Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Practice the basics of toilet training
• Method 2 of 3: Take your dog outside
• Method 3 of 3: Avoid frustration and accidents
• Warnings

Some people say that Chihuahuas are very difficult to house train. However, this is not true, they are in fact very smart and can be trained well. The biggest challenge in house training Chihuahuas is the fact that they are so small, which makes it difficult to recognize when they are about to go to the bathroom. By keeping a close eye on them and being consistent in training and walking outside, your Chihuahua can be house trained.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Practice the basics of toilet training

1. Use rewards in training. Dogs do their best to repeat behaviors that are rewarded. So, if you have a Chihuahua one sitscommand and you reward him when he does, then he learns that doing something he can (sit) naturally can give him a treat. The same principle works with toilet training. When the dog goes to the bathroom (urinating or defecating) in a certain place and is rewarded for it, he will do his best to relieve his needs in that specific place so that he gets some treats.
   • Reward-based training requires you to be there when the desired behavior occurs, which means that you must be home to take the dog to its toilet location on a regular basis.
   • Find a treat that your Chihuahua loves, something he will work hard for. Try a variety of things from commercial biscuits to chicken, cheese, sausages or hot dogs. If your dog has health problems, you should always check with the vet first to determine if he should not be eating certain things.
2. Start training your Chihuahua when he or she is young. You can and should start training your dog from 8 weeks of age. Training takes time, so start slow and be patient. Remember that the older the Chihuahua gets, the more difficult it will be to train. So it is a big advantage to start early.
3. Immediately determine a specific toilet location from the moment you have your dog in the house. Decide where you want your Chihuahua to go to the bathroom. When you first bring a puppy to his new home, the first thing you show him is his toilet before even entering the house. Avoid the puppy's attempts to play so that he starts sniffing around.
   • Then when the puppy goes to the bathroom, give him extreme positive attention and give him a treat.

Method 2 of 3: Take your dog outside

1. Take your dog outside often. Give your Chihuahua (adult or puppy) plenty of opportunities to visit his toilet. Even if you have a dog door, you should be proactive in taking the dog to the toilet area. The dog will not automatically know that you want him to relieve himself there, you have to show him.
   • Take a puppy for a walk every 20 minutes while awake. When he relieves himself, be very enthusiastic and give him a treat. If he doesn't relieve himself, go back in and try again 20 minutes later, but keep a close eye on him in the meantime. You need to be aware if he tries to relieve himself indoors so that you can quickly pick him up and take him outside.
   • A crate is a good attribute to use in training because it functions like your dog's den and is less likely to soil their dogs. Don't lock him up for hours on end, though. The crate should be his safe place, not a prison. Alternate the time in the crate with playtime and time spent on the leash.
   • Adult Chihuahuas must be brought outside every hour. Set an alarm to remind you every hour.
2. Go outside with your dog as soon as you are awake and after meals. Food in the stomach triggers a reflex that causes the dog's bowels to move 15-30 minutes after eating. Use this reflex by taking your Chihuahua outside after eating and staying outside with him until he has to go to the bathroom.
   • Do not leave the dog unattended in the toilet location. Otherwise, you will miss the moment and lose the opportunity to reward him.
3. Teach your dog to relieve himself on command. Determine a word, such as toilet or need, to use during training. Make sure all members of the family know and use the word or else your Chihuahua will get confused. Once your Chihuahua has relieved, reward him positively and give him a treat. This helps him or her associate the specific place with going to the bathroom and a treat, making him want to go back to it.
   • Activate a training clicker while your dog goes to the bathroom. It makes a clicking noise that will be associated with getting a reward. By activating the sound while your dog is relieving, you mark the precise behavior that you will give a reward for. Then say the training word toilet.
   • Every time your dog relieves you activate the click sound and say toilet. In time, your dog will speak toilet associate with defecation and urination, and he will know he did a good job.
   • The last step is to get your dog to the toilet location and just the floor toilet to say. The dog knows you want him to relieve himself and will try to do it so that he gets a treat. If the dog does not try, you have moved too quickly to the next step and you will have to step back and wait for it to relieve itself, activate the click and say the training word. Try the next step again a few days later.
   • This is especially useful when it is raining heavily or when it is very cold outside.
4. Also bring a puppy outside at night. A puppy cannot hold its pee all night and should have a plasma every 4 hours at night. However, keep the situation calm and don't give him too much attention so that he doesn't wake up completely and start playing.
   • Simply pick up the Chihuahua and take it to the pee location without talking to it. The dog's bladder will be full, so he should urinate. Once it's done, bring it back in and put it back in the crate or basket, then go back to sleep yourself. All of this should be done without interaction so that he realizes it's just a bathroom break, not playtime.

Method 3 of 3: Avoid frustration and accidents

1. Keep an eye on your Chihuahua when he is in the house. For a quick training, you need to pay close attention and recognize the signs that your dog needs to go to the bathroom and is remembering to do it around the house. Watch for specific behaviors, such as going to and smelling furniture, or smelling the carpet and making a motion as if to squat. When you see such behavior, pick up your dog immediately and put him outside in his toilet location.
   • It may help to keep the Chihuahua on a leash indoors so that it cannot sneak into a quiet corner to urinate.
   • If it is not possible to be with your dog, put him in his crate. However, you must adhere to the urination times; every 20 minutes for puppies and every hour for adult dogs.
2. Deal normally with accidents. If your dog relieves himself around the house despite everything, don't be mean to the dog. This only teaches the dog that you have an irrational dislike for its bodily functions. This can make the dog more cunning (he will hide better to relieve himself) and will delay training as the dog may become afraid to go to the bathroom in front of you, even in the toilet location.
   • Keep still and wait for the Chihuahua to walk away. Then clean well with an enzymatic cleaner. This cleaner removes all traces of urine and poo, so that there is no odor that the dog can recognize. Do not use household cleaners with bleach or ammonia, these are components of urine and can actually amplify the odor, attracting the dog to that area.
   • If the Chihuahua has chosen an inappropriate place to go to the bathroom, clean it with enzymatic cleaner and place his water and drinking bowls there. Dogs don't relieve themselves where they eat, so this will help break the habit.
3. Remember to be patient. Don't be aggressive or yell at your dog. Rather, be loving and support him. Your Chihuahua needs time to become house trained. Be consistent and don't get upset if your dog doesn't go to the bathroom right away when he's outside.
   • If the dog goes to the bathroom where it should, don't forget to reward it. This will help reinforce the desired behavior.
   • Don't change the toilet location every week or your dog will get confused.
   • If a puppy is releasing in the wrong place, be calm and don't get angry. It can happen.
4. Contact a trainer. If the training doesn't work and you've been at it for a while, try to contact a professional trainer. Find a training program that works for both you and your dog. Seeking professional help is the best option when you find yourself in such a situation.

Warnings

• Puppies should not be trained until they are approximately 8 weeks old. They are not weaned until then. Once they are weaned, you can start training.
• Puppy training pads are useful for rainy days and at night, but there are major drawbacks. If you choose to use training pads, or pee pads, your dog may not be able or unwilling to do without them. You will also need to replace the pads regularly. Dogs don't like to go to the bathroom in a place where there is too much poo and pee.