Chiweenies are small dogs thanks to their dachshund and chihuahua parents. But don’t be fooled by their petite bodies. These dogs are highly energetic and make for good watchdogs, especially with the proper training.
These qualities leave many pet lovers wondering, are chiweenies easy to train? No, chiweenies are not easy to train. They can be very stubborn little furballs. They get this stubbornness from their chihuahua side of the family. But chiweenies can still be trained properly, especially if you start training them while they are still puppies.
I have 2 chiweenies myself, and I can say with confidence that with the proper techniques and enough patience, even the most stubborn chiweenies can be trained.
I have also become interested in how to make my 2 chiweenies more manageable, so I have done further research about the trainability of these crossbreeds. Let me share to you what I have found out.
Why is it hard to train chiweenies?
When you are crossbreeding dogs, you can never know for sure what traits the puppies will inherit. But generally speaking, chiweenies inherit more physical traits from dachshunds and more temperament traits from chihuahuas.
Chiweenies can be very stubborn and this is thanks to their stubborn chihuahua parents. They may not listen to you when you are training them, especially when they notice that you are already getting frustrated.
Harsh training methods, such as those that involve punishments, don’t work with chiweenies as well. It’s best to stick to kind training techniques, like those that involve positive reinforcement. But you really need a lot of patience, because chiweenies also have the tendency to lose interest fast.
As if all those things are not problematic enough, chiweenies can also suffer from “small dog syndrome.” This happens when a small dog, such as a chiweenie, would like to assert dominance in your home. Compared to other small dogs, chiweenies have a higher chance of getting this syndrome because their parents, dachshunds and chihuahuas, have the tendency to become dominant dogs too.
In short, chiweenies are hard to train because they are stubborn, don’t cooperate with harsh training methods, and easily lose interest. They also sometimes like to assert dominance over you.
Can chiweenies be trained at all?
Sure, there are a lot of reasons why it’s hard to train chiweenies. But this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to train these crossbreeds. The secret is to start early. You should start training them when they are already eight weeks old.
If you train them early, they will not have a chance to form bad habits that can be hard to let go once they have matured. They will also know your expectations and act accordingly. There are three main aspects your chiweenies should be trained for: potty training, excessive bark training, and socializing.
You should teach your chiweenies proper potty methods for obvious reasons. You should teach them to bark less because their breed tends to bark a lot. And you should teach them to socialize because their breed tends to want to be the center of attention all the time.
Chiweenies are energetic, loyal, and playful dogs. Use these traits to your advantage. Keep training engaging and interesting to take advantage of their energetic and playful nature. Command dominance early so they become more loyal and try to please you by following your orders.
Keep training sessions short too, because chiweenies lose interest fast. Prolonging sessions may prove to be ineffective and a waste of time and effort.
If all else fails, you can always ask for the help of professional dog trainers.
Potty training for chiweenies
Chiweenies are so loving and loyal that they tend to be more attached to one particular owner. You can take advantage of this fact. It’s best if the one doing all the training is the favorite owner of the chiweenies. The dogs are more likely to listen.
Potty training is important because you don’t want your chiweenies to pee or poop inside your home. But remember that they can be very stubborn. Avoid punishing them when you have caught them on the act because they can become uncooperative. Just say no and take them outside.
When taking them outside, make sure you place them on the same spot, so they can associate that spot to potty. You can also choose to use a pad or paper and let them associate those things to potty. Move the pad or paper until it is eventually placed outside.
It also helps if you have a strict feeding and potty schedule. Dogs in general like routine, and this will also make it easier for you to track when your dogs will need to potty. Also be mindful of your dogs’ actions. If they look anxious or go around in circles, it may mean that they need to do their business. Take them outside or to their pad or paper immediately.
Excessive bark training for chiweenies
There are many reasons why chiweenies have the tendency to be excessive barkers. They are energetic dogs and they may see barking as an opportunity to burn energy. They are attention-seeking and jealous dogs and they may also use barking as a way to show you what they feel.
Make your chiweenies bark less by keeping them tired. Also ignore them when they are trying to seek attention or expressing their jealousy. They will soon find out that barking is not effective in getting what they want and stop doing it.
It’s also great to teach your chiweenies the word “Quiet.” Whenever they are excessively barking, say the word “Quiet.” If they stop barking, consider giving them a praise or a small treat. This way, they can associate stopping to bark with good behavior that deserves merit.
Also, don’t always think that excessive barking is a behavioral issue. It can also be a sign of a medical issue. Dogs in general tend to bark when they are not well or when they are feeling pain.
Socialization training for chiweenies
There are a lot of reasons why you should train your chiweenies to be sociable. They are attention seekers and jealous dogs. They have the tendency to be yappy. And they can retaliate when they get hurt.
Chiweenies like to be the center of attention. They don’t really like it when their favorite owners give affection to others. If you let these traits persist within your chiweenies, they become the least ideal dogs for those with children and other pets. The best approach is to acclimatize your chiweenies with the presence of others. Let them feel they are part of a bigger family.
Chiweenies tend to be yappy because of their stubborn chihuahua parents. This can make them good watchdogs, but this can also make them excessive barkers when not trained properly. Desensitize them from strangers that may raise their suspicion, odd sounds that may strike fear within them, and other factors that can make them bark. You can do this by exposing them bit by bit to these factors until they realize that these are not immediate threats.
Chiweenies can also fight back when they get hurt. And hurting them is easy. They have very fragile backs because of their dachshund parents. Make sure to avoid their backs when playing.
Let your chiweenies socialize by letting them be around others. Go to dog parks, meet with people, and let them play with other dogs.
Some tips for training your chiweenies
1. Avoid punishing or scaring them. Physically hurting or yelling at your chiweenies will only render your training methods ineffective, not to mention that these tactics can affect the bond and trust you have with your dogs.
2. Use positive reinforcement. Instead of using hurtful and intimidating tactics, try using positive reinforcement. In this tactic, you reward your chiweenies when they do something good. This will make them more cooperative in training.
3. Give them an irresistible reward. One of the best rewards for your chiweenies’ good behavior is a good dog treat. If your dogs don’t respond well with food rewards, you can try giving them a lot of praise or play a quick game of fetch with them. The important thing is, the reward should be exciting for your chiweenies.
4. Keep training sessions short. Chiweenies lose interest fast, so keep training sessions short. It’s not unheard of to have 5-minute sessions, especially if your dogs are no longer responding properly on longer sessions. Be mindful of your chiweenies’ body language. If they look bored or frustrated, there is no need to prolong sessions.
5. Be consistent. Training is about habit and routine. If you really want well-trained chiweenies, you have to be consistent. Don’t expect them to be well-adjusted dogs with one or two training sessions. It will require a lot of work.
Conclusion
Chiweenies can be very stubborn dogs. They lose interest fast and have the tendency to assert dominance over your home. But don’t give up. These dogs are very trainable, especially if you start training them while they are still puppies.
With discipline, perseverance, and the right training methods, you can make your chiweenies well-adjusted dogs.