Ever wondered why do Chihuahuas shake so bad in the morning or evening when you take them out?
While many pet owners assume the Chihuahua’s body shaking are a very well-known factor for this lap dog, make no mistake, there are numerous reasons why they shiver like that.
Chihuahua’s shaking is a natural phenomenon born out of their high metabolism. In this case, your Chihuahua may be shaking so bad as he is burning all of his energy reserves, leaving him vulnerable to elements, so much that even if your home feels warm enough for you, your Chihuahua may be in a freezing cold state.
A quick look over on Amazon’s dog thermal wear is all you need to make sure you keep your Chihuahua puppy warm when he is shaking due to low morning temperatures.
For the most part, Chihuahuas shake/shiver when they are excited, stressed, or even when they are cold. While this may not be a very serious occurrence, the shivering is still considered a medical defect in the dog breed’s health.
This article takes a look at the Chihuahua breed’s characteristics, some important facts you should know about the breed and how you can care for it, just to give you an in-depth understanding of what living with a Chihuahua is like.
Important facts about the breed
Here is a list of the some of the highlights about the Chihuahua
1) Before you go out to get a Chihuahua puppy, there numerous crossbreeds between Chihuahua other pure breeds that may be presented to you, make sure you choose a reputable Chihuahua breeder who will provide health clearances. This means the dog will be medically checked before it is given to you.
2) The Chihuahua is can live for up to 18 years, with a few reaching 20 years old
3) Chihuahuas are very unfriendly toward other dogs, especially if they haven’t been socialized from a young age. They simply don’t back down, regardless of how big the other dog is, which can cause problems
4) Since your Chihuahua is very small, it should never be left alone for a long time in your backyard. There have been reports that birds such as hawks or bigger dogs like coyotes can prey on the Chihuahua.
5) While the Chihuahua is very friendly, do not be surprised if your Chihuahua has picked one family member as their favorite. it can be very reserved around strangers. It is always ideal to choose a puppy that was trained and raised in a home with a lot of human interaction.
6) The breed is not recommended to you if you have very young children in the house. Chihuahuas are fragile and a small child may easily hurt the dog while playing. This is why most breeders won’t sell puppies to homes that have children younger than eight years.
7) The Chihuahua’s ears are susceptible to ear wax build up. So the ears must always be checked and cleaned during bath times to avoid accumulation of the wax. You can use this as a special time to bond with your dog.
8) Chihuahuas need about 20 to 30 minutes of exercise daily and can go for much longer than you might expect. Despite the fact that they can play all day, you should make sure that they don’t wear themselves out too much
9) If you want to have a healthy dog, you should not buy it from an unknown or unreliable breeder (often called a backyard breeder). Also, don’t buy a puppy from the puppy mill, or even pet store. Look for a reputable breeder who tests her breeding dogs for genetic health conditions as well as temperaments.
How to care for the Chihuahua
As we all know, the Chihuahua is a small dog, and because of this fact, we may be tempted to carry him around like a typical lapdog. However, despite the small size, the Chihuahua needs to be exercised and trained, like other dogs. This is because the Chihuahua is full of energy.
In fact, the Chihuahua likes to spend much of his time chase squirrels in the backyard and can play with your as much as you want. Besides playing, the dog likes walks and retrieval games.
While they like playing outside, they should never live outside. This is because, as we said, the Chihuahua can be hunted by hawks or coyotes. If left outside, it could be harmed by other bigger dogs that may come into the yard. They are bred as companions, and should be living in the house with you.
Chihuahuas are very easy to train.
Chihuahuas are as easy to housetrain, because they very intelligent breeds. They must be taken out as frequently as possible and on a daily schedule.
As pups, Chihuahuas need to go out when they wake up in the morning, after meals, naps, playtime, and just before they go to sleep.
If you are unable to supervise them at a certain time, use a crate to restrain. This teaches them to control their bladder and prevent them from having accidents in the house.
But if you are not going to crate them, you should take them out every one to two hours, and don’t crate them for more than two to four hours at a time, except during the night. Crate training is actually a great way to ensure that your Chihuahua doesn’t get into any trouble or destructive behavior.
Chihuahuas love sports
These dogs enjoy a wide range of dog sports such as agility and obedience, but puppy kindergarten and basic obedience class are two of the most important type of sports for Chihuahuas that are strictly kept as companion breed.
Size
An average Chihuahua weighs from 3 to 6 pounds. Chihuahuas that have a smaller weight tend to be somewhat unhealthy. But the larger Chihuahuas that weigh about 12 or more pounds can make excellent pets for families that have children.
Personality
For the most part, the Chihuahua is highly alert nature and suspicion of strangers. This makes the Chihuahua an excellent watchdog.
Despite that, the dog loves to be close to its owner. That said, Chihuahuas are known to bond to one person in the house.
They should always be socialized by introducing them to other people or other pets now and again, though they will not really be open to it at first.
Health
Unlike other dog breeds, the Chihuahua doesn’t actually have any major health problems, but yet again, like all breeds he is prone to some health conditions.
You should always be aware of the diseases so that you are informed when you interview a particular breeder.
Below are some of the common health conditions that are involved with the Chihuahua breed.
1) Patellar Luxation
Also called “slipped stifles,” Patellar Luxation is a common problem in smaller dog breeds. This condition occurs when the patella, which is a combination of the femur (thigh bone), patella (knee cap), and the tibia (calf), is not lined up properly.
This results into lameness in the leg or an abnormal gait, so the dog may be seen hopping or skipping when trying to move around. Patellar Luxation only happens at birth.
If left untreated, Patellar luxation can lead to much more serious cases of arthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease. The only way to cure Patellar Luxation if through a surgical procedure.
2) Hypoglycemia
Commonly known as low blood sugar, Hypoglycemia can be a very big problem with all smaller breed puppies.
However, Hypoglycemia can be treatable in the early stages, but if left untreated, it could be fatal to your dog.
As a dog owner, it is your responsibility to recognize the signs and symptoms because this condition as your dog’s life depends on your analysis. Unfortunately, Hypoglycemia can sometimes be misdiagnosed as viral hepatitis or encephalitis by veterinarians.
If a puppy has hypoglycemia, it will slow down and become inactive. Typically the Chihuahua is an active dog, so when he is sick, you will know. You should simply place some honey under his tongue and get him to the vet immediately.
If you are reluctant to go to the vet, your dog can collapse, go into convulsions, fall into a coma, and eventually die.
3) Heart Murmurs
These are caused by a disruption in the blood flow through the chambers of the heart. Heart murmurs are usually an indication that the dog may have a heart disease that needs to be monitored closely.
Heart murmurs are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, based on their loudness, so 1 is very soft and 5 is very loud.
Heart murmurs can be diagnosed through x-rays and an echocardiogram. The dog may require medication, a change in their diet, as well as a decline in the amount of exercise he receives.
Conclusion
Lastly, Chihuahuas do really shake and shiver so badly. The shivering mostly happens when the dog is excited, stressed or very cold. At the end of the day, shaking is just their nature.
However, as a Chihuahua owner, you should always assess why your dog is shivering. Is it cold outside? This means you should turn on the heater.
This is a very small dog and it can be very cold. Did you leave the dog alone or without any activity for a while? Did you welcome a new family member into the house? These are some of the scenarios that can cause a Chihuahua to become stressed.
But, if you dog started shaking when it saw its favorite treat in your hand, then he is simply shaking because he is just excited.
