The Chiweenie is such an interesting crossbreed because of its characteristics. Sure, you will never know what characteristics you will get when you crossbreed dogs, but generally speaking, the chiweenie as a crossbreed of the dachshund and the chihuahua has the physical traits of a dachshund and the temperament of a chihuahua.
This answers the question whether chiweenies bark a lot. Yes, chiweenies tend to bark a lot because they are high-energy dogs like their chihuahua parents. But like other dog breeds that bark a lot, they can be trained to minimize barking.
As the owner of 2 chiweenies, I can confidently tell you that this crossbreed is well worth the effort to train. They can be very loyal and sweet pets that will light up your home. I have researched further regarding chiweenies and their tendencies to bark, and these are the things that I have found out.
The Temperament of Chiweenies
First, let’s examine the temperament of typical chiweenies. Then we will look at how these traits affect the chiweenies’ tendencies to bark.
Chiweenies are highly energetic
Don’t let their small size fool you. Chiweenies are packed with energy. These dogs will prefer a wild game of fetch over a mild session of cuddling. But this doesn’t mean that chiweenies prefer being active all the time. They can easily switch from being active around your living room to being passive in the lap of their owners.
Chiweenies like to be the center of attention
Chiweenies like to be in the spotlight. They may not be the best crossbreeds for homes with small children and other pets. But this doesn’t mean that you should completely dismiss chiweenies. You can still get chiweenies for your home. With enough time with others, chiweenies can be very accepting and social.
Chiweenies have the tendency to be jealous
Because chiweenies like being the center of attention, they have the tendency to be jealous when they see their owners giving attention to others. Chiweenies really like love and attention, especially when they are still puppies. They also tend to have favorites. They will feel more attached to one particular person in the household, and their tendency to be jealous is more significant when it comes to this person.
How the Temperament of Chiweenies Affect Their Tendency to Bark
Chiweenies are highly energetic, like to be the center of attention, and have the tendency to be jealous. These traits are some of the most common reasons why chiweenies bark.
Chiweenies may release their excess energy by barking
As highly energetic dogs, chiweenies will need a lot of opportunities to burn off all their excess energy. If you don’t give them these opportunities, they will make the opportunities themselves. And sometimes these opportunities are annoying and inconvenient, such as excessive barking.
Tire your dogs out as much as possible. If they are exhausted, they wouldn’t even think about doing physically tiring activities.
Chiweenies may try to get your attention by barking
As dogs who like being the center of attention, chiweenies will try to get your attention by barking. They may want to cuddle. They may want to play. Or they may even just want you to acknowledge their existence.
Just ignore them. Soon enough, they will realize that what they are doing is ineffective, so they will stop doing it.
Chiweenies may express their jealousy by barking
You cuddling with your spouse or your children don’t always sit well with your chiweenies. They like to be in the spotlight. They want to be the only ones who get all the cuddling. As a way to tell you that they are getting jealous, they will bark at you. This is especially true if you are their favorite owner.
Again, just ignore them. In time, they will realize that you do become affectionate with others and there is nothing they can do about it.
Other Reasons Why Chiweenies Bark
Maybe your chiweenies are snowflakes. They don’t have excess energy, don’t like attention, and don’t become jealous. But this doesn’t mean that they will not bark. There are other reasons why chiweenies could bark, such as the following:
- Excitement. Dogs are just like children. They may show their excitement by being noisy. It’s not surprising to see your chiweenies barking because of their excitement.
- Fear. Dogs tend to bark when they are scared. Sometimes, they still bark even when they are trying to hide from whatever it is that is scaring them. Scared chiweenies bark too, and sometimes, the barks sound like cries, especially when they are still puppies.
- Loneliness. Dogs become anxious and stressed when they are lonely. They tend to express their anxiety and stress through barking. Chiweenies can be lonely when you leave them alone for too long or if you don’t give them a lot of attention.
- Threat. Dogs tend to bark when they feel threatened. Chiweenies are small dogs, so it’s easy to imagine how they can easily feel threatened. This isn’t all-bad. This can also mean that chiweenies can be good watchdogs.
Things You Can Do to Make Chiweenies Bark Less Often
Train them while they are young
Indeed, chiweenies get a lot of their personality traits from their chihuahua side of the family. Another personality trait they have acquired from their chihuahua parents is their tendency to be stubborn.
It’s best to train chiweenies to bark less often while they are still young. This way, you can instill proper decorum and expectations to your dogs early. That’s better than trying to change bad habits of dogs that are already fully matured.
Silence your chiweenies when they are barking on occasions where you don’t want them barking. Make sure to give them a reward for complying. Giving them a reward will increase their chances of complying in the future.
Give them avenues to release their excess energy
Chiweenies are highly energetic dogs. If you don’t give them opportunities to release their excess energy, they may rely on things that can be inconveniences to you, such as excessive barking.
Let them roam free around your home or build them a playpen. Because of their size, they wouldn’t need an extremely large playpen to be satisfied. A playpen big enough for them to run a little will be enough. You can also play with them or take them to walks to bond with them.
Burning energy is not just about bonding and preventing excessive barking. Chiweenies have a high risk of getting obese. Burning energy will reduce the risk of your chiweenies getting too fat.
Don’t mind them if they are trying to get your attention through barking
Chiweenies can bark or paw you when they are trying to get your attention. If you give in, it will only tell your chiweenies that the barking and pawing are effective. They will not hesitate to do it again whenever they want to get your attention.
This will put you in an endless cycle. Your chiweenies bark or paw at you, so you give them attention, so they stop. Now they bark and paw at you constantly because these things get them what they want.
Break the cycle by ignoring your chiweenies when they are trying to get your attention. Soon enough, they will realize that what they are doing is not producing results, so they will stop.
Reassure them by cuddling and playing with them
Chiweenies can be very jealous to others who are close to you, such as your spouse, children, and other pets. They will bark excessively to show their frustration.
Again, the best way to combat this is to ignore your chiweenies. They will stop when they realize that barking doesn’t help their cause. But this doesn’t mean you should just completely ignore your chiweenies.
Reassure your chiweenies that they are in your heart. Put them in your lap and cuddle with them. Take them outside and walk with them. Your chiweenies will appreciate the effort. They can also become more understanding when you are giving attention to others, as long as you are also giving attention to them.
Conclusion
Chiweenies are crossbreeds of dachshunds and chihuahuas. Yes, they do tend to bark a lot. And this is all thanks to their chihuahua side of the family. Chiweenies are energetic, like to be the center of attention, and have the tendency to be jealous.
To make your chiweenies bark less often, give them avenues to release their excess energy. Also ignore them when they are trying to get your attention or trying to express their jealousy through barking. But at the same time, reassure them that you still care about them. It just so happens that you also become affectionate to others.