Dogs are stolen for a variety of reasons and most of them are guaranteed to break your heart. Some are resold to use a breeding stock to puppy mills and professional breeders. Chihuahuas are often sold as “bait” in fighting arenas. Others are sold to labs for experiments and research. The most unfortunate simply end up in hands of sadists who just want to torture and kill animals.

Unfortunately very few of the hundreds of thousands of dogs that go missing every year are returned to their owners. You can increase your chances of having your Chihuahua returned to you by employing the following methods.

Veterinarians, individual tattoo artists and companies specialize in tattooing animals with an identification number. Usually after the tattoo is placed, the identification number is registered with a service such as the National Dog Service. This may make it easier for him to be found. Different tattoo artists are associated with different registries so be sure to inquire first about which registry you will need to contact in order to complete the process.

Before entrusting your pup to the care a boarding or training kennel, thoroughly check out the reputation and references of the company. Avoid any establishment that has a history of missing dogs or runaway dogs. Make sure that they agree to show you the body if your puppy passes while you are gone. This way your pet’s death cannot be faked so it can be resold.

Don’t get your dog’s ear tattooed. You are better off to have the inside of his thigh tattooed as thieves have been known to sever a dog’s ears off to prevent it from being identified.

Microchipping is usually done at the vet. Otherwise, a vet can refer you to a microchipping service. A microchip is inserted under your dog’s skin, typically at the back of the neck or behind the ear. If you dog is lost and then found, then a scanner is used to read the read the information embedded in the microchip.

If your chihuahua disappears and is found, a special scanner can read the information on the microchip, and your dog can be traced to you. Again, call your vet for referrals in your area for Microchipping services.

Keep an eye on your dog a and be aware of his whereabouts at all times. Don’t leave him unattended outside in your yard, even for a few minutes. If you live in California he could be stolen by a coyote! Never leave him outside when you are not at home. Lock him in the house along with the rest of your valuable possessions.

Keep an eye on your chihuahua and be aware of his whereabouts at all times. Don’t leave him unattended outside in your yard, even for a few minutes. If you live in California he could be stolen by a coyote! Never leave him outside when you are not at home. Lock him in the house along with the rest of your valuable possessions.

As irresistible as a puppy is, there are certain households where a Chihuahua would be more of a problem than a delight.

·Puppies are not suitable companions for pregnant women, as dog hair and dog dander (skin flakes) in the air may also overstimulate the mother’s immune system and create allergic responses or respiratory problems both for the human mom and her unborn child.

·Chihuahua puppies are not recommended as pets in households with infants. Chihuahuas are also very jealous creatures and they may harm the baby. A Chihuahua puppy will often seek out a cradle because it is a place of warmth and there are blankets to burrow under. This could accidentally smother a child.

·Chihuahuas are not recommended for households with toddlers. Toddlers may be tempted to accidentally abuse a puppy by pulling, hitting or tugging on the animal. This could cause the dog to attack the toddler, leaving scratches and bites. Most Chihuahuas feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can’t help making — and stress and fearfulness (even defensive biting) may be the result.

·Don’t even think of owning a dog if you can’t afford to take yourself. You have to make a lifetime commitment to taking care of this tiny dog the same way you would a child.

·You should also not own a dog if you or a member of your family suffers from schizophrenia, manic depression, alcoholism, and addiction. attention deficit disorder or a personality disorder. Unfortunately, one of the main traits of these diseases is irresponsibility. Like children, puppies need routine, responsible care and consistency in order to be happy and healthy.

·You should also not consider adopting a chi if your plan of action is to let it roam around outside. Chihuahuas are indoor pets. Letting them wander around outside makes the vulnerable to poisons, verbal and physical abuse, attacks from other animals, falls, accidents, theft and extremely contagious diseases such as worms and tuberculosis.

Chihuahua pups and aggressive alpha dogs also don’t mix. A larger dog can grab a Chihuahua and break his neck with one quick shake. Owning a toy breed means constant supervision and surveillance of what’s going on around your tiny dog. Dogs are pack animals and if you are the owner of an alpha dog, (one that considers itself to be the leader of a pack) then he may see the puppy as an intruder. A puppy just does not know how to act in a submissive manner when confronted by an aggressive animal such as a pit bull or German shepherd

Also you should not consider owning a puppy if you cannot grasp the concept that these cute little animals eventually transform into dog. The number of dogs abandoned in our humane societies and pet shelters are a testimony to people who have broken a promise that they have made in their heart to a puppy who had the gall to turn into a dog.

Dealing with a dog that urinates can be a delicate matter. For the most part most pets do not want to do this. They usually have a good reason for urinating where they are not supposed. Usually they are anxious, fearful, and sick or it could be you forgot to take him or her outside and you are being left a big hint.

Here are some times for dealing with a dog that seems to be piddling for no reason.

Never physically discipline a dog by sticking its nose in the puddle of urine. You are simply triggering messages in the doggie brain that mean, “this is the place to do my stuff. A dog associates smell with locating or tracking and he may think it is okay to go there again. You are giving him permission to go in the same spot because the dog does not find the smell of urine unpleasant.

Never punish a dog with any type of spanking, hitting, choking or name-calling. The dog will simply become more anxious and more than likely repeat the offense. Dogs piddle and urinate. It is a fact of life. If you can’t handle it, than you don’t deserve to own a dog. Hitting a dog is childish and it will just make the dog more anxious and fearful. Dogs that are scared of their own become submissive urinators.

Take your dog for regular walks. Don’t lock your dog inside the house for hours or neglect taking him out regularly. A dog doesn’t have any more control over his or her urge to urinate than you do. Hitting a dog that you have neglected to walk is a lousy thing to do. In fact accidents that result from neglecting to walk the dog are totally your fault.

If you know you have an alpha dog, then know that it will take months and months to potty train him. Alpha dogs will resist you by urinating on items to mark their territory and show you whose boss. If this type of dominant alpha dog behavior is the real cause of accidents in your relationship than dog-training classes can help your dog recognize who is boss.

If you know that you are the owner of a submissive dog then be aware that he may piddle when excited or intimidated. There may be nothing you can do to correct this as such a dog is not easily trained out of submissive behaviors.

Don’t clean your home with ammonia-based cleaners. This smells like the urine of another animal to some dogs and they may lift their leg to mark their territory.

There are other alternatives to cleaning urine that do not attract dogs and make your home smell really high. The baking soda based ones are good. Try to get the odor out so that your dog does not identify it as being a safe place to go in the home.

Part of being a responsible pet owner is to make sure you can afford the pet’s vaccinations as well as be attentive to the schedule for shots. If you ignore this, then you are putting your dog’s life at risk.

As discussed in earlier chapters, the idea age to socialize your dog with other animals is between three and twelve weeks. It is also at this time that you want to introduce your dog to as many new experiences and people as possible. Unfortunately introducing your puppy to the world also puts him at risk of virus, infection and disease. This is why it is absolutely crucial that you keep the Chihuahua puppy’s vaccinations up to date.

You must avoid accidentally introducing your puppy to animals that may have not been vaccinated. Many irresponsible pet owners casually lie about the state of their pet’s vaccinations because they are too embarrassed to admit that they don’t want to go to the time trouble and expense. By vaccinating your dog you prevent him from coming into contact with dogs and cats that have not been inoculated and that carry highly contagious and often fatal diseases.

Ideally, your Chihuahua puppy should start receiving vaccinations at about 8 weeks of age and continuing receiving them until he or she is 16 weeks old. The vaccinations should include Distemper, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Leptospirosis, Rabies and Hepatitis.

Most veterinarians recommend getting five shot at once at periodic times. However other vets believe this is too hard on a tiny pet’s system and recommend that your pet be brought in several times to receive each inoculation separately.

All rabies vaccines, regardless of age first given, are followed by a second vaccination a year later, plus booster shots every three years.

Of course before starting any type of vaccination schedule you should consult with the breeder first (to see what shots the puppy has already had) and the veterinarian second (to see what shots the puppy will need on what dates.)

Below is a rough guideline that indicates the timing of vaccinations.

Vaccination Schedule

6 weeks

Have a thorough exam for overall health.
Vaccinate for Distemper, Parainfluenza and Hepatitis – no Parvo.

7-1/2 weeks

Vaccinate for Parvo only (killed vaccine.)

10 weeks

Second Parvo vaccination (killed vaccine.)

12 weeks

Thorough exam.
Vaccinate for Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Leptospirosis.