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Crating Two Chihuahuas Together

So, you’ve decided to train your chihuahua puppies to stay in a crate. Let’s get started! But make sure they each have their own crate before you start training them. As a chihuahua lover, I always receive questions via our Facebook page such as, “Can two chihuahuas be in the same crate?” The answer is often a big NO—It is forbidden to put two chihuahuas in the same crate.
Now, we’ll talk about why putting two chihuahuas in the same crate is a bad idea and what might happen if you do it.

Can you put two chihuahuas in one crate?

two chihuahuas and a wood crate

source: istockphoto.com

No, never put two dogs in the same crate. It doesn’t matter if they are siblings or if they were born at the same time/place. The space in a crate is way too small. Nobody should ever have to make two chihuahuas share it. Even dogs who get along well may fight if they are forced to be in the same crate.

The idea of “private space” from a chihuahua’s perspective

three chihuahua in a paper box

source: istockphotocom

Dogs can’t talk with each other like we can. Body language is the only way to communicate. Chihuahuas can use this in many different ways, from how they carry their tails to where their ears are to whether they sit, stand, or play-bow. Dogs almost never use their body language when they are standing still. Most of the time, they are moving around to send messages to other animals. People are more touchy-feely than dogs are. We like to hug our friends, put our hands on their arms, and pat them on the shoulder. Dogs, on the other hand, often choose not to touch each other, even if they like each other. They like to keep a few feet of space between themselves.

Breeds that were made to be sensitive to space pressure, like herding breeds, are especially aware of this and usually don’t like being touched by other dogs.

When you put two chihuahuas in one crate, you make it hard for them to talk to each other. They can’t move around and use body language as they normally would. Putting them in such a small space can make them feel aggressive, and the only way they know how to protect their space is to attack the other dog.

THIS ARTICLE MAY HELP: Understanding Your chihuahua’s Body Language-Sounds And Movement

Crating two Chihuahuas together to make them get along

You should never put two dogs in the same crate to get them to “get along.” Don’t hope for the best if you put two chihuahuas who are reactive or aggressive toward each other in the same strong crate. This could quickly turn into a terrible fight that could hurt both pups badly. You must employ targeted reactivity training to cease your two chihuahuas from being reactive or violent. It’s never a good idea to put two dogs in the same crate.

When is it okay to put more than one dog in one crate?

The only time it’s okay to put two or more dogs in one crate is if they are very young puppies. During the first 8 weeks of their lives, they are always near and touched by their littermates. Adult dogs have a sense of their own space that very young puppies don’t have yet. Many breeders choose to move and train their puppies to stay in a crate by putting several of them in the same crate. This will work well and is often the only way to get a litter of puppies from one place to another.

Can two chihuahuas play together in a playpen?

source: istockphoto.com

A playpen is something else. It gives dogs a large amount of space than a crate. If you have a big playpen and two chihuahuas that get along well, you can put them in the same pen. They will have enough space to use appropriate body language without being stifled. Of course, you should put them in separate beds and only use the crate as a way to control them.

Crating two Chihuahuas together in the car

Pug, Chihuahua, Thai Ridgeback and Italian Greyhound. Sit together. in dog crate in the back of a car.

source: istockphoto.com

If your car is small and can only fit one crate, you might be tempted to put two dogs in one crate. Once more, this is not a good idea. Especially if your dogs react to something outside, like another dog barking, other cars passing by, or the sound of a siren, they could take their excitement and stress out on each other. You should only put both of your chihuahuas in the same car crate if the crate has a lot of space.

Last word

Putting two chihuahuas in the same crate is never a good idea. The only time this isn’t true is if the dogs are less than 8 weeks old. If, on the other hand, your dogs are teenagers or adults, don’t put them in the same kennel. This could lead to a big fight between them, and one or both of them could get hurt badly.

This is true both at home and in the car when you crate them. You should never put two dogs in the same crate because you don’t have enough space.

If you have a playpen instead of a crate, this is different. Dogs can move around much better in exercise pens, and they can use their body language to talk to each other. If you have two dogs that are familiar with each other, you can put them in the same pen for a few hours. This is especially true for chihuahuas because they are small and the playpen is big.

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1 Comment

  • I totally disagree. I left crate doors open to see if my chihuahuas would want separate crates or choose to be together. They always chose to be together their whole lives. They were devoted to each other and were never in a fight. They both died in the same week as well. The oldest was 18.5 years old.

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