Are Chihuahuas smart, or are they just sassy and hard to train?

Chihuahuas are very loyal to their people! In fact, since Chihuahuas seem to consider themselves humans and not dogs, they seem to be exceptionally loyal to the humans they live with. For more facts and characteristics about Chihuahuas, visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/chihuahua

Chihuahuas are, by nature, noisy little guys. It's likely that they evolved to become excessive barkers because their small size makes barking one of the few ways they can gain attention. For more facts and characteristics about Chihuahuas, visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/chihuahua

Chihuahuas are loving devoted dogs when properly trained. They can be protective, and aggressive if spoiled, not socialized or have not had obedience training. I would not recommend this breed for a new dog owner or in a house with small children, since they often will bite and can be stubborn. They also can have some medical issues such as luxating patellas and sometimes back problems. One of the best personality small dogs is a Shih Tzu. They are great family dogs, are affectionate and live a long time. They do need to be groomed though to keep the coat from matting. Many people clip them to keep the fur short and manageable. I'm glad you are researching dog breeds before you get a dog to make sure it is a good match. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Labrador Retrievers are an intelligent breed, but they can also be quite "goofy," so you might not recognize their intelligence right off the bat. However, they are highly trainable, and excel at a number of sports and training games because of it. For more facts and characteristics about Labradors, visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/labrador-retriever

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Chihuahuas can be great pets! They tend to be a little anxious about their feet and mouths sometimes, so diligent practice at home is very helpful to the veterinary team. (Of course some chihuahua's could care less and are happy to see us!) From a medical standpoint, I will note that they are prone to significant dental disease. Usually from age 2 or 3 on, they will need a professional, anesthetised dental cleaning with the veterinarian every 9-12 months. The only exceptions I have seen to this are the chihuahuas whose teeth are brushed 4-6 times weekly. If you can commit to that, you can save yourself the frequent dental cleanings. Chihuahua's may be slightly more prone to heart murmurs later in life, though this infrequently causes a problem. Otherwise, they tend to be very healthy, long-lived dogs (I would estimate my average chihuahua patient lives to about 14) and are a great choice! Best wishes to you and your fur family!

Pit Bulls are very smart, and very anxious to please, and these qualities together makes then very trainable. However, they do seem to have something of a strong will, so they do best with strong leadership and focused training.

Golden Retrievers are very smart! They love pleasing their people, and they are intelligent, making them one of the most trainable breeds out there. To learn more about Golden Retrievers, I suggest you visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/golden-retriever

Clicker training is an effective way of training your dog to not only come when called, but can be used to teach a variety of tricks and tasks. Have treats on hand that you know she loves, then simply click and treat. She will come to associate the sound with getting a treat. Start putting distance between you so she has to come to you. Call and click and when she comes to you for that treat, treat him and give him lots of praise. Move to hiding somewhere in the house, call and click. When she comes to you reliably inside when you call, click and treat. When this behavior is consistent, move outdoors with a very long leash. Call and click, if she doesn't respond, give a light tug on the leash. If she takes even a single step toward you, click, treat and lots of praise. Keep doing this until she comes eagerly. Next, try him off-leash in a securely fenced area. Call and click. At this point she should be responding well and coming easily to the call and click. If she does not, go back

It would be best to consult a dog behaviorist, this isn't an issue that can be easily solved, especially as Chihuahuas in general tend to do that a lot but with the right professional guiding you in person it is possible.

That is hard to predict and the best thing is to observe the dog now to evaluate her personality. If she shows any signs of aggression or dominance than it may be a problem. If you don't notice any concerning behavior now than aggression may never be an issue, especially if the dog is properly socialized. If they decide to get the dog than enrolling her in obedience class would be a good idea to make sure she is properly socialized and obedient.