Dog Clothes & Dog Accessories - Tiny Dog Clothes for Small & Teacup Furbabies

Fact #1 - Same Sex Dominance Problems

When you put two dogs of the same sex together in your home, there is always a risk that they will not be able to get along. Sometimes they will fight, and it can be severe. It's important to realize this is usually not a temperament problem with either of the dogs. This is nature taking its course. Dogs are much more the victims of their own instincts than humans are. Human siblings usually can work things out with reason and they can learn that they have to get along. Dogs are not capable of that kind of reasoning. They will largely do what their instincts drive them to do. You can go a long way toward solving the problem if you first realize and accept that fact. Second, you should never ever put two dogs in a position of having to compete for food. That includes their meals, their treats, toys that are edible, and any toy they jealously guard (to the dogs, apparently a lot of non-edible toys still have food "value," judging from how they behave). Remove all those items whenever you are going to have the dogs together. When you are going to give them any of those things, physically separate them. Don't expect them to share these things. They were not wired to do that. Dogs will fight over food and edible toys where they would never fight over anything else. Jealousy isn’t a word when it comes to dogs. They need to know that there is plenty of everything they need for the number of dogs using those resources. Otherwise, in nature, they would drive some dogs away to form a new pack. But they can't do that in your home. So, for example, any toys they don't fight over, you need to have plenty of those toys if you're going to be able to safely leave them available to the dogs when they are together. Your attention is an important resource too. Each dog needs time with you every day away from the other dog.

Fact #2 - Dressing Your Dog

There are a few things to consider when trying to dress your dog appropriately. The body temperature of humans is 98.6 & dogs are between 101 & 102 degrees, so when we are cold we tend to think that our little dogs are cold too. They are not. If it is winter & the dog is inside the home, don’t dress it with very heavy clothing because we might be cold. Sweaters or fleece shirts will do just fine if the home is not too warm. Over dressing or under dressing your dog is not good either. The same applies for summer. A light cotton shirt or tank top will do just fine for them. All tiny or small breed dogs are low to the ground & that makes them lose more body heat easier so dressing for the outdoors is necessary but not the same as when the dog is indoors. Little dogs like to keep warm & the 4 legged outfits also do well to keep their little legs warm too.

Fact #3 - Dental Issues

Did you know that puppy teeth occasionally fail to fall out before they get there adult teeth? If the baby teeth do not come out by themselves by the time they are 6 months old or by the time they get spayed or neutered then they need to be pulled out because they take up the same space where the adult teeth want to come through which in turn will make the teeth in your dog’s mouth out of alignment & not good for the dog to eat & also builds up more decay causing the teeth to fall out sooner.

Fact #4 - Naming Your Dog

When coming up with a name for your dog 1 or 2 syllables are the best. Dogs don’t normally hear more then that many syllables anyway so keep it simple & don’t name them something that sounds similar to a negative word, for an example: Joe which could be misunderstood as the word No. Dogs can’t decipher between the two sounds so they will take it as a negative word.

Fact #5 - Collar vs. Harness (vest harness or strap harness)

I think that the best collar for a Chihuahua or any tiny breed dog but mostly the Chihuahua & Yorkies is the harness. The Chihuahua is a delicate little small dog, although he or she may display a 'big dog' attitude. It is easy for a collar around his neck to cause his/her trachea to collapse or damage his or her neck. The harness equalizes the restraint on the dog and is a much better choice, whether you are just going in the back yard, or across the neighborhood. Collars are wonderful for just around the house to keep tags on or out in a fenced in yard.

Fact #6 - The Malera (Soft Spot)

Young Chihuahuas have a soft spot on their head that must be watched carefully and not allowed to be injured. This is referred to as the open fontanel (molera).Larger Chihuahuas normally lose this open spot when they reach adulthood but some never close completely. Other common disorders of all tiny breed dogs include weak knee or patellar luxation (dislocation of the knee cap), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Don't be alarmed though, some Chihuahuas have also been known to perform reverse coughing. This really scared me when my Chihuahua first did this. It's basically that the palate sticks together in the back or is soft and keeps the dog from breathing well, so the dog clears its throat and opens the air path.

Fact #7 - Feeling Secure

One of a Chihuahuas most noticed traits is its determination to burrow under blankets, sheets, pillows, etc. & most anything soft so that it can get warm. This is quite normal and common. Many owners will also notice that their Chihuahua will also sleep snuggled up against them to help keep them warm on the coldest nights. It's actually a mutual benefit if you are the one who will let a little dog sleep at the base of your bed or snuggled against your legs. Most tiny dogs are nervous by nature. Nervousness can make the small dog shiver or appear to shake, as if it is cold. However, the Chihuahua is a very small dog, making it even more nervous than most, plus, because of its small size, it does get cold much faster. It likes to stay under some soft cover. By providing it with either a warm bed with a blanket, a sleeping bag made of fleece is a wonderful choice & it can be on the couch or bed with you so he/she can feel the security of being by your side.

Fact #8 - Lifespan For Tiny Dogs

Some report that the average lifespan of a Chihuahua is 10-18 years. Small dogs do have the longest lifespan. There are many factors that go into guessing an average lifespan. The life span is closer to 15 years. If a dog is well cared for and the dog remains healthy, it should live at least 10 years. This is based on the thought that this pet is an average sized Chihuahua. Very tiny Chihuahuas seem to have a decreased lifespan.

Fact #9 - Teacup Myth

Have you heard these phrases? Teacup Chihuahuas, Miniature Chihuahuas, Pocket Chihuahuas. Some breeders use these cutesy phrases as "marketing terms" for the different weights that Chihuahuas come in. All of these phrases are made-up. There is only ONE Chihuahua breed. They do come in two COAT varieties (smooth and longhaired), but not in different weight varieties. For show purposes, they should be 2 to 6 pounds, but many Chihuahuas go up to 10 or 12 pounds. Whatever their weight, they are simply called Chihuahua

Fact #10 - Health Problems

I do not recommend a Chihuahua under 3 or 4 pounds. These individuals are great risks in the health department. Their bones are extremely fragile. There is not enough room in their mouth for healthy teeth. Their internal organs are often weak and can fail suddenly. They tend to have great difficulty regulating their blood sugar and can go into hypoglycemic shocks and comas. To make matters worse, some breeders deliberately breed these high-risk Chihuahuas and charge outrageous prices. There are breeders on the internet right now charging $1000 or $1500 for "teacup Chihuahuas." Don't be taken by these irresponsible people. Stick with Chihuahuas who will mature at 3 pounds and up (these will weigh at least 2-3 pounds at 10-12 weeks old.) And don't pay such ridiculous prices for any Chihuahua

Fact #11 - Housebreaking

All tiny breed dogs especially Chihuahuas or Yorkies have very tiny bladders & need to go more frequently. If you work or are gone for many hours, litter box training works best especially for really tiny dogs such as Chihuahuas, Maltese, and Yorkshire Terriers. A litter box is more natural for females and neutered males who don't lift their legs. You can put pee pads or newspaper in the box & it is easy to change. If you let you tiny dog roam free around the house until it is trained it will use your house as a bathroom. It is a fact that the tiny breed dogs especially Chihuahuas are very difficult to housebreak. You must confine your dog until it is either outdoor trained or littler box trained. Either way they can still have accidents or if the weather is not to their liking they will go in the house that is why it is best if you are having problems to do both methods. Some go indoors only in the winter or if it is raining. If you live in a very cold climate sometimes impossible for them to go outside so this is the best solution but you will still probably have occasional accidents. Be patient. That is what you deal with when you have very tiny breeds of dogs. You love them anyway.

Fact #12 - The Terrible Ones

Small breed dogs like the Chihuahua, Yorkie, Maltese etc. mature very fast. By the time they are 9 months old they are considered adults where as a large breed usually takes 1 ½ -2 years to mature. Remember though that by the time a little dog is about 1 year they go through the rebellious stage as if all the training you have done will seem to be undone. They may start to potty in the house too. They may not listen to you as well as you like. They seem to though what I call the brain damage stage where you will have these battles with them but be patient it will pass, usually around 2 years old then they go back to their normal selves.