Shelly couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of her little long-coat chihuahua dog, Daisy being friends with her newborn baby. Daisy had always been a friendly and curious dog. She is very playful and loved to snuggle. But would Daisy be too rough with the baby? Shelly can’t help but wonder: Are Chihuahuas Good With Babies?
In this article, we will be discussing whether or not Chihuahuas are good with babies and the best ways to introduce your Chihuahua and baby.
So, let’s get started!
Are Chihuahuas Good With Babies?
Can Chihuahuas and babies live together? That is the most common question new parents may ask. The answer is yes, but you need to take some precautions.
It’s important to supervise them when they are together and make sure your Chihuahua doesn’t hurt the baby with its claws or nip at their fingers or toes. To reduce the risk of this, you should make sure your baby is old enough before getting them together.
The best age for a Chihuahua to play with your baby is when they are both about 6 months old. Before this, you can introduce your chihuahua to your baby but only under strict supervision.
At the 6 months age, babies can crawl and move away if they feel uncomfortable with their surroundings or another person/animal and will reduce the risk of your Chihuahua hurting them if your baby isn’t able to defend itself.
It’s important to supervise your Chihuahua when they are around infants because they may accidentally hurt your baby if you aren’t careful. Chihuahuas can get excited when seeing a baby, especially one that isn’t moving on its own yet so it is important for the safety of your child that all parents supervise their pets around young children.
How To Prepare For Chihuahuas And Babies To Live Together?
Preparation is the key to a happy life together! You should begin with puppy training. This will teach your Chihuahua what is acceptable and not acceptable behavior. It’s important to do this before the baby comes home because no one wants their little babies around puppies that will bite or grow into dogs that bite.
Here are 7 tips to prepare your chihuahua and baby:
1. Teach Basic Dog Commands
Your chihuahua will be super excited to welcome your new baby. It may try to lick your baby’s face or play too rough. But babies aren’t as strong and they may get hurt. That’s why it is important to teach your chihuahua some basic commands like “stay”, “down” and “come”.
In order for your chihuahua to live safely with your baby, you need to teach it a few simple commands. Make sure you take your chihuahua out every day and practice basic obedience commands such as sit, stay, lay down, stand up, and leave it. This will help you gain control of your chihuahua and keep it away from the baby when you need to.
2. Practice Separation Anxiety
Let’s face it! When your new baby arrives, you won’t have as much time as you used to spend with your dog. So, it’s important for you to start practicing separation anxiety now. This will help your chihuahua become accustomed to not seeing you all the time and transition more easily when the new baby comes home.
One way you can do this is by leaving a radio or TV on in another room while you are out of the house. When you come home, give your dog a treat and lots of praise to help it get used to being without you.
This is especially important if you have a chihuahua that suffers from separation anxiety. Make sure to practice leaving the room and coming back a few times before your baby comes home! If you do this, it will help keep your Chihuahua calm when you are not around and make them less likely to accidentally hurt the baby.
3. Crate Training
Since the baby will be in its own room, you need to make sure your Chihuahua has a crate that it can use when left alone. This is not only good for housebreaking and keeping your dog safe from unwanted damage, but this will also keep them out of the baby’s crib!
By crate training your chihuahua, you also ensure that your little dog has a place to pee or poo when you are too preoccupied with your baby. This will also help to keep your Chihuahua from having accidents in the house when you can’t find them. Choose a safe and comfy crate like North States Petyard.
4. Teach Your Chihuahua To Get Used To The Baby’s Supplies
What to do if you have a chihuahua and a baby together? Most likely, your dog will be curious about the new baby crib and all other baby things! This curiosity may lead it to chew on them or getting into your baby’s crib. You’ll quickly notice how easily dogs can chew through things they shouldn’t and it may not be too long before you see your Chihuahua gnawing on the side of the crib.
To prevent this from happening, spend a few minutes each day teaching your chihuahua to leave things alone. You can do this by taking one of their favorite chew toys and placing it close to the baby’s crib or bassinet. Then, command your Chihuahua to “leave it” and praise them when they do. This will reinforce the commands you have already taught as well as teaching your puppy that certain objects are off-limits!
5. Help Your Chihuahua Be Happy Around Your Baby
Your chihuahua may not be ready for the new baby immediately. It may see your baby as a threat and try to get rid of it. This is called an “attack of jealousy”. To help prevent this, you can practice with a doll first to help your chihuahua be comfortable with your baby’s presence before the arrival! That way, both of them can have a great time together as soon as the baby comes home.
6. Let Each Have Their Own Space
It is great to have a common space for your chihuahua and baby to play together and it is also equally important for them to have their own safe space.
As far as possible, let your baby have its own room while you keep your dog in another separate room. If this is not an option for you, then keep your baby and chihuahua on the opposite sides of the house.
If neither of these is an option for you, there is a way to keep them both safe from one another. You can get the best baby gates to keep the dog and your baby in separate rooms, while safely allowing you to keep an eye on them both at all times!
7. Prepare For The Big Day!
Be sure to have everything you need ready and in place before your baby arrives, including a crate and a collar with tags. Have your dog use the bathroom outside just before everyone leaves for the hospital so they don’t have an accident while you are gone. This will also help your dog stay calm when you can’t find them later on.
When the baby finally arrives, be sure to introduce them to each other slowly! It’s best to start out by having your baby in a crib or bassinet near where your dog is sleeping. Then, over time, move it closer and closer until they are able to see together!
By following these 7 tips, you’ll be able to prepare your home and your Chihuahua for the new arrival as well as help make things a little easier on you during those first few days with your baby.
Also Read: How to Potty Train A Chihuahua
How To Introduce Your Baby To Your Chihuahua?
What to do if you have a chihuahua and a baby together? As soon as the little one arrives, there should be plenty of excitement in your home! It is important that you take the time to make sure that all members of your household are comfortable with each other.
You’ll notice how quickly dogs can form negative opinions about a new arrival in the house and it won’t be long before your Chihuahua is trying to get rid of this intruder. With a little patience and time, you’ll soon have everyone getting along just fine!
1. Introduce Them Gradually
Your baby will spend most of their time in his/her crib during those first few months. Start out by having the baby’s crib close to where your dog sleeps. Over time, move it slowly towards the middle of the room or even into a common space between them if you can! This way, both of them can get used to each other without feeling overly threatened.
2. Use Positive Reinforcement
Both dogs and babies need positive reinforcement when learning new things. It is important that you stay calm and happy during this process. The more upset and frustrated you become, the longer it will take for them to learn to get along with one another!
3. Be Patient
This may not be as easy as you think! Patience is key here and sometimes, it can take weeks or even months for your dog to finally accept the fact that this little one is here to stay. Be patient with both of them and let them adjust in their own time!
4. Reward Good Behavior (And Ignore Bad Behavior)
Dogs respond well to rewards, so when your Chihuahua comes near the baby without acting aggressively, reward them with a treat! This will encourage them to continue behaving in this way. If they start acting aggressively or running away from the baby, completely ignore their behavior by simply looking away and doing something else. The more you pay attention to their behavior, the more they’ll do it.
5. Be Alert
If your dog suddenly goes after your baby without behaving aggressively, do not hesitate to step in and separate them. It may be better for you to keep your dog separate from the baby, at least until they have gotten used to each other slowly.
6. Let Them Get Used To One Another
If keeping both of them in different rooms is your only option, try preparing some interesting toys and treats to help them to get used to each other in the safe distance. Place their favorite toys on one side, while your baby’s crib is placed on the opposite side of the room. Throw those special toys over into where your baby sleeps from time-to-time so that they can smell what is across from them.
7. Use A Gate
If you are having a hard time keeping the Chihuahua and baby separated, consider investing in a baby gate! Whether it’s for stairs or just to block off an area of your home, these gates can act as a general barrier protecting both members of your family from harm! You may also want to consider a crib with mesh sides so that your dog can still see them when they’re sleeping. Dog parents know all too well how quickly their precious furry friend’s can get into trouble!
“What do you mean, my chihuahua won’t stop barking at the baby?” or “My baby is afraid of my Chihuahua.” These are very common questions asked by dog and baby parents. It is important for them to get along as both of these members of your family need to feel safe during their stay together at home.
8. Make Sure The Dog Doesn’t Sneak Up On The Baby
Sometimes, dogs do not realize that it can hurt a baby or toddler if they snap or accidentally bite them. In some cases, they feel it’s their right to discipline a child when they’re misbehaving or crying too loudly. If the dog has taken to sneaking up on your baby in order to get them to stop crying and go to sleep, be sure that you correct this behavior as soon as possible!
8 Things Not To Do When Introducing A Chihuahua To Your Baby
1. Never leave the baby alone with the dog (you may even want to consider getting a nanny so you can run errands or go to work while your baby is supervised).
2. Do not force the dog to get near the baby (many dogs will naturally want to sniff or lick a child’s face but if they are reluctant, don’t force them to do it).
3. Never discipline the dog in front of your baby.
4. Don’t let your dog take things away from the baby (it may play with them instead or distract them).
5. Never feed your dog treats near a child that is eating.
6. Don’t allow your chihuahua to drag toys around that you’ve just put in front of the baby’s feet (it will encourage it to grab and pull at the toy).
7. Don’t leave your dog unattended with your baby (even if it seems like they are playing together).
8. Never allow the dog to sleep in a bed near your baby (if you need to make them sleep next to each other, buy a special dog bed for that purpose and continue crate training them).
Are Chihuahuas Good With Toddlers?
Chihuahuas can be good with toddlers if you socialized them at a very early age and in a controlled manner.
If you want to introduce your chihuahua to your toddler, then teach your child how to touch the dog gently on the neck, back or muzzle instead of pulling their ears. Teach your child not to chase the dog and to pay attention when you tell him or her that it is time to move away.
You will also need to teach your chihuahua to stay calm around the toddler and not to jump, nip, growl or bark at them. You can teach your chihuahua to do things for you (sit, lie down, shake hands), so that they are under control in any situation.
When you introduce them, do it slowly in a neutral environment instead of throwing them in the same room and letting them get to know one another.
Finally, make sure that your toddler always has adult supervision when they are around your dog.
Also Read: Are Chihuahuas Easy To Train?
Are Chihuahuas Good Family Dogs?
Chihuahuas are good family dogs because they are very loyal and affectionate dogs which love to play with other family members. As a small breed dog, a chihuahua is also relatively easy to maintain and requires less grooming and exercise than bigger dogs. They are good companion for elderly people with their gentle nature.
Chihuahuas are friendly, intelligent and playful. They get along well with other pets in the family like cats and even large-breed dogs if introduced to them from an early age. Being a small size dog, chihuahuas need less food and exercise for their daily routine. They are very playful at home which makes them a good pet for families with children to play with. Chihuahuas enjoy the company of older people in your family because they are also active during daytime like older people too.
It is important to remember that with any breed, all dogs have their own unique personalities just as humans do. There are no guarantees when it comes to temperament or behavior but you can be fairly sure that if you get your dog from a reputable breeder and begin training them at home as soon as possible, you will have a loving friend for life. So yes, Chihuahuas are great family dogs!
Conclusion: Are Chihuahuas Good With Babies?
Are chihuahuas good with babies? The answer: YES!
If you are planning on having both a Chihuahua and a baby at home, above are some important things you must consider and prepare for. Remember, your Chihuahua is still a dog and as such is not aware of what’s best for your baby. It is important that you teach them that the baby comes first! If things don’t go well at home, consider hiring a professional pet behaviorist to help you with this transition – both for your sake and theirs!
