Chihuahua Information Center
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My Chihuahua Shakes all the Time!
While the Chihuahua is known to be an excellent family dog, there are a lot of owners who have a Chihuahua that shakes. This can occur only during certain circumstances or a dog may shake almost all the time. There are several reasons for this.
An owner should first eliminate the possibility of a medical condition. There are several common health issues that may cause a dog to shake uncontrollably.
If your dog is deemed healthy and still shakes, this is most often due to fear or stress. Some owners may not understand this element, as they rightly state that they love and care for their Chihuahua tremendously. However, fear and anxiety may not be conditions that an owner causes to their dog; rather there can be underlaying causes and an owner can help their dog feel better.
Some dogs that shake, do so from a deeply routed fear of past abuse. Sadly, animal abuse is widespread over the entire world and many of the dogs that receive such mistreatment are training to be terrified. If you know or suspect that your dog has been neglected by a past owner, gentle loving care must be shown. Your dog may shake at any noise, motion or word you say. Be patient. In this case, your Chihuahua will learn from repetition that you will do them no harm. In time, their fear will diminish.
If you are certain that your Chi has not been mistreated, your dog may still have fears that cause him or her to shake. Your Chi may run under the bed when hearing a noise, cower up to you when the telephone rings or shake when you try to pat them. With no viable method of communicating with your dog, one must assume that for whatever reason, the dog feels afraid of their environment.
You should try by all means to provide a quiet and calm home. Televisions and stereos should not be loudly blasted. People should not be running through the house. Although you do not need to walk on tiptop, eliminating unnecessary harsh noise can calm down a Chihuahua.
If everything is calm and your dog still shakes, you must patiently show your Chihuahua that no harm will come to them. If your Chi shakes every time the doorbell rings, speak in a calm voice to tell your dog that everything is alright. Gently pat her to let her know that you are not fearful. Walk to the door slowly to show that the doorbell does not equal an emergency. Greet your visitor with happy and calm words. This method can be applied to just about any element that your Chihuahua is afraid of that causes him or her to shake.
An owner should first eliminate the possibility of a medical condition. There are several common health issues that may cause a dog to shake uncontrollably.
- Dogs that have ear infections have been known to shake, particularly their heads, in an attempt to "shake off" the pain and uncomfortable feeling of an infected ear. Even if you do not see anything wrong, a veterinarian can take a closer look to make sure.
- Low blood sugar can occur easily with a small breed dog. You should have your dog's veterinarian check for this ASAP.
- Pain can cause a dog to have tremors; with any number of health issues that could cause a dog to be in pain, a vet must do a complete exam
If your dog is deemed healthy and still shakes, this is most often due to fear or stress. Some owners may not understand this element, as they rightly state that they love and care for their Chihuahua tremendously. However, fear and anxiety may not be conditions that an owner causes to their dog; rather there can be underlaying causes and an owner can help their dog feel better.
Some dogs that shake, do so from a deeply routed fear of past abuse. Sadly, animal abuse is widespread over the entire world and many of the dogs that receive such mistreatment are training to be terrified. If you know or suspect that your dog has been neglected by a past owner, gentle loving care must be shown. Your dog may shake at any noise, motion or word you say. Be patient. In this case, your Chihuahua will learn from repetition that you will do them no harm. In time, their fear will diminish.
If you are certain that your Chi has not been mistreated, your dog may still have fears that cause him or her to shake. Your Chi may run under the bed when hearing a noise, cower up to you when the telephone rings or shake when you try to pat them. With no viable method of communicating with your dog, one must assume that for whatever reason, the dog feels afraid of their environment.
You should try by all means to provide a quiet and calm home. Televisions and stereos should not be loudly blasted. People should not be running through the house. Although you do not need to walk on tiptop, eliminating unnecessary harsh noise can calm down a Chihuahua.
If everything is calm and your dog still shakes, you must patiently show your Chihuahua that no harm will come to them. If your Chi shakes every time the doorbell rings, speak in a calm voice to tell your dog that everything is alright. Gently pat her to let her know that you are not fearful. Walk to the door slowly to show that the doorbell does not equal an emergency. Greet your visitor with happy and calm words. This method can be applied to just about any element that your Chihuahua is afraid of that causes him or her to shake.
