Do Chihuahuas Cry? Learn How to Deal With a Crying Chihuahua.
Hardly there can be anything more heartbreaking for a dog owner than a crying puppy. We tend to grand our furry friends with human traits, emotions, and psychological features. Therefore as soon as your Chihuahua puppy starts crying in his or her crate on the very first night, it is pretty natural that you may begin to imagine a poor orphan taken away from his mommy.
Indeed, those cries can get pretty intense, turn into little screams, and won’t leave anyone indifferent. However, it is essential to understand that crying is a natural and normal growing phase for any dog, whether we are talking about a Sheppard or a Chihuahua.
It is a phase both for you and your pet. Passing it correctly will help you build stable lifetime relationships based on mutual trust and respect.
If you are dealing with a crying Chihuahua now or people are warning you about this heartbreaking phase when you just decided to take a puppy, continue reading. In this article, we shall discuss why Chihuahuas cry and whether it is the same thing as a human child’s crying. And, of course, you will learn some essential tips that will help you and your furry friend cope with this phase.
Why Do Chihuahuas Cry?
Chihuahuas are known as the biggest criers in the dogs` community. It mostly happens due to owners` reactions and behavior during the first several episodes of puppy cry. But we shall get down to it later.
First, let’s try to understand why Chihuahuas cry so much, especially during the first several nights in the new home. While human psychology is not applicable for dogs, we may talk about something more humane than instincts and behavior patterns.
Indeed, the first night your Chihuahua puppy will cry for his mother and siblings. However, the reason for those cries is more rational than sentimental. Being a pack animal, your Chihuahua has all the natural survival instincts and understands the value of a pack, even being 8 weeks old. Nothing is more dangerous, scary, or even fatal for a pack animal than being taken from the “family.” The pack is the primary vital resource for a dog. It is food, safety, experience, and communication. Although you are committed to loving and protecting your Chihuahua for as long as you live, at first, the dog will see you as a primary threat, a force that pulled him or her from the pack and exposed them to an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous environment. The good news is that any dog is a creature of habit, and as soon as living with you becomes everyday routine, he or she will start seeing you as the pack, aka the principal value.
However, until you get there, you will have to survive several pretty rough nights. And the way you behave and react during this period of crying and whining will determine your whole future relationships with your Chihuahua.
Technically, a Chihuahua would cry for several reasons:
- Need for attention
- Hunger
- Need to go to the toilet
- Boredom or separation anxiety.
Dogs are highly observant and rational animals. They always look for shortcuts and the easiest way to communicate with owners making them do what a dog needs. So, technically, if your Chihuahua notices that you instantly pay attention, provide affection, pick him or her up or start playing after a dog cries or wines for a while, why would your pet look for another way to communicate? This one seems to be pretty efficient and straightforward.
Therefore, if you fail to deal with a crying Chihuahua puppy correctly from the very beginning, you risk ending up with a dog that has severe behavior issues that can compromise your life quality.
How Do Chihuahuas Cry?
Do dogs cry with tears? Yes and no. Just like us humans, dogs also have tear ducts. And just like with us, tear ducts, and their proper functioning is crucial to keep eyes clean and moist.
However, dogs` tear ducts work a bit differently. Instead of running down the dog’s eyes, tears are supposed to drain into the nasal cavity. Once you see that your Chihuahua’s eyes are full of tears, it can be a symptom of a pretty severe condition – Blocked Tear Ducts.
It can happen due to contaminations, inflammations, or infections. Anyway, as soon as you notice that your Chihuahua is crying with tears, make sure to address the vet immediately. Otherwise, the condition may develop into a severe eye disease that can eventually lead to blindness.
By the way, there is one more reason why your Chihuahua’s eyes may be full of tears. Located close to dusty floors and carpets, flowers in your backyard, or chemicals you might use during clean-ups, your Chi can develop allergies. And tears are one of its primary symptoms.
The bottom line is that dogs are not supposed to cry with tears like people. Once you notice this kind of crying, take your Chihuahua to a vet as soon as possible as you are dealing with a medical, not behavior issue.
How Do I Stop My Chihuahua From Crying?
When you just bought a Chihuahua puppy home, crying in a crate during the first several nights is pretty natural and relatively inevitable. You will need some patience and dedication to deal with it properly and prevent it from developing into a pattern or behavior issue. Once you are dealing with a grown-up dog, the problem may be much more complex. The only way to overcome the point is to determine its source and correct it.
Let’s go over some fundamental steps to help you deal with a crying Chihuahua healthily and adequately.
CRATE TRAINING.
Proper crate training will help you overcome the crying issue and establish perfect order within the pack, preventing numerous other behavior problems that may appear as your puppy grows.
It is crucial to make a crate a positive experience, not punishment or imposed restriction. Never force your Chihuahua into the crate. You should not lock your puppy inside it initially as the dog may feel trapped, get scared, and the crying problem will only worsen.
The best approach to crate training is to stay calm and patient and create positive associations for the Chihuahua. Put his or her favorite toy or a blanket inside the crate. If the crate is located away from your bed at night, it is a good idea to place your shirt or another piece of clothing so the puppy would feel your smell and won’t feel abandoned.
Some experts also recommend putting a clock under the blanket during the first several nights. Ticking will remind your puppy of siblings and relax him.
MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CHIHUAHUA IS FULL AND EMPTY BEFORE BEDTIME.
Most of the time, dogs cry either because they are hungry or due to “nature’s call.” Make sure to feed your Chihuahua before bedtime. If your dog has some digestive issues, ask a vet to suggest the healthiest diet for your puppy. Tummy aches and hunger are usually the most common reasons for the night’s cries.
It is also crucial to take your puppy out right before bedtime. A young dog’s system is not that adjusted, and your puppy may have much shorter periods between potty times.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXCERCISE.
Boredom is another common reason for a crying Chihuahua, especially if you tend to give your Chi some special attention when he or she cries during the day.
Make sure to wear your dog off properly before bedtime. Those may be long walks around the block and enough playtime. A Chihuahua that has just “patrolled” his or her territory learned all the latest news from the fire hydrant and got enough attention during the playtime simply won’t have any energy and reason to cry at night.
YOUR REACTION AND BEHAVIOR WITH A CRYING CHIHUAHUA.
The way you react and behave during those sleepless nights will, in many ways, determine whether the problem will fade away as soon as your Chihuahua grows and adapts, or it will develop into a severe behavior issue.
Although it may seem pretty cold-blooded, most of the time, you should simply ignore a crying puppy; just like children, Chihuahuas tend to check the borders and experiment with behavior at some point. If you come over, take your Chi out of the crate and cuddle with a puppy as soon as he or she starts crying, it will turn into habitual behavior, and you will have to deal with it all the time. On the contrary, keeping a grip for several nights only will make the problem fade away forever.
Conclusion.
However, you must ensure that crying is a behavior issue, not a medical problem, hunger, an expression of physical pain, or any other physiological issue.
Suppose it seems to you that you have done the crate training correctly, feed and take your puppy out before bedtime and provide your Chihuahua enough mental and physical exercise, but he or she still cries. In that case, it is best to take your dog to a vet and conduct a thorough medical examination before addressing the problem as a behavior issue.