Should I get Chihuahuas? YES *Update - New Pics!!!*

[tharrell]

I have never used had a problem with our local humane society. I got our mutt there about 5 years ago. Paid about $100 for him which included his shots, and a certificate for a neuter at a local vet. I didn't have a problem when they started charging about $200 for the small and purebred dogs, it was a way to bring more money into the society for harder cases, but the last 6 months or so it just keeps going up and up, they have gone overboard! I breed chis for show, and I also take in about 1 puppy mill rescue a year to rehibilitate and train. They ALWAYS need some kind of major vet work. I usually spend about a total of $400-$1000 dollars depending on the dog for what I pay for them, vet care (spay/neuter, always dental work, lots of bad kneecaps, parasites), and their food and toys. I have however NEVER charged more than $175 for an adoption. My last little girl I took in was only 1 year old. She was a shorthair chi, and her entire back end was stained yellow from laying in her own feces. She had hardly any hair left on her, and was already missing a bunch of teeth. She had luxating patellas on her rear legs really bad. I completly fixed her and adopted her out for $50 to a friend. I then donated the money to mill rescue. I don't breed or foster/rehibilitate my dogs for the money. My humane society keeps getting bigger and nicer every time I go in there. They also get donations, and people donate their time for walking, grooming ect. It's not all just off the adoptions. It makes me wonder.

 

[roosterjerry]

That's crazy here in Kentucky it is 15 dollars and you get shots and wormer and spay or neutter and the first vet visit included.

 

[Wifezilla]

tharrell, as I was reading your post I thought to myself "gee, that sounds like my town."

IT IS MY TOWN!

Yeah, that is the nicest darn building you ever saw isn't it?

My girlfriend's dog got out of the fence and they called everywhere trying to find the dog. Their pup finally showed up on the website so they drove down to get Coco out of jail. When they walked in, they already had a $600 PRICE TAG on her cage. Coco is a Pekinese/nonsense mix. I think she was about 8 months old at the time. I bet they were sure bummed out the owners came to get her.

 

[verity]

I have really enjoyed the darling pictures of all the lucky BYC Chihuahuas -- thanks to all who have shared! Chihuahuas are always real 'characters!'
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roosterjerry: $15! Wow, what a deal!

We pay $15 for rabies vaccinations at our county's annual rabies clinic.

The Humane Society here charges $110 to adopt a dog and I think that is fair as they are also inoculated, neutered, etc.
They can do it for that price because the vets donate services and there is a huge fundraiser each year -- a great group of volunteers --

 

[taraann81]

Quote:
I f you don't mind something a "little bigger" I breed bullmastiffs

I had a Chihuahua before my bullies and I loved her. I have had many dogs over the years and I found that the chis were the hardest to house train. I'm not sure if its because they hate the cold weather here or if its because you may not notice an accident from a Chi and not clean it up so the scent is there. Mine would hide and pee. I finally broke down and paper trained her and the problem was solved. A funny story, I used to be involved in pitbull rescue. I was socializing a 60lb female pitbull who had been found emaciated in a dumpster

I made her work for all her treats. She would have to sit or lay down or something for anything she wanted from me. Well one day my 3.3 lb Chi had a rawhide bone. I saw this big pit walk over to her and sniff at the bone. The Chi showed her teeth. The pit backed up and sat down. Then went for the bone, the Chi growled. The pit(lily) then backed up again and rolled over, went for the bone. The Chi growled. Liliy then just walked away. I wish I had it on film a pitbull begging for a bone from a 3lb Chi. Still makes me smile

 

[TrinkaPuppy]

Congrats on your new babies!
I have three chihuahua's, and all are darlings.
My first is six, and has been with me since she was 12 weeks old, show quality dog (was going to show but changed my mind) cost a couple thousand dollars, both parents had lots of the medical tests, etc. that they should have. She's the prissy one. Beautiful, and worth every penny b/c if I hadn't bought her, the dog I had wouldn't be HER. She is a black and tan, perfect apple head, beautiful little stocky body, 3 lbs. and unbelievably friendly.

The other two were both puppy mill rescues, and were very aggressive/frightened/sick when we got them.
They are both now in perfect health, and would never dream of biting anyone (well, the female bit the vet when she was coming around from anesthesia after her spay, but I blame the vet for that...he should have known better than to reach in and grab her with bare hands in that situation!), though they are still afraid of strangers, and try to act all 'tuff' by hiding under a chair and growling. Come close to them, though, and they'll either take off or just shake a little while they're being petted. After four years of having them, they're finally coming around with strangers, and will climb into an unknown lap after barking at the person for only an hour or so!! haha...they may never be great with strangers, but all have a private kennel 'bolt hole' where they will never be picked on, and they just go there if too stressed out. They live a happy life now.
One is a long haired brown with black gaurd hairs. Has a messed up mouth, so his tongue is 'broken' and hangs out the side of his mouth...it's hillarious when he tries to lick something, and misses by a mile. =0 ) He's 3 pounds, and b/c he was neutered so late, wears a 'diaper' during the day...
The other is a female chocolate and tan. She's my 'little giant' at 6 lbs. But she is very pretty. She's also the alpha, and likes to sit on the other two to prove it. The male (Kodiak) growls at her, but gets ignored, and eventually stands up and walks away. The little female (Trinka) loves it...anything that's warm and cozy. As a matter of fact, Trinka used to sleep with us, but has been kicked out of the bed, b/c her favorite place to sleep it 'under' us. Not near us...actually UNDER us. So, that made me too nervous.

My favorite thing the third one (Kaiya...same name as one of yours, but spelled differently), does is to roll all over dryer sheets to get the smell all over her. As soon as I take a load out of the dryer, she digs all through the laundry to find the sheet, and takes it out to roll on it. Very cute!!
=0 )

And, as taraann81 said, these were the hardest dogs of any I've ever had to house train. Two probably b/c they were older, the male in particular had bred several times (I hate to think of the bad mouth genes he passed on to puppies) and was horrible for marking. The other two liked to hide in places you wouldn't realize they could even fit and pee/poo...under the beds, between the couch and wall, behind the toilet, etc. It took a loooong time to fully housetrain, and putting them on a puppy pad/litter box finally solved the problem. The male does, as mentioned earlier, still wear a diaper. Even with that, though, I wouldn't trade them for the world, and they did eventually get the hang of it.

Can you tell I love my babies??.....

haha

 

[tharrell]

I have never had any problem housetraining my guys. I puppy pad train them first, but also train them to go outside. All my puppies I breed are 90-100% potty trained before they even leave my house. It's best to puppy pad train such small dogs, and then you can work on them going outside. My guys refuse to go out in the snow. If there is even just barely a dusting they will freeze and just go on thier pads. I don't blame them though, my 2.5 pound male Rocky's feet actually freeze to the ground when it's cold!

And Wifezilla, doesn't it make you sick??? I swear it just keeps getting worse and worse!!!