Chihuahuas and Children. Can they get along?

Overview

chihuahuas are the smallest dogs are available on the planet. Their small size and playful nature make them the cutest doggies in the world. They have a tendency to bark a lot but with the appropriate training, they can be great pets. Some of them are generally silent in nature and can be risk-free in a house full of children.

When you are bringing a chihuahua home, you should always do a lot of research about the nature of this dog breed. Even if they are small in size but remember some small-sized canines sometimes are very aggressive in nature. Before bringing them into a family of kids you must have a plan to train them. So that they get used to being around your kids. It may be very easy for you to handle this small-sized dog. But your kids might be threatened with a little aggressive nature of this dog.

Nature of chihuahuas and how to make them comfortable with your children.

A chihuahua is a fun-loving pet, who is soft and gentle usually very cool-minded. But there are cases when these small dogs have shown aggressive nature which is quite unusual. It is good that you should always bring a puppy and a fully developed dog. Make sure you and your kids are not irritating the dog. Train the dog for the environment of your house. Tell your children about the things which they can do with their puppy and the things which they cannot. Chihuahuas are energetic, loyal, and loving pets if trained well and are made used to the environment.

Can the Children and chihuahuas get along?

The solution to these very simple questions is yes because both of them have a lot in common. Children are small in size so as chihuahuas. They both are loving and loyal. But there are certain precautions which have to be taken by you before bringing the dog to the home. You must ensure that proper training is given to the puppy before they are brought near to children.

Dangers of Chihuahuas

Chihuahuas are unique they can be great companions for your kids of all ages. But, it’s not always guaranteed, especially if you are not aware of some dangers they can represent. Here are some traps you must know when you bring a chihuahua home.

Chihuahua with strange Kids

shy chihuahua hiding behind his owner while walking outside — source: pexels

You have to be cautious when other kids approach your chihuahua. Don’t underestimate the danger chihuahuas can show. Even with their small size, they can do big harm to small children.

Chihuahuas are known to be gentle with their own family including the kids. This means that they can’t get along with other strange kids. Just because You see that they are loyal to your kids, doesn’t mean they will be the same to someone else’s kids. If you are not sure that your chihuahua is super socialized with kids, Try to avoid such an encounter.

You have to expect unwanted behavior from your chihuahua towards strangers, especially if rough play is involved. Chihuahua’s vigilance of strangers will only boost their anxiety and stress.

Brittle and Small

Chihuahuas weigh between 3 and 5 pounds, which means that they are small and fragile. With that said, parents should not allow their children to play with chihuahua especially if they are energetic. Even if they don’t mean to hurt the little dog, they can do it by accident.

To avoid any hurt for both kids and chihuahuas you have to set some rules(we’ll discuss more on this later).

If your children’s actions are under your control, then you’ll have a good experience creating a safe space for your kids and the dog.

As has been noted, chihuahuas can be good and safe with children older than 10 years of age. Put in mind that if your chihuahua snaps, it’s just normal behavior to express self-protection when he gets hurt.

Chihuahuas and Babies

Having a new baby is not an easy task for any parent, as we know that a new baby requires extra care especially during the night as his/her circadian rhythm is not adjusted yet. So bringing a new chihuahua in this situation is not a simple thing.

Chihuahuas tend to bark at anything at any time, any simple sound or sight can trigger their barking. Therefore a lot of barking and a new baby is not a good combination.

So it is advisable to wait until the baby gets older. We don’t mean that it is impossible, we mean that it is not an easy task. If somehow you took the decision to bring the dog and your child is a baby, remember this Never let them together alone.

There is another situation. That is if you already own a chihuahua and you will have a newborn or you will bring a human baby home. In this case, you may be facing some problems, so you have to prepare yourself.

Before bringing the baby home, set some areas in your house and never let the dog insert into them. Do it two to three months before the baby is there. So that your dog can get it.

Try to play some baby noises inside the home, that your chihuahua gets used to them. Concerning the baby equipment, let the chihuahua sniff them, let her hear the baby toys sounds.

These tips will help your chihuahua to be familiar with your baby

How to train chihuahuas and make them friends with your children.

Chihuahuas are a kind of species that have to be told about obedience quality. From the beginning, they are not usually the ones who follow or are obedient. They have been taught about this quality in a house of children. This quality of obedience must be taught to the dog in the initial years when the dog’s mind is absorbing. And getting used to the surroundings. You can teach them ways to interact with your children.

Techniques to train the pet

It is totally your responsibility that you teach your chihuahua to be gentle and soft. You can always try the below-mentioned approaches to doing

When the chihuahua is a puppy tell your child the safest way to handle it. Let them spend quality time with your dog.
To get familiar with your child place the chihuahua in hir/her arms.
Do not let the dog bite you when they are a puppy, instead, you can bring some soft toys to do so. It will ensure that they do not repeat the same with your children.
Spend some time monitoring the facial expression of your dog. Do not let them grow on your kids. Scold them by showing some anger and separating your kids away from the kid.
Give a compliment to both child and dog when they spend a period of time together without any issue.
If our dog bites your kid, show him that this behavior is unacceptable, do it in a strict voice, then separate them for a period of time.
When your dog is barking at your child, you may consider this is a warning. Try to put dog and child away for a while.
When you bring home an adult chihuahua, take some time before you introduce them to each other. Let your child to pet the chihuahua gently.

Teach your child how to handle chihuahua.

Chihuahua is an extremely delicate pet. You should teach your child how to handle them with care so that he or she won’t cause any injury to the puppy. They have delicate bones and are extremely soft skin. Show your kids how to not hold your chi and how to take care of the dog. Teach your kid how and which part to rub off the dog. So that the dog is comfortable and does not lose its temper and become angry with your kids. Do not let your child pull any part of the chihuahua as it may cause permanent injury to the dog. And in return, the dog may also bite your child. Below are some tips that can help you.

Always control your child and chihuahua when they play together.
Try to communicate well with your child using a soft, gentle voice and repeating a sentence until they get it like “be nice”
show your child the right way to handle your little chi.
Never let your child pull the dog’s tail or ears.
Never try to ride the chihuahua’s back
Get close to the dog slowly from the front, avoid running at the chihuahua.
Don’t push the chihuahua
Never approach the dog when he is eating his meal
Avoid noises around the chihuahua
Never let your child put his face near the dog’s face

If you notice that The rules above are not enough you can add some rules based on your situation as you can also delete some of them.

Conclusion

Kids and chihuahuas can always become the best of friends. But you have to play a major role in that. Teach your dog and the kids how to react and treat each other. Many times you might have to interfere when any of them is misbehaving. You got to do things like training and teaching not only to the dog but also to your children.