How to Give a Small Chihuahua Lemon Water

Some dog owners give their dogs lemon water to prevent overheating and to discourage barking. It can be difficult to get a dog to eat or drink something unfamiliar. Getting a Chihuahua to take lemon water can be a challenge, since Chihuahuas can be hyperactive. But because the Chihuahua is small, there are some advantages in handling the dog when it's time to coax it into drinking the lemon water.

Things You'll Need

  • Lemon juice from a grocery store
  • Water bowl
  • Blanket
  • Eyedropper
  • Baby bottle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put lemon in the Chihuahua's water bowl. Use about one fourth of the lemon juice in a lemon-shaped container sold at the grocery store in a regular dog's water bowl. The familiarity of drinking out of its own bowl may encourage it to lap up the water. The dog's own scent on the bowl may overpower the unfamiliar lemon scent. Try not to put too much lemon in one serving of water so that the smell will not be too strong. Place the water bowl beside the food bowl so that it will smell the food and want to drink water after eating.

    • 2

      Take the dog for a walk or let it run around outside to help it build up a thirst. The dog will want to rehydrate and will probably run straight to the water bowl once it is available. If the dog is thirsty enough, it will be less likely to reject the lemon juice in the water. If the dog won't drink the lemon water from its bowl, you will need to take the following steps.

    • 3

      Wrap the Chihuahua in a blanket, towel or soft clothing. Wrap it loosely enough so that the dog does not feel alarmed but tight enough so that you can hold the dog as you would a baby. Leave the dog's head uncovered so that it can breathe. Once the Chihuahua is wrapped and you are holding it, it will probably become calm and more obedient, since you are in control.

    • 4

      Fill an eyedropper with lemon water. Open the dog's mouth and gently squeeze droplets of lemon water into its mouth. Make sure the dog swallows the water. Rubbing the dog's throat will encourage it to swallow. Depending on how much lemon water you want the dog to consume, using an eyedropper can be time-consuming, since you can only administer a few drops at a time.

    • 5

      Use a baby bottle. If the Chihuahua is very young, its suckling reflex may encourage it to drink the lemon water from a bottle. Because you can put more lemon water in a baby bottle than in an eyedropper, it will probably take less time for you to get the dog to drink a larger amount.