Temperment of a well socialsed chihuahua?

C

chrissy2014

Active Member
Joined
30 March 2015
Messages
48
Visit site
Hello

Looking for some advice as I have had a bad experience in the past.

I am looking to get a Chihuahua pup soon but in the future when I move I would like a larger breed dog as well. Now my question is, how are Chihuahuas when another dog (large breed) is brought into the house later on?

Years ago I took in a very un socialised terrier then later went on to get a 8 week old American Bulldog. The terrier would snap at it over toys and food which in the long run gave the bulldog unwanted behaviors. The bull dog was an amazing dog in and out of the house but was very food and toy possessive which because of her size wasn't fun. (never at me but at the cat, other dogs etc)

I am worried about history repeating itself as I read Chihuahuas are very yappy nippy little things. I am hoping it would be a lot different from the terrier as the terrier I had was already 9 months old when I had her where as the Chihuahua will be a 12 week old pup so I can start her training from scratch but I am new to this breed.

Even with the correct socialisation and correct training are these breeds still little dominant yappy things? The future I plan on getting a boxer pup and again because if its size wouldn't want it picking up any bad behaviors as now I have little people in the house to worry about... and still the same cat the bulldog turned on.
 
Last edited:
Honestly - I wouldn't have a chihuahua and a boxer pup. Boxers are SO energetic, boisterous and bouncy that I'd really worried about the chihuahua getting squashed. No matter how good the temperament of the chi, it is not going to appreciate getting bounced on by a dog many times its size, and boxers can be somewhat dense when it comes to reading the 'leave me alone' signals of other dogs. Even if the chi doesn't get hurt, I'd worry about fear aggression creeping in. We have a small terrier she is great with other dogs. She was trodden on by a Great Dane puppy when she was younger, completely by accident, and it took a LOT of socialization to get her back to where she's confident in most interactions - she still avoids big bouncy dogs though.
 
I know of someone who has a little pack of chi's and they all get on very well. But otherwise all the others I have met have been quite yappy, nippy little dogs. I would also advise that a boxer pup and a chi are probably not a good mix and you will be setting yourself up for problems in the future.
 
I third not having a Chi and boxer - far too bouncy for a little dog to contend with.

I have a Bichon who loves other dogs, but simply can't tolerate being bounced on.
 
They are quite often 'fear aggressive' so not a good idea to have something that is going to frighten a Chi. Mine bit my friends SBT on the nose because he was afraid of him and didn't want him near him. Fine, but had the SBT retaliated little Chi would have been mince meat. Mine was a dominant little dog but not yappy and fine if he was left alone.
 
Chis are good with other chis- and with cats- but do tend to be snappy with bigger dogs. I know some can and do live happily alongside bigger dogs but in the cases i can think of the other dog was the first dog, agree that an energetic pup might be a big ask!
 
I'm sure there's someone on here who has Chi's and Labs?

Personally I wouldn't have a mix of that big of a dog with such a little dog. It was hard enough with a Rotti x American Bulldog and corgi's as she didn't have an off switch and it took her a long time to learn the signals for 'back off'.
 
I don't have any experience of Chi's or other small dogs but I have 2 boxer x, one I got as a 9 week old pup and one we got from a rescue at 8 months who is now 14 months. They are both brilliant with other dogs but when out I avoid small dogs like the plague, mostly because my two can knock them flying totally unintentionally and often both the small dog, and the small dogs owner, will take offence which obviously I don't want to happen. They play brilliantly with other bull breeds or bigger dogs but they are just far to boisterous for anything small and slight. I'm sure some people do have a Chi and larger dog combo but I'd expect the larger dog would have to be the older one or something maybe a bit calmer than a boisterous boxer.
 
I myself have a chihuahua x yorkshire terrier dog who is TINY and also a labrador bitch, they both get on great and it is infact the lil one who is the boss :D
 
One of my rotties best park mates was a chi called George. George always wore his pink diamante harness :) They played beautifully together but my dog had been brought up among a pack of fierce terriers who taught him at a very early age that little dogs must be treated with care and respect or else rottie was going to pay in pain. Even so, he was 4 or 5 by the time he met George and I still cringed sometimes when they played. As a younger dog, clumsy oaf that he was an accident could easily have occurred.

If you're deadset on having both breeds I would get the large breed first, wait for them to grow up and settle down - with a boxer you may be waiting quite some time - then get the small breed. Grown up big breeds tend to be gentler with a puppy rather than the other way round IME.
 
The biggest problem I have seen with Chi's is there total lack of decent socialisation, owners who pick them up as soon as they meet another dog, or find it funny when their Chi gets gobby at another dog and dont reprimand that behaviour. So many Chis are treated as babies and they are dogs and should be treated as such and trained to be socially acceptable. If the Chi is trained correctly then they should cope with a bigger dog as long as that is trained correctly too.
 
Bosworth said:
The biggest problem I have seen with Chi's is there total lack of decent socialisation, owners who pick them up as soon as they meet another dog, or find it funny when their Chi gets gobby at another dog and dont reprimand that behaviour. So many Chis are treated as babies and they are dogs and should be treated as such and trained to be socially acceptable. If the Chi is trained correctly then they should cope with a bigger dog as long as that is trained correctly too.
Click to expand...

I have two Chi's, they are kept on the lead all the time. (Long line when suitable) one is perfect with other dogs, happy to walk by without a sound, the other can be a bit "trappy" but is getting much better because he is told "enough" and rewarded when good. We are getting there :). However, I am one of those owners that now picks them up if a dog off the lead approaches. I can not trust any dogs anymore :(. There are too many out of control dogs, owned by numpties in my area..I was going to post yesterday, but cooled down and didn't bother in the end. Man on disability car, other side of the field to me and mine, he has small dog running loose..suddenly hear him shouting for his dog, that took know notice of him. Dog comes straight at mine and goes in for attack. I end up yelling at dog booting it out of the way. Man eventually gets there puts dog on car and trundles off, not a word..:mad: I am sick to death, that I can not take my dogs out without worrying about out of control dogs. I now choose very carefully where I go and at what times.
 
OH's mum has Chis and we have a golden retriever. Chis are very fear aggressive, they are small and very reserved. Ours are all well socialised and get on well with eachother, but I try to avoid situations where my retriever thinks she can play with them - 4st of energy when you are the size of a hairbrush must be pretty terrifying.
 
RunToEarth said:
OH's mum has Chis and we have a golden retriever. Chis are very fear aggressive, they are small and very reserved. Ours are all well socialised and get on well with eachother, but I try to avoid situations where my retriever thinks she can play with them - 4st of energy when you are the size of a hairbrush must be pretty terrifying.
Click to expand...

I agree. People say treat them like "normal" dogs. But they aren't "normal" because they are so tiny.
 
Don't they say a boxer will bounce until it's about eight? Just one enthusiastic bouncing boxer paw could break a chi' s back, so I'd say it's not the best combination.
I've had two chihuahuas..great little dogs but definitely clannish in that they prefer their own kind.
One of mine was not in any way a nervous or yippy dog but she came from a great breeder who had been in the breed for years.I treated her like a dog,but did protect her from over enthusiastic ,larger dogs as it would have been an accident waiting to happen.
from the success stories we are reading,it seems to be a combination of an older steady breed with the chi....steady and young boxer don't always go in the same sentence imo. id suggest to go with a stockier breed...eg a mini schnauzer,Boston terrier,frenchie etc?
 
I have 2 Chi x Bichons and they live with several bigger dogs which include a boxer and dalmation, the smallest one is definitely the boss, he's very good at getting out of the way of the bigger ones if need be. I think it really depends on the temperament of each of the dogs. Like anything everyone will have an opinion and all will differ. I do genuinely find my small dogs are ok with the bigger dogs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top