As soon as your Chihuahua arrives, establish a potty-training routine. The number of times you head to your dog’s potty spot each day will depend on his age and current level of house training. Some Chihuahua puppies begin house training while they are still with their breeders. A rescued Chihuahua may already be fully house trained, but not always, when you adopt him.

Puppies will need to eliminate more often than older animals, but even adult dogs may need frequent trips in the beginning in order to catch on to the routine. Keeping the schedule consistent is the best way to make sure that any dog masters house training.

Another step that improves a Chihuahua’s chances of success with house training is keeping track of when he eats and drinks, when he eliminates where he is supposed to, and when and where he has accidents. In just a few days, you may start to see a trend in terms of when he is making the most mistakes and what circumstances may be leading up to them.

For example, your Chihuahua puppy may do well throughout the day but falter at night. Consider what else might be happening to cause this problem. Are family members becoming so immersed in homework or watching television that they forget to take the pup out following his evening meal? Is your dog drinking from his water bowl after his last trip to his potty spot at night? Whatever the problem may be, identifying it is half the work of solving it.

Positive Reinforcement and Rewards

As soon as your Chihuahua eliminates in the proper spot, praise him and return inside with him. Some owners offer their pets treats when they eliminate where they are supposed to, but this can sometimes distract the animal from the task at hand. The last thing you want is to interrupt your pet while he’s eliminating. Most dogs do just fine with a verbal reward alone.

If your Chihuahua doesn’t go, or if he goes where he is not supposed to, do not reprimand him. He will likely infer that you are displeased with him, but chances are good that he will not
understand why. When you must clean up a house training mess, place your Chihuahua in his crate in
another room or ask someone else to take him out of the room and watch him while you clean the floor or carpet.

If your dog sees you cleaning the area, it could give him the impression that his job is to make messes and that your job is to clean them up. True or not, this is not what you want to teach your pet.

Avoid giving your Chihuahua a verbal potty cue until he has learned the words you have chosen for these acts. Hearing you repeat the phrase “go pee-pee,” for example, will mean nothing to your dog. In fact, it may even keep him from learning what these words mean.

Instead, wait until your dog begins eliminating and then say the words in an upbeat tone as he goes. Starting off with good timing is crucial if you want to teach your Chihuahua to eliminate on command in the future.

Leashes, Walks and Elimination

Whether you live in the city, suburbs, or the country, I recommend using a leash to take your Chihuahua to his potty spot until he has a firm grasp of where he should be eliminating. Even if your yard is securely fenced, you don’t want your dog using your vegetable garden as a potty spot.

Dog urine can also kill grass and plants, as well as leave strong odors behind, so it is preferable to designate one area for elimination. Once your Chihuahua is going where he should consistently, you can then try letting him head to his potty spot on his own.

If you live in an urban area or your yard is not securely fenced, you will need to continue using your pet’s leash for potty trips. Ideally, you should take your dog to the same spot each time while house training.

Remember, your Chihuahua will be much more likely to go in a spot where he has eliminated before. When walking your dog on potty breaks, take along cleanup bags every time. In addition to being an act of common courtesy, cleaning up after your pet is required by law in most municipalities. Failing to do so could leave you with a hefty fine.