Lifestyle

Big Personality

The Chihuahua breed’s origins are steeped in mystery. It’s widely believed that they are direct descendants of the Techichi — a small dog of Chinese ancestry that dates back to Mayan times. It’s possible that explorers bred the Techichi with a small hairless dog, and the Chihuahua was the result.
Words by Casey “The Dachshund” Lindsey | August 27, 2021 | Lifestyle

Taquito

You’ve never met a Chihuahua like Taquito! He is full of like with a spunky playful personality. Unlike some chihuahuas, Taquito is very friendly and social — he would do well with kids, dogs and even cats! He is adored by the Paws4You volunteers, so we know your family will also fall in love as well; Paws4You.org.

“I’m only 8 lbs., but my personality will fill your home with laughter!”

Pet Me! Pet Me!

I’m often asked “Someone wanted to pet my puppy but I didn’t want my dog to be scared so I told them no. Should I have let them pet my puppy?” My answer is a very affirmative, “Yes, you should have! You really missed a great opportunity.” Puppies need to have positive, repeated exposure to things we expect them to like or tolerate in adulthood, and they need it starting from the day you bring them home all the way through their second birthday! Most dog bites to people are a direct result of the fact that puppies had little to no exposure during puppyhood. Allowing both adults and children to interact in a positive way with your young puppy teaches your pet that humans are nothing to fear. If you have treats with you, encourage people to feed and gently stroke your puppy’s body. Discourage patting and other rough handling. When you don’t live with small children yourself, small kids are actually really hard to come by. So, if you have the opportunity to allow your young puppy to meet children, you should be jumping at that opportunity to prevent fear-aggression behaviors.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Dee Hoult is the owner of Applause Your Paws, South Florida’s largest privately owned pet dog training company. Want to ask her a question about your dog? Email [email protected] or send a DM on Instagram @ApplauseYourPaws. To find a Certified Dog Trainer, visit CCPDT.org or IAABC.org for Certified Behavior Consultants.