Beginning the journey as a dog parent is quite exciting, and if your first one is a Chihuahua, it is like a cherry on top. I have seen people instantly fall in love with Chihuahuas and adopt them without a second thought. However, it would help if you prepared yourself to do a lot of chores around your Chihuahua. The same Chihuahua you fell in love with might not stay the same if you don’t look after their hygiene. As important as it is for you to maintain their personality, cleanliness is important to avoid diseases and fleas. But do you know how to keep your Chihuahuas clean? Well, I have a whole package for you if you don’t.
You can simply keep your Chihuahuas clean by giving them a proper bath or washing once they are done playing in the dirt. Using wipes to clean the paw and brushing their hair once every two days will help you maintain their hygiene. You need to look closely for the dirt or smelly stuff they might have brought back from the playtime.
Simple things and a few steps that you need to follow will forever help you maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of your dog. It may sound absurd and too much work, but it isn’t. Mind you, it is never easy to take care of a pup. So, prepare yourself for some workload even though it isn’t as much as one might think.
If you want to know what to do and avoid, remember to read the entire article below. You will have some ideas before or even after the first few weeks of adoption.
Let’s get started!
How To Keep Chihuahuas Clean?
It isn’t bad to have this one as your first, but if you are not ready for the work you need to do, you need to rethink adopting a pup.
Honestly, any puppy will ask for a certain level of work, attention, care, and love from you. So, you cannot come up one day and decide you quit. Your dog seriously won’t understand why you ignore him and will not appreciate the cold shoulder.
That’s why I am telling you before the adoption that raising a Chihuahua is a lifetime commitment. You are responsible for your hygiene and good health.
Cleaning these Chihuahuas to taking them to the groomer is your job, or I daresay your responsibility. So if you are one of the responsible people in the room, then drop the idea of getting a Chihuahua.
And as a matter of fact, these Chihuahuas are not that hard to clean or keep clean at all moments. Not that I am telling you to keep wet tissues and clean them every time they touch the mud while you are in a park.
It will help if you clean Chihuahuas at least once you get back home from the outing. Chihuahuas are dogs who prefer to run around and play on the ground.
You will often find them enjoying the sun by lying on the ground on a good day. So, there is always a chance they pick some random stuff from the ground into their bodies and legs. Hence cleaning them is a must.
Now, let’s dive into the steps:
Check Their Paws
If you have recently been out with your dogs, checking their paws and legs before entering the house is better. Usually, the wet wipes will do the trick and help you remove all the dirt from their paws and legs.
However, it is not entirely okay sometimes. You might have to do more than wiping than paws sometimes. So, it is better to stay prepared. You can wash their paws with water if they seem dirtier than usual.
Bathe Your Chihuahua
It is the most important thing any Chihuahua owner needs to prepare themselves. You cannot leave behind dirty dogs for months and expect them to stay healthy, happy, and beautiful.
It would help if you bathed them once a week or once a month, given how much your dog lives outdoors. Remember to buy a good quality shampoo and a better conditioner to bathe your Chihuahua.
If you have a long-haired Chihuahua, you must prepare them for bathing more often. Short-haired Chihuahua will do okay even when they did not get a bathe for three months. So, bathing your Chihuahua depends on its type and outdoor activity; remember that.
Brush Your Chihuahua Teeth
Brushing ChChihuahua’seeth is as necessary as brushing your teeth. However, Chihuahua’s teeth are often clean if they play with chew toys and other things that need biting hard.
Still, it would help if you tried brushing their teeth as often as possible. It is even better if you brush their teeth daily. Remember to buy toothpaste and a good quality brush specially made for Chihuahuas.
Brush Chihuahua Hair Often
I am not saying to do it regularly or hourly, but avoiding matt in their hair is best. So, it is important to brush their hair once a day.
But avoid using a comb or brush with hard bristles. You need to understand their skin’s sensitivity before buying anything for them.
If you have a long-haired Chihuahua, it is necessary to brush their hair more often. Or else, you will have a matted hair dog who will refuse to come near you or cuddle.
They will avoid anything that will pull their hair and hurt. Hence, it is necessary to understand the importance of combing or brushing their hair.
Trim Their Nails
Trimming their nail is important as these nails accumulate dirt and other things beneath them, making the skin under them prone to diseases.
Also, there is a chance they will attack you once in a while, and long nails will make getting a paw from your dog misery rather than a positive thing.
You will get scratches and injuries if you don’t trim nails often. It is easier than you think; ensure you don’t touch their nerve or skin under the nails while trimming. You can use a paw washer to wash their paws and soften their nails to cut.
Train Them To Poop In The Designated Area
Make sure to potty train your puppy from a very early age, and remember to clean their crate as soon as they finish the business. It is necessary to teach them to pee in the crate as well.
Or else you will spend days taking out the pee stain from your carpet. Also, it is unhygienic to leave poop and other excretory materials in the crate. So, make sure you clean them and your puppy after they are done.
Is It Important To Keep Chihuahuas Clean?
Yes, keeping your Chihuahua clean is way too important to maintain proper hygiene. But, can you imagine staying dirty and smelly for a long period?
How can you expect your dog to be cute and adorable if you don’t care about their hygiene? I know Chihuahuas have the charm with the cuteness they carry, even in the worst-case scenarios.
However, cuteness doesn’t guarantee good health and happiness. They need to have a clean body, paws, ears, hair, and coat to have a healthy body.
Dirt and pungent smell only invite fleas and bacteria into the Chihuahua skin and internal parts. Hence, it would help if you kept your Chihuahua clean. They will face various skin problems if you leave them dirty.
Why Should You Keep Chihuahuas Clean?
There are various reasons why keeping your dog clean is important. I think you already have enough idea about hygiene and cleanliness.
And you probably know how important both of them are. However, people need to understand that cleaning after every small thing your Chihuahua does is important. It is as simple as washing your hands after coming back from work or after doing some work.
What happens if you stay with your dirty hands for a few days? It is the same for your dog. Don’t let it run around with muddy paws inside your house. You will have to clean the carpet and your dog if you turn a blind eye after the park visit.
Now, let me make it easier for you to understand and list why you should keep your Chihuahuas clean:
- Avoid skin infections that can come across when your pup has been out and about for a long time.
- Cleaning your Chihuahuas will help you keep the muddy paw prints and dirt in the front door away from your clean home.
- Bathing and grooming your Chihuahuas is a bonding activity and hence will help you understand your dog better and gain their love and attention all for yourself.
- Clean and short nails mean no more injuries and scratches on your hands and legs.
- The clean and hygienic Chihuahua is attractive and adorable.
- Hygiene and a healthy body are directly proportional to how well you clean your dog.
- Smells and odors are always at bay, and the only thing you will have is a clean and happy dog with you.
- It will help you avoid dander and other allergens from the Chihuahua when you often bathe and comb your dog.
Things You Need To Keep Your Chihuahuas Clean
You know you cannot keep your Chihuahua clean without some essential things. First, you will have to do the proper shopping for various necessities.
Do not even think about washing your dog with plain water whenever they get dirty. Washing them with clean water will do the trick a few times, but can you imagine washing them with water every time?
The stubborn dirt that sticks to the oil from Chihuahua’s skin needs proper treatment. But, first, you must understand the process and wash away all of them to make your dog clean and healthy.
Or else your dog will develop some skin diseases that are way harsher than you can imagine. So, prevention is better than cure. Rather than spending money on medicines and hospital bills, shopping for essentials your Chihuahua needs is better.
Here are the things that you need to add to your shopping list along with the product I recommend:
- High-Quality Dog Shampoo
- A Good Conditioner
- Supply Bucket
- Tub
- Towel, a softer one
- Brush/Comb
- Sprayer
- Dog Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Wet Wipes
- Ear Buds
- Nail Trimmer For Dog
Conclusion
In conclusion, not everyone knows everything from the very beginning. You will continue learning through the process and experience after you start taking care of your Chihuahua. Chihuahua is more of a personality you will show the world, so make sure you put your best foot forward. Cleaning your dog is even better for you than for them. Most of the time, dogs carry diseases and bacteria that can affect humans. So, cleaning them occasionally will keep those diseases at bay. Just follow the simple steps and prepare to take care of your dog. Treat them as you will treat your child. These pets are way more sensitive than you realize. So, ensure you don’t make them uncomfortable in the living environment.
I have been through too much of a mess while caring for a pet. Hence, when I tell you, you will do just fine, I mean it. It is okay to make minor mistakes and initially stumble across stupid struggles. Just make sure you don’t put your dog in harm’s way. You will do good if you go by the rule book, and trust me; there are some rules you can bend and twist according to your need.
If you have any queries or questions, drop them in the comment below. I will reply as soon as I am done moderating the comments.
Till then, Good Luck!! Hope you have fun raising your Chihuahua!
