Is Your Chihuahua Shy?

Because each dog will have their own personality, some dogs may just be quiet. Others, outgoing. Let’s first discuss how to know if a Chihuahua is technically shy.

A shy Chihuahua will show physical symptoms. The dog’s ears will lie back against the head, the dog’s pupils may become dilated, the dog may pant when there is no need, tuck its tail between its legs and avoid all eye contact.

Does your Chihuahua do this? If so, then your dog is shy.

A dog who is fearful and not just shy will urinate out of fear, run from people or other dogs and/or show extreme submission such as exposing their belly.  If a frightened dog cannot run, they may then show aggression.  Therefore biting, barking and growling could be signs of a dog who is very scared.

How To Train a Shy Chihuahua

There is training for a shy Chihuahua. The best way to help your shy Chihuahua is to show your dog that there is nothing to be shy about.  When your dog shows the above signs of shyness, you can take dog training steps to help your Chi.

Never comfort your dog, this will just show them that they are correct in acting shy.

It is best to ignore your dog’s shy behaviors.  Go about your business with a happy tone to your voice.  Show your dog that “all if just fine”.

If at any time, your dog shows behavior of interest or curiosity with the trigger that caused the shy reaction… praise your dog as if they just did something extremely wonderful.  Give treats, talk in a happy, proud tone, and pat your Chi.

If your dog is particularly shy when guests come over, you will want to use desensitize training with your dog.  This can be done by having a guest come over for just a minute per day.  Increase the time very slowly over the course of several weeks.  Whenever your dog acts shy, ignore them.  Whenever your dog comes over to the visitors, perhaps to grab a small dog treat from their hand, reward your dog’s behavior with great praise, pats and kisses.

After a while, your Chihuahua will begin to make the connection that you are calm and happy and they will begin to copy your behavior.

Your dog will also begin to learn that:  Getting over their shyness and showing interest in something = treats, praise and pats and that being shy = nothing fun!

Lastly, the more that dogs experience, the less shy they should be.

A dog who is inside most of the time will usually show shy behavior when faced with the outside world.  For a dog to be very outgoing, they must have a wide range of outside stimulus.  A dog should be brought to many places and meet many people and animals.  This makes a Chi become more sociable and slowly yet steadily become well behaved.

Bring your dog to the park, stores (many pet stores allow dogs inside), hiking, for car rides, meet for play dates with other dogs, take walks on different routes and do not stay with the same paths each day, play Frisbee in the park one day and play catch in your friend’s yard the next.  The more that a dog sees of the outside world, the better he will feel secure in that world.

Most of all, remember that shyness can take quite a while to get over. It is a slow process.  Just a person can be very shy as a child and then as life exposes them to situations, they may become an outgoing adult…so may a Chihuahua.