Bringing Chihuahua Puppies Home
Vivian Wright
760-475-1241
It is important to recognize that many of the foods that are good for humans to eat may be harmful even deadly for
an animal to ingest. We must remember that animals, including Chihuahua puppies, have different metabolisms
than we do which makes it hard for them to properly digest a wide variety of foods.
Below is a list of the common food items that can pose a risk to the health of your Chihuahua, and should, under no
circumstances, be given to a dog to ingest:
•Alcoholic Beverages
•Bones from Fish, Poultry, or Meats
•Cat Food
•Chocolate, Coffee, Tea or Caffeinated products
•Citrus Oil and Extracts
•Fat Trimmings
•Grapes and Raisins
•Hops
•Human Vitamins and supplements with Iron
•Large amounts of Liver
•Macadamia Nuts
•Milk and other Dairy products
•Moldy or Spoiled foods
•Mushrooms
•Onions and Garlic (powders, raw or cooked)
•Persimmons
•Pits from Peaches or Plums
•Potato, Rhubarb, and Tomato Leaves, Potato and Tomato Stems
•Raw Eggs
•Raw Fish
•Salt
•String
•Sugary Foods
•Table Scraps
•Tobacco
•Yeast Dough
Chihuahua Food Risk
Now that you have decided which of the Chihuahua puppies for sale is for you, you must prepare for your new
addition. After you bring home a puppy from a Chihuahua puppy, the first few weeks will require a lot of your
time. Your Chihuahua puppy will need constant attention and care. They will be exploring and wanting to get
into mischief. It’s a good idea to be on the lookout overseeing everything the puppy does and everywhere the
Chihuahua puppy goes. You must remember to have some patience and take everything one step at a time. We
suggest having a sense of humor when your puppy misbehaves, just like toddlers, they will grow out of this stage.
Not only should you puppy proof your house. but be aware of the items you will need before your Chihuahua
puppy comes home. A few things we suggest to have on hand; a wire or plastic dog crate, bedding for the crate
that is machine washable and thick enough for your Chihuahua puppy's comfort, also you will need to pick up
stainless steel dishes one for water and one for dry food, a puppy collar with leash, ID tag with your information
in case your Chihuahua puppy ever wanders off, a few high quality chew toys, grooming supplies such as a comb
or brush, premium dry puppy food, a baby gate for blocking areas that you do not wish for the puppy to go into,
and information on ways to train your new Chihuahua puppy.
After a week or two Chihuahua puppies will have a routine and will be acclimated to your home and the new
environment, ready for life as a family!
Bringing Chihuahua Puppies Home
Chihuahua Puppy Proofing
When you bring your new Chihuahua puppy home there tends to be a lot of excitement, but it is very important to
remember that your home may not be 100% ready for this new addition. Your new puppy will be quite small in size
but will still be able to get himself into mischief. Chihuahua puppies are like babies and love to play with
everything. This means that things low to the ground will need to be considered. Chihuahua puppies tend to want
to put everything into their mouths. Items like electrical wires and cords will need to be secure for safety.
Both outdoor and indoor plants can be very harmful to your Chihuahua. Aloe Vera, Eucalyptus, and Baby's
Breath are all extremely toxic and harmful to pets. It is always best to check with your local veterinarian about
potentially dangerous local foliage before you bring your puppy home. The vet can tell you which plants you may
need to remove from your home. Check for your specific geographic area;
Another large concern for your puppy can be cleaners and poisons. Many people have cleaners and bug sprays on
low level shelves in their homes. Just like you would toddler proof your home, with puppy proofing, you would
want to make sure these items are placed out of the way and on a higher shelf. This is important because virtually
all of these are considered to be poisonous to a Chihuahua puppy.
It is best to remove all objects from the floor and lower areas of your home. It is recommended that you get down to
your Chihuahua's level and see what they see. This can help you spot any problem areas and issues that you might
have otherwise overlooked.
Do not leave your Chihuahua puppy unattended outside, especially if you have a balcony or porch, puppies have
the ability to sneak through the bars or find small openings in shrubs or fences. They can slip right through before
you even have time to notice they are gone.
Always keep in mind, your new Chihuahua puppy will act like a toddler exploring their environment and
surroundings. A good rule of thumb is that your puppy is like a small child; anything that could be harmful for a
child will probably be harmful to your Chihuahua puppy.
As your Chihuahua puppy starts growing, he or she will begin to show signs of teething. This will occur
around 4-5 months of age. Similar to a baby, teething can be uncomfortable for the Chihuahua puppy and
they will often want to chew on things to ease this irritation. There are a few ways you can help ease the pain
for your new Chihuahua puppy.
A few good options for teething are purchasing Nylabones or Kong toys at your local pet store and putting
them in the freezer before giving to your puppy. For an extra treat you can give your puppy either cold or
frozen carrots. Whichever you choose your Chihuahua puppy can use these items to chew on to help ease the
pain. This period of time can be quite painful, and sometimes bleeding may occur. It is important to
discourage your Chihuahuas from chewing on objects in the home. The teething process causes a great deal of
discomfort for your Chihuahua puppy, using the frozen toys can help get your puppy through this
uncomfortable phase.
Chihuahua Puppy Teething
Chihuahua Puppy Feeding Schedule
There are conflicting views on when and how a new Chihuahua puppy should be fed. There are two
basic schools of thought that are most commonly used in puppy feeding: free feeding and scheduled
feeding.
Free feeding is when the owners leave dry food out for the Chihuahua puppy all day long so the puppy
can eat whenever he or she pleases. Scheduled feeding involves placing a food bowl out for the pup and
then taking it away after a period of time , which usually is a 30 min. span. For the puppy stage,I
recommend the scheduled feedings. This is an easy way to allow your Chihuahua puppy frequent
smaller meals which help to control how frequently the puppy will need to go outside for bathroom use
and also helps to control weight gain.
The most common mistake new owners make is allowing the Chihuahua puppy to eat all day long
whenever he or she pleases. This may seem like a thoughtful idea but really you are not putting any
discipline on the pup and its eating habits. During the early stage of housebreaking this feeding
schedule will also become a wonderful tool. You can essentially control when the Chihuahua puppy
eliminates or not.
As your Chihuahua puppy ages or if there are any digestion or finicky eating issues, you may want to
adjust this schedule to meet the needs of your dog. Your vet will be able to give you tips and alternate
feeding methods if needed.
Chihuahua puppies will have received some immunizations from their mother's milk. This will provide a
base for very strong and healthy puppy. The puppy will still need the standard immunization shots or
vaccinations from your veterinarian to help your puppy build up immunity to certain canine diseases.
Your Chihuahua puppy will need these vaccinations at least every 3-4 weeks starting at 6-8 weeks of age.
When we send our puppies home they will have had at lest the first sometime second shot given. You will
have to continue the protocol. These vaccinations will be a series of 3-4 (at least) shots until the puppy is
around 16-18 weeks old. The last round of shots should be given after the puppy reaches the 16 week mark.
The shots that are given early on include; Distemper, Parvo, Adenovirus, and Parainfluenza Combo .
During these early weeks you should keep your Chihuahua puppy away from strange dogs to reduce the
risk of your puppy becoming infected with diseases. If you have another dog in the home or know of
another dog that you are certain has all of its shots and is free of any diseases, then you can certainly let new
Chihuahua puppies play and become acquainted with the other dogs. The same goes with humans. Just
like a baby, you should tell anyone who wants to hold or touch the new puppy to wash their hands before
interacting with them. This is important because the new puppy is just building up its immunities and can
catch a virus very easily. After the first few rounds of shots you can slowly let Chihuahua puppies interact
on a more normal basis.
Do not take your puppy to public places until puppy has received full set of shots. Also when puppy visits
the Vet, please keep the pup safe in it carrier sent home with it. At the Vet many sick dogs are taken there.
So it not a safe place for a puppy to be. The puppy will be much safer if it is kept in the carrier until its
examination. Then placed back in its carrier after the examination. All of this may seem like very stick
instructions. But please keep in mind these Viruses can very well be deadly to a puppy.
Your new puppy when sent home it will already have been dewormed at the age of 4, 6 , 8 weeks. But
Intestinal parasites are naturally occurring in dogs, this is why your vet will suggested keeping your dog on
a preventive like Heart Guard, or Safe Guard and it is not unusual.
Chihuahua Puppy Vet Visits
