Take good care of your Chihuahua, and he or she will take care of you for many years. This long-lived breed can live to 20 years old, or possibly more. Their average lifespan is 11 to 16 years.
Pick a healthy dog to begin with. Chihuahuas, like any pure breed, have certain ailments to which they are prone. Watch for luxated patellas (bad knees), a weak or collapsed trachea, and retained baby teeth. They get colds easily, and are more likely than some other breeds to develop dry corneas and glaucoma. Going with a responsible breeder is always a good idea; you can ask them what they do to minimize these problems in their breeding lines, and you can usually visit with the parent dogs to see how they look and act.
Chihuahuas prefer three tiny meals to one full meal. The worst thing you can do for your Chihuahua is to pamper him or her with food. There isn't much dog there, and it's easy for her to become obese. Obesity worsens the knee and breathing weaknesses, and can lead to diabetes.
Feed your Chihuahua meat. That should be the first ingredient listed on their dog food. Crude protein should be no less than 30 percent. Unless the vet suggests otherwise for weight control, crude fat content should be no less than 20 percent. They aren't big on fiber; keep it at 4 percent or less.
In order to be gentle on your dog's delicate trachea, put him or her in a harness instead of a collar. Like any dog, they need exercise, but they may get enough romping around the apartment that they can do without long walks. Let your dog be your guide on that.
Do all of the usual vet care: vaccinations, boosters, heartworm if necessary in your area, exams, and flea and worm control.
Chihuahuas shiver when excited as well as cold, but they do get cold! That tiny body doesn't hold heat. There is a lot of surface area to a very small volume, and as we learned in physics, that means a lot of heat radiation. Below 40 degrees F, they can get hypothermia very quickly. Dress your Chihuahua in a sweater if walking her or him on a cool day. If it is cold, below 35 degrees F, or if there's a significant wind chill factor, you may not want to walk them at all.
They love attention. Pet and brush them a lot. Brush longhairs daily. Train them gently and positively. They are protective and spirited, and need to be taught to accept other people in your life (especially children and other animals). They may not adapt, but most will with loving and firm training.
Chihuahuas like other Chihuahuas, but usually dislike all other dogs. They can be stepped on or seriously hurt by excited young children.
Trim their nails frequently. Let the vet show you how the first time, to make sure you don't hurt them by cutting into the sensitive "quick." These attention-loving dogs will easily let you handle their paws and clip their nails as long as they believes you won't hurt them.
Chihuahuas tend to wheeze and snore. This is normal. If they seem to gag or cough a lot, they may be having trachea collapse or soft palate problems - get them to a vet immediately.
