When getting your new chihuahua puppy and thinking about chihuahua puppy training, it is important to know first and foremost… where did she come from? What makes your chihuahua tick?

The origin of the Chihuahua is buried beneath hundreds of years of history. During all of this time civilizations have risen and have fallen. Races of people have been conquered, have overcome their conquerors, and risen from their bondage to become themselves, conquerors.

The uncivilized and barbarous victors of past conquests not only plundered, but destroyed completely the ways of life of their adversaries. Somewhere in the pages of history and the ashes of time, lies the true origin of today's featured breed ñ the Chihuahua.

Perhaps the origin of no other breed is cloaked in so much mystery and theory, yet the Chihuahua's popularity has risen to place him in the top ten of the most popular dogs in the United States.

The most commonly accepted theory is that the Chihuahua was originally a little dog called Techichi belonging to the Toltec people, a primitive race inhabiting Mexico about the time of the Mayan civilization was declining. The Toltecs were destroyed by the Aztec, who, it is said, had a dog known as the Biche.

It is thought by some historians that the Techichi and the Biche interbred to produce the Chihuahua. However, since neither the Toltecs nor Aztec conquerors had horses, cows, sheep, goats, or pigs ñ or any other domestic animals of Europe, Asia, or Africa ñ it's a little difficult for one to believe that somehow they had dogs.

The Aztecs themselves were conquered by the Spanish Conquistadors who were uneducated barbarians. They destroyed completely the entire way of life of the Aztecs. The Conquistadors claim the Aztecs did have dogs, and modern historians ñ for some reason ñ accept this as gospel. They seem to overlook the fact that the Conquistador called everything ìdogî, including raccoons, opossum, and even the sloth.

When the Conquistadors arrived in the New World, they saw life forms which they never knew existed, and it gave rise to the probability (to them) of a second creation. History points out that the Conquistadors all mention a mute dog they found in the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and even in sections of northern South American.

But whether it was truly a dog, or just another of the many strange lifeforms they called "dog"(for lack of a better word), no one will ever truly know.

If one were to study the works of Manuel Orozco y Berra, who devoted a lifetime to the study of Mexican history, the theory that the Chihuahua originated with the Toltecs and Aztecs would be exploded.

In 1880, the classic Mexican history, titled Historia Antigua y de la Conquista de Mexico, was published and on page 278 of book II, the writer states:

"The Aztecs had only three domesticated quadrupeds, all of which carried as root the word 'itzcuintli' which the Spaniards translated as 'dog' because of the similarity of them with that animal."

The writer went on to say that all of these quadrupeds disappeared after the Conquest. The Tepeitzcuintli, though still rare, can be found in the wild, but it is not a dog. The Itzcuintlipotzotli was a guinea pig, or hutia, with a Roman nose, no neck, and a humped back. The Xoloitzcuintli, a hairless animal whose body was four feet long, hardly answers the description of the Chihuahua.

The most commonly accepted theory of the Chihuahua's origin can be likened to a sieve ñ that is, full of holes that can never be factually filled in.

Some say that the Techichi was crossed with the wild Perro Chihuahua to form the Chihuahua dog. But the Perro Chihuahua was not a dog. It was nothing more than gopher, or as we would say in American, a prairie dog. Such a breeding would have been genetically impossible - another theory scuttled with a big hole.

Among the mysteries that surround its origin, one cannot overlook the fact that between the time of the Spanish Conquest, 1519, and about ninety-five years ago, there is no evidence of such a thing as a Chihuahua dog in Mexico!

There is, in fact, no record of any dwarf dogs in Mexico until the year 1875. It may be but a strange coincidence that in the year 1875, a ship bound from Asia to Europe stopped at a Mexican port. (Since there was no Panama Canal, most ships stopped at Acapulco and other Mexican ports to offload people and cargo, who would then be further transshipped across country to the east.)

Two Chinese passengers aboard that ship exhibited two dwarf dogs in Mexico City. It was a known fact that the Chinese, prior to the fall of their empire, had a passion for dwarfing things. They dwarfed cherry trees, plum trees, maple trees, chickens, fish, and even dogs!

Of Chinese Origin?

It is significant then, that the first appearance of the Chihuahua dog in modern times places them along the Mexican border. Their appearance coincides with the arrival of that ship from Asia. The first Chihuahuas purchased by Americans were purchased from across the border of Texas at Juarez, Mexico.

Juarez is in the state of Chihuahua, and the Chihuahua dog receives its name from that state. There is no evidence that the Aztecs ever lived in the area known as Chihuahua. The conquering Spaniards found only Indians of a peaceful hunting and fishing culture living there.

So, in sifting through the many theories of the Chihuahua's origin, one simply cannot overlook the fact that what we know as the Mexican Chihuahua just might have come from China. The interest in purebreds began in 1875, the ship from Asia arrived in Mexico in 1875. The reader then, is left to swallow whichever theory he finds most palatable.

Only two things are known for a certainty; the Chihuahua dog is named after the state of Chihuahua in Mexico and the Chihuahua dog is so popular that he's rated in the top ten most popular breeds in existence.

The modern Chihuahua is one hundred percent pure American, developed and purified right here in this country. The American standards of the breed are worldwide. Every registered Chihuahua in the world traces back to pure American blood.

Some people believe that the Chihuahua and the Mexican Hairless are one and the same, but this is not so. The Mexican Hairless was recognized and registered in America twenty two years before the first Chihuahua dog.

The First Registered Chihuahua

The first Chihuahua dog ever registered was born in 1903 and registered in 1904. That year, a total of five Chihuahua dogs were registered. Since other toy breeds were competing in popularity, it was not until 1923 that the Chihuahua Club of American was formed. From that point on, the popularity of the little toy dog known as the Chihuahua began its rise, finally coming to rest comfortably as the sixth most popular dog in America.

Known as the world's smallest dog, the Chihuahua ranges in weight from one to six pounds, with two to four being average. He comes in one of two packages; long-coat or smooth-coat. The long-coats are judged by the same standard as the smooth-coat except for the coat itself.

The little guy has an apple-domed head and a short nose which is slightly pointed. They have been called ìthe dog with the hole in the head.î The hole ñ or mollera ñ is an area on top of the head where the skull bones have failed to join. It can be seen in any newborn human baby.

Not all Chihuahuas have this mollera, but it seems to be restricted just to this breed, although there have been a few occurrences of the mollera in the Japanese Spaniel.

A Spicy But Loving Attitude

In spite of its size "or lack of it" the Chihuahua does not suffer an inferiority complex. He falls in love with people but usually restricts his total affection to one individual. He moves into a family expecting to become a part of that family. He actually prefers home and people to a pack of dogs.

Always alert and playful, he burns up energy faster than most other breeds, and therefore requires more frequent naps. Too, he needs about twenty percent more food per body weight than other dogs, which proves to be somewhat of a problem, since Chihuahuas are known for being poor eaters, with skinny appetites. Chihuahua puppies sometimes must be fed.

The Chihuahua is easily trained, since he is quick and has an exceptional memory. Having excellent visual perception and hearing, the Chihuahua must be considered as being one of the most trouble-free of all breeds.

Listed among the few problems encountered with the Chihuahua, is the fact that since it is the world's smallest dog, he is always down close to drafts which sweep across the floor surfaces in summer and winter alike. When sleeping, the Chihuahua should always be protected from these drafts.

Though they don't look like it, the Chihuahua is a very hardy little tyke. Since he comes from an area along the Mexican border, he had to be pretty hardy to survive. Summers expose that area to blistering heat, and winter nights have seen temperatures drop to below freezing.

Taken to Canada in the early days of the breed's recorded history, the Chihuahua thrived in that climate. It should be pointed out, however, that since Chihuahuas spend most of their lives indoors, they could easily suffer in severe weather when taken outside and therefore should always wear a coat.

The life span of the Chihuahua varies, but records show one to have lived to be twenty-two years old. Another, at thirteen was still siring litters.

Although his ancestry is shrouded with the mystery and drama of time, somewhere from the pages of history the little toy dog called the Chihuahua stepped out and into the hearts of millions of Americans who are firmly convinced that there is no other dog more trouble-free and wonderful to own than the Chihuahua.

As you can see the chihuahua is a great dog and if you are looking to puppy train a chihuahua then check out the fast track system for sure. He includes a book especially for chihuahua owners.

What makes a puppy learn? Why does he do the things he does? Attempting to break the family puppy of bad habits can be frustrating without the knowledge that it takes the average puppy four days to learn the average thing.

Being unaware of this fact causes many puppy owners to feel they've got the "dumb mutt", when actually, they haven't given Max a few hours, let alone four days, of proper schooling. Trying to teach Max without the knowledge that puppy's learn by associating their actions with a pleasant or unpleasant result, can be equally frustrating.

With this knowledge firmly entrenched in our minds, let's take Max, and transform him into a welcome addition to any family.

The most common complaint among most new puppy owners is housebreaking. The old idea of rubbing the puppy's nose in it and throwing him out the door just doesn't seem to meet with the desired success. Naturally not!

Puppies learn by associating their actions with pleasing or displeasing results. If a puppy's action of having an ìaccidentî on the living room carpet results in the displeasing experiences of having his nose rubbed in it and then flung out the door, Max will learn in short order that it's much more pleasing to have his ìaccidentsî in locations where he can't be seen having them - the bedroom, the kitchen, the closet, and any other out-of-the-way place that you don't happen to be occupying at the time.

After all, every puppy knows that he can't be punished unless he's "caught in the act." The key here is that not only must the puppy be chastised and shamed for eliminating indoors, but he must be rewarded with enthusiastic and genuine praise when he accomplishes the act outdoors. This means that you'll have to accompany him outdoors as often as you can during the necessary four days that it will take to get the point across.

The second most common complaint is destructive chewing. Most puppy owners fail to realize that Max must be considered a puppy until he reaches maturity at 18 months. This fact may be hard to accept if Max happens to be a Saint Bernard. It's hard to label a 200 pound puppy a "puppy" … but if he's under 18 months, he is just that - a puppy!

Puppies need to chew. They require it just as a baby needs a teething ring. Unless the puppy owner provides the chew toys, Max will provide his own. The first step in preventing destructive chewing is to provide adequate chews for the puppy. Rawhide is fine, and if Max has trouble getting it started, run some hot water over it and soften it just a bit. Solid rubber play toys also work wonders.

An Easy Lesson That Works

If adequate chews have been provided, but Max still insists upon chewing your son's favorite baseball glove, go ahead and give Max the glove "the whole glove"! All at once!

That's right, stuff it as securely into his mouth as you can, then tie it there so Max can't eject it. Carrying around a mouth full of glove that he can neither swallow nor eject, can turn such destructive chewing into a mighty unpleasing result.

Thirty to forty minutes of having to wear the object in the mouth does more to accomplish your task than any amount of beating. Among other things, such action as beating would cause Max to sneak, and do all of his destructive chewing in places where you're not apt to catch him. The glove in the mouth method will actually give your puppy an utter contempt for trying to chew other items.

 

Puppy Clicker training is really catching on lately. I remember back when no one was clicker training because it seemed so advanced compared to verbal just training your puppy but today puppy clicker training is gaining ground quickly. One of my favorite puppy trainers, Trey Stevens, use clicker training and gives you a clicker training for your puppy when you get his fast track system.

What can puppy clicker training do for your puppy? Check out this video:

 

 

So as you can see puppy clicker training can have your puppy doing commands and tricks within days. Go check out Trey's system and let me know what you think.