There are some simple steps you can take to makes sure your Chihuahua is as health as possible. First of all, you should always get advice from your vet about the health of your dog and what can be done to keep it healthy. Your vet will be able to advise you on how best to care for any breed of dog.

Secondly, just like any other breed of dog regular exercise is vital if you want to keep your pet healthy. Some Chihuahua owners make the mistake of thinking that because the dog is so small that it won’t need as much exercise. You should always try to give a Chihuahua daily walks to keep it fit and healthy. Unfortunately many Chihuahuas end up cooped up inside small apartments or houses without much exercise which is one of the main reasons for ill health.

Because of their size Chihuahuas can be more affected by dangerous substances than other breeds of dogs, so you need to take special care in what you leave lying around the house. On a similar note, because of their small size they are more susceptible to being accidentally “run over” by people running through the house, so if you have children around make sure they are aware of the dog and take care not to tread on it.

Potty training is extremely important because Chihuahuas often spend even more time indoors than other dogs. You can find out more about house training here.

Like any other dog, Chihuahuas needs to socialise with other dogs if they are to me non-aggressive. From a young age (and when it is safe to do so) you should allow your pet to meet other dogs, but you’ll need to be more careful than usual because of the size of your dog.

The most important thing to remember is that Chihuahuas are like any other dog in many ways. As long as you give them exercise, feed them healthy and nutritious food and take them to the vets whenever necessary they are likely to have a long and healthy life. Knowing how to raise Chihuahua puppies is largely the same as any other dog, with a few exceptions as listed above.