Grooming And Your Chihuahua Dog

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By Sandra Dean,

The Chihuahua is the tiniest dog known to man today and also the oldest. History points to the fact that the Aztecs bred this dog exclusively for royalty, though the ancient breed was slightly larger than the present one. This dog is a cute diminutive dog categorized as a Toy breed and weighs six pounds or less. It has an exquisite looking face with a sharp muzzle and slightly bulging intelligent eyes crowned by two extra large and pointed ears. Its coat is either short or longhaired.

Grooming your Chihuahua is not a big deal mainly because it is so small. Besides, these dogs are basically indoor animals so there is very little chance for them to get messy. The short hair is easy to manage with a simple brushing every alternate day or so, while the long hair needs a bath once every two to three months.

Besides washing its coat, grooming your Chihuahua would involve de-matting its fur, clipping nails, checking ears and paws, wiping and inspecting eyes for infection and checking for injuries. You would do best to allot a day every week for grooming your Chihuahua and on each of those days you could concentrate on one particular aspect of grooming besides combing the fur.

You would also need to have a special grooming box – something like a first aid box – with the following implements: rubber slicker, a quiet blow drier, a soft bristle brush, nail clippers, cotton balls, saline solution, grooming glove, medium toothed comb, dog shampoo and soap, betadine ointment and scrub and a pair of scissors.

You will find all these items available at pet shops or a vet clinic. Ensure that you know how to use all of these implements before you try them out on the dog. Leave nail clipping to the vet if you are not comfortable with it.

Sometimes it will be difficult to clip the nails of the dog even with the utmost patience and precautions when grooming your Chihuahua. But do not fret, because there are two ways to reduce the length of a dog’s nails. One is to exercise and the other is by having a professional do the job for you.

There are a few tricks that can help you with grooming your Chihuahua. Ensure that it has eaten recently or just before it wants to settle down for a nap. Have a few treats ready and reward it amply after the clipping session. With time it will associate the clipping session with the snacking and will allow you to clip the nails without any trouble.

If you have a cemented courtyard, you could make your Chihuahua run about ten to fifteen minutes everyday with the help of a ball or a Frisbee. The running should apply enough friction on the nails to file them and you will have lovely short nails without any clipping headaches.

Sandra Dean has been raising Chihuahua dogs for more than twenty years and therefore has a lot of experience about many aspects regarding grooming, care and breeding of this dog breed. Chihuahua grooming hardly takes any time and effort when it comes to brushing and bathing. However, when it is time for nail clipping you could have a major problem on your hands. This article will give some basic
chihuahua grooming tips which can help you care for your pet better.

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Good hygiene is essential for all dogs, particularly chihuahuas. Be sure to bathe your little love muffin at least twice a week, using warm water and a gentle soap. After the bath, do a gentle combing, then wrap your pup up in a soft and cozy robe.

Chihuahua puppy care is something that you might have no experience with, but you still wish to own and properly care for a sweet pup instead of getting an older dog. How do you care for your new Chihuahua puppy? One of the most important things you’ll need to do before your pup arrives is prepare. You’ll need quite a few items to care for him properly and you need to start now, before getting the little one, so that puppy days will be good memories for you and so he develops properly, physically and mentally. Here’s a list of items that you will find useful when caring for your pup:
Toys Try stuffed animals, balls, empty plastic soda bottles, and toys that when a treat is placed inside, your pup has to work to obtain it. Remember when buying toys that there are hazards when buying items that parts, such as plastic eyes, can be chewed off and swallowed. Take care when choosing.
Chew bones A pup has teething needs too. Buy a specially designed bone that will aid the pup when getting in those chompers.
Feed and water bowls Be warned: plastic can cause allergic reaction with some dogs.
Food It’s always a good idea to start the pup on the same brand of food he has been eating. If you wish to switch to a different brand, you may do so by gradually switching.
Collar A soft buckle collar is best; try a cat collar.
Leash Choose a lightweight leash. An adjustable show lead works well with pups.
Soft brush Look up the brush/comb section at your local pet shop.
Sweater or Coat When cold weather sets in, you want your pup to be covered; try one of these solutions.
Dog shampoo Make sure and use a shampoo made for dogs. If your pup has skin problems, a special shampoo may be needed.
Nail clippers A guillotine style clipper works well.
First aid kit This should include soap, towel, first aid instructions, several different types of bandages, hydrogen peroxide, poison control center number, veterinarian numbers, etc. Ask your vet what might be handy in case of emergency. Bed Choose as showy or cute as you like!
Cage or crate Choose one that your pup will be comfy in. Can be used for Chihuahua potty training too.
Baby gates These keep your pup out of places he doesn’t need to be. Avoid accordion style; they can close on a dog’s neck.
Playpen These help if you are going to be gone for awhile; it keeps the pup confined, but at the same time allows free movement. Fenced yard Lets your pup get out in the sun and fresh air.
Doggy door Choose if this will suit your needs.
Cleanup scoop A two-piece rake type works best in grass; keeps your yard clean.
Canine litter box with litter Buy these at your pet shop.
When you have these items you are well on your way to being ready to administer good Chihuahua puppy care to your new little bundle. Have fun preparing!
Puzzled about how to care for Chihuahua puppies? Need more information? Visit our site for Chihuahua puppy care tips.
We invite you to visit http://www.ChihuahuaTips.com for answers to your Chihuahua dog questions.

About the Author, Al Bullington
Al Bullington writes about dogs and puppy training based on his personal experience.