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30/09/2026

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“They’re only little.”

I think those three words explain quite a lot about how Chihuahuas are treated.

Their barking gets laughed at. Their growling gets called attitude. Their attempts to move away are easily overridden because we can simply pick them up.

And training? Well, they’re only little. How much trouble can they really cause?

But I’m interested in more than how much trouble a dog can cause. I’m interested in what life feels like for that dog.

A Chihuahua who feels the need to bark at every noise, worry about approaching people or defend themselves when someone reaches for them isn’t finding those situations easy. Being small doesn’t make those feelings smaller.

If anything, being little means they have less control over what happens to them. People can scoop them up, move them, hold them still and bring them face to face with someone they would rather avoid. Often with the best intentions, but without giving the dog much choice.

Then, when they object, we call them feisty.

I love the personality of Chihuahuas. But I think we sometimes confuse personality with a dog trying very hard to be heard.

“They don’t like strangers.”
“They’re just bossy.”
“That’s what Chihuahuas are like.”

Once we accept those explanations, it becomes easy to overlook the possibility that the dog is worried, overwhelmed or needs some help.

This is why I feel so strongly about training and behaviour support for small dogs. It gives us ways to build confidence, help them feel safer and make everyday life easier for them. It also helps us understand when they need space rather than more pressure.

I’d like us to take a Chihuahua’s feelings as seriously as we would those of a much larger dog. To respect their attempts to say no, rather than wait until they feel they have to shout it.

They’re only little. That should be a reason to be more thoughtful about their experience of the world.

Have you ever had someone dismiss your Chihuahua’s worries because of their size?

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