Training a Chihuahua isn't as difficult as one may think, but the idea is to start early before your Chihuahua believes they are running things in the home. You see, the misconception about Chihuahua's is the fact that they are small dogs, and because they are small dogs how much trouble could they really be. Well, if you ask a Chihuahua owner something along those lines, they will tell you that this particular breed of dog will really want things to go their way, most of the time. In order to decrease the chances of this happening, or to get that Chihuahua of yours under control, there are 5 easy techniques that can be used to instill a little more structure in their lives.

If you have never had any experience with training a dog, the idea is to stay consistent and never lose the main objective which is to gain or regain control.

* Take Control From the Start

Never ever, ever, ever, mistreat your animal when training. If you do not have the patience to train your pet, please look at other options in order to have someone else handle this task for you. With that being said, taking control doesn't mean walking with a big stick. It simply means from the day you bring your Chihuahua home, Chihuahua training begins.

* Create Boundaries

With any pet, as well as Chihuahua's, it's vital to create boundaries from the start. This means letting the animal know that 'you' are the leader of the pack, and that 'you' are the one that decides when everything is done in or outside of the home. If you fail to establish this, all of your Chihuahua training efforts will have been wasted. The boundaries will consist of everything that follows.

* Feeding on Schedule

When learning how to train your Chihuahua, you must set up a basic eating schedule that you will stick to. This is very important with any type of training because if you don't, your pet will feel they can choose when they want to eat, and what they would like to eat as well. They must know when and where they can eat so they don't start a bad habit of jumping on you or others when food isn't available.

* Walking

Leash training will begin right away with walking your Chihuahua at least twice a day. Always take the time and bring small treats with you while walking. In the beginning you will want to praise your Chihuahua with treats when they accomplish something that is pleasing as well as on command.

* Coming home and Leaving

This is a very important step when training a Chihuahua. You do not want to come home and immediately great your Chihuahua with open arms, happy hugs, screams of joy, and pleasures of mass astonishment. You always want to wait until your Chihuahua calms down before reaching down to pet, cuddle, or pick your animal up. This also includes leaving the home. If you don't practise this training technique you will have a Chihuahua that yelps every time you or someone else arrives, or leaves your home.

Learning how to train a Chihuahua is not difficult if you use the techniques listed above. You will find that over time, while staying consistent with your training methods, your Chihuahua will learn everything they need as well as who is or isn't in control.

Jennifer Laurie is very knowledgeable about Chihuahua Dog Care. On her site she's got many articles that relate to caring for and training a Chihuahua. For a free guide on the Care and Training of Chihuahuas please visit http://www.chihuahuadogcare.com