Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Hello all, I just got a new chihuahua, and was wondering if there was anyone out there who wanted to give me a little advice or just talk about our chihuahuas. She is only 51/2 weeks old. I love her to death. She is my little angel :angel: . I have already spoiled her rotten and I have only had her 4 days. I also have a yellow lab and he is huge. I see that as being my only problem. He loves her but it still scares me. I would love to hear from someone who has a large dog as well as a little one. I look forward to talking to someone about my baby Bell.[/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 5 and 1/2 weeks...isn't she a bit young to be away from her mom? I thought that small dog were really best off if they stayed with their parents until 8 to 12 weeks old. I have only small dog and I got him when he was 9 years old so I know very little about small dog puppies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 She stopped feeding off the mom at 41/2 weeks. She was not even with her mom anymore. That kind of surprised me. She was with her sister and brother. She already eats puppy food that I soften for her so I guess and hope all is well. She is great and so loving. I have to watch her a lot. It's almost like having another baby. But I love her so much, more then I thought I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xavierandrea Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 :hand: Hi and welcome. You stated that she is 5 1/2 wks old. I personaly think that is too young but I am not here to judge. You stated owning a dog is like having a baby. That is excatly true. My guys are my babies and I love them all.. I don't own a small dog only big ones so I do not have too much advice for you. I know we have a few chihuahua owners here.. MICHELLE from NY advice please...( or at least I think it is Michelle from NY.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I did not know that 51/2 weeks was to young. But I am hearing that a lot. She is doing good, I think that a little more care needs to go into her. She is learning so fast. I got very spoiled with my Yellow lab that is 5 years old. He is the best dog and it didn't take much work at all. He was abused and left on the side of a freeway when he was 3 months old. I got him the day he showed up in the shelter. I could not have asked for a better dog... So I was very nervous getting another one. I hear so many horror stories. I am just so happy I did it. Bj my lab lays on his back and side and plays with her (Bell). I don't think he knows how big he is, but he does get down on her level. I am jsut so scared that he will come around a corner and step on her :cry: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I already replied to your post in the "breeds" section but I guess I'll put it in here..and yes 5 1/2 weeks does sound too young... keep monitoring her to make sure she's healthy...you'll have to take her to the vet a few times for puppy shots anyways so it'll be a good chance for you to ask the vet any questions you may have Also...I'd call the person you got the dog from and ask why she was away from her mother at such a young age. Do you know alot about this breeder? Did you research him/her before you got the dog? On the "breeding" section of dogomania..there is a post sticky that reads "Responsible Dog Breeder" or something like that..check it out to see if the breeder you got your dog from had/did all those things mentioned. Sorry if I'm sounding a bit over the edge, but there are alot of problems with breeders in this world :-? As for your puppy...here's what I posted: I have a Chihuahua and a Pit Bull lol so I don't think you have to worry too much lol. However...if you're introducing a new dog into the family, I would make sure to give attention to both pets equally, so your lab doesn't get jealous and feel as if he/she was tossed aside all of a sudden. Always monitor their time together..make sure you don't leave them alone JUST IN CASE...you never know what might happen. Eventually after awhile...when the Chi is a bit older you can start to trust them a little more when they're together. Also..it is very important to let the lab know that he/she was here first... Even little things like when going out the door...you always have to leave first (as the alpha wolf)...and then the LAB..and THEN the Chi...the lab was here first and therefore the Chi needs to know that. Always give lots of praise to the lab when it is gentle with the Chi and displaying acceptable behaviour around the little guy. Chihuahuas tend to be very dominant dogs at times and are nor afraid of other dogs, regardlness of size... you want to start socializing your Chi as soon as possible with other dogs [b]and[/b] people so it doesn't develop an agression problem from early on...make sure that both dogs have separate food bowls and beds, and decide where the Chi is going to sleep...if the lab sleeps on the floor and the Chi sleeps in your bed, the lab is going to think that this newcomer has become the dominant member and is taking the labs place all of a sudden. My advice is that both dogs sleep on the floor. If you have any more questions feel free to ask us since I may be missing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Kat Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 whoa 5 and a half weeks is certainly too young just to enforce what everyone else has said. A chi baby especially will be very vulnerable to the big bad world. One thing about chis and small breeds like this is that they need very regular feeding little amounts (a spoonful of food whatever you are feeding and some potato will also stand by her) and often, so I would advise about 6 small meals a day to start with for the next few weeks, then down to 4 and so on from then. Little dogs burn off energy very quickly and use all the carbohydrates rapidly that they are fed, so you must ensure regular feeds little and often to ensure your pup doesn't get hypoglycaemic. Good luck and please do give us a shout if you need any advice or help. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 welcome to dogo, can't wait to see pics of your little one.. sorry i just have to add another woah on the fact htat she's only 5 1/2 weeks old andyou've already had hre 4 days.. most pups arent' anywhere ready to leave mom until they are 8 weeks old.. please keep an eye on this little one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pLaurent Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 [quote]so you must ensure regular feeds little and often to ensure your pup doesn't get hypoglycaemic. [/quote] Yes, tiny puppies can only eat tiny amounts, so make sure you feed lots of small meals. I'm sure you already know this, but Chis are very fragile and can be injured so easily. My SIL's 4 year old, 5lb Chi broke his leg just jumping off the bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I can tell when Bell is hungry. I have been feeding her 4 times a day. I have to wet down her food. The challenge is getting her to drink, So I just put a little extra water in her food. She does eat really well. I just don't like the way her back legs shake when she eats. At first I thought she was cold but then I noticed that her back legs were coming off the ground. So I guess that she just needs to find her balance. Does anyone know about that, or the walking backwards thing???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Divine, you took the words right outta my mouth!! the leg shaking is an adverse glucose reaction. when the blood sugar gets too low, the extremities start to shake, and the person/animal gets confused. (I am an insulin dependent diabetic). I recognized the symptoms immediately. You need to take your little Chi up to six meals a day. Also, watch for "spastic" movements. walking backwards, head shaking, limb shaking, extreme lethargy. sleepiness. little urination. all are signs of low blood sugar. the poor little thing needs more food calories. Not your fault, that dog is too young to be away from mom, but now you have to make up the difference. for a short time, up to about 8 weeks, a high carb diet might work better. soften the food with a little milk. Cow milk isnt really good for dogs, but since moms milk is not available, this may help some. it will raise the carb and protein levels a little until he gets a little older. carbs burn fast, protein burns slower. he needs both. 6 meals a day right now is a must. for a little extra carbs, add steamed or boiled white rice. nice and soft. I think you'll find that helps. best of luck with him!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Oh my gosh. I am feeding her 5 times a day... I thought that was enough. I thank all of you for your advice. I will definitely do what all of you said. I love my Bell so much I don't want anything to happen to her. The breeder told me that she was old enough to go home so I took her at her word. I did hear wonderful things about her puppies from our local vet. So I thought all was well. I feel so bad for her at the thought that she could be hurting. I researched chihuahuas for a week before we picked her up and I picked up some nutri-cal just in case. I was giving it to her the first 2 day just in case. I guess I will start doing that again as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 ok then so now does anyone have any advice on how to get her to drink more on her own. I try to trick her, when I put the water in her food to soften it I put a little extra so she will have to drink it down to get to her food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 I am so sorry, those last 2 posts were from me..... I forgot to sign in. Again I thank everyone for helping me. :stupid: :silly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KP Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 The best advice I think anyone could give any person with a small breed, is probably the same advice I've heard Lokipups state a time or two. It is best to treat small breeds the same way you would treat a 150 lb dog. Don't forget the dog has legs. Just because it is small people tend to carry them everywhere and hold them constantly...letting them sit in their lap all the time. This not only causes security issues with the dog, it is also what causes those territorial and dominance issues. People actually train their dogs to be that way without even knowing it.... It sends the dog a false sense of what is really going on because they don't know any better. You walk outside and pick your dog up... this sends the message that there is something you are protecting them from therefore they may be afraid or at least timid. They only know what you convey to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairn6 Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 [b]We got our chihuahua at 6 weeks old from an irresponsible breeder who was going to put her to sleep because she had demodectic mange. So grandma took her from her. How big is your chihuahua? Angel was already 3 lbs when she was 6 weeks old so she is kind of a big chihuahua she ended up being 10lbs. She was the sweetest puppy we ever had. She was always kind. She is actually my grandmother's dog but I spend so much time with her caring for her when she was sick I feel close to her. She is still a very kind dog but is the boss of our other 3 if she needs to be. She herds them around the house and makes sure they get where they need to be. Sometimes they don't agree that is where they need to be but they do it anyway just to get her off their back. :lol: I don't think you will have any trouble with your lab they tend to work these things out. But as was said before keep a close eyes while she is a pup. Angel didn't actually start commanding the other dogs until she was almost 2 so just keep an eye and see how your other dog interacts with her. Oh and also make sure you do what was said before about making sure she doesn't jump off a high places. Angel jumped out of my grandma's arms when she was 6 months old and broke her leg. She had to have surgery to put a metal plate in but as she got older her bones got stronger and now she jumps off a lot of places that I wouldn't think she would be capable of but now she has sense that she didn't as a pup and knows her capabilities a lot more now. Train her and don't let her fall into the stereotype of what a chihuahua is suppose to be like. Most people believe they are all yappy and nippy. They don't have to be train her as you would you large dog. People at the vet are always amazed at how well behaved Angel is this last time they commented that she is better then most larger dogs. I am not sure what that means but they seemed impressed with her. I think you will truly enjoy this little dog.[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 She does sleep in my arms quite a bit but at the same time she will sleep on the floor. I make sure of that. I will lay a blanket down and ignore her for a couple of minutes and the next thing you know she is curled up on the floor. At night she sleeps in a kennel in the bathroom with a pad that she does use. She is so smart. She tries to bite my nose and fingers and after only 4 days she knows "no bit" and she stops. As for eating I was hand feeding her because she would fall head first into the bowl, but I figures out a way to stop that (I think). So now she eats on the floor by herself. When we are outside. I do carry her out there but that is only because there is a big step that she would fall of off. But she goes out front and then follows me to the door. I am very imprested with her. She is only 1 pound so she is very small. My older dog had mange when we rescued him. We took him to the vet the next day and he 3 shots over a period of time and it went away. I was so happy with that. But now he has skin problems. I am having a hard time with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Terra, I dont mean to seem rude, but that breeder that told you it was ok to take her home at 5 1/2 weeks is a nut case. I have never heard of a dog leaving it's mother before at the earliest 7 weeks. 8 is better. that week-2 week stretch is very important in the weaning process. mothers milk is higher in calories, and carries immunity from mother to pup. they need the extra carbs and calories to grow. This is a small dog, they grow faster than large dogs, so she needs her calories and vitamins and carbs now. Big dogs seem to grow faster, beause they get so much bigger as compared to a small dog, but they actually grow much slower. did you increase her carbs? and give her some rice? she doesnt need it with every meal, but I would say 3 out of six, every other one. you can make a big batch in advance, and then put some extra water in it and microwave it to soften it. rice holds water too, so that will help her take in some of the water she needs. are her legs still shaking? poor little girl. stupid breeder....you seem to be taking good care of her. I'm glad to see that. she'll be ok, you just gotta watch her to the 8 week period, then you will probably see some improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Her legs are still shaking but nothing like before. Bell did turn 6 weeks today. I still softening her food with water but then I dump that out and add some milk. I am also giving her the Nutri-Cal. That gives her a boost. I did get her to drink some more water. I just kept putting her in front of the water bowl like every 30 seconds for about 2 minutes so she would keep looking at it and stick her nose in it. Then about 5 minutes later she went back to the bowl and drank on her own. I am doing my best to take care of her. She seams like she is doing fine so far with all of the added things. She is also starting to urinate more. I was worried about that. When she wakes up she gets so happy. I get such a huge kick out of that. This breeder has about 30 dogs. I did see the pens and all that, it looks real clean and well taken care of. But when I went to pick Bell out of the two girls she had they were a little over 4 1/2 weeks old and the mom was already back in the pens and the babies were in the house without mom. Like I said I did check her out through the local vet and he had nothing but good things to say about her. So I thought she was ok. "If I new then what I know now". But I would not giver her back for the world, SHE WAS MEANT TO BE MINE.... My :lilangel: . I will be doing the rice today. I have heard about that. Using it when dogs are sick. I gave it to Bj my lab one time with meat or broth, it was so long ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Kat Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 just a quick query: did you get kc registration papers with your puppy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Bell is eating great. She eats all of her food every time I feed her. She did not want to drink, but today she has been at her bowl quite a bit. So that is much better. She now knows to use the wee wee pads if we don't get her outside in time. I am so proud of her. The Nutri-Cal has done wonders. She was up running around for at least 45 min. today, and many times in-between naps. She does sleep a lot. But I think that is just puppy. I don't know what check KC registration papers with my puppy means. Could someone please fill me in on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Mei-Mei is absolutely correct. I was so concerned with getting her fed, and getting her blood sugar normal, that I forgot that. Thanks Mei. The first 8 weeks of their life is "reserved" for learning to be a dog. from mom. and siblings. After that, they need to be socialized with people, so they can be well rounded pupsters when they grow up. you have another dog there she can possibly learn doggie stuff from, and that's good. my hound is an excellent example. She was raised in a pack, hunted fox. The club frowns on contact with people, wants them to bond with the pack instead. so at 6 they retired her, with no people social skills. I have spent a year socializing her to people. your job will be easier. she's a puppy, she will socialize easier at this stage. but she needs "doggie" skills too. Your lab will probably help there, they tend to be laid back and sociable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairn6 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 [b]I forgot to say that if you have any trouble with her drinking again you can use a little dropper. I remembered earlier while thinking about your little dog that Angel had a time in the very beginning when she didn't want to drink so I just squirted some in her mouth every now and then. Also I had to hand feed her for a bit in the beginning. About that breeder she should never be aloud to breed dogs it's probably good you got your little Bell because your doing such a good job with her because she would have sold the dog to someone else who might not have taken such good care of her. [/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Wow, I never new that about a dog. I thought it was just something they came by naturally. But now that I think about it, there are some things that Bell will wait for Bj to do. She will watch him and then attempt it her self. Thank you so much for telling me I am doing a good job :D I have been trying so hard and spending all of my time watching her to make sure she does not get stepped on or fall off of something. And making sure she is drinking, eating, and with energy. I wouldn't give back a second. She is so wonderful. And don't worry I could not have a spoiled rotten dog..... So I am doing my best to make sure she is spoiled but not rotten. :lol: The breeder did say that she is registered. I pick up the papers in a couple of days from her. I will be sure to ask her why she lets her dogs go at 5 weeks. I have just heard so many bad things now, I am just so grate ful that she is healthy, and pray that she stays that way. I have only had her for a short time but she is part of my heart. :iloveyou: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 as well she should be! you are showing remarkable responsibility with your :lilangel: !!! I am really glad you got her, and not someone else!! :wink: :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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