Chihuahua Information Center
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Grooming a Chihuahua
The Need for Careful Grooming
Because the Chihuahua is an extremely small dog, grooming must be done carefully. Grooming your dog is very important. An un-groomed dog can develop health issues. However, you certainly do not want to cause any because of improper grooming. .
There is nothing to be nervous about when grooming your Chihuahua, you simply need to understand what is needed and then do so with gentle loving care.
Do keep in mind that these are guidelines; if your Chihuahua seems to always get muddy, you will want to bathe them more often. If you are showing your Chihuahua, you will want to make sure to have grooming down to a T.
Read about Showing Your Chi
Because the Chihuahua is an extremely small dog, grooming must be done carefully. Grooming your dog is very important. An un-groomed dog can develop health issues. However, you certainly do not want to cause any because of improper grooming. .
There is nothing to be nervous about when grooming your Chihuahua, you simply need to understand what is needed and then do so with gentle loving care.
Do keep in mind that these are guidelines; if your Chihuahua seems to always get muddy, you will want to bathe them more often. If you are showing your Chihuahua, you will want to make sure to have grooming down to a T.
Read about Showing Your Chi
How often do I bathe my new Chihuahua?
Since a Chihuahua is so small, it is suggested to give your dog a bath every 3 weeks. This is not actually being a “bath” as you know it! A Chihuahua, like a baby, can drown very easily. Giving your Chihuahua a bath will need to be a process you do in which you keep your eyes and hands on your dog at all times. With no exceptions.
You can give your Chihuahua a bath in a sink; this is best as there will not be as much room for him to run! It is very important to have the water be a very comfortable warm temperature. Test the water with your wrist; not your hand or fingers.
Never use human shampoo or other hair products made for humans! You Chihuahua needs a quality and non-allergenic dog shampoo and conditioner.
Keep your dog safe in your hand while you wash with the other hand. Have all of your supplies already very near by; including a warm, soft towel. Just like a baby, do not allow any suds to get in your Chihuahua’s eyes. Any “eye-gook” can be cleaned with a soft, damp washcloth or special doggie eye wipes that can be found at online pet shopping sites. (We do not recommend pet stores, as they support Puppy Mills)
Long haired Chihuahuas
You must carefully groom a long haired Chihuahua. It is very important to keep up on the grooming. Long fur can mat very quickly. When you brush your dog, do this very gently and slowly. If you feel the brush get stuck on a matted piece of fur: stop. Do not attempt to “brush out” the matted fur. The matted fur will need to be gently clipped off. Do not make the mistake of leaving it there because you are afraid to clip it off. The matt will grow and grow…and grow. We have seen the horrible disgusting results of animal neglect in which matted fur was allowed to grow for years; the fur itself weighed more than the dog.
Nail Trimming
Nail trimming should be done every three months. If you have never trimmed a dog's nails before, when you are searching for a proper nail trimming tool, make sure to read how each one works. A lot of Chihuahuas owners choose to have a dog groomer take care of the nails. If you are going to trim the nail yourself, be careful to trim a bit at a time. Each nail has a vein that runs through the middle of it, this is called the "quick". If cut, it will bleed quite a bit. You may use a solution that helps to stop the bleeding.
Dew Claws
What are dew claws? These are the extra nails that are located very high on the side of the dog's paw. They are so high, that some describe them as being located on the dog's leg. With young puppies, these are simply very small nails. As the Chi grows older, these slowly grow into what can be described as an extra thumb.
Should the dew claws on a Chihuahua be removed? Usually, yes. The Chihuahua can easily tear a dew claw, causing great discomfort. Most often, a professional Chihuahua breeder will have the dew claws removed before you bring home your new puppy.
This is a rather simple process if done when the Chihuahua is a young pup.. It causes very little pain and simply involves plucking out the soft, pliable nail.
However, if done later and the dew claw has grown, the adult Chi will need to have it removed surgically. As an older dog, the dew claws becomes an actual appendage. If there are issues in which it needs to be removed, such as a nail that is growing out of alignment, etc, this is done as a surgical procedure.
It is for this reason, that most breeders will have dew claws removed when the Chihuahua puppy is anywhere from 3 days to 1 week old.
To Go Pro or Not
You may wonder if you need a professional dog groomer or if you can groom your dog yourself. The answer is both. It is recommended to have a dog groomer take care of your Chihuahua once or twice a year. Also, if you are showing your Chihuahua in a dog show, you may wish for the groomer to give your Chihuahua a makeover. Keep in mind that will not be the best time to go to a new groomer! If you are getting your Chihuahua prepared for a dog show, go to a groomer that you trust and know well.
You will also want to establish a good relationship with a groomer so that if a concern comes up regarding your dog, you will have someone to go to. Just as if you most likely have a trusted hair stylist, one that you feel safe running to in an emergency, you should have a good dog groomer on call for your Chihuahua. Odd things happen in life; if your Chihuahua gets into some chewing gum, rolls in tar or some other disaster, you will want a dog groomer that knows your dog to take care of things.
Finding a good groomer begins making simple inquiries. The best dog groomer for your Chihuahua may not be the one closest to home. It will be worth the trip to go to a good one! You should first explore around for dog groomers, most have web sites. See if they have an "About Us" section or a Mission Statement that shows their philosophy on dog grooming.
Once you find 5 or 6 that you like, you can then begin phone calls. Ask if you can have a free consultation. Bring your Chihuahua. Ask how long they have been grooming, how much experience they have with Chihuahuas and if they have ever had any issues arise and how they handled them.
A good dog groomer will take the time to answer your questions. Ask for references from happy customers. This will leave 1 or 2 to choose from and it is best to choose the dog groomer that both you and your Chi both feel most comfortable with.
Since a Chihuahua is so small, it is suggested to give your dog a bath every 3 weeks. This is not actually being a “bath” as you know it! A Chihuahua, like a baby, can drown very easily. Giving your Chihuahua a bath will need to be a process you do in which you keep your eyes and hands on your dog at all times. With no exceptions.
You can give your Chihuahua a bath in a sink; this is best as there will not be as much room for him to run! It is very important to have the water be a very comfortable warm temperature. Test the water with your wrist; not your hand or fingers.
Never use human shampoo or other hair products made for humans! You Chihuahua needs a quality and non-allergenic dog shampoo and conditioner.
Keep your dog safe in your hand while you wash with the other hand. Have all of your supplies already very near by; including a warm, soft towel. Just like a baby, do not allow any suds to get in your Chihuahua’s eyes. Any “eye-gook” can be cleaned with a soft, damp washcloth or special doggie eye wipes that can be found at online pet shopping sites. (We do not recommend pet stores, as they support Puppy Mills)
Long haired Chihuahuas
You must carefully groom a long haired Chihuahua. It is very important to keep up on the grooming. Long fur can mat very quickly. When you brush your dog, do this very gently and slowly. If you feel the brush get stuck on a matted piece of fur: stop. Do not attempt to “brush out” the matted fur. The matted fur will need to be gently clipped off. Do not make the mistake of leaving it there because you are afraid to clip it off. The matt will grow and grow…and grow. We have seen the horrible disgusting results of animal neglect in which matted fur was allowed to grow for years; the fur itself weighed more than the dog.
Nail Trimming
Nail trimming should be done every three months. If you have never trimmed a dog's nails before, when you are searching for a proper nail trimming tool, make sure to read how each one works. A lot of Chihuahuas owners choose to have a dog groomer take care of the nails. If you are going to trim the nail yourself, be careful to trim a bit at a time. Each nail has a vein that runs through the middle of it, this is called the "quick". If cut, it will bleed quite a bit. You may use a solution that helps to stop the bleeding.
Dew Claws
What are dew claws? These are the extra nails that are located very high on the side of the dog's paw. They are so high, that some describe them as being located on the dog's leg. With young puppies, these are simply very small nails. As the Chi grows older, these slowly grow into what can be described as an extra thumb.
Should the dew claws on a Chihuahua be removed? Usually, yes. The Chihuahua can easily tear a dew claw, causing great discomfort. Most often, a professional Chihuahua breeder will have the dew claws removed before you bring home your new puppy.
This is a rather simple process if done when the Chihuahua is a young pup.. It causes very little pain and simply involves plucking out the soft, pliable nail.
However, if done later and the dew claw has grown, the adult Chi will need to have it removed surgically. As an older dog, the dew claws becomes an actual appendage. If there are issues in which it needs to be removed, such as a nail that is growing out of alignment, etc, this is done as a surgical procedure.
It is for this reason, that most breeders will have dew claws removed when the Chihuahua puppy is anywhere from 3 days to 1 week old.
To Go Pro or Not
You may wonder if you need a professional dog groomer or if you can groom your dog yourself. The answer is both. It is recommended to have a dog groomer take care of your Chihuahua once or twice a year. Also, if you are showing your Chihuahua in a dog show, you may wish for the groomer to give your Chihuahua a makeover. Keep in mind that will not be the best time to go to a new groomer! If you are getting your Chihuahua prepared for a dog show, go to a groomer that you trust and know well.
You will also want to establish a good relationship with a groomer so that if a concern comes up regarding your dog, you will have someone to go to. Just as if you most likely have a trusted hair stylist, one that you feel safe running to in an emergency, you should have a good dog groomer on call for your Chihuahua. Odd things happen in life; if your Chihuahua gets into some chewing gum, rolls in tar or some other disaster, you will want a dog groomer that knows your dog to take care of things.
Finding a good groomer begins making simple inquiries. The best dog groomer for your Chihuahua may not be the one closest to home. It will be worth the trip to go to a good one! You should first explore around for dog groomers, most have web sites. See if they have an "About Us" section or a Mission Statement that shows their philosophy on dog grooming.
Once you find 5 or 6 that you like, you can then begin phone calls. Ask if you can have a free consultation. Bring your Chihuahua. Ask how long they have been grooming, how much experience they have with Chihuahuas and if they have ever had any issues arise and how they handled them.
A good dog groomer will take the time to answer your questions. Ask for references from happy customers. This will leave 1 or 2 to choose from and it is best to choose the dog groomer that both you and your Chi both feel most comfortable with.
