A lot of people prefer to own a chihuahua because they are considered lap dogs. However, chihuahua exercise and simulation are needed as all other Pets. You will be surprised just how much energy the tiniest dog in the world has.
Like all other dogs, your chihuahua will need exercises to stay healthy and promote healthy muscles and joints. For this reason, you have to maintain 30 minutes of daily exercise. In addition, exercises will help your dog to realize his energy, this way you will avoid some unwanted attitudes such as chewing or the tendency to become hyper.
However, the exercises will vary depending on your dog’s character and yours. Because as we know your dog will do what you do. In other words, if you are an active person your chihuahua will be the same, and the opposite is true.
A happy chihuahua is one who is well-exercised. But, there are some restrictions that the parents must follow.
..It’s very important to find the right exercise and activity balance for your chihuahua.
Tips for Healthy chihuahua exercise
- To keep your chihuahua motivated for playing and going outside, you have to be an active person because your dog will do the same things you do.
- 50 percent of pets of all US suffer From obesity because of lack of activity.
- sometimes a chihuahua becomes nervous around traffic, in order to overcome this issue, start with a park that has zero traffic, then walk around that is a low traffic area, and once the chihuahua shows that he or she is doing well then move up to busier areas.
- while doing the activity with your chihuahua You may notice some warnings such as limping, as a response you have to see a vet ASAP.
- If you are living in a very cold area, you may need to put on your chihuahua protective clothes such as a sweater or coat.
- Don’t take your dog to the areas where there is a lot of lawn care chemicals, to avoid causes of allergies.
- try to play with your chihuahua inside the house when rain or snow is keeping you inside.
Exercise requirements by age
Puppies
Chihuahua puppies have a respected amount of energy, for this reason, they need a safe place to play. You should not take them to public places like dog parks and gardens, since at this very young age they can get easily some diseases.
It’s advisable to not exercise a lot with a chihuahua puppy because at this young age he will naturally do the exercises he needs. In addition, according to some studies, over-exercise can cause growth impediments.
furthermore, some veterinarians believe that a lot of exercises at this age can lead to a disease called elbow dysplasia because when the puppy is very young his plates are not yet fully created.
Again being naturally active is crucial for puppies. Activities play a very important role in a dog’s life, they help the puppy to realize his pent-up energy, they allow him to develop muscles and prepare a healthy foundation for his coming years.
In addition to a good diet, a growing chihuahua puppy will need to build up the capacity for walking and some dog play like fetch. Here is a good guideline to follow to know the adequate exercises for a growing puppy.
2 months to 4 months:
At this age, the puppy has not received yet all of his puppy shots, so the walks must be fixed until the puppy is in a secure position. The type of exercises you have that must be planned by the owners are limited such as short walks around the yard and playing with toys.
During the walks outside make sure to keep a chihuahua on a leash. We advise you to use a harness instead of using a collar, to avoid pressure on the puppy’s neck which can lead to injuries.
4 to 8 months:
At this age, the owner starts taking 2 smaller walks per day each lasting 15 to 20 minutes or one long walk of 30 minutes. Find below some useful tips you need for walking a chihuahua:
- To prevent injuries use a harness.
- To keep your chihuahua closer and safe use a 6-foot leash
- During hot seasons the sidewalks can be hot so always check up the surface.
- Choose morning or evening to take a walk when the temperature is high outside.
- During these short walks don’t forget to keep your puppy hydrated, so always take with you a bottle of water and an appropriate bowel.
- At this age try to learn your dog some commands and prevent him from developing some bad habits.
8 months to 1 year: at this age, you can start increasing the duration of walks, they must be at least 20 minutes and as we said before having a bottle of water with you is very important to re-hydrate your puppy.
Adults
1 year to 6 years:
an adult and healthy chihuahua needs at least 1 walk per day that lasts at least 30 minutes.
Also, you can add some activities to your chihuahua’s daily activities such as swimming, hide n’ seek…
If your schedule doesn’t allow you to take a long walk with your chihuahua. You should know that your chihuahua energy pent-up needs to be released to avoid unwanted outcomes like being hyper and to promote good behaviors. Therefore you must find a solution or a professional dog walker.
Your chihuahua needs to be socialized to the outside world including people, other animals, and cars. Therefore you have to take your little dog to as many dog-friendly places as possible.
9 years and older:
The owner must reduce the amount of exercise for senior chihuahuas because of their age, the average age of a chihuahua is around 9 years.
YOU CAN ALSO CHECK: Senior chihuahua care tips
High-intensity free play
There are some activities that can help your chihuahua burn fat easily for instance :
Fetch
To help your chihuahua to realize his pent-up energy Playing Fetch is an amazing way. Chihuahuas will never get tired of playing this game. For this reason, you can use an Automatic Ball Launcher so that your chihuahua can play Fetch by himself. Therefore you can have time to do something else like reading while your dog is playing.
Backyard agility
You can build an agility or obstacle course in your backyard by using the materials you have. Or you can buy agility from a pet store.
Stair Sprints
This game is so useful if you think that your chihuahua needs to burn fat. To play this game you have to throw the ball to the top of the stairs. Then order your dog to bring it as fast as he can.
Tug of War
Dogs love this game very well, it is a good way to help them realize the pent-up energy. The game must be under your control.
Automatic toys
Some toys that move on their own are available, they roll, shake and rattle in an automatic way. These toys are great for your dog to move.
Paly with other pets
Make sure to let your dog play with other pets especially larger dogs because this will help them to have the social skills they need to be confident and to avoid some issues like small dog syndrome.
The above activities are the most popular but there are more activities you can do or you can even create. However, in addition to these body activities, your dog will need some mental stimulation as well.
Chihuahua Mental stimulation
Chihuahuas need to stimulate their minds. If the owner doesn’t give them the necessary ways to do so, chihuahua will find a way to challenge their minds. Unfortunately, they will manifest in bad ways such as barking, digging, and escaping. Here are some tips
Puzzle Toys
Puzzle toys are a great way to test your little chihuahua’s intelligence and to challenge their minds. chihuahuas are not the smartest dogs out there, even so, try to find puzzle toys that are a bit more challenging.
Learning
Learning is an ideal way to provide mental enrichment. Teach your dog names of things that are in his environment like his toys, place, etc
Chew toys
Chewing plays also a big role in stimulating the dog’s mind. And it is a natural way for dogs to play.
Environment enrichment
You can enrich their environment by making the chihuahua’s private space a more engaging and interesting space.
Conclusion
Finally, to enjoy the company of a happy chihuahua you need to provide adequate physical and mental exercises and activities.
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