Why Are Chihuahuas So Aggressive? Chihuahuas are one of the tiniest dog breeds in the world. People tend to love them more because of their unique size. Chihuahuas are more fun-loving and easy-going animals. But what if you heard that Chihuahua’s are aggressive.
Don’t worry we are here to tell you the truth. Let’s discover why are Chihuahuas so aggressive and everything you need to know about them.
You can also read about the aggressiveness of huskies here, Are Huskies Aggressive?
Origin Of Chihuahuas
The origin of Chihuahuas has not been defined yet. According to different researches, Chihuahuas are the oldest breed of ancient Mexico. They are taken as the off-springs of Techichis.
Techichis were first found in the Mexican state of Chihuahua when explorers came there searching new world. Now you know, how Chihuahuas get the name.
In 1904, the first Chihuahua was registered by the American kennel club and named a midget. Chihuahuas were popular in Mexico, Arizona, Texas, etc. in the early 1900s. People like to adopt Chihuahuas for farming and hunting purposes.
11 Reasons Why Are Chihuahuas So Aggressive
Many people assume that only big dogs like German Shepherd, Huskies, Great Danes, or Greyhounds are aggressive. But, the truth is the tiniest dog like Chihuahua can also be aggressive. Chihuahuas are aggressive because they are possessive about their personal space. They don’t trust others people.
According to the survey, Chihuahuas are considered the most aggressive breed in comparison to other dogs. But not every Chihuahua is aggressive. There can be many reasons why your dog is acting.
If you are struggling with your Chihuahua’s aggressive behavior. Try to find the problem and treat it right away.
Here we have given some of the reasons why Chihuahuas are so aggressive.
1) Dominant Nature:
Chihuahuas are famous for their courageous behavior. They love to take over the command. They love to target and bully anyone weaker than them.
But you can control this type of attitude of your dog. All you have to do is to make them act upon your actions and commands.
2) Fear:
Dogs are most likely to behave aggressively when they feel scared. Dogs can sense the feeling when they are in danger. So, in reaction to the situation, they start behaving aggressively. There could be different reasons to which they feel scared:
- Any incident that happened in the past has still some effects left on your dog and can scare him.
- Chihuahuas are sensitive to noise. They can get scared due to thunder, lightning, and other loud noises.
- Chihuahuas want your attention most of the time. They can feel alone if you don’t give them enough attention. Which results in them behaving aggressively.
3) Possessiveness:
Chihuahuas are considered as most possessive dogs about their owner and territory. Whenever you try to touch their toys, food, and bed they show aggressiveness.
They can also become aggressive if someone tries to come closer to their owner. Sometimes, they are less aggressive but in some cases, they can even harm you. You have seen dogs biting people who try to enter their territory.
4) Frustration And Depression:
Dogs can get aggressive due to frustration and depression. They can easily get frustrated when they are not been able to get what they want. When you tied up the dogs, they are more likely to bark because of aggression and frustration.
When you keep your dog tied up, it can be dangerous. They can also bite the owner if they try to come closer to them.
5) Meeting New People:
Chihuahuas are not so friendly when it comes to strangers. They can be very aggressive if you try to meet new people or take them to new places.
Chihuahuas always need some time to get used to new things. The more you take them to new places, the more they will act friendly.
6) Behavior Of The Previous Owner:
Chihuahuas can be aggressive due to the behavior of their previous owner. As we have mentioned above, Chihuahuas are loving creatures and want love.
It can be possible that they have a traumatic experience with their previous owner. And now they fear to love so they act aggressively whenever try to be friendly with them.
You can calm them down by giving them love and attention. Play with them. Give them a friendly environment. This will help them to overcome their past trauma.
7) Sickness And Injury:
Another reason for aggressiveness in Chihuahuas is sickness and injury. Your dog may have hurt himself while playing or he is not feeling well.
There can be many reasons for sickness like bone fracture, fever, internal injury. These types of problems are more likely to occur in old dogs but are not necessary as they can happen at any age.
Try checking your dog on your own. If you didn’t find the reason for their sickness and aggressive behavior, you should take them to the vet.
8) Poor Training:
Dogs want more attention and proper training to behave discipline. One of the main reasons that Chihuahuas are aggressive is that they are not trained well. Proper training makes Chihuahuas obedient and they will listen and respect you.
If your Chihuahua acts aggressively around you, it means you have not trained them properly. You need to work more on their training.
9) Craving For Attention:
Like humans, dogs also have emotions and they crave attention too. Chihuahuas are the most sensitive breed. They can feel every little thing. They can sense when you are not giving them attention and time.
When Chihuahua acts aggressively without any reason. It means that you have not given them enough playtime. Whenever Chihuahuas are left alone they feel sad and in reaction, they act aggressively to their owner.
10) Lack Of Socialization:
If your Chihuahua acts aggressively towards the people coming over you. It might be because of a lack of socializing. Chihuahuas that are limit to their houses and don’t have any social life are more likely to be aggressive.
As Chihuahuas are friendly. So, they need to socialize with other dogs. It can help them control their aggressiveness and anger.
It is also healthy for them to have a social life. You should take your Chihuahua to the walk or park more often. So he can be more social and friendly toward others.
11) Lack Of Physical Activity:
One of the reasons Chihuahuas behaving aggressively is may be due to a lack of physical activities. Chihuahuas need more physical activities and exercise. If you limit your pet Chihuahua only to the house.
There are chances that they act aggressively because dogs need enough place to play and spend time.
You should consider them taking to the parks or the walk. You can also consider trying different fun activities to keep Chihuahuas busy. This will help them in controlling their aggressive behavior.
6 Ways How To Stop Aggressive Behavior In Chihuahuas
Aggression in Chihuahuas is a serious issue. You cannot overcome this situation overnight if they have severe aggression. Yet, with little effort, you can make your dog less aggressive.
Below we have given the tips and tricks that will make your Chihuahua less aggressive.
1) Giving Chihuahuas Enough Playtime:
You can make your Chihuahua social before they become 1. After 1 year, they will not socialize more. So try to give them more time and attention during the first year.
Take your Chihuahua to the parks, introduce him to other dog fellows. It will make him friendly towards other people and dogs.
When you take Chihuahuas to parks give them free space to play around. It can make them feel secure even with different people and they tend to show less aggression this way.
2) Train Them Properly:
Although Chihuahuas are naturally aggressive, so it’s better to give them proper training. You can use different commands to make them understand your commands. You can use “sit”, “quiet”, “stop”, “stand”, “stay”, and “come”.
Chihuahuas are intelligent and smart enough to pick your commands quickly. Always make sure to reward them whenever they follow you. It will make them listen to you more. Training chihuahuas requires a lot of patience but you have to stay consistent.
3) Reward Chihuahuas More Often:
Chihuahuas love when they get a reward. You should give reward to your Chihuahua whenever he does any good deed, or behave like a good dog. You can also reward them when following your commands.
If you see your Chihuahua misbehaving with someone, try to calm them with love. When they get calm, you can give them their favorite food as a reward or you can praise them.
4) Make Chihuahuas Feel Secure:
Chihuahuas are very protective and sensitive. They can notice the slightest change in your behavior. If you are not giving your Chihuahuas enough attention, they can become aggressive.
Make sure to give your Chihuahua enough time and attention. So that they don’t feel insecure with you. You can use different toys that only remain in their territory. It can make them feel secure and safe.
5) Organize Things Around:
Chihuahuas are very clean creatures. They like to live in clean and organized places. To keep your Chihuahua away from aggression, try to keep your house and dog’s area clean.
Make a proper timetable for everything’i.e; make a proper schedule for playtime, food time, and sleep time. The more organized lifestyle you will give to your Chihuahua. The more they will act less aggressive.
6) Take Him To The Regular Check-Up:
If your Chihuahua is behaving aggressively for no reason, there is no need for you to panic. Try to figure out by yourself why he is acting aggressively.
But if you are didn’t get the problem, take him to the vet clinic. The professionals over there will treat hi and will find the solution to your problem.
Why Are Chihuahuas So Aggressive – Conclusion:
Although Chihuahuas are more aggressive than other dogs, they are the cutest creatures on the earth. But, sometimes it can be dangerous when they act aggressively because they can harm you.
Chihuahuas are more protective about their territory. So, you can control their aggressiveness by loving and giving them attention. But if your chihuahuas still act aggressive, try using the above tips and tricks to control them.