How to get the little Chi to go?

[dpoccdr]

My chi is about 3lbs and I bought her a hot pink harness (not the kind that go around the neck but around the chest) to take her on walks... ;-) well there's a problem! She wont walk. I put her harness on her and I practically have to drag her across the ground. I don't because I don't want to hurt her but she tucks her tail between her legs and puts her head down and refuses to move her feet! How do I help her to learn that the leash isn't a scary thing... all the typical forms of leash obedience I know are for huge dogs like my families German Shepard but I can't use the same practices I use on a 85lbs dog as I do on a 3lbs dog... any suggestions :confused:

[Romans Mom]

Hi. I've been the same way as you. I had large dogs for years, but the Chi could not use the same training methods.

What I did with Roman, my oldest Chi, and now just starting with Elle, LOL, just like dive now, is to harness and leash her up and while under close supervision. Let Diva drag her leash around the house making sure she's not caught up on furniture. This will get her used to the pull and feel of the leash. :)

After that, carry her away from your house, even if it's in the yard to begin with. Then go farther and farther away. Let her walk back to the house each where she wants to be. Do this until she walks next to you not pulling or lagging behind. Give the command "heel" when she stays beside you. I'm amazed my Elle is catching on so quick. Finally, they usually will want to venture away from the house to where they have been previously. So this is one method I like and think works great. :)

[dpoccdr]

Thanks,
I will definitely give that a try :wink: ... one more question for you... Diva is very small only about 3lbs 5 ounces :eek: ... I live in Idaho and we have very cold harsh winters... for walking should I even atempt it in the winter time. I have purchased many clothes for her but she hates to wear them :roll: and she can even get cold in the house let alone outside. I have thought about purchasing her some tiny shoes but I don't know where to get any. So I guess ultimate question... wait till summer... or bundle her up for short periods of time when we go out?

[Romans Mom]

Hi, :) I always wonder what Chi owners do who live where it snows.

I'm on the N. California Coast. We don't get much snow, but we get wet, cold, and wind chill. Roman and Elle are just over 6 pounds, and they shiver in the cold and don't like to be in it for long at all. I've read Chi's chill down very rapidly due to their small size. It said to compare the Chihuahua to food cooling down in the refrigerator. ;-) So I don't chance taking them out for too long. I've read they also chill down internally very quickly.

Elle wears sweaters. Roman is a Longcoat chi and can handle a little more cold, but not much. They're never out very long. Some days, they never go out.

It's easy to make little boots from a pair of your winter gloves of something like water proof Gortex and Polar Fleece. Stitch or glue Velcro around the top. You can glue ribbon to that to make them fancier. My Chi's are funny with wearing clothes too. Elle tries to rub her sweaters off and ends up standing on her head. LOL

[dpoccdr]

Ha, ha, ha... :funny: that's so funny. Yeah Diva is a long coat too although I really wouldn't consider it long... just on her ears and tail mostly. But that is a fantastic idea with gloves! :clap: I never thought of that. I will give it a shot this weekend for sure. Yeah cold weather and the climate here aren't the best but she is always inside she isn't even quite a year old yet.

As for clothing... I bought her this little sweatshirt with a hood on it! It is so adorable. I will take pics this weekend and post them! :wink: Thanks for the advice! :-)

[dpoccdr]

Hopefully this will show up with Diva's pic... ;)

[Amaze]

Hi dpoccdr-

Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not born needing clothes, LOL! So they need to be aclimated to it little by little. With both the harness and the clothes, you need to associate it with good things (treats) and only pick her up, which she wants you to do, AFTER she has worn them a while (5 minutes at first and work your way up a couple minutes at a time) and you have REMOVED them. Never associate negative things (like pulling on her) with the harness and leash, once she gets used to wearing things, she should start moving forward quickly with encouragement and soon be walking).

As far a winter is concerned, I would not walk a 3.5 lbs. chihuahua in the snow. My two (4 and 5 lbs.) both potty outside in a shovelled off section of grass when it is cold but also have access to a puppy pad at all times. They are the ones that insist on going outside, so I just monitor them carefully for cold/frostbite and be standing by with a warm blanket to pick them up in and carry them back inside. I literally carry them out, put them down, they pee (without moving from where I put them down) and then I pick them up and take them in! I swear my neighbors think I'm nuts when I'm outside shovelling the GRASS and not the sidewalk!

[dpoccdr]

:funny: Ha,ha ,ha LOL that is funny. Yeah I bought a pair of gloves and am making little booties out of them... luckily the winter is not too harsh this year and it's almost over! ;-) so hopefully she can start going outside again... right now she uses just the pee pad and snuggles in her blankets to keep warm! Thanks for all the adivce! :) It helps allot!