The First Day
In the excitement of bringing home a new puppy, many owners can't contain their enthusiasm, and they cart the puppy around from house to house to show her off. Or they invite everyone they know to come over and visit with the new addition to the family.
Visitors
Chihuahua puppies are incredibly cute. It virtually goes without saying that everyone will want to see your new little Chi, marvel at her size, adore her unique personality and intelligence, beg to hold her, and generally make a big fuss. That's just a part of the life Chihuahuas are destined to bear. It is not, however, a good idea to subject your puppy to all this attention on her very first day.
Dropping by friends' houses to introduce your puppy could subject her to contagious viruses and bacteria. Puppies are most susceptible to disease until they have finished their series of puppy vaccinations.
If you must take your puppy to visit someone who has unvaccinated animals — a potential source of disease — do not allow your pup to play on the floor or on the ground. These surfaces harbor diseases and are also the area that a small, low-to-the-ground puppy comes in contact with the most.
Inviting people (no dogs) to drop by the house to see your new puppy provides a safer scenario for your pup; however, there's another problem. Puppies need their rest. With people constantly coming in and out of your home to meet and greet the puppy your pup won't get the rest she needs. If at all possible, try to spend the first few days with your puppy in a relaxed, calm, and protected environment. Allow her to fall into the day's routines, and then invite folks over when you know your puppy will be rested and ready for play.
Crates
You'll want to provide your Chi puppy with an escape — a safe haven she can retreat to when she's tired or when she's simply had enough excitement for the day. Keep a crate in the room with the door open, comfortable bedding inside, and a favorite toy or chew. This is the crate you'll use when you can't keep your eye on your puppy or have to devote your full attention to something else.
Isn't it cruel to keep a dog in a crate?
A crate is the safest place your young Chi can be if you must leave the house or are at home but can't keep your eyes on her. It is also a terrific tool to help with housetraining. Crating only becomes cruel if the space is cramped, soiled, or used in excess. It is generally recommended that puppies not be crated for more than ten hours total during every twenty-four-hour period, and this includes the hours that she is kept crated during the night.
Protecting Your Spaces
You'll want your Chi to be able to explore her new surroundings; however, unless you want to get a bad start on her housetraining, keep her explorations limited to one room. Use baby gates or puppy gates to block off access to other rooms, or set up a playpen in a room with an easy-to-clean floor, such as the surfaces found in most kitchens or breakfast areas. And, allow her to relieve herself frequently — at least every two hours and more often if she is playing hard.
Spread a selection of toys and safe chew items around the floor for your puppy to play with. Sit on the floor with her and spend time petting her, rubbing her, and getting to know her. When she begins to tire — or when you know she should be tired — allow her to rest.
Eating and Sleeping
Be mindful, too, of her feeding times (don't miss any!) and closely monitor how much she is actually eating at each meal. Chihuahua puppies are known for forgetting to eat; they will play until they crash and sleep. Exceptionally small puppies — and those pups that just seem prone to the condition — can become hypoglycemic.
Hypoglycemia is a sudden drop in the level of sugar in the blood. (This is the same condition a diabetic may suffer from if he receives too great an injection of insulin.) Symptoms of hypoglycemia include sudden weakness, lethargy, tremors, and seizures. If left untreated, the puppy will become unconscious and could die.
Talk to your veterinarian and your breeder as to the best way to be prepared to respond to a hypoglycemic episode. Honey corn syrup, or jelly rubbed on your pup's gums will provide a quick, absorbable source of sugar; however, your veterinarian may ask you to keep a high-sugar supplement, such as Nutrical or Nutristat, at the ready.
At first, your Chi could be a little wary of this new place, but after a while he or she will get comfortable and become the king (or queen) of the castle.
