Cricket is a long-haired Chihuahua and is a rescue dog. A year ago she did not trust anyone, was quick to bite, never wagged her tail and was under weight. We know nothing of her history as she was turned into the pound with no information. She was considered "unadoptable" because of her disposition. I am rather sure that she had been abused…she would stiffen and try to bite when lifted up and would flinch whenever approached. I decided to try to work with her.

Cricket was easily the worst dog I had tried to rehabilitate—she would snap with little or no warning. I spent a couple of weeks studying her habits and trying to figure her out. Then I set out a "game plan". The first order of business was to gain some control, the second was to gain trust. If she snapped (I decided to ignore the almost constant growling for the time being) I would grab her by the scruff and gently, softly, but firmly say "NO". I made an effort (albeit a careful one!) to make sure she was cuddled and petted a great deal—I had a feeling that it was a viscous circle in her life…they hit her, she growled or snapped, then when they tried to pet her she growled, they hit etc. She did not seem to know how to take the petting, it confused her. Each evening, I would cradle her in my arms, on her back (a submissive posture), while talking gently to her. At first this would send her into a growling spasm and she would try to snap. Luckily she was small and I could hold her safely there –we would do this for about 15 minutes a night.

After about 4 months she had improved a great deal. The snapping had subsided considerably, she seemed more trusting. At this point I instituted the "no growl" policy—it was time to eliminate that habit. Just as I did with the snapping, I would grab her scruff and say "no growl". I would do the nightly roll-over, also with the "no growl" caveat.

A year has passed and Cricket has turned into a loving little dog. She is my constant companion, sleeps beside me at night and does a "happy dance" when I arrive home in the evening. It is such a rewarding feeling knowing that this little creature was saved from a life of misery, and most likely, death. It takes tremendous patience and love, but the rewards are well worth the effort!! The first day that I came home and she actually wagged her tail brought tears to my eyes!

As for the breed in general, Chihuahua’s are a marvelously intuitive breed. They are great pets and sensitive companions. They are not, however, a good choice for a home with small children as they are tiny and cannot handle rough treatment. There is a large variant seen in temperament due to much over breeding –they are commonly found in puppy mills.

For more information about Chihuahuas:

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