The Chihuahua is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world and that is not surprising at all. Not only are these dogs the tiniest of all breeds, they are the oldest as well. According to the American Kennel Club these dogs have been around from the time of the Aztecs.
You will find these dogs to be very attractive growing no taller than nine inches and weighing a mere three to six pounds. They have a sweet small face with a sharp muzzle and large fox-type pointed ears. Their eyes are large and quietly intelligent. The Chihuahua coat comes in two varieties – one is short and straight and another is long and fluffy.
Grooming your Chihuahua mostly involves brushing and bathing which needs to be done at regular intervals every two to three months. You will also need to pay attention to its eyes, which tend to water creating tear signs on the face, and its nails that need regular clipping
Besides washing its coat, grooming your Chihuahua would involve de-matting its fur, clipping nails, checking ears and paws, wiping and inspecting eyes for infection and checking for injuries. You would do best to allot a day every week for grooming your Chihuahua and on each of those days you could concentrate on one particular aspect of grooming besides combing the fur.
You would also need to have a special grooming box – something like a first aid box – with the following implements: rubber slicker, a quiet blow drier, a soft bristle brush, nail clippers, cotton balls, saline solution, grooming glove, medium toothed comb, dog shampoo and soap, betadine ointment and scrub and a pair of scissors.
You will find all these items available at pet shops or a vet clinic. Ensure that you know how to use all of these implements before you try them out on the dog. Leave nail clipping to the vet if you are not comfortable with it.
Sometimes it will be difficult to clip the nails of the dog even with the utmost patience and precautions when grooming your Chihuahua. But do not fret, because there are two ways to reduce the length of a dog's nails. One is to exercise and the other is by having a professional do the job for you.
There are a few tricks that can help you with grooming your Chihuahua. Ensure that it has eaten recently or just before it wants to settle down for a nap. Have a few treats ready and reward it amply after the clipping session. With time it will associate the clipping session with the snacking and will allow you to clip the nails without any trouble.
If you have a cemented courtyard, you could make your Chihuahua run about ten to fifteen minutes everyday with the help of a ball or a Frisbee. The running should apply enough friction on the nails to file them and you will have lovely short nails without any clipping headaches
Chihuahua grooming hardly takes any time and effort when it comes to brushing and bathing. However, when it is time for nail clipping you could have a major problem on your hands. This article will give some basic Chihuahua grooming tips which can help you care for your pet better.
