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Chihuahuas and Children

Most Chihuahua owners will agree that Chihuahuas and children really don’t mix well. This mostly refers to very small children, but may also refer to older children, depending largely on the Chihuahua in question.

You see, Chihuahuas are much like small children themselves. They are not very tolerant of other pets, unless those other pets are in fact Chihuahuas. They are also not very tolerant of small children – and again depending on the dog, they may become highly jealous of personal human relationships, but this is mostly confined to Chihuahuas who have an extremely strong bond with their owner.

Again, a Chihuahua isn’t recommended for a home that has small children, however if you have children and a Chihuahua, it is important to realize that the child will need to be taught to have respect for the Chihuahua. The Chihuahua isn’t likely to change his personality, and he really won’t have a strong concept of any rules pertaining to his actions or interactions with the child.

Teach the child not to handle the Chihuahua, and also to understand the warnings that the Chihuahua gives. If the Chihuahua bites the child, it will most likely be due to the actions of the child. While Chihuahuas are known for their viciousness, that viciousness only comes into play when they feel threatened, they feel their territory is threatened, or they feel that someone that they love is threatened.

In many cases, a breeder will not sell a dog to a person who has small children in the home. However, if for some reason you do acquire a Chihuahua, for a home where a small child already exists, this is easier than acquiring a Chihuahua and then later bringing a new baby into that Chihuahua’s home.

Most Chihuahuas will not tolerate a new baby well at all, however in the reverse situation; they may actually view the child as the ‘dominant pet’ in the home. This, however, will not stop their feelings of jealousy and they very well could hurt the child.

With that said, however, Chihuahuas and children should never be left alone together unsupervised. Children over the age of eleven or twelve seldom have problems with a Chihuahua in the house, but smaller children almost always do. This may be why Chihuahuas are excellent pets for people who have grown children or no children, with no plans to ever have any children.