How to hold your Chihuahua

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Hold me, Keep me safe, and Never let me go
written by the chihuahua

There are many ways you can hold me.  Holding me is my favorite thing for you to do.  I’ve been raised to train you into believing that paws are not for walking.  So, interacting with you is the greatest pleasure for me.  Let me share with you a few ways to hold me, for specific reasons, to build great rapport. 

  When I let you hold me on my back, it is because I trust you completely and I don’t have a pressing secret mission or place to run off to.  Think of me as a baby when you hold me on my back.  Let the back of my neck cradle in the bend of your arm and hold me secure with the hand of the same arm cupping my rear.  This leaves the other hand free to entertain me, just as you were feeding a bottle to a baby.   

I like belly rubs when you are holding me like this.


I could lie there, in your arms, for hours, unless of course, I get a secret mission.  Giving me belly rubs is good for you too, they help you to relax and me to just completely vegg out.

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I have started teething, so I like to have my gums and teeth rubbed and a hand to chew when I am on my back.  I have been trained to gently chew on your fingers as a way to bond with you.  However, sometimes I get carried away, it is never on purpose.

Here are some rules to help you out.  Keep your fingers from getting underneath the big teeth. They are there for ripping and tearing flesh, and I don’t want to do that to you.  The best place is the space behind my big teeth.  Another thing, tell friends not to pull their hand out of my mouth quickly, it will throw me into ‘hunt/prey’ mode.  I will bite hard and not feel guilty.  If your fingers are tender, small chew toys or pull toys are great to pull out of your pocket and give to me.

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I hate to tell you this other reason to hold me on my back, because, see, I am perfect.  And if you say that 10 times before you read this next part your eyes will glaze over and you won’t be able to grasp what I am being forced to tell you. 

I am young and developing my personality.  As I develop it, I could start to growl or snap or have other bad behavior.

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  When I do that, immediately, pick me up flip me over on my back and hold me tight with your ‘free’ hand firmly on my belly.  Look at me close and firmly tell me “No”.  Hold me like that until I stop the negative aggressive behavior.  Just so you know I have never experienced this, because as you realized earlier, I am perfect.

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There is something I need to add, that has nothing to do with holding me.  I really like to play the game Tug-A-War and want you to play that with me.  (Socks or Stockings are the most fun.  Just tie the toe part to the other end to make a circle.  I get one end you get the other and we’ll have fun for hours). So, when we do get to play, remember my legs and knees are dainty.  That means don’t make me jump up to get the tug toy, I could come down and hurt myself.  That would be sad. 
We can play tug on the rug, tug on the couch, tug on your lap and tug in the park.  Because of my size we can play tug anywhere, which is why I mention it is best for me to be on solid ground if I must jump.

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