SUPPLIES
- Leash
- Collar
- Puppy pads (optional)
- Treats
- Deodorizing cleaner
Overview
The Chihuahua dog breed has become quite popular in recent years. Tiny, cute and loyal to their owners, Chihuahuas are also intelligent and can be quite stubborn. For that reason, the most important thing to consider when potty training a Chihuahua puppy is to be firm and consistent in your training. Your puppy must understand that you are the boss. Keep to a routine, and do not deviate from it until your Chihuahua is trained.
Step 1
Choose a dedicated location for your Chihuahua to relieve herself. This is usually a corner of the backyard; however, many people who choose to own Chihuahuas do so because of their small size. This may be due to the fact that the owner of the dog lives in an apartment or condo. In these cases, the dedicated area may be a "puppy pad." These pads are placed in a corner of the house and used for dogs to relieve themselves. Then they can be discarded.
Step 2
Stick to a routine. Lead your puppy to the area immediately after he wakes up from a nap, eats or drinks. This needs to happen at night also! Potty training a Chihuahua, and most other puppies as well, is time-consuming. For an eight-week old puppy, this means you might be going outside as much as every three to four hours, or even more often.
Step 3
Watch your puppy carefully. Chihuahuas are clever, and might try to hide accidents from you. If you see your dog circling, sniffing the ground, or walking in a funny manner, take him to the designated area as quickly as you can. If you catch him "in the act," clap your hands or make another loud noise, then yell "No!" so that he knows you are not happy. Do not hit him, however. Then, clean the area with a deodorizing cleaner.
Step 4
Crate train your puppy. Although you might be tempted to let your puppy sleep with you because she is so small, this is not a good idea. She needs to know that you are the head of the household, otherwise she will not obey you. This means she will never be fully potty trained either. Instead, train her to use a crate to sleep in. This will also help her learn to be potty trained, as most dogs will not relieve themselves in their crate. See the Resource section for more crate training tips.
Step 5
Reuse the puppy pad. Although this sounds terrible, it's a fact that puppies will relieve themselves in the same area they did before, if they can smell it. Let that smelly puppy pad help you lead your puppy back to that area when he has to urinate again. You can also use a puppy pad to train your puppy to go outside. Simply place the used pad in the area of the backyard where you wish the puppy to urinate or defecate.
Step 6
Use a word command. Chihuahuas are intelligent and learn quickly. Tell your puppy to "go duty" or some other combination of words you would not be embarrassed to use in public. This will help you in the future if you need your dog to relieve herself and she is in an unfamiliar place.
Step 7
Reward your puppy every time she successfully relieves herself outside or on the puppy pad by praising her lavishly, playing with her, giving her a treat or preferably, doing all three of these things.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Resist the urge to carry your puppy to the designated relieving area. You want the puppy to learn to walk there on his or her own power. Instead, lead her there.
If the designated area is outside, put a leash on your puppy so that she gets used to relieving herself on a leash.
Resources
