Chihuahuas are terribly cute and appealing little dogs. They are hardy and resilient in many ways and are often a lot of dog in a little bitty package. Like all toy dogs, however, they are subject to poor handling practices.When handled badly, they can become defensive and aggressive. When spoiled they are prone to guarding from the lap and can become very unpleasant to live with. Handled well, most are delightful pets that enjoy being with people and fit in well with families.

Here’s the problem. They are already so popular that thousands, even in our local area, are in shelters and have no homes. Many of these have suffered from neglect in their previous homes-which happens when a breed or type of dog becomes popular and people get them without thinking about the reality of keeping a dog.

We hope that people who consider a Chihuahua as a companion will do their research into the proper management, care and training of small dogs and understand that they are getting a dog, not a toy, and that a small dog requires all the care and effort that that a big dog does.

We further encourage anyone wanting a Chihuahua to visit local animal shelters and select a dog from the many available that need good homes.