Chihuahua’s have been quite the “trendy” breed of little dogs long before Paris Hilton started carrying around her Chihuahua Tinkerbell. The history of the Chihuahua dates back as early to the Mayan times. Their quirky and entertaining personalities make their owner’s fall in love with this little dog.

The Chihuahua descends from “Techichi”, which was a small canine that dates back to the Mayan time (5thcentury A.D.) Later, the Toltec’s who eventually conquered the Mayans, are believed to have domesticated the “Techichi”, and brought this little furry companion into their home as a pet. They also used the canines for religious purposes. Later, when the Aztecs became the ruling class in Mexico, they used the dogs for the same purposes. There is a good amount of historical evidence that has helped us learn about the Chihuahua’s fascinating history. There is a collection of writing and depictions on the tombs, pyramids, and temples of the Aztec,

The Cholula Pyramid in Mexico

Mayan, and Toltec society. Christopher Columbus also provided historical evidence of the little dog through his letters to the King of Spain. The Chihuahua that we are familiar with today was discovered in Chihuahua, Mexico around 1850. One of the most significant historical artifacts of the dog comes from the stone carvings found around Mexico City, illustrating the small breed. The Great Pyramid of Cholula is also known to have depictions of the tiny pooch.

Every breed has distinctive characteristics and behavior that makes each breed unique. The Chihuahua is best suited for smaller households because of their small stature, and demeanor.  For people living in small apartments, and do not have the amenity of a backyard, the Chihuahua proves to be a good fit. Even though these dogs might appear to be easier to maintain than large breeds, you might want to reconsider. In many cases, smaller dogs, especially when it comes to Chihuahuas, have a problem with urinating and defecating in your home. This is even more apparent when temperatures are colder and wet outside, since Chihuahua’s can’t stand to be cold. On many occasions you might have observed a Chihuahua shaking or shivering, and there are a few reasons behind this. Of course like any dog, this may be brought on by nervousness, fear, or sheer excitement. But, Hypoglycemia or low blood pressure is quite common among these dogs.  Chihuahua’s love warmer temperatures, in fact it is quite familiar to find them nestled under a pile of blankets, or basking in the sun. If you have an issue with your Chihuahua peeing on your carpet, this is mainly due to a lack in potty training your dog at an early age, or they are not being let outside enough. Also, sometimes teaching your dog to go to the bathroom on puppy pads can potentially end up working against you in the long run.

If the urine on your carpet is not entirely picked up, do not be surprised if your dog continues to mark their territory in that same exact spot. It is very important to make sure you clean up the soiled area promptly and proficiently. When dog’s mark their territory, it is definitely an instinctive behavior. Although we find dog urine nasty and unpleasant, it’s quite interesting to dogs. A dog leaves its scent in its urine, which communicates a message to other dogs sniffing the area. Dogs use urine to show signs of dominance and what belongs to them.  Dogs can leave a message which implies, “Hey this is my spot!”, advertise mating availability, or social order. Sometimes dogs with separation anxiety or insecurity will mark their territory to help boost their confidence level.  Many times when dogs are spayed or neutered, this greatly reduces the chances of your dog pottying inside your home. Some people believe that it’s only male dogs that act upon “marking their territory”, but female dogs are just as likely contrary to belief.

There are several tips that can help prevent your dog from peeing inside your home.

–          Neuter or spay your canine, this will definitely deter your pet from lifting his leg in your house.

To reduce the risk of "accidents", neuter or spay your dog.

–          Start potty training your puppy as early as you can.

–          Your dog needs to know what is right and wrong. When they pee outside, make sure to give them praise (a treat works great in these cases). Supervise! Try to catch your dog in the act of peeing on the carpet, so you can correct it and immediately break the habit. Dogs are extremely intelligent creatures, and you will be astonished with how quickly they will learn from this development.

–          Always supervise your dog when you are home, confine your dog to one area of the house where you are at. Shut any bedroom doors, or create a barrier using a pet gate/baby gate.

How to Properly Pick Up Pet Urine

If you use the correct method to pick up pet urine, this can literally help save your carpet. Also, clean up the mess as soon as you possibly can! The key factor in this technique is all about the extraction.

What you will need:

–          Distilled white vinegar

–          Water

–          Spray bottle

–          Clean white cloths/towels

–          Bowl or cup of clean, cold water

 

  1. In a spray bottle pour water, and 4-5 capfuls of the distilled white vinegar. Gently shake the bottle to mix the 2 ingredients.
  2. Before you start spraying anything onto the stain, take a clean white cloth and extract the urine. Use a firm blotting and lifting motion, and keep moving the cloth to a fresh piece of towel once a good amount of urine soaks up (You do not want to press urine back into the carpet fibers). The key is to get as much of the urine up you possibly can before spraying the white distilled vinegar solution.
  3. Take your spray bottle and put the nozzle againstthe carpet and spray a good amount over the stain. You want to solution to fall down to the carpet pad, since this is where bacteria like to harbor. If bacteria still remains in the area, this is what causes disgusting, and foul odors.

Step 3

  • Allow the solution to sit for a minute or two. Next, taking a new clean cloth, extract the cleaning solution up from the carpet.
  • After treating with the solution, now you need to perform the “rinse” process. The white distilled vinegar mixture needs to be extracted. Have a bowl or cup of cold clean water ready to pour over the treated area.
  • Now, use the same extraction process to soak up the water from your carpet.
  • Allow ample drying time for your carpets.

    • If you follow this clean up procedure meticulously, you can’t go wrong.

    Although Chihuahua’s may need a little extra attention regarding potty training issues, with patience and expert knowledge, you can triumph over pet urine and odor in your home. Dogs are man’s best friend and have evolved over time to become a part of the family. “His name is not wild dog anymore, but the first friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always.” – Rudyard Kipling

    “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” -Roger Caras