Miniature chihuahuas are the world's smallest breed of dog, but don't let that fool you. These puppies can be extremely high-maintenance. The breed is full of energy and quite temperamental, and training a miniature chihuahua can require strategy and a lot of patience. You should begin training your puppy early, ideally as soon as he is weaned and ready to come home. This process includes potty training, territorial training and obedience training.
Things You'll Need
- Puppy food
- Puppy treats
- Potty pads (optional)
- Collar
- Leash
- Crate or dog gate
Instructions
Track your puppy's elimination patterns. To begin potty training, you'll need to establish the patterns of your miniature chihuahua's urination and defecation. Start by feeding your chihuahua at consistent times of the day, and note the time when the puppy urinates or defecates. Calculate the time between each elimination. Take 10 minutes off the shortest recorded segment and use this time frame as a guideline for taking your puppy outside or to the potty pad.
Take the puppy outside or to his potty pad using your calculated time interval. Use a strong trigger phrase like "Go potty." Stay outside or at the potty pad until your chihuahua eliminates. Be patient because this could take awhile. Once your puppy has urinated or defecated, praise him excessively and reward him with a treat. As this happens in recurring intervals, your chihuahua will begin to associate the trigger phrase with an action, and the action with praise and treats. Depending on your climate, you may want to use potty pads for miniature chihuahuas because the dogs are intolerant of temperatures below 40 degrees.
Teach your miniature chihuahua territorial respect. You will need a dog house, dog crate, carrier or dog gate for this. When you are away from the home, do not let your chihuahua have free reign of the home. Teach him dominance by placing him in his "territory" and out of yours while you are away. Since miniature chihuahuas are often no bigger than 3 pounds, a dog carrier or crate is appropriate for short periods of time. If you are still potty training, do not leave your chihuahua for longer periods than his regular elimination interval. If your chihuahua is disobedient, it is appropriate to put him in his crate or territory for a period of "time out," but do not make it a regular punishment.
Teach your chihuahua basic commands. After housebreaking and territorial training, it's time to give your miniature chihuahua general obedience training. Begin by teaching him the common commands of "sit," "stay" and "come." Keep your commands to one word and preferably one syllable, allowing the dog to gain understanding faster.
Take the chihuahua to a distraction-free room. Tell him to "sit" while pushing his hind end to the ground. Repeat this several time and reward him with a treat when he begins to sit by himself. To teach him to "come," stand on the other side of the room and clearly say "come," while patting your leg. When he comes, reward him with praise and a treat. To teach him to stay, say "stay" while holding one palm out and looking the other direction. Avoiding eye contact will give the chihuahua the understanding that you are expecting no action from him. However, give him praise and a treat if he stays immobile.