When deciding if the Chihuahua is right for you, you should also consider whether you and your family are right for this breed. If you have small children, the answer is likely no. The problem is not that Chihuahua puppies are bad with children. When treated with proper respect, the Chihuahua will integrate into a family with children quite well. It only takes one harsh squeeze by a fascinated little boy or girl, however, for your dog – and possibly your child – to become seriously injured.
A parent needs to exercise extreme caution when allowing interaction between a child and any animal. Being so exceptionally small, Chihuahua puppies are particularly vulnerable to the erratic actions of a toddler or a kindergartener.
Young children, even the best behaved, often lose their balance, throw tantrums, and playfully roughhouse. Any one of these habits could prove disastrous with a 4-pound dog in the house. Young children also have a tendency to move very quickly, leaving a Chihuahua unsure of the child’s intent, and inadvertently causing the dog to react aggressively.
This doesn’t mean that if you are a parent you must rule out the breed; you simply need to make sure the timing is right before introducing a Chihuahua into your home. Older children can easily learn appropriate ways of interacting with this breed. With constant vigilance and dedication to teaching the right habits early, you might find that even somewhat younger children can live peaceably alongside Chihuahua puppies.
Once a Chihuahua is part of your household, every child that enters your home needs to understand the same rules. Even if you think the rules are obvious, they might not be so evident to a child or adult without Chihuahua experience. Your dog depends on you to make his needs clear.
Remember, your Chihuahua may be just as proactive of you as you are of him. While they love their family members to a fault, Chihuahuas are generally suspicious of strangers and might be downright sassy to them. Socialization helps of course, but a mere tolerance of strangers might be the best you can expect from your Chihuahua.
For everyone’s protection you may need to put your dog in his crate or in another room when unexpected company arrives, especially those with small children. You may found that, placing your Chi in her playpen in her bedroom works very well for this purpose.
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