Once you bring that adorable Chihuahua puppy home from the breeder, it is time for the Chihuahua obedience training to begin. By the time your pup is old enough to go home with you, he is old enough to begin learning to follow basic commands and find out what the rules of the house are. Keep in mind that very young Chihuahua puppies will have much shorter attention spans, so you will want to keep your early training sessions short and free of distractions.
Training sessions for your new puppy will need to be kept short and free of distractions to be effective. As your dog matures, you will be able to extend the amount of time that you spend in Chihuahua obedience training. Make sure that your sessions are positive for your dog by loading them with plenty of praise and the occasional cookie.
In addition, it is important that you enforce the rules of the house to your dog as consistently as possible. If you never want that furry body on your white sofa, don't ever let him try it out for size. Not once. Not ever. Consistency is one of the biggest keys in owning a well-behaved Chihuahua.
The most important commands for your Chihuahua to learn during Chihuahua obedience training are sit, stay, come and down. Even if that pup is merely jumping up and down at your kneecaps, dogs that jump are not well-trained dogs. Another important command that your dog needs to learn is “no”.
When you tell your Chihuahua no, make sure that you do so in a firm, low tone, with a face that says you mean it. You won't need to yell at your pup or strike him, because the “no” command given in this manner will let your puppy know what you expect.
Once “no” is a part of your pup's vocabulary, begin working on the commands like “come” and “sit”. With plenty of praise and cookies, your puppy should be able to learn these commands fairly quickly. Make sure that you offer simple, one word commands with plenty of positive reinforcement when your dog does your bidding.
Before you ever head to the breeder to pick up your puppy, you should be well prepared for the Chihuahua obedience training that lies ahead. If you need additional help with the task, you can find plenty of books and Internet sites that can get you started, or you can enroll you and your puppy in an obedience training course.
A well-trained dog has a healthy respect for the rules of the house, and can be a pleasure to have around even when company comes to call. It is important to train your pets, no matter how big or small they might be, because this is an important part of responsible dog ownership.
No matter how you choose to do it, training your Chihuahua is an important first step to a long and healthy life together.
