As a rule, a Chihuahua needs to be exercised twice a day for several hours. This should ideally be done in the forest or where he can run without a leash without any problems. The Chihuahua needs enough physical and mental exercise.
Your pet needs daily exercise. In addition, your dog can romp around in the garden or you can go to a fenced exercise area.
Your dog needs to go outside at least twice a day.
Beyond that, you can decide according to your dog whether you go more often and how long your rounds will be.
Walking – When does the dog need to go out?
The question of how often a dog should go out depends crucially on its individual needs. Some dog breeds need a lot of exercise due to their special urge to move, while others are content with smaller rounds.
When a dog needs to go outside is also very individual. Decisive factors include cleanliness and walk training.
As a rule of thumb, however, dogs can last five to six hours before the next business is due.
This also tells you how often a dog should go out every day. Accordingly, you should plan at least four to five rounds per day.
Ideally, the walks should be scheduled over time so that nightly walks are not necessary. It is important to remember that the most urgent walk is in the morning. The walk after getting up must be integrated into the daily schedule.
As a rule, a routine rhythm is established after a certain time, so that the morning round takes place at 6:00 a.m. every day, for example.
Dogs make themselves known when they have to go out
Normally, every dog makes itself known as soon as it has to go out. However, this only applies to dogs that have already completed their cleanliness training. It is not yet to be expected from puppies. As soon as the intervals between rounds become too long, dogs start whining, possibly barking, are restless and otherwise draw attention to themselves.
Some dogs may scratch at the door, others may put the leash at their master’s feet. Pay attention to how your dog makes itself known and don’t let it get that far in the first place.
Your dog will be in better health if you react before your dog even contacts you.
If you are going to be away for a long time and your dog has to wait for you at home, find out here how long your dog can be left alone.
Whether young or old – all dogs need to go out.
Puppies and seniors need more exercise
A puppy stays with the breeder until at least 8 weeks. At least with a good breeder. After that, you can take your dog with you.
Once you have arrived at your new home, the first few weeks are especially important. During this time, you must pay special attention to the walks. Everything needs to be explored, from traffic to the forest.
Experience shows that puppies need more walks than adult dogs. Until they are truly house-trained, it is recommended that you take your fur friend out at least every two hours.
This way puppies learn that they have to do their business outdoors and not indoors.
The time between each round can be extended individually over time. In addition to puppies, seniors also need to go outside more often.
Your dog is getting old and counts as a senior dog if your dog is over 12 years old.
With age, dogs get difficulties to control their urge for a longer period of time. It’s a good idea to cater to your dog’s individual needs.
You could take your dog out more often, but for shorter periods.
If the dog doesn’t get out – what can happen?
If your dog doesn’t get out enough, it will sooner or later do its business indoors.
However, what is much more decisive and to the dog’s disadvantage – lack of exercise leads to considerable limitations. Dogs that do not get out or only get out too rarely are often overweight, which has an impact on their health.
Moreover, in such cases dogs tend to behave destructively, for example by destroying things or starting to go berserk.
Among other things, shoes or furniture can be chewed up. Furthermore, the lack of exercise leads to aggression towards people and other animals in the long run.
This is how you can keep your dog busy in the flat
Some dogs begin to withdraw because they are not physically and mentally stimulated enough. In this case, the behaviour resembles a typical depression.
Other dogs, on the other hand, become hyperactive. Finally, the muscles of the affected dog can stiffen, which leads to considerable pain. Further illnesses of the four-legged friend are also possible due to lack of exercise and too few walks.
For example, bladder or kidney diseases can occur due to continuous stopping.
To prevent this from happening to your four-legged friend, make sure he gets enough exercise!
If you don’t have enough time, you can look for someone who will walk your dog for a small fee.
Typical Chihuahua breed characteristics
- Character – lively, strong-willed, people-oriented
- Size approx. 3 kg
- Weight approx. 20 cm
- Colour unicoloured or multicoloured
- Life expectancy up to 17 years
The small Chihuahua is a big dog at heart. It is the inner size that counts with him, despite his small size.
The Chihuahua probably originated in Mexico, where it was valued by the Aztecs as a popular domestic dog. In the middle of the 19th century he was bred in the USA and quickly spread all over the world.
The Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed in the world, but is much more than just a lap dog.
The little one reaches a weight of 3 kilograms and a height at the withers of 20 centimetres.
It has large ears that resemble bat wings and protrude far from the head. The head is apple-shaped and he has large, slightly protruding eyes.
The Chihuahua has a compact build, which is well proportioned, and muscular, slender legs.
Depending on the breed, you can find the breed with smooth, long wavy or short coat. Also in different colours, for example white or black and also in brown or red shades.
The longest life expectancy for this little guy is known to be 20 years. This is a proud age for a Chihuahua. On average, the life expectancy of these dogs is somewhat lower.
Character traits of the Chihuahua
Despite its size, the Chihuahua has a lively and strong-willed character. He also has a courageous, attentive and loyal nature.
He is rather choosy in deciding whom to give his affection to. Nevertheless, the Chihuahua is people-oriented.
He remains loyal even when being cared for by several people in the family. The Chihuahua likes to be the centre of attention and often draws attention to itself by barking.
Despite his small size, he can walk long distances on his own and does not necessarily need to be carried in a handbag.
You can even have fun with your little guy in dog sports. Whether agility, ball games or specific training – this dog breed wants to be kept busy.
Care and training of the Chihuahua
When buying food, be sure to check the size of the food. For the Chihuahua to be able to chew the individual kibbles in its mouth, they should be very small.
A mixture of wet and dry food is often recommended. Wet food keeps your dog’s water balance high and dry food cares for the teeth.
If you have chosen a long-haired Chihuahua, daily brushing is especially important. Your dog’s silky coat needs brushing to prevent matting.
Ears and eyes should be checked regularly. The breed is often prone to tear stains under the eyes and there should be no dirt or other debris in the ears.
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