tense and your Chihuahua will not understand what he is being scolded for, only that you have come into the room and started to rant at him for no apparent reason and will likely look at you with that bemused expression “what are they talking about?”
Feeding your Chihuahua
Little and often is the key to feeding a puppy Chihuahua, some breeders will feed 5 – 6 meals a day others 4, I opt for 4 – breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper. Do NOT leave the food down if your puppy does not eat, lift the food after 15 – 20 minutes and repeat the process next meal time, though some very small or inactive Chihuahuas need some encouragement to eat. Make sure he is awake for long enough to have a good play session, don’t allow him to sleep "too" much, as this will cause him to be listless, showing no interest in his food, he needs to burn energy to gain an appetite. Also if he is overly keen on his food, do not over feed him, though puppies require more food than adult dogs, you will only end up with a poop machine if you overfeed your puppy.
All my Chihuahuas are fed on Royal Canin.