This video shows 2 Chihuahua puppy sisters feeling peaceful and calm. Whether awake or sleeping together, they feel harmonious around each other.
A common perception of Chihuahua is that they can be hyper. Perhaps these 2 are too young or too sleepy to fulfill our expectation. Carlye Jones in The Nest writes about this topic in Chihuahuas and how we can help Chihuahuas feel calm. While it is possible that some Chihuahuas are nervous or hyper perhaps due to heredity, we as owners can actually help them develop calmness. There are several factors to look at.
How to help Chihuahua feel calm
One of these factors is diet. Just like humans, if we don’t have the proper nutrients or not eating when we are hungry, our health will be affected. In the same way, dog food that does not have the nutrition our Chihuahua needs can affect their mood. Since they are small, their blood sugar can have dips because they cannot eat a huge amount of food each time. This blood sugar dip can affect their temperament.
For puppies, we can leave food out. For adults, feed them at least 2 times a day around the same time. Check with your vet on your Chihuahua’s individual needs.
Exercise is another factor. It’s easy to carry a Chihuahua around and keep them inside because they are so small. But they do need their exercise. In fact, letting them run off that energy can help them to calm down.
And the key that Carlye emphasizes is that maybe in our enthusiasm to curb their hyper or nervous behavior, we reinforce it without meaning to. What she suggests is to ignore the unwanted behavior, and reinforce the ones we want. So give them attention only when they act calm, and not when they are acting hyper. This can be difficult because we love them. Socializing them by letting them meet other dogs and people in an atmosphere that feels safe to them can help to reduce anxiety in them when they encounter new people and new dogs in the future. You can read more ideas about this topic here. If you like this video, you might also enjoy this one.
Article source: Carlye Jones in The Nest
