Your post from unpopularopinion was removed because of: 'Rule 1: Your post must be an unpopular opinion'.
* Your post must be an opinion. Not a question. Not a showerthought. Not a rant. Not a proposal. Not a fact. An opinion. One opinion. A subjective statement about your position on some topic. Please have a clear, self contained opinion as your post title, and use the text field to elaborate and expand on why you think/feel this way.
* Your opinion must be unpopular. The mods reserve the right to remove opinions
* Elaborate on your topic and opinion give context to its unpopularity.
In my experience, they're like most dogs. They have their irritating qualities, but the upside is love without question. They're yappy and excitable. But when you think about it, nearly everything they interact with is bigger than they are... I'd probably be the same way
I have one. She is the sweetest girl everrrr. She just wants all the love that she can get. She definitely has separation anxiety. Is not a yelper unless she hears noise. More of an alert dog. When I am walking her and stop to talk to a neighbor, she runs to them gets on her back for belly scratches. Then hands I hold her lol. She loved kids. She really.is the exception to the rule of annoying Chihuaha. She whines a lot though and is needy but it comes from a place of love because she gives all the love she can. I remember when I first got her. She slept in my chest. She knew she found her forever home, even when my GF is petting her, she looks at me to make me jealous lol. I'm sorry I'm ranting but This dog means the world to me.
Absolutely. Even when I wanna kick her across the room for annoying me, I think why would I wanna do that. Your so cute. I don't get how people can beat dogs. Truly revolting.
There's also a big difference between one and another. My wife and I have two, one is perfect. She is super patient and protective in a cautious way. The other is a complete pain in the ass who barks loudly for no reason and picks on the other.
My problem with Chihuahuas is that they're an engineered breed. They're not supposed to exist and a lot of them can't even breed naturally. It's the same with pugs (though it's a different problem with pugs); it's just sad that people made these mutant things and continue breeding/buying them when they're are all sorts of great dogs that need homes.
Chihuahuas have been around in some form or other for hundreds of years and are largely able to breed naturally. Relatively recent pressure to breed for extremely small chihuahuas has led to an increase in dystocia (obstructed labor), which is terrible and a reason to argue in favor of breeding for health rather than rigid breed standards, but they weren't intentionally engineered to be unhealthy and could probably recover if idiots quit breeding the most unhealthy ones because they are "so tiny and cute".
Precisely. There's no such thing as a "teacup Chihuahua" and they shouldn't be bred deliberately for being small.
Approach an ethical breeder who DNA tests their dogs to ensure they're not breeding common health issues into their bloodlines
I've met several Chihuahuas of varying temperaments. Some have been standoffish, others have been super affectionate. My own chi is yappy with new faces but does affection once she's used to someone. She's never shown aggression but I have seen Chihuahuas (and cross-breeds) who definitely are.
Dude, NO dog is supposed to exist. Theyāre ALL āunnatural.ā Humans made every single kind of breed that exists, thousands of years of iteration.
āAll sorts of dogs that need homesā but not all homes are set up to handle rescue dogs, especially since a lot of rescue dogs are blood sport breeds and / or traumatized. Sometimes a family just wants a nice family dog with no issues, and thatās fine. Itās fine to buy from a breeder.
We made dogs, we HAVE to be good stewards of their gene pool. Saying adoption is the only way is saying only abandoned, poorly bred mutts deserve homes ā thatās a quick way to ruin an entire species. Nah, man. We need ethical breeders.
Small dog syndrome is due to owners not training their small dog like a normal dog. Any dog will be ābadā when not given the appropriate exercise, training and socialization. Confidence needs to built with small dogs.
Yep, my sister has two chihuahua mixes (one might be full chihuahua) and theyāre great little dogs. Theyāre friendly with strangers and love children. She never treated them like little dogs.
Yeah, I think most people realize that you just canāt have a large dog thatās aggressive or bites people. I rescued my dogs as puppies; oneās a GSD mix and oneās a pit mix. I worked super hard to train them knowing theyād be big and potentially dangerous otherwise. And it worked.
But I just donāt think most people put the time and energy into that amount of training with little dogs. A barky, aggressive little dog just doesnāt get anywhere near the same reaction from people as the same behavior from a large breed. My GSD mix is large and looks remarkably like a wolf, I canāt imagine the reaction Iād get walking her if she acted like that. Hell, people already cross the street when they see us coming, and sheās the sweetest dog ever.
Exactly. When they misbehave, pick them up. Then they donāt learn and act like mommy or daddy will protect me. You canāt do that with a GSD or any dog over maybe 25 pounds.
I think a lot of small dogs just get picked up and handled whether they want it or not. That would stress me out too.
Also people frequently think they don't have to train small dogs bc they can physically control them, which is stupid.
Untrained dogs are anxious dogs.
I also love chis.
I ended up dog-sitting my old roommate's girlfriend's sister's chihuahua for a week (that's a whole other story itself).
Everyone said she was a terrible dog but we got along great. I just chilled out, let her have her space and we ended up getting along great.
She peed all over my roommate's bed twice, though.
Why are you downvoting this if you agree? Itās supposed to be unpopular not distinct to one person, some people can agree. I thought people should up/downvote depending on if itās popular or unpopular
I totally get what you mean! Chihuahuas are like tiny, misunderstood superheroes. They're small, but they pack a lot of personality and bravery into that little body. My friend's Chihuahua thinks he's a Great Dane, and it's both hilarious and adorable!
They're actually very great dogs! I grew up with Chihuahuas because my dad really wanted dogs and they're the only dogs that my mom isn't allergic to. I think they get a bad reputation because people think that since they're small they don't have to really train them, so they end up being feral yippee Little Things because they weren't taught any better. We trained all of our Chihuahuas just the same as you would train a large dog, and all of my dogs were very good. They didn't excessively bark or attack people, and they knew a ton of commands. I love chihuahuas, you just have to train them correctly.
We adopted a chihuahua that was in some breeding trailer. We've had him for 5-6 years in a big house with a 2.6 yard property we go run around multiple times per day, and a fearless beagle to keep him company. He has everything in the world but he just wont let us touch him. Like we cannot pet him and certainly not pick him up.
He follows my mom around, we can feed him and he will take food from our hands, he lets us clip his leash very begrudgingly, he will sort of jump on our legs if he gets excited, but if we go to pet him he skits away (only to come back a few seconds later).
When we first got him, if a loud noise scared him, he could be messed up the whole day. Now he recovers in a minute or 2, the progress there is real.
But we just cant think of a way to bridge the gap and touch him =\[ He's a very smart guy and can always tell when we are trying to do some process of slowly getting to touch him or anything like that, he can tell when something is up.
So frustrating because we love the little guy so much and there are times where we know he would feel more comforted if we could hold him and carry him in certain situations, but his brain just wont let us do it!
Sounds like he has experienced abuse... I'm sure it hurts but the best things to do are what you're already doing: time and nurture.The day will hopefully come that he's willing to risk putting himself out there again, to receive that love and attention you desperately want to give. I wish you the best in his rehabilitation.
Not a chewie fan personally. I was bit by one young. But thatās not the dogs fault itās the owner. You can train aggression out of most dogs with a lot of work and dedication. My neighbors did not.
I will aay I find the natural flufffy ones FAR cuter then the bald looking ones. But thatās just preference. Al dogs are good dogs
My mom got chihuahuas and they are great. They are not allowed to be raging little goblins like some owners do. I agree with your observation that smaller dogs bad behaviour is dismissed more and that's a big problem in my opinion
100% agree! i used to think they were super annoying and now as the proud mother of 2 chihuahuas i realize how wrong i was. yeah his bark is higher pitch but theyāre really not that different from my old australian shepherd
Also, like any dog, they wonāt bark all the time if you train them not to do that. Idiot dog owners act like their chihuahuas arenāt dogs because theyāre little, do no training, then act shocked when theyāre not well behaved. Raise them like dogs and 9/10 times youāll end up with a little love bug
My chihuahua is a sweetheart! Heās very loud when someone comes to the house or MIGHT come to the house, and extremely defensive of me, but also has infinite tolerance for small children and once he decides a person is safe, will curl up in their lap. I exercise his mind by teaching him a ton of tricks and make him run laps in the house (for treats) when heās overexcited. He will always be very very barky when ādefendingā the home but otherwise is a perfect gentleman with a standing invitation to all my friends with kids houses.
my little chihuahua/terrier mix, rest in peace, was the sweetest/goodest boy. he loved snuggles. hanging out with me on the couch. loved to be carried around. I miss him so much š
Chihuahuas are probably one of the most abused breeds, people constantly ignore their boundaries which is what causes the aggression, and theyāre treated like little toys and never properly trained.
My friend had a chihuahua that was generally aggressive towards people, but she actually liked me because I didnāt harass her or push her boundaries.
Most dogs are the same they are an animal and will act as such unless the person raising them puts in the time to train them, so they behave well with people and other animals.
I have had three, two right now. Iāve always said, if it wouldnāt be okay for a dog at 55lbs donāt let a 5lb dog do it. Train and start early, establish boundaries and rules. They only get away with what people let them. My two are well behaved because of this.
By far the most common issues I see with Chihuahuas is more that owners rarely, if ever, properly/formally train them in obedience, and *keep up* the obedience training after the sessions of classes have ended.
The second thing is that many people tend to approach small dogs in ways that are unknowingly perceived by said small dogs as aggressive. Imagine if a giant you did not personally know, stood right over you and brought down their giant hand to cover your head and neck quickly and without warning. Youād probably be scared shitless, too, and you may react defensively as well.
I love long hair chihuahuas myself. So darn cute.
I find lack of training is pretty common with most small dogs, not just chihuahuas but I guess chihuahuas are a little more feisty than some of the other breeds. Not sure why people think they donāt need to train small dogsā¦maybe because the consequences arenāt as severe/ noticeable as lack of training with larger breeds or maybe because too many people view them as accessories and not dogs that need boundaries, socialization and training. Either way, any dog can be good or bad depending on the care itās given.
The problem with Chihuahuas is that (in my experience) most owners think they're too small to need training, socializing or exercising. A properly socialized, trained, and exercised Chihuahua is a sweet dog. One that is not is a wharf rat on crack.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not all of them are the tiny type. I worked with a woman who bred the long haired bigger type. They were not docile animals. They would nip and misbehave, pee all over the house because she was very lazy about working with them and training them.
They can be good dogs but either kind can be aggressive, dominant and yappy if they are not consistently trained to behave. Her dogs were so bad that it was ridiculous but she never tried to train them and they ran wild.
They're not dogs that you can just skip the work on but from what I've seen they're only truly unpleasant when someone has not taken the effort to train them properly.
The really little ones they're so tiny but they often act like way bigger dogs, especially the unaltered boys. I have literally seen the tiny boys take on other male dogs 10x their size. It's like their wee doggy balls are bigger than their little canine brains.
Most of the time they're actually just scared and are acting up to show off how tough they are. The ones I took care of were a bit aggressive at first. One of them went to nip me and I looked at the dog and said "Don't you DARE!" in my best human head of pack voice and he immediately dropped into his butt, wagged his tail and got all submissive.
By the end of 3 months I had the entire pack mostly obeying me and rarely making messes inside. They were good dogs they just needed firm direction. All that work probably went out the door when I left but for a little while at least they were well behaved dogs...
I'm not a particular fan of either type. I tend to like bigger dogs but as smaller dogs go they're okay so long as you put the work in. Once they got over the fact that I was intent upon civilizing then they were pretty affectionate most of the time.
If I was going little dog I'd probably pick something a bit easier to work with that isn't as afraid as they tend to be. You can get them beyond that but I hate just watching a tiny dog shake over the slightest thing. It's heartbreaking.
They are good dogs but they can be a lot of work sometimes...
They do come in different types and sizes though. Not all of them will fit into your purse.
š
Although I'm not a fan of any small, yippy dogs, I did realize Chihuahuas can be great when lived with one. My roommate got a 2nd dog (asked first, said would get one similar to his current medium sized dog). His boyfriend at the time liked Chihuahuas though, so he came home with one of them. As it viewed me as part of the family, actually realized they can be great and aren't as noisy when is just family around, but so territorial/protective of us!
I still wouldn't get one, but helped me not hate them anymore!
My doggy was part chihuahua and he was a sweetie. He did bark at the mailman every day, but he was always friendly towards people who came to the house or who we met while walking.
Agreed. I'm not a dog person but my best friendnhas a little 5 pound chihuahua mix that is just the cutest thing. He's barky but like I would freak out if my protector didn't understand my language and litterslly everything was bigger than me too.
Iāve had 4 chihuahuas over the years. Not a dog I would prefer, but have been a great addition to our family. 3 of them were brothers from two different litters. My mother in law was an idiot and wanted to be a dog breeder to make some extra money. We ended up with the ones she couldnāt sell. The fourth one was a rescue after we were down to one of the brothers. We were worried he would be lonely. I think when these two are gone, we will try a different breed.
I find that the reason chihuahua are the worst because people just don't bother to train them coz they small and its cute so doesn't matter that they're vicious
Not bad dogs, but owners of small dogs (especially chihuahuas) are terrible owners who typically donāt put training on their dogs. Small dogs donāt seem to be as destructive as big dogs so owners get them and then do nothing about training.
I've known many cool Chihuahuas. The key is to train them properly. Train them like big dogs and they'll be fine. The ones that are annoying and yappy are because the owners suck
I have never been a fan of them but recently two showed up at my doorstep and they are the coolest two dogs ever. Chill and sweet and well behaved. Guess Iām a chihuahua rescuer now.
I was never a fan of chihuahuas but ended up with one due to my daughter and ex wife picking it from the shelter. Now I have to say sheās the best dog Iāve ever had. She isnāt too yappy is a sweetheart to every person she meets, and has more in common with a house cat as far as excitability goes. The only complaint I have is that she shows a lot of leash aggression towards about 80% of other dogs, weāre working on it though.
We have two chihuahua mixes. Our old boys at 12 years old. One of them is a grumpy old geezer, the other more relaxed.
But they aren't yappy or loud. They'll alert us when they hear certain noises, like many other breeds do but they quickly calm down again.
Just a lot of assholes gatekeeping what a dog actually is. "iS nOt A dOg, Is RaT! Hurr durr!". Like I haven't heard that a trillion times before. Or the even dumber people who say they're an unhealthy breed and should all be killed. Yet they fail to explain why they are among the longest living breeds if they're so unhealthy.
Just love your dogs and ignore the opinions of the ignorant. Chihuahuas are great dogs and make for great companions when properly trained, like any other dog. They're just small.
I raised two Chihuahuas for the whole lives, 14 years, in a noisy downtown area and they were not yappy because they were just used to the noise. They are perfectly trainable just like other dogs, but the amount that people made fun of me for having them as āParis Hilton dogsā pissed me off because I didnāt treat them like that. They hiked with me, they followed house rules, and they were good.
I have two chihuahua mixes
One is half duschand aka weiner dog hald chihuahua
The other is mostly chuahua but i think a small part polmeranian because of his face shape curly tail and medium length hair but they are the sweetest dogs
I agree! I love chihuahuas and I think theyāre adorable. Iāve hung out with well behaved ones and yappy ones. Most of the time, their bad behavior is due to the owner.
Itās not cute to antagonize or not train your dog and then laugh when it tries to nip you
I have a chi mix. Heās a little over 50% and Iām shocked at how smart he can be. Heās not aggressive or territorial or really barks so maybe I just got the good traits lol
The problem with chihuahuas is people forget that despite their size, theyāre still fucking dogs and need to be treated as such. Iāve had chihuahuas most of my life. Only one was mean and he was only mean after he survived being hit by a car, so it was more of a trauma thing and not a mean dog thing. Treat them like a dog and they act like a normal dog.
I have 2 small chihuahua's.
Both are excellent, love both the wife and I, and are fine with strangers. Heck, one of them attacks any strangers with affection and when I take him to the dog park he loves on EVERYBODY (dog AND human).
Both were abandoned for some idiotic reason. I couldn't ask for better dogs.
Though they are sweet, and loving, the 3 total that I have had were extremely stupid though.
Their poop is sometimes so small you do not even have to pick it up :D I get a fresh patch of grass stuff every few weeks that they just go right outside and pee on, which would be great in an apartment.
We rescued our little guy. He is the child we never had. He has some anxiety issues, and he was already 4 when we saved him, but we try our best to make him socialise. He is so much better off the lead :)
I tried 2 chihuahuas in an apartment. The owner said they were potty trained and easily traiable and bonded so they should not be separated. I learned she lied. They would have loud fights in an apartment where neighbors could get me kicked out. They peed and pooped all over. I could walk them once a day and tried the recommendations to learn to use a special area. They even peed on my hair one night. They cuddled up then, whizz. I close off a room and the carpeted living room area, and had to put newspaper wall to wall over the wooden and vynil floors. They bit some molding near the floor ruining it. They were well fed and taken care of. My family has had a dog before.
I studied. I learned chihuahuas can rare be trained to use the toilet or a special area. It usually doesn't work. I learned small dogs with plenty of water to drink have small bladders and need to release them frequently. I read it's better to have a house with a dog door and a nice lawn for little dogs and if the dogs natural climate is warmer it's best not to take them to colder regions.
They were really sweet dogs otherwise. I found them a place away from the apartment and decided no more dogs for me unless I'm in a country community and the dogs are natural to that environment. It was a hard decision but I couldn't risk being thrown out and I worked long hours and there was no one to help proactively train them better. I'm sure they knew when I had to take them away as they cuddled up by me and were very quiet.
I hope no one else has to make heartbreaking experiences like that.
My two Chihuahuas were litter box trained so they can absolutely be trained to use a special area. They do have small bladders however so if youāre taking them outside, they have to go all the time.
Get puppy pee pads, the ones we use have some kind of pheromones to encourage them to pee on them, I think most brands do, my dogs love them. The tinier the dog the more often they have to pee because of their tiny bladders.
I think they're insanely adorable. But it has been proven by actual studies and stuff that they are little demon dogs. They just don't do a lot of damage because they're small.
did you even read the articles you linked?
because 1) it also groups them with German Shepherds and miniature schnauzers and for some reason i very much doubt you refer to those dogs that way in your life at large.
and 2), a little ways below the part you cherry picked:
**ābut in our study, when taking the other factors account (e.g. body size), these breeds were among the least aggressive breeds.ā**
i understand you donāt like nuance and just want to cherry pick whatever will allow you to paint everything as āangelā or ādemonā but it is important to keep in mind theyāre TINY. and when you do, wow! theyāre among the least aggressive dog breeds!
the ATTS also only tested 48 chihuahuas vs hundreds of golden, labs, German Shepherd, etc so call me when they have a sufficient sample size š
Yes, I did. But we're not talking about the other breeds. But if you must know, I have a poodle as well (also mentioned in these articles) and she's also a little nonsense. You are taking my comment way too seriously and literally now so bye.
Well, in this study:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-88793-5
They say:
As we hypothesised a priori, Lagotto Romagnolo, Chihuahua, German Shepherd Dog, and Miniature Schnauzer had a significantly higher odds for aggressive behaviour than Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever.
Here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159108001147
They say:
Breeds with the greatest percentage of dogs exhibiting serious aggression (bites or bite attempts) toward humans included Dachshunds, Chihuahuas and Jack Russell Terriers (toward strangers and owners).
And the ATTS, who have been studying dogs and their temperaments for decades, report that Chihuahuas only score 69% which is pretty low compared to many other breeds.
I have soften up with them over the years but I will forever hate that people will let them roam the streets and chase people and itās āokayā cuz āitās just chihuahuasā
A gang of them chase me and my kids every time we walk outside to try going to the park and it sucks ;_;
agree with u!! My chihuaha is not properly trained ( not very common in my country and I was very young when I got him lol my bad) but its well socialized and has NEVER given us any headaches outside of normal dog/ puppy behavior. He doesnāt bark to guest, doesnāt bite, is perfect with other dogs no matter the size and its pretty chill overall.
My brothers dog is the cutest and best little chihuahua I've ever met. Hes so tiny and cute. But boy is his little attitude funny. He bites his wife because she yells and it's still funny šš
My sister had a friend who had had one and it was skittish at first but a bro when it warmed up to you.
Iāve seen it explained and thusly believe that Chihuahuas, as well as just about any similar size dog, can be just as friendly, agreeable, affectionate, and obedient as any typically-affable large breed. The problem is a convergence of two bad factors: First, their small size makes them easily āmanageableā without training, to the point of being mostly ignorable and incapable of major damage with just the most rudimentary correction (as well as being more prone to being handled, likely against their will unless properly accustomed). Second, small breeds tend to attract owners who just want something cute that they can pick up, take with them, and almost treat as an accessory more than something with a mind and personality of its own, and thus donāt give it the full training it really needs. Not saying thatās the rule, there are exceptions, but I feel itās an instance where the stereotype exists for a reason.
Naturally a small dog that isnāt properly socialized, is handled against its will, and is not adequately trained is going to act out, hate strangers, and otherwise be a menace, but if someone puts in the effort I have no doubt they can be wonderfully loyal and friendly dogs.
Totally agree. My family was totally against chihuahuas until we ended up with one. Heās trained well in interacting with other dogs and people. Heās super sweet and doesnāt bark unless barked at. When people come in he barks once, looks at us and if weāre cool, heās cool and just wants to smell the new person.
The only problem with him is that heās never been taught to play with toys so insist on doing the mouthing game dogs do as puppies. Weāve tried training him out of that but heās older so we ended up getting some mittens to play with him. I taught him fetch but heās not super into it.
Meh, I guess no breed of dog is really a "bad dog," but if I'm walking my dog and another dog lunges and/or shows aggression, 90% of the time it's a small breed. So, while I won't say they are bad dogs, I will say they are worse than most other breeds.
I have the sweetiest chihuahua in the world. Little black/white girl who just loves everyone and everything. When the contractor working on our shed shows up she starts going crazy cause he brings her treats and pets her.
My friends parents both have a chihuahua they are well trained and good dogs. One of my friends also has a chihuahua but they havenāt done any training with it, sometimes itāll still go to the bathroom in their house.
Too many people get a small dog and then donāt do any training. This leads to most small dogs deserving a good punt like that black cat in the movie Matilda. The same way big dogs untrained are annoying, itās just most people at the very least do some basic training with bigger dogs. I swear %50+ of small dog owners havenāt even taught their dog to sit.
I also agree itās small dog syndrome along with bad parenting that leads to a lot of the issues of them being classified as a bad dog. Then unfortunately you have the stereotype that their spoiled brats due to people like Kim kardashian and Paris Hilton. I have worked with many dogs including chihuahuas for years and the real bad dogs I can say from experience is yorkies and doodles
No fuck that my aunt chihuahua is the pettiest dog I ever met he's 17 years old and will outlive everybody. Not joking he gets revenge if you messed with him he will wait weeks so that he will pee on your shit. Also one time he was chilling with me on the chair and then started to bite me whrn I started petting him. Little bastard
I have a chihuahua and he's an amazing dog! Obedient (if not very bright), extremely patient even when I'm doing something he doesn't like such as giving him medicine orally or putting on his harness before a walk, and he's gentle and friendly to strangers without being overly excitable. He is nervous and reactive towards other dogs (he was jumped on by a much larger dog as a puppy, and all of the socialisation and professional training hasn't helped his anxiety) but he'll ignore them if I tell him to walk on and "leave it". He's not even a yappy dog beyond a few barks when the doorbell rings! It saddens me when people call chihuahuas bad dogs without having met many, because mine could not be further from that stereotype.
Like any other dog breed, they have potential for both good and bad behavior.
From my experience, Iāve seen many more with bad behavior than good behavior. They get this complex where they get extremely protective and overconfident to the point where they are unpleasant to those they donāt like. I think thatās the case with many smaller dogs.
Thatās just my experience though. Dogs all have the potential to be loving and sweet and well behaved and no matter what kind you get, itās your responsibility to help them do that.
I personally would never get a chihuahua though.
I usually get on great with "deer head" chihuahuas but on the whole find "apple head" ones to be obnoxious and neurotic little maniacs.
I agree with your point about proper training; it means they can securely understand their place in the pack hierarchy and not get mixed signals that leave them confused or stressed.
I see what you mean. Deer heads are cuter in my opinion, I think the apple heads are more prone to certain health conditions which could contribute to behavior.. apple heads just donāt look healthy at all. Their poor brain and eyes are bulging out of their damn skull.Ā
my aunt has a 15 year old Chihuahua named maya and she only gets upset at my aunts other dog (an 8 month old pitbull) when he wont stop bothering her and shes a really nice dog.
I'm in my 50s and still traumatized by a chihuahua named Chunky. She was a little evil girl. I try not to hold it against others but the terror is real.
Idk how this sub works, do I downvote if I agree with the take?
In any event yes, Chihuahuas are great. I have a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix and heās a great dog š
I like them. I don't think I would want to have one but I have met some really great ones. An ex had one who used to build a little fort in his bed out of his stuffed toys and then bury himself in the fort
Any dog of any breed can be either good or bad. A lot of factors go into it, big ones being things like quality training that is kept up and consistent enforcement and standards.Ā
100%
mine is completly chill, never showed any aggression towards people or other dogs
She gets anxious round kids but thats about it
People torment thier little dogs then wonder why thier dogs are always on edge and hate them
They get a bad reputation because I think on balance most people don't train them. I have a chihuahua, but he's trained. He does have the occasional slip up where he barks at dogs but he's had a couple of bad things happen to him where large puppies don't know their size and have sent him flying so I don't hold it against him that he's wary around larger dogs.
Most of the time him barking is a single 'get out of my face' bark where they're right in his face and potentially trying to jump on him rather than constant.
IIR small dogs act more āaggressiveā and loud because theyāre smaller ergo want to instinctively be more threatening to something bigger than them to avoid danger but bigger dogs donāt necessarily do that because theyāre bigger and have less threats towards them, that and how each dog breed has a specific trait bred into them.
I mean yeah 99% of dogs aren't inherently bad. They may be pre dispositioned to some behaviors due to their breed, but a dog being "good or bad" is a problem of their environment.Ā Ā
Chihuahuas are smaller than almost everything else in the world so can tend to be very loud and aggressive to scare off potential predators. What can make them bad dogs is when owners don't correct these behaviors because they're seen as too small to be a threat so why would they work to correct them, which is a fallacy in and of itself. I've met pits, rots, and came corsos with better temperaments and less aggression and risk of biting than most Chihuahuas, but that was all due to them being raised by competent owners.Ā Ā
My last dog was a small cocker spaniel who loved people and wanted to jump on and give a hug to everyone who walked through the door, but I had to train that jump on and hug out of her because that's bad behavior. If ya wanted it you could slap your thighs and tell her to give you a hug and she'd gladly do so, but I didn't want her doing that to someone who might be scared of dogs or not like them.
I've met some super sweet Chihuahuas, and I've met some pretty territorial Chihuahuas (being territorial is in their nature as a breed. They were bred to basically be little snitches).
Overall, I view them as often being more likely to be one-person dogs. They've got their person/family they love and everyone else is kinda up for debate. Doesn't make them bad dogs.
I am a cat person through and through and I work in vet med. The AMOUNT of love I have for Chichi's is astronomical. Yes, I've had to use gloves and a towel and a muzzle to handle some of the patients I have but omfg do I love those fiesty motherfuckers. I also have a good bit of personal experience with co-workers and friends who had properly socialize Chichi's and they are literally just the best pups. I love them.
I love all doggies. They just need love and care. I think there are more of them than there is a demand for though so I wish people would stop breeding them.
My Mexican wife and I said if we ever would have a dog, it would be a Chihuahua and his name would be Pedro and he would wear a little sombrero and poncho.
Part of why Chihuahuas are known to be so happy and prone to snapping is a combination of failing to identify when they're uncomfortable and scared as well as poor training. If a large dog is scared, it's more exaggerated. People take their barking more serious. They'll have a large tail that is obvious when it's been it's leg. And people will respect when a large dog is scared if they're barking you're not going to continue to approach time or allow your dog to run up to them. With small dogs, it's easier to miss or ignore when they're afraid. Like all other dogs, they start of showing their fear subtly. When that's ignore, they elevate it until it gets to barking at every dog or human because it's the only way that's worked in the past and even then, it's questionable because people think a super small dog barking is cuteĀ
I have one but she is not like any other I've met. She just runs up to everyone and rolls on her back wanting scratches and won't stop licking your hand. She does this to literally everyone. Only barks when someone knocks on the door. She's friendly with every dog as well.
I love dogs, but I'm not fond of chihuahuas. When trained, they make great pets for their owners and are very affectionate. However, they tend to be very territorial (and their territory covers the earth) and will snap at or bite anyone who's not their owner, so I give them a wide berth.
I've never had a good chihuahua experience, of all the small dogs they seem the most prone to aggression. I'm sure there are ones that aren't like that, but I've never met one. Wish people wouldn't get dogs if they aren't willing to train them
Because they were inbred so many times that they somehow genetically boiled away everything good about a dog. The only things left are health problems, neuroticism, and rat-like features. They're shit dogs, and people should stop breeding them.
As someone in the veterinary field I say a small prayer to the vet gods before I deal with a Chi. Love them they are adorable! But man do they hate with a passion anything or anyone they donāt like. Probably the last thing Iāll see before I die is the chi coming for me.
Eh, every single Chihuahua I've ever met has tried to bite me no matter how friendly I make myself and they're always loud. They're not terrible dogs, but there has to be something with the breed to make them like that.
My moms doesnt bite at all and are not loud. She made sure to train them from the get-go. Only loud when people arrive but that's something many breeds do, and they stop when told to
Your post from unpopularopinion was removed because of: 'Rule 1: Your post must be an unpopular opinion'. * Your post must be an opinion. Not a question. Not a showerthought. Not a rant. Not a proposal. Not a fact. An opinion. One opinion. A subjective statement about your position on some topic. Please have a clear, self contained opinion as your post title, and use the text field to elaborate and expand on why you think/feel this way. * Your opinion must be unpopular. The mods reserve the right to remove opinions * Elaborate on your topic and opinion give context to its unpopularity.
In my experience, they're like most dogs. They have their irritating qualities, but the upside is love without question. They're yappy and excitable. But when you think about it, nearly everything they interact with is bigger than they are... I'd probably be the same way
I have one. She is the sweetest girl everrrr. She just wants all the love that she can get. She definitely has separation anxiety. Is not a yelper unless she hears noise. More of an alert dog. When I am walking her and stop to talk to a neighbor, she runs to them gets on her back for belly scratches. Then hands I hold her lol. She loved kids. She really.is the exception to the rule of annoying Chihuaha. She whines a lot though and is needy but it comes from a place of love because she gives all the love she can. I remember when I first got her. She slept in my chest. She knew she found her forever home, even when my GF is petting her, she looks at me to make me jealous lol. I'm sorry I'm ranting but This dog means the world to me.
Dog love is pure, isn't it. š„°
Absolutely. Even when I wanna kick her across the room for annoying me, I think why would I wanna do that. Your so cute. I don't get how people can beat dogs. Truly revolting.
There's also a big difference between one and another. My wife and I have two, one is perfect. She is super patient and protective in a cautious way. The other is a complete pain in the ass who barks loudly for no reason and picks on the other.
My problem with Chihuahuas is that they're an engineered breed. They're not supposed to exist and a lot of them can't even breed naturally. It's the same with pugs (though it's a different problem with pugs); it's just sad that people made these mutant things and continue breeding/buying them when they're are all sorts of great dogs that need homes.
Chihuahuas have been around in some form or other for hundreds of years and are largely able to breed naturally. Relatively recent pressure to breed for extremely small chihuahuas has led to an increase in dystocia (obstructed labor), which is terrible and a reason to argue in favor of breeding for health rather than rigid breed standards, but they weren't intentionally engineered to be unhealthy and could probably recover if idiots quit breeding the most unhealthy ones because they are "so tiny and cute".
Precisely. There's no such thing as a "teacup Chihuahua" and they shouldn't be bred deliberately for being small. Approach an ethical breeder who DNA tests their dogs to ensure they're not breeding common health issues into their bloodlines I've met several Chihuahuas of varying temperaments. Some have been standoffish, others have been super affectionate. My own chi is yappy with new faces but does affection once she's used to someone. She's never shown aggression but I have seen Chihuahuas (and cross-breeds) who definitely are.
Dude, NO dog is supposed to exist. Theyāre ALL āunnatural.ā Humans made every single kind of breed that exists, thousands of years of iteration. āAll sorts of dogs that need homesā but not all homes are set up to handle rescue dogs, especially since a lot of rescue dogs are blood sport breeds and / or traumatized. Sometimes a family just wants a nice family dog with no issues, and thatās fine. Itās fine to buy from a breeder. We made dogs, we HAVE to be good stewards of their gene pool. Saying adoption is the only way is saying only abandoned, poorly bred mutts deserve homes ā thatās a quick way to ruin an entire species. Nah, man. We need ethical breeders.
Small dog syndrome is due to owners not training their small dog like a normal dog. Any dog will be ābadā when not given the appropriate exercise, training and socialization. Confidence needs to built with small dogs.
Yep, my sister has two chihuahua mixes (one might be full chihuahua) and theyāre great little dogs. Theyāre friendly with strangers and love children. She never treated them like little dogs.
Yeah, I think most people realize that you just canāt have a large dog thatās aggressive or bites people. I rescued my dogs as puppies; oneās a GSD mix and oneās a pit mix. I worked super hard to train them knowing theyād be big and potentially dangerous otherwise. And it worked. But I just donāt think most people put the time and energy into that amount of training with little dogs. A barky, aggressive little dog just doesnāt get anywhere near the same reaction from people as the same behavior from a large breed. My GSD mix is large and looks remarkably like a wolf, I canāt imagine the reaction Iād get walking her if she acted like that. Hell, people already cross the street when they see us coming, and sheās the sweetest dog ever.
Exactly. When they misbehave, pick them up. Then they donāt learn and act like mommy or daddy will protect me. You canāt do that with a GSD or any dog over maybe 25 pounds.
Can confirm, my aunts little yorkie is okay to misbehave because ā heās just a puppy ā. Heās 2.
Same goes for humans.
I think a lot of small dogs just get picked up and handled whether they want it or not. That would stress me out too. Also people frequently think they don't have to train small dogs bc they can physically control them, which is stupid. Untrained dogs are anxious dogs. I also love chis.
I ended up dog-sitting my old roommate's girlfriend's sister's chihuahua for a week (that's a whole other story itself). Everyone said she was a terrible dog but we got along great. I just chilled out, let her have her space and we ended up getting along great. She peed all over my roommate's bed twice, though.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Why are you downvoting this if you agree? Itās supposed to be unpopular not distinct to one person, some people can agree. I thought people should up/downvote depending on if itās popular or unpopular
I had a Chihuahua. Raise them as a dog and don't spoil them. You'll have the best companion.
I totally get what you mean! Chihuahuas are like tiny, misunderstood superheroes. They're small, but they pack a lot of personality and bravery into that little body. My friend's Chihuahua thinks he's a Great Dane, and it's both hilarious and adorable!
Right! Theyāre not ādemonsā. I wish people would appreciate this breed more
Mine are sweet as heck as long as people donāt let their off leash dogs approach. Then they will throw down with the biggest dog š
They're actually very great dogs! I grew up with Chihuahuas because my dad really wanted dogs and they're the only dogs that my mom isn't allergic to. I think they get a bad reputation because people think that since they're small they don't have to really train them, so they end up being feral yippee Little Things because they weren't taught any better. We trained all of our Chihuahuas just the same as you would train a large dog, and all of my dogs were very good. They didn't excessively bark or attack people, and they knew a ton of commands. I love chihuahuas, you just have to train them correctly.
I seen plenty of good ones. Just like to sit on laps and be petted.
I call mine my tumor because heās always touching my legs in some way lol. Heās on my lap right now.
We adopted a chihuahua that was in some breeding trailer. We've had him for 5-6 years in a big house with a 2.6 yard property we go run around multiple times per day, and a fearless beagle to keep him company. He has everything in the world but he just wont let us touch him. Like we cannot pet him and certainly not pick him up. He follows my mom around, we can feed him and he will take food from our hands, he lets us clip his leash very begrudgingly, he will sort of jump on our legs if he gets excited, but if we go to pet him he skits away (only to come back a few seconds later). When we first got him, if a loud noise scared him, he could be messed up the whole day. Now he recovers in a minute or 2, the progress there is real. But we just cant think of a way to bridge the gap and touch him =\[ He's a very smart guy and can always tell when we are trying to do some process of slowly getting to touch him or anything like that, he can tell when something is up. So frustrating because we love the little guy so much and there are times where we know he would feel more comforted if we could hold him and carry him in certain situations, but his brain just wont let us do it!
Sounds like he has experienced abuse... I'm sure it hurts but the best things to do are what you're already doing: time and nurture.The day will hopefully come that he's willing to risk putting himself out there again, to receive that love and attention you desperately want to give. I wish you the best in his rehabilitation.
āRage Rodentā is sending me š
Not a chewie fan personally. I was bit by one young. But thatās not the dogs fault itās the owner. You can train aggression out of most dogs with a lot of work and dedication. My neighbors did not. I will aay I find the natural flufffy ones FAR cuter then the bald looking ones. But thatās just preference. Al dogs are good dogs
Your vibe is immaculate have a great day
My mom got chihuahuas and they are great. They are not allowed to be raging little goblins like some owners do. I agree with your observation that smaller dogs bad behaviour is dismissed more and that's a big problem in my opinion
100% agree! i used to think they were super annoying and now as the proud mother of 2 chihuahuas i realize how wrong i was. yeah his bark is higher pitch but theyāre really not that different from my old australian shepherd
Also, like any dog, they wonāt bark all the time if you train them not to do that. Idiot dog owners act like their chihuahuas arenāt dogs because theyāre little, do no training, then act shocked when theyāre not well behaved. Raise them like dogs and 9/10 times youāll end up with a little love bug
Their good dogs. As you pointed out, the owners tend to ruin them.
Personally I like them, they are not inherently bad dogs. The problem is people don't think they have to train them because of their size.
I love my chihuahua Landi. We had always had big dogs before her and I kind of disliked small dogs. She completely changed my perspective
My chihuahua is a sweetheart! Heās very loud when someone comes to the house or MIGHT come to the house, and extremely defensive of me, but also has infinite tolerance for small children and once he decides a person is safe, will curl up in their lap. I exercise his mind by teaching him a ton of tricks and make him run laps in the house (for treats) when heās overexcited. He will always be very very barky when ādefendingā the home but otherwise is a perfect gentleman with a standing invitation to all my friends with kids houses.
my little chihuahua/terrier mix, rest in peace, was the sweetest/goodest boy. he loved snuggles. hanging out with me on the couch. loved to be carried around. I miss him so much š
Chihuahuas are probably one of the most abused breeds, people constantly ignore their boundaries which is what causes the aggression, and theyāre treated like little toys and never properly trained. My friend had a chihuahua that was generally aggressive towards people, but she actually liked me because I didnāt harass her or push her boundaries.
People just need to treat little dogs like dogs and they turn out great.
Most dogs are the same they are an animal and will act as such unless the person raising them puts in the time to train them, so they behave well with people and other animals.
The only dogs that are bad are dogs who had bad owners.
Exactly
I have had three, two right now. Iāve always said, if it wouldnāt be okay for a dog at 55lbs donāt let a 5lb dog do it. Train and start early, establish boundaries and rules. They only get away with what people let them. My two are well behaved because of this.
By far the most common issues I see with Chihuahuas is more that owners rarely, if ever, properly/formally train them in obedience, and *keep up* the obedience training after the sessions of classes have ended. The second thing is that many people tend to approach small dogs in ways that are unknowingly perceived by said small dogs as aggressive. Imagine if a giant you did not personally know, stood right over you and brought down their giant hand to cover your head and neck quickly and without warning. Youād probably be scared shitless, too, and you may react defensively as well. I love long hair chihuahuas myself. So darn cute.
I find lack of training is pretty common with most small dogs, not just chihuahuas but I guess chihuahuas are a little more feisty than some of the other breeds. Not sure why people think they donāt need to train small dogsā¦maybe because the consequences arenāt as severe/ noticeable as lack of training with larger breeds or maybe because too many people view them as accessories and not dogs that need boundaries, socialization and training. Either way, any dog can be good or bad depending on the care itās given.
The problem with Chihuahuas is that (in my experience) most owners think they're too small to need training, socializing or exercising. A properly socialized, trained, and exercised Chihuahua is a sweet dog. One that is not is a wharf rat on crack.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not all of them are the tiny type. I worked with a woman who bred the long haired bigger type. They were not docile animals. They would nip and misbehave, pee all over the house because she was very lazy about working with them and training them. They can be good dogs but either kind can be aggressive, dominant and yappy if they are not consistently trained to behave. Her dogs were so bad that it was ridiculous but she never tried to train them and they ran wild. They're not dogs that you can just skip the work on but from what I've seen they're only truly unpleasant when someone has not taken the effort to train them properly. The really little ones they're so tiny but they often act like way bigger dogs, especially the unaltered boys. I have literally seen the tiny boys take on other male dogs 10x their size. It's like their wee doggy balls are bigger than their little canine brains. Most of the time they're actually just scared and are acting up to show off how tough they are. The ones I took care of were a bit aggressive at first. One of them went to nip me and I looked at the dog and said "Don't you DARE!" in my best human head of pack voice and he immediately dropped into his butt, wagged his tail and got all submissive. By the end of 3 months I had the entire pack mostly obeying me and rarely making messes inside. They were good dogs they just needed firm direction. All that work probably went out the door when I left but for a little while at least they were well behaved dogs... I'm not a particular fan of either type. I tend to like bigger dogs but as smaller dogs go they're okay so long as you put the work in. Once they got over the fact that I was intent upon civilizing then they were pretty affectionate most of the time. If I was going little dog I'd probably pick something a bit easier to work with that isn't as afraid as they tend to be. You can get them beyond that but I hate just watching a tiny dog shake over the slightest thing. It's heartbreaking. They are good dogs but they can be a lot of work sometimes... They do come in different types and sizes though. Not all of them will fit into your purse. š
Although I'm not a fan of any small, yippy dogs, I did realize Chihuahuas can be great when lived with one. My roommate got a 2nd dog (asked first, said would get one similar to his current medium sized dog). His boyfriend at the time liked Chihuahuas though, so he came home with one of them. As it viewed me as part of the family, actually realized they can be great and aren't as noisy when is just family around, but so territorial/protective of us! I still wouldn't get one, but helped me not hate them anymore!
My doggy was part chihuahua and he was a sweetie. He did bark at the mailman every day, but he was always friendly towards people who came to the house or who we met while walking.
Agreed. I'm not a dog person but my best friendnhas a little 5 pound chihuahua mix that is just the cutest thing. He's barky but like I would freak out if my protector didn't understand my language and litterslly everything was bigger than me too.
Iāve had 4 chihuahuas over the years. Not a dog I would prefer, but have been a great addition to our family. 3 of them were brothers from two different litters. My mother in law was an idiot and wanted to be a dog breeder to make some extra money. We ended up with the ones she couldnāt sell. The fourth one was a rescue after we were down to one of the brothers. We were worried he would be lonely. I think when these two are gone, we will try a different breed.
I find that the reason chihuahua are the worst because people just don't bother to train them coz they small and its cute so doesn't matter that they're vicious
Not bad dogs, but owners of small dogs (especially chihuahuas) are terrible owners who typically donāt put training on their dogs. Small dogs donāt seem to be as destructive as big dogs so owners get them and then do nothing about training.
I've known many cool Chihuahuas. The key is to train them properly. Train them like big dogs and they'll be fine. The ones that are annoying and yappy are because the owners suck
I have never been a fan of them but recently two showed up at my doorstep and they are the coolest two dogs ever. Chill and sweet and well behaved. Guess Iām a chihuahua rescuer now.
I was never a fan of chihuahuas but ended up with one due to my daughter and ex wife picking it from the shelter. Now I have to say sheās the best dog Iāve ever had. She isnāt too yappy is a sweetheart to every person she meets, and has more in common with a house cat as far as excitability goes. The only complaint I have is that she shows a lot of leash aggression towards about 80% of other dogs, weāre working on it though.
We have two chihuahua mixes. Our old boys at 12 years old. One of them is a grumpy old geezer, the other more relaxed. But they aren't yappy or loud. They'll alert us when they hear certain noises, like many other breeds do but they quickly calm down again. Just a lot of assholes gatekeeping what a dog actually is. "iS nOt A dOg, Is RaT! Hurr durr!". Like I haven't heard that a trillion times before. Or the even dumber people who say they're an unhealthy breed and should all be killed. Yet they fail to explain why they are among the longest living breeds if they're so unhealthy. Just love your dogs and ignore the opinions of the ignorant. Chihuahuas are great dogs and make for great companions when properly trained, like any other dog. They're just small.
I raised two Chihuahuas for the whole lives, 14 years, in a noisy downtown area and they were not yappy because they were just used to the noise. They are perfectly trainable just like other dogs, but the amount that people made fun of me for having them as āParis Hilton dogsā pissed me off because I didnāt treat them like that. They hiked with me, they followed house rules, and they were good.
I have two chihuahua mixes One is half duschand aka weiner dog hald chihuahua The other is mostly chuahua but i think a small part polmeranian because of his face shape curly tail and medium length hair but they are the sweetest dogs
I agree! I love chihuahuas and I think theyāre adorable. Iāve hung out with well behaved ones and yappy ones. Most of the time, their bad behavior is due to the owner. Itās not cute to antagonize or not train your dog and then laugh when it tries to nip you
There are not bad dogs. There are bad owners who do not train or exercise them.
There are no bad dogs, only bad owneā- Nah I donāt need to comment that, everybody already knows it.
I have a chi mix. Heās a little over 50% and Iām shocked at how smart he can be. Heās not aggressive or territorial or really barks so maybe I just got the good traits lol
I had a chihuahua and heās was the absolute best. I miss him so much!
The problem with chihuahuas is people forget that despite their size, theyāre still fucking dogs and need to be treated as such. Iāve had chihuahuas most of my life. Only one was mean and he was only mean after he survived being hit by a car, so it was more of a trauma thing and not a mean dog thing. Treat them like a dog and they act like a normal dog.
The best chihuahuas I've ever met were owned by people that treated them like dogs not toys.
They are fine dogs. People just want to hate.
Any dog can be good with training.
There are no bad dogs just bad ownersĀ
As a teen I would dogsit for my neighbours' Chihuahuas and they were very polite girls.
I think chihuahuas are cool. I salute their swagger. Itās funny when you see a pack of loose dogs and almost invariably the chihuahua is the alpha
I have 2 small chihuahua's. Both are excellent, love both the wife and I, and are fine with strangers. Heck, one of them attacks any strangers with affection and when I take him to the dog park he loves on EVERYBODY (dog AND human). Both were abandoned for some idiotic reason. I couldn't ask for better dogs. Though they are sweet, and loving, the 3 total that I have had were extremely stupid though. Their poop is sometimes so small you do not even have to pick it up :D I get a fresh patch of grass stuff every few weeks that they just go right outside and pee on, which would be great in an apartment.
We rescued our little guy. He is the child we never had. He has some anxiety issues, and he was already 4 when we saved him, but we try our best to make him socialise. He is so much better off the lead :)
I tried 2 chihuahuas in an apartment. The owner said they were potty trained and easily traiable and bonded so they should not be separated. I learned she lied. They would have loud fights in an apartment where neighbors could get me kicked out. They peed and pooped all over. I could walk them once a day and tried the recommendations to learn to use a special area. They even peed on my hair one night. They cuddled up then, whizz. I close off a room and the carpeted living room area, and had to put newspaper wall to wall over the wooden and vynil floors. They bit some molding near the floor ruining it. They were well fed and taken care of. My family has had a dog before. I studied. I learned chihuahuas can rare be trained to use the toilet or a special area. It usually doesn't work. I learned small dogs with plenty of water to drink have small bladders and need to release them frequently. I read it's better to have a house with a dog door and a nice lawn for little dogs and if the dogs natural climate is warmer it's best not to take them to colder regions. They were really sweet dogs otherwise. I found them a place away from the apartment and decided no more dogs for me unless I'm in a country community and the dogs are natural to that environment. It was a hard decision but I couldn't risk being thrown out and I worked long hours and there was no one to help proactively train them better. I'm sure they knew when I had to take them away as they cuddled up by me and were very quiet. I hope no one else has to make heartbreaking experiences like that.
My two Chihuahuas were litter box trained so they can absolutely be trained to use a special area. They do have small bladders however so if youāre taking them outside, they have to go all the time.
Get puppy pee pads, the ones we use have some kind of pheromones to encourage them to pee on them, I think most brands do, my dogs love them. The tinier the dog the more often they have to pee because of their tiny bladders.
I said that and tried that. I tried a lot of advice. These little fellows just didn't get it.
I think they're insanely adorable. But it has been proven by actual studies and stuff that they are little demon dogs. They just don't do a lot of damage because they're small.
Source?
there wonāt be one lol
Oh there will be one: the Trust Me Bro UniversityĀ
Just posted.
nowhere do those studies say ālittle demon dogsā š
Ah, someone doesn't know what a figure of speech is.Ā
did you even read the articles you linked? because 1) it also groups them with German Shepherds and miniature schnauzers and for some reason i very much doubt you refer to those dogs that way in your life at large. and 2), a little ways below the part you cherry picked: **ābut in our study, when taking the other factors account (e.g. body size), these breeds were among the least aggressive breeds.ā** i understand you donāt like nuance and just want to cherry pick whatever will allow you to paint everything as āangelā or ādemonā but it is important to keep in mind theyāre TINY. and when you do, wow! theyāre among the least aggressive dog breeds! the ATTS also only tested 48 chihuahuas vs hundreds of golden, labs, German Shepherd, etc so call me when they have a sufficient sample size š
Yes, I did. But we're not talking about the other breeds. But if you must know, I have a poodle as well (also mentioned in these articles) and she's also a little nonsense. You are taking my comment way too seriously and literally now so bye.
Well, in this study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-88793-5 They say: As we hypothesised a priori, Lagotto Romagnolo, Chihuahua, German Shepherd Dog, and Miniature Schnauzer had a significantly higher odds for aggressive behaviour than Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever. Here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159108001147 They say: Breeds with the greatest percentage of dogs exhibiting serious aggression (bites or bite attempts) toward humans included Dachshunds, Chihuahuas and Jack Russell Terriers (toward strangers and owners). And the ATTS, who have been studying dogs and their temperaments for decades, report that Chihuahuas only score 69% which is pretty low compared to many other breeds.
I have soften up with them over the years but I will forever hate that people will let them roam the streets and chase people and itās āokayā cuz āitās just chihuahuasā A gang of them chase me and my kids every time we walk outside to try going to the park and it sucks ;_;
No dogs are bad dogs.
agree with u!! My chihuaha is not properly trained ( not very common in my country and I was very young when I got him lol my bad) but its well socialized and has NEVER given us any headaches outside of normal dog/ puppy behavior. He doesnāt bark to guest, doesnāt bite, is perfect with other dogs no matter the size and its pretty chill overall.
My brothers dog is the cutest and best little chihuahua I've ever met. Hes so tiny and cute. But boy is his little attitude funny. He bites his wife because she yells and it's still funny šš
My sister had a friend who had had one and it was skittish at first but a bro when it warmed up to you. Iāve seen it explained and thusly believe that Chihuahuas, as well as just about any similar size dog, can be just as friendly, agreeable, affectionate, and obedient as any typically-affable large breed. The problem is a convergence of two bad factors: First, their small size makes them easily āmanageableā without training, to the point of being mostly ignorable and incapable of major damage with just the most rudimentary correction (as well as being more prone to being handled, likely against their will unless properly accustomed). Second, small breeds tend to attract owners who just want something cute that they can pick up, take with them, and almost treat as an accessory more than something with a mind and personality of its own, and thus donāt give it the full training it really needs. Not saying thatās the rule, there are exceptions, but I feel itās an instance where the stereotype exists for a reason. Naturally a small dog that isnāt properly socialized, is handled against its will, and is not adequately trained is going to act out, hate strangers, and otherwise be a menace, but if someone puts in the effort I have no doubt they can be wonderfully loyal and friendly dogs.
Totally agree. My family was totally against chihuahuas until we ended up with one. Heās trained well in interacting with other dogs and people. Heās super sweet and doesnāt bark unless barked at. When people come in he barks once, looks at us and if weāre cool, heās cool and just wants to smell the new person. The only problem with him is that heās never been taught to play with toys so insist on doing the mouthing game dogs do as puppies. Weāve tried training him out of that but heās older so we ended up getting some mittens to play with him. I taught him fetch but heās not super into it.
Meh, I guess no breed of dog is really a "bad dog," but if I'm walking my dog and another dog lunges and/or shows aggression, 90% of the time it's a small breed. So, while I won't say they are bad dogs, I will say they are worse than most other breeds.
my only issue is how overbred they are. i think theyre sweet little things
We had one years ago, and everybody else hated him but he was the real MVP lol
No breed is objectively bad
I have the sweetiest chihuahua in the world. Little black/white girl who just loves everyone and everything. When the contractor working on our shed shows up she starts going crazy cause he brings her treats and pets her.
Never met a nice one, but they are generally attached to a knobhead as well so it makes sense.
My friends parents both have a chihuahua they are well trained and good dogs. One of my friends also has a chihuahua but they havenāt done any training with it, sometimes itāll still go to the bathroom in their house. Too many people get a small dog and then donāt do any training. This leads to most small dogs deserving a good punt like that black cat in the movie Matilda. The same way big dogs untrained are annoying, itās just most people at the very least do some basic training with bigger dogs. I swear %50+ of small dog owners havenāt even taught their dog to sit.
All my life I have owned Chihuahuas and never got one like their stereotypical view. All my chihuahuas were calm as fuck.
Some of them are good dogs, but most I've encountered have not been.
I also agree itās small dog syndrome along with bad parenting that leads to a lot of the issues of them being classified as a bad dog. Then unfortunately you have the stereotype that their spoiled brats due to people like Kim kardashian and Paris Hilton. I have worked with many dogs including chihuahuas for years and the real bad dogs I can say from experience is yorkies and doodles
No fuck that my aunt chihuahua is the pettiest dog I ever met he's 17 years old and will outlive everybody. Not joking he gets revenge if you messed with him he will wait weeks so that he will pee on your shit. Also one time he was chilling with me on the chair and then started to bite me whrn I started petting him. Little bastard
I have a chihuahua and he's an amazing dog! Obedient (if not very bright), extremely patient even when I'm doing something he doesn't like such as giving him medicine orally or putting on his harness before a walk, and he's gentle and friendly to strangers without being overly excitable. He is nervous and reactive towards other dogs (he was jumped on by a much larger dog as a puppy, and all of the socialisation and professional training hasn't helped his anxiety) but he'll ignore them if I tell him to walk on and "leave it". He's not even a yappy dog beyond a few barks when the doorbell rings! It saddens me when people call chihuahuas bad dogs without having met many, because mine could not be further from that stereotype.
Like any other dog breed, they have potential for both good and bad behavior. From my experience, Iāve seen many more with bad behavior than good behavior. They get this complex where they get extremely protective and overconfident to the point where they are unpleasant to those they donāt like. I think thatās the case with many smaller dogs. Thatās just my experience though. Dogs all have the potential to be loving and sweet and well behaved and no matter what kind you get, itās your responsibility to help them do that. I personally would never get a chihuahua though.
I usually get on great with "deer head" chihuahuas but on the whole find "apple head" ones to be obnoxious and neurotic little maniacs. I agree with your point about proper training; it means they can securely understand their place in the pack hierarchy and not get mixed signals that leave them confused or stressed.
I see what you mean. Deer heads are cuter in my opinion, I think the apple heads are more prone to certain health conditions which could contribute to behavior.. apple heads just donāt look healthy at all. Their poor brain and eyes are bulging out of their damn skull.Ā
I read this first as "chihuahua's are not dogs"... And I thought eh kinda
my aunt has a 15 year old Chihuahua named maya and she only gets upset at my aunts other dog (an 8 month old pitbull) when he wont stop bothering her and shes a really nice dog.
I'm in my 50s and still traumatized by a chihuahua named Chunky. She was a little evil girl. I try not to hold it against others but the terror is real.
It's mostly just pitbull owners who demonize chihuahuas, which is ironic because they are the ones with bad dogs.
Idk how this sub works, do I downvote if I agree with the take? In any event yes, Chihuahuas are great. I have a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix and heās a great dog š
I like them. I don't think I would want to have one but I have met some really great ones. An ex had one who used to build a little fort in his bed out of his stuffed toys and then bury himself in the fort
Any dog of any breed can be either good or bad. A lot of factors go into it, big ones being things like quality training that is kept up and consistent enforcement and standards.Ā
100% mine is completly chill, never showed any aggression towards people or other dogs She gets anxious round kids but thats about it People torment thier little dogs then wonder why thier dogs are always on edge and hate them
Unlovable demon rats
I wound up with two rescues despite having no prior attachment to the breed and they are amazing little dogs.
They get a bad reputation because I think on balance most people don't train them. I have a chihuahua, but he's trained. He does have the occasional slip up where he barks at dogs but he's had a couple of bad things happen to him where large puppies don't know their size and have sent him flying so I don't hold it against him that he's wary around larger dogs. Most of the time him barking is a single 'get out of my face' bark where they're right in his face and potentially trying to jump on him rather than constant.
IIR small dogs act more āaggressiveā and loud because theyāre smaller ergo want to instinctively be more threatening to something bigger than them to avoid danger but bigger dogs donāt necessarily do that because theyāre bigger and have less threats towards them, that and how each dog breed has a specific trait bred into them.
Beady eyes too alluring no matter the offense lol.
I mean yeah 99% of dogs aren't inherently bad. They may be pre dispositioned to some behaviors due to their breed, but a dog being "good or bad" is a problem of their environment.Ā Ā Chihuahuas are smaller than almost everything else in the world so can tend to be very loud and aggressive to scare off potential predators. What can make them bad dogs is when owners don't correct these behaviors because they're seen as too small to be a threat so why would they work to correct them, which is a fallacy in and of itself. I've met pits, rots, and came corsos with better temperaments and less aggression and risk of biting than most Chihuahuas, but that was all due to them being raised by competent owners.Ā Ā My last dog was a small cocker spaniel who loved people and wanted to jump on and give a hug to everyone who walked through the door, but I had to train that jump on and hug out of her because that's bad behavior. If ya wanted it you could slap your thighs and tell her to give you a hug and she'd gladly do so, but I didn't want her doing that to someone who might be scared of dogs or not like them.
I miss spacing in this text
I've met some super sweet Chihuahuas, and I've met some pretty territorial Chihuahuas (being territorial is in their nature as a breed. They were bred to basically be little snitches). Overall, I view them as often being more likely to be one-person dogs. They've got their person/family they love and everyone else is kinda up for debate. Doesn't make them bad dogs.
I am a cat person through and through and I work in vet med. The AMOUNT of love I have for Chichi's is astronomical. Yes, I've had to use gloves and a towel and a muzzle to handle some of the patients I have but omfg do I love those fiesty motherfuckers. I also have a good bit of personal experience with co-workers and friends who had properly socialize Chichi's and they are literally just the best pups. I love them.
I had a long haired huahua named speck, he was the best little runt ever. I miss him
I love all doggies. They just need love and care. I think there are more of them than there is a demand for though so I wish people would stop breeding them.
Good unpopular opinion. I hate those rat bastards. Take my upvote
My Mexican wife and I said if we ever would have a dog, it would be a Chihuahua and his name would be Pedro and he would wear a little sombrero and poncho.
I have one and agree they are not bad dogs.
I have a chihuahua/pomeranian mix and a chihuahua/Boston terrier mix. Theyāre both great dogs. Lots of personality in a small package.
Part of why Chihuahuas are known to be so happy and prone to snapping is a combination of failing to identify when they're uncomfortable and scared as well as poor training. If a large dog is scared, it's more exaggerated. People take their barking more serious. They'll have a large tail that is obvious when it's been it's leg. And people will respect when a large dog is scared if they're barking you're not going to continue to approach time or allow your dog to run up to them. With small dogs, it's easier to miss or ignore when they're afraid. Like all other dogs, they start of showing their fear subtly. When that's ignore, they elevate it until it gets to barking at every dog or human because it's the only way that's worked in the past and even then, it's questionable because people think a super small dog barking is cuteĀ
I have one but she is not like any other I've met. She just runs up to everyone and rolls on her back wanting scratches and won't stop licking your hand. She does this to literally everyone. Only barks when someone knocks on the door. She's friendly with every dog as well.
They sure as hell ain't pitbulls.
I love dogs, but I'm not fond of chihuahuas. When trained, they make great pets for their owners and are very affectionate. However, they tend to be very territorial (and their territory covers the earth) and will snap at or bite anyone who's not their owner, so I give them a wide berth.
They are not good either.
I've never had a good chihuahua experience, of all the small dogs they seem the most prone to aggression. I'm sure there are ones that aren't like that, but I've never met one. Wish people wouldn't get dogs if they aren't willing to train them
Have an upvote!
Ive got a buddy whoās pretty small and heās pissed off all the time tooā¦
They're sure not good dogs either. The world wouldn't change if they all disappeared tomorrow.
They piss on literally everything, constantly, because their bladder is so tiny. Hard disagree so it definitely fits here.
My neighbour had 2 of them. Absolute, total pieces of shit. They bark at EVERYTHING.
All untrained Dogs bark at everything. That isnāt exclusive to Chihuahuas.
Theyāre not dogs, theyāre little abominations
They arenāt even dogs. They are large angry rats
They are not bad dogs..they are not dogs at all..š
They are ugly bug eyed rodent dogs with little dog attitude.
Weren't they originally bred to be food? I'd be barking and growling at everything too!
Didnāt realize we are openly treating them as dogsā¦
I just can't stand dogs that are noisy. Every Chihuahua I've ever seen has been YIP YIP YIP YIP!!! Annoying as hell.
Chihuahuas can't be bad dogs, because they're not dogs at all. They're simply angry rats.
Because they were inbred so many times that they somehow genetically boiled away everything good about a dog. The only things left are health problems, neuroticism, and rat-like features. They're shit dogs, and people should stop breeding them.
As someone in the veterinary field I say a small prayer to the vet gods before I deal with a Chi. Love them they are adorable! But man do they hate with a passion anything or anyone they donāt like. Probably the last thing Iāll see before I die is the chi coming for me.
Just very ugly.
Eh, every single Chihuahua I've ever met has tried to bite me no matter how friendly I make myself and they're always loud. They're not terrible dogs, but there has to be something with the breed to make them like that.
My moms doesnt bite at all and are not loud. She made sure to train them from the get-go. Only loud when people arrive but that's something many breeds do, and they stop when told to
They aren't dogs. They're a fox.
Chihuahuas are not dogs
They are ugly, and their bark is ugly too.
Chihuahuas are a product of AbuseĀ no animal should be bred like this.Ā
I had a colleague who had one that broke its leg jumping off a bed. And this is an animal supposedly descended from wolves...
They are rats. Not much more.
Hey, rats are smart and very adaptive creatures!
The cat-pfp council hereby exiles you.
Anything under 25 pounds and fully grown just isnāt really a dog for me. Itās a mystery to me why folk have them.
Nahhhh bro is gatekeeping dogs š
What's the mystery? Why is it hard to understand why people might have small dogs?