In This Chapter
- Turning your Chi’s crate into a home
- Housetraining without havoc
- Teaching a few essential words
- Eliminating barking, nipping, and other little problems
In this chapter, I help you raise
your Chi to be a polite pup. You discover how to housetrain him — including
crate training — introduce him to simple commands, and nip problem behavior in
the bud before it becomes nasty habit. Not only will your dog love the positive
attention that comes with training, but his well-behaved nature also will make
him welcome in many more places. And going places together is one of the best
parts of having a canine companion.
Tip
Dog training methods go in and out of style almost as often as hemlines, but the positive motivation method that’s so popular today has always been my favorite. Positive motivation works because dogs adore attention, and they’ll perform encore after encore of any act that elicits your positive interest. Catching your dog doing something right and then praising him for it is the crux of positive training. See how many good habits you can instill in your Chi through praise, petting, and good timing.
Warning!
Never punish your Chi for something he did when you weren’Tip supervising. He won’t know why he’s being punished, which leads to all sorts of anxiety problems. If you didn’t catch him in the act, let it pass. Keep it from happening again by using prevention, not punishment.
Making the Crate a Home Base
Besides serving as your pup’s
private den and his home away from home, your Chi’s crate is your best
housetraining tool. But before you teach him his bathroom manners, you should
teach your Chi to accept, and even enjoy, being crated. Here are some simple steps
to follow:
1. Every time you put your dog
in his crate, toss a favorite toy or special treat into the crate ahead of him.
2. Say “Crate” or “Kennel up”
and gently, but firmly, put him inside and shut the door.
3. Now walk away. Don’t wait
around to see how he responds, because that entices him to react.
It won’t be long before your Chi
learns what “Crate” means and enters his little den on his own.
Your Chi may cry the first few
times he’s introduced to his crate, but if you leave the room and don’t
retrieve him until he settles down, he’ll soon learn to relax in it. The worst
thing you can do is rescue him when he cries, because that teaches him to
control you by whining and howling. If he still complains in his crate after a week
or two, head to Chapter Keeping
Your Place as Head of Household for help.
At night, make sure your pup
relieves himself before you crate him and then put his crate in your bedroom,
right beside your bed. No, a young dog won’t make it through the night, but he
should be okay for three or four hours. If he cries in his crate as soon as the
lights go out, sing or whistle soothingly to him (to let him know that someone
is near), but don’t take him out of the crate. The first few nights are the
hardest on him (and you), because your place won’t feel like home yet. A young
pup is used to snuggling with his mother and littermates, and he misses them
most during the wee hours. Be prepared to lose some sleep.
Eventually, your dog will fall asleep and so will you, but expect him to wake you with his cries after a few hours. Like it or not, you must get up quickly and take your puppy outside to relieve himself. Dogs don’t like to soil their sleeping quarters, which is why a crate is such a good housetraining aid. But if you ignore his plea to go potty, he’ll have to soil his crate. Puppies just don’t have much holding power. If crate accidents happen too often, he’ll adjust to living with filth instead of maintaining the clean habits he was born with.
Warning!
Never use the crate to punish your dog, and be careful not to use it too much. Your dog doesn’t need to spend the majority of his time in a crate. How do you know if you’re doing it right? Watch his reaction as he matures. Eventually, his attitude toward his crate should become neutral. If he either resists going into it or loves it so much that it’s hard to get him out of it, something is wrong.
Tip
When your Chi matures, you may want to leave a crate in a corner of your living room with the door always open. He may appreciate a private place of his own where he can chew a toy or take a nap when he needs one. Let your kids and friends know that when he curls up in his crate, he’s tired and wants to be left alone.
Housetraining — Avoiding Problems
Dogs are naturally clean
critters, yet having accidents in the house is considered one of the biggest
behavior problems in the Toy breeds. However, Toy dogs have an undeserved bad
reputation when it comes to housetraining. The truth is, Toy dogs are every bit
as bright as larger breeds (okay, often brighter), and they can control
themselves just as well as big dogs. Thousands of Toys are extremely reliable
in the home, and yours can be one of them — if you follow the guidelines in
this chapter. Here I show you how to avoid the problems in the house and
housetrain your Chi from the start.
Tip
Even if you’re lucky enough to get your puppy while you’re on vacation, you should introduce him to a schedule you can live with and stick to it (see Chapter Welcome Home, Little Amigo). Don’t confuse him by putting him on one schedule during weekends and vacation days and another on workdays.
Common Toy dog misconceptions
Do Toy dogs have poor plumbing
systems? Not at all. Toy dogs are considered hard to housetrain because so many
owners don’t get around to training until their dogs have already developed bad
- Because the accident is so tiny that it can be cleaned up quickly
- Because the dog is so small, he probably doesn’t understand
- Because he hates to get his feet wet and it’s drizzling outside
- Because no one in the house feels ambitious enough at the time to walk the dog
People love to give those excuses
when letting their little dogs do it on the floor just one more time. Bet they
wouldn’t think that way if a Saint Bernard just did his duty on the floor!
Remember
To clear your head of that kind of thinking, remember the following:
- The accident may be easy to clean, but do you want to clean up accidents several times a day for the next dozen or more years?
- Being small isn’t the same as being stupid. Chihuahuas are smart. Your dog will understand if you take the time to teach him.
- Toy dogs are still dogs, and yours needs to learn to relieve himself in the right place, rain or shine. Most dogs do their duty real fast during bad weather.
- To housetrain a dog, you must train yourself.
Your Chi may take longer to be
reliably housebroken than a big dog because Toy dogs see the world differently
than large dogs do. As far as they’re concerned, it’s a long way from the
kitchen to behind the living room sofa, so they can squat there and still
consider themselves clean critters. Keep your dog close to you until he
understands exactly where he’s supposed to go potty (see the later section
“Keeping to a routine”). And keep in mind that Toy dogs have to relieve
themselves a little more often than large dogs.
Warning!
Never train your pet when you’re in a bad mood. Puppies are just learning how to learn, and your earliest teachings color their lifelong attitude toward training.
Keeping to a routine
The keys to housetraining are a
regular routine and an alert trainer (that’s you!). A housebroken dog is simply
a dog with a habit — the happy habit of eliminating outdoors.
Remember
Simply put, you need to feed (see Chapter What’s on the Chi Menu?), water, exercise (see Chapter Chirobics: For Fitness and Fun), groom (see Chapter Grooming the Body Beautiful), and take your dog outside to eliminate at the same times every day. Besides being healthier, a routine makes housetraining easier. Dogs are creatures of habit, so sticking to a schedule from day one helps your Chi make sense of his new environment. As he begins to recognize his daily routine, he’ll learn to understand your expectations. And because puppies love to please, the habits he forms will be good ones.
When housetraining your Chi, take
him to the same outdoor area to go potty every time, and repeat the same words
— “Go Potty” for instance — as he eliminates. Routine is so important, so
taking the same route to the potty place every time is a good idea (for example,
go out the same door and turn the same direction).
Tip
If you live on the 20th floor of a building or in a place where the snow drifts as high as a Chihuahua’s eye, you can try the litter-box method of training. Instead of using cat-box filler, line the box with several thicknesses of newspaper. Use the same housetraining routines I recommend in this chapter, but when I tell you to take your dog outside, take him to the litter box instead. Soon your Chi will be litter-box trained. Pet shops also sell chemically treated pads that attract dogs and entice them to squat in the area you choose.
Chihuahuas are naturally clean
dogs and don’t want to soil their living quarters. When housetraining your Chi
and establishing a routine, take advantage of that trait by confining him to a
dog crate every time you’re away or he’s left unsupervised. Then as soon
as you arrive home, take him outside and praise him for eliminating. If he
soils his crate, clean up the mess immediately. Besides being dangerous to his
health, a wet or dirty crate teaches your Chi to live with his mess — an
attitude that hinders the housetraining process.
Training yourself, a.m. to p.m.
Morning
1. First thing in the morning,
take your Chi outside for several minutes and praise him for a job well done.
2. When you bring him in, feed
and water him (see Chapter What’s
on the Chi Menu? for tips).
3. Take him outside again after
he eats breakfast. Young dogs almost always have to relieve themselves soon
after eating.
4. Now he can spend time with you
to exercise or have the run of a puppy-proofed room if you’re at home but
unable to supervise. If you’re leaving for work, confine him to his crate.
5. Take him outdoors for
elimination midmorning if you’re at home.
Afternoon
1. Take your Chi outside as soon
as you get home at lunchtime.
2. Give him lunch and fresh
water.
3. Take him outdoors after he finishes
eating. Confine him again if you can’t keep an eye on him or must leave.
Evening
1. When you arrive home, take
your Chi outdoors right away and enjoy a nice walk (weather permitting).
2. When you get back, let him
watch you fix dinner or join you for the evening news.
3. Feed him for the last time
each day between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
4. Take him outside after he
finishes eating. After he relieves himself, enjoy his company for the evening.
5. Take him outside just before
you go to bed. Confine him for the night.
Recognizing the signs of need
Sometimes (possibly many times),
your Chihuahua must relieve himself more often than what the sample schedule in
the previous section suggests. When housetraining, prevention works wonders, so
watch him closely. Take your Chi outside immediately if he exhibits the
following behavior:
- Begins walking in circles and sniffing the floor
- Starts panting when he hasn’t been exercising
- Suddenly leaves the room
Remember
Play, heavy exercise, and a nice massage act as on switches for puppy plumbing. So if you just finished a playing or petting session, it’s a good idea to take your Chi outside.
Does it sound like you’ll be
running in and out as often as a confused cat? Well, for awhile, you will be.
But it isn’t a life sentence. As your pup gets older, he’ll need to eat only
twice a day and his holding capacity will increase, so he’ll need fewer trips
outdoors.
Dealing with accidents
All puppies (and often dogs in
new homes) make mistakes. If you get home too late and your Chi already had an
accident, don’t make a big deal out of it. Your puppy won’t understand why
you’re so angry with him when he was so glad to see you, and that leads to far
worse problems. Pointing at the poop while screaming at him won’t help. You’ll
surely scare him, which may lead to anxietyrelated problems.
If the dirty deed was done before
you got home, take your pup outside anyway. Eventually, he’ll learn to expect
and to wait for the opportunity to go outside. Have patience and understand
that he may still be too young to control himself for the length of time that you
were away. Clean up the soiled spot as soon as you can, using an odor
neutralizer or plain white vinegar.
Tip
Buy a good odor neutralizer and stain remover (UrineOff is a good one). Removing the evidence of your dog’s mistakes immediately keeps your house looking and smelling like home, not a kennel. An odor-free floor is an important part of housetraining. Dogs tend to eliminate where their noses tell them they went before, so quick cleanups help prevent future accidents.
Warning!
Never use any cleanup product containing ammonia, for the crate or the carpet. The odor of ammonia makes dogs seek out the same spot to go potty again.
If you catch your Chi in the act
of an accident, you may be able to stop him mid-squat with a firm “No!” or a
loud noise like clapping your hands. Pick him up, hurry him outside to the
right spot, and praise him if he finishes what he started. Contrary to old
wives’ tales, swatting a dog with a rolled-up newspaper or putting his
Teaching Words that All Good Dogs Obey
Imagine how nice it is living
with a dog that always comes when you call, sits and lies down on command,
stays in place when told to, and respects the words No and Enough. Making this
happen is easier than you think. I show you how in the sections that follow. Conditioning
your Chi to respond to the commands Come, Sit, Down, Stay, No, and Enough can
start at any age, but younger is better.
Remember
Conditioning Chihuahua puppies (or adult dogs) requires a trainer with an upbeat attitude — one who gives plenty of praise and positive reinforcement, with absolutely no punishment. If that’s you, go ahead and get going! When teaching the meaning of the following commands, praise or reward your Chi every time he gives you the correct response, and simply ignore him when he doesn’t. Dogs will do virtually anything for attention, so yours should quickly learn the lingo.
Tip
How often do you and your Chihuahua need to practice simple commands such as Sit, Down, and Come? Every day. But you don’t need to set aside a special time for it. Instead, you can use the commands during daily life: Sit, for the dinner dish. Come, for a treat. Down, for petting. You get the picture.
Coming when called
Use bribery to teach your Chi
what Come means. For instance, you can follow these simple steps:
1. Introduce the word at feeding
time by saying his name and then the word “Come” in a happy voice (“Pepe,
come!”).
2. Show him his dinner dish.
3. Walk backward a few steps
while holding it.
4. When your pup follows, praise
him and then let him eat.
5. Repeat the process every time
you feed him.
When conditioning your Chi to
Come, call him only when you know he wants to come — not when he’s sleepy or
busy with food, a toy, or another person. Later, when your Chihuahua is older,
you may want to attend obedience school (see Chapter Keeping
Your Place as Head of Household). There you discover how
to teach him to Come no matter what the distraction. In the meantime, practice
often. Call him for all the good stuff — dinner, treats, and cuddles — and
he’ll soon respond happily.
How soon should you start
training your puppy to Come? As soon as he settles in. He loves the attention,
but keep the training sessions short (like puppy attention spans) and always be
cheerful and upbeat.
Tip
Puppies love to chase, and chasing games help them learn what Come means. Touch your Chi on his rump playfully, say his name followed by the word “Come,” and then run away a few steps while clapping (not too loudly) and talking happily. Let him catch you and then play with him for a few seconds before giving him another playful tap and starting over. Three times is plenty for one session.
Warning!
Never sabotage your training by calling a Chihuahua of any age to give him a pill or chastise him for something. Go to your dog for the upsetting stuff, and keep his Comes carefree.
Sitting pretty
To teach your Chi what Sit means
(see Figure 10-1), follow these simple steps:
1. Hold a treat in front of
his nose, say “Sit,” and then move the treat upward and back over his head.
When his eyes follow the goodie
upward, his head will tilt back and his rear end will lower until it reaches
the floor.
2. Give the treat immediately
while he’s still sitting and praise him.
3. Try it three or four more
times, but be sure to quit while he’s still having fun.
Tip
A soft treat, such as a nibble of cheese (provided that your Chi isn’t lactose intolerant), makes a good training tool. It’s healthy, and a Chihuahua can eat it fast so you can continue training. Tiny pieces of soft, moist dog treats also work well.
Going down
To teach the Down command, start
with your Chi in the Sit position (see the preceding section). Now follow these
steps:
1. Hold a tasty treat right in
front of his nose and say “Down.”
2. Make a movement shaped like
a capital L by lowering the treat straight down, just in front of his paws, and
then slowly pulling it forward at ground level.
As he reaches for the goody, the
front half of your pup’Technical Stuff body should move downward.
3. If his body doesn’t lower
completely to the ground, put gentle pressure on his shoulders with your free
hand, but don’t mash him down.
4. The instant his whole body
is in the Down position, give him the treat (see Figure 10-2).
Teaching stay
Your Chi probably bounces up from
his Sit right after you give him his treat, but now you’ll prolong that process
by teaching the Stay command:
1. Stand on your Chi’s right
side, with both of you facing the same way, and hold a treat in your right
hand.
2. Tell him to “Sit,” but this
time don’t give him the treat as soon as his butt touches the floor. Instead,
move your left hand sideways, stopping just in front of his nose (palm facing
him), and say “Stay” at the same time.
3. Let a long second pass
before giving him the treat.
Gradually — very gradually — work
up to a ten-second Stay before presenting the reward. Decide how many seconds each
Stay will be before you start, and vary the time. Otherwise, your Chi will soon
outguess you.
Figure 10-1: Manchita
sits on command with eyes focused on the reward yet to come.
Figure 10-2: Manchita
downs for a treat.
Remember
Staying in place isn’t a puppy’s forte, so when conditioning your young Chi, begin with two- or three-second Stays and don’t try to make him remain in place longer than ten seconds (use a watch; you’ll be surprised by how long ten seconds actually is). If your ultimate goal is for him to stay in place for several minutes, an obedience school is your best bet (see Chapter Keeping Your Place as Head of Household).
Making “No!” and “Enough!” effective
Your petite pup may amaze your
friends by walking on a leash like an obedience champ and performing Sits and
Downs on command. But if he’s a brat when show-off time is over, he isn’t the
pure pleasure he can be.
All dogs need to respond to two
words: “No!” and “Enough!” No means “Stop that right now and don’t ever do it
again.” If you bark out the word No in a sharp tone, your attitude won’t be
lost on your Chihuahua.
Remember
Just don’t use No too often, or your Chi will get used to it. Reserve the word for really bad behavior like teething on a table leg or nipping at feet or clothing. If your voice isn’t emphatic enough, clap your hands (once) right after you say No.
What if your Chi ignores you and
continues chewing the chair leg? Go to him, pick him up, move him away from the
temptation, and give him something he’s allowed to chew. Then praise him for chewing
the proper item. If he heads back to the forbidden object later, bark your
firmest No yet, followed by a clap of your hands, if necessary, to get his
attention. If he persists on trying to mouth the chair leg, tap his nose lightly
as you say No, and then take him to a different closed-off room where he
can play with his own toys.
Always keep your cool, and never
touch your dog in anger. If you have a temper (you know who you are), stick
with a verbal No.
“Enough” means “What you are
doing was just fine for awhile, but you’ve been doing it for too long, so stop
now.” Use Enough when you don’t want to pet your Chi anymore but he keeps
pawing your hand. Say Enough if he gets too wound up during play or continues barking
long after the meter reader leaves. Said firmly but without anger, Enough works
on puppies, adult dogs, and the kids that play with them!
Preventing Common Problems
Techichis believed to be true soul mates
During the 12th century in Mexico, the Aztec
Indians wiped out the Toltec nation but spared their dogs, the Techichis,
because the dogs had such an impressive job description. Believed to be holy,
their task was to guide their dead owner’s soul to safety. This concept
appealed to the Aztecs because they needed all the help they could get. After
all, they believed the dead had to cross nine perilous lands and a treacherous
underworld river before their souls reached safety. So when the Aztecs burned
a dead warrior, they burned his dog with him. They thought the little holy dog
would race on ahead, fight off evil spirits, and wait on the far bank of the
raging river until it saw its master, and then swim back across, guiding him
safely to the other side.
Sacrificing a dog with red skin by burning it
along with a human corpse was also popular with the Aztecs. They believed the
sins of the deceased were transferred to the dog and not taken out on the
person. No doubt that’s why archeologists discovered a number of graves in
Mexico containing both human and Techichi remains.
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Warning!
All dogs need toys, but don’t overdo it. A dog with too many toys may begin to believe that everything is a toy. Then he won’t learn to discriminate between his toys and all the taboo items in the house.
Teaching what’s okay to chew
Your puppy needs to chew, but
teaching him what to chew isn’Tip always easy. This section presents a nifty
training aid, compliments of my friend Amy Ammen, director of Amiable Dog
Training in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and author of several dog training books. She
calls this training exercise “Shopping Spree.”
After your puppy knows how to
walk on lead (see Chapter Socializing
Your Chihuahua), teach him to discriminate between his toys and
taboo items by taking him on a shopping spree right in your living room:
1. Choose a word that means “get
that out of your mouth” (most people opt for “Out” or “Drop It”).
2. Place some personal objects — such as a wallet, slippers,
or purse — and some paper products — like napkins or a roll of toilet tissue —
on the floor along with two of your puppy’s toys.
3. With the props in place, put a leash on your puppy and
let him explore the clutter.
4. When he picks up a taboo item, say your command along with
giving a tiny jerk on the leash (just enough so he feels it — if it
moves his body, it’s too hard).
5. Walk toward an appropriate toy and encourage your puppy to
play with it.
Take your puppy shopping a couple times a day and he’ll soon
take pride in leading you to one of his correct objects. When he does, be sure
to praise him and let him keep his toy. And now that he knows the command for
releasing an object, you should use that command, and only that command,
whether he’s holding a slipper, a finger, or a dead mouse.
Controlling barking
Chihuahuas make good watchdogs because they have excellent
hearing and a loud bark, considering their size. Some barking is a good thing.
Most people are glad when their dogs tell them that strangers are approaching their
homes. But it’s best to be glad quietly, taking your Chi’s protective
tendencies for granted instead of praising them. For example, the first time he
goes into a prolonged barking fit at a door-to-door salesman, don’t act like
it’s adorable unless you want him to bark long and hard at visitors all his
life. Instead, let him know right from the start when he’s barked long enough
by saying “Enough.” (I discuss this command earlier in this chapter.) It isn’t barking,
but rather excessive barking, that drives people mad.
The problem is, even if you take your Chi’s warning barks
for granted and don’t bother to praise him for giving you advance notice when a
visitor arrives, he usually feels rewarded anyway. That’s because every time
the meter reader or the salesperson leaves (after being barked at, of course),
your Chi thinks he chased them away. And that makes him feel real macho.
Trying to thwart a Chihuahua’s natural tendency to protect
his family only frustrates him. Worse yet, he may learn to keep quiet no matter
what instead of acting as your early-warning system. Countless Chihuahuas have
alerted their families about fires and scared off burglars with their shrill
bark. The trick is being able to turn off your live alarm on command.
Use the command Enough to let him
know when he’s done his duty and it’s time to quiet down. If that doesn’t work
— and only as a last resort — buy a small spray bottle. Keep it handy and give
him one surprise squirt, right in the face, to enforce the Enough word. You
should avoid the tendency to threaten him with the water treatment, though.
It’s best if he thinks his barking, not you, flooded his face.
Remember
Don’t punish your Chi after the fact. Not even if he has a guilty look. The truth is, dogs don’t feel guilt. That’s a people thing. Nor do they remember what they did five minutes ago. Sure, there’s poop on the rug and your Chi looks worried, but what you’re seeing in his eyes is confusion. He senses that you’re angry with him, but he doesn’t know why, which makes him apprehensive. Hence, the guilty look.
Deciding if jumping is okay
Only you can decide if jumping is
an okay behavior for your Chihuahua. After all, Chis weigh hardly anything, so
the danger of most people being knocked over is nonexistent.
Some people like having their
dogs joyfully jump on them. If you’re one of those people, nothing is wrong
with jumping as long as you enjoy having your Chi jump on you no matter what
you’re wearing. Your Chi isn’t clothes-conscious enough to understand that
jumping on you when you’re wearing jeans is okay, but it isn’t okay when you’re
dressed to impress. The point is, don’t let him do something one day that you
don’t want him to do another day. Decide right away if jumping is okay or not;
if it isn’t, read on.
You’ll have to change your Chi’s
method of greeting people when you teach him not to jump. For instance, teach
him to Sit on command (see the previous “Sitting pretty” section), and then
tell him to sit (in a happy but firm voice) as soon as you open the door. When
he does (even if you have to put him in the Sit position), kneel down to his
level and give him plenty of praise. A Chi will want to jump on you for instant
attention, but if you withhold your attention until after he’s sitting, he’ll
soon learn to Sit for your approval.
Nipping nipping
Puppies use their mouths to
investigate things, much the same way humans use their hands. They also use
their mouths in play and sometimes to vent their high spirits. But needle-sharp
teeth hurt, so you must teach your puppy that nipping isn’t nice.
Warning!
Resist the urge to jerk your hand away from your puppy when he clamps down on it. That’s the canine version of an invitation to play, so pulling away just makes him come back for another nip.
How can you tell your pup that
clamping down hurts? Say ouch! And say it like you mean it. Screech it out in a
high-pitched voice that lets him know that he hurt you. Most pups will lick you
in apology. If a week or two of yelping “Ouch!” doesn’t make a difference, choose
a command that means “Don’t Bite.” Say it every time your Chi touches you with
his teeth, and put your finger on his button nose and press gently while you
say it.
A last resort (use only on
confirmed nippers) is dabbing a Bitter Apple spray on the part of you your
puppy nips. This works especially well on shoelace and sock chasers.
Preventing possessiveness
Most puppy possessiveness starts
over the food dish. That’s because puppies compete with their littermates
(brothers and sisters) for food. Sometimes they have to be deprogrammed when they
enter a human family. Nothing to it. Just mix up these four choices — using one
during one meal and a different one at the next meal, and so on. After a couple
weeks, your Chi should stop being possessive of his bowl:
- Feed your Chihuahua his kibble a nugget or two at a time from your hand with your hand in his food bowl.
- Give him only 1⁄4th of his dinner. Then just as he finishes the tiny portion, put the rest of his meal in the bowl.
- Put a cushion on the floor and sit down beside his food dish. Pet him for a minute or two as he begins his dinner, and then walk away and let him eat the rest of his meal alone.
- When he’s nearly finished eating, walk up to him and place a tiny, but very special, treat in his dish. A slice of hot dog, a sliver of cheese, or a bit of burger will make him happy that you put your hand in his bowl.
Tip
I recommend dropping a very good treat into your puppy’s food bowl as he’s eating his food so that he thinks adults/children approaching his bowl is a good thing. This can prevent serious bites near a food bowl — especially if a baby crawls too close.by Jacqueline O’Neil
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