-as of [11 APRIL 2025]-
.
-CATEGORY-
[AMAZON LIST]
.
*CATS* —>
‘BOY E’
(male)
(black cat)
‘PRINCESS’
(female)
(calico cat)
.
*DOGS* —>
-HAMMY-
(male)
(rough-coated jack russell terrier)
-TROUBLE-
(male)
(chua wa wa)
.
-DOG TRAINING-
Training a chihuahua requires adjusting your methods to fit their specific needs, as their small size and temperament differ from larger breeds.
The “blank stare and licking lips” you observed is likely a sign of confusion or mild stress, not anticipation.
Instead of luring with food, you can teach a trick like “paw” by “shaping” the behavior—rewarding small, successful steps toward the final action.
Shift from luring to shaping
The main difference is that luring guides the dog into a position with food, while shaping rewards the dog for independently figuring out the action. Shaping is better for more complex, novel tricks.
Step 1: Reward for any paw movement
Sit on the floor in a quiet room with your chihuahua. Keep some high-value, pea-sized treats handy.
Present your closed hand in front of your dog.
Ignore all other behaviors, like licking or sniffing. Wait for your dog to naturally move their paw in response. This might be a lift, a scratch, or a slight shift.
The instant you see the paw move, say “Yes!” or use a clicker, and immediately give a treat from your other hand.
Repeat until they consistently lift their paw.
Step 2: Reward for touching your hand
Once your dog reliably lifts their paw, wait for them to make contact with your hand.
Reward them only when their paw actually touches your closed fist.
Gradually hold your hand slightly farther away, so they have to reach out more to touch it.
Step 3: Introduce a verbal cue
When your dog is confidently pawing your hand, start adding the verbal cue, such as “paw” or “left.”
Say the word, and then present your hand. Reward them when they complete the action.
As they get more consistent, you can start presenting an open palm instead of a fist.
Step 4: Fade the hand target
To get your dog to stick their arm out without your hand there, you’ll fade the physical hand target.
First, present your hand target slightly farther and farther away.
Next, gradually turn your hand so your palm is not facing them directly. You can slowly switch the motion from presenting your hand to a smaller, more subtle gesture, like a flick of the wrist.
Eventually, you can teach them to target other objects with their paw, which builds on the same foundation of moving their leg intentionally.
Troubleshooting tips
Keep sessions short and fun. Chihuahuas have short attention spans. Keep training sessions to just a few minutes, several times a day, to prevent boredom and frustration.
End on a positive note. If your chihuahua gets confused or starts showing signs of stress like lip licking, end the session with an easy, familiar command they already know, and reward them generously. This keeps the experience positive.
Be clear and consistent. Use the same hand signal and verbal cue every time. Any change in your signal can confuse your dog and slow progress.
Choose high-value treats. Use a very tasty reward that your dog is highly motivated to work for, like small pieces of chicken or hot dogs
.
1
*PROFILE PIC 1*
*AMAZON LINK*
-[XXX GRAMS]-
-[# UNITS]-
-(LESS/MORE THAN) [X GRAMS] PER [UNIT]-
-[$XXX] BEFORE TAX-
-[$XXX] AFTER TAX-
-TAX %-
-(LESS/MORE THAN) [$XXX] PER [GRAM]-
-(LESS/MORE THAN) [$XXX] PER [UNIT]-
*VARIATIONS*
.
2
*PROFILE PIC 2*
*AMAZON LINK*
-[XXX GRAMS]-
-[# UNITS]-
-(LESS/MORE THAN) [X GRAMS] PER [UNIT]-
-[$XXX]-
-(LESS/MORE THAN) [$XXX] PER [GRAM]-
-(LESS/MORE THAN) [$XXX] PER [UNIT]-
*VARIATIONS*
.
*STORAGE OPTIONS* —>
XXX
.
*TRANSPORTERS* —>
XXX
.
.
*👨🔬🕵️♀️🙇♀️*SKETCHES*🙇♂️👩🔬🕵️♂️*
.
.
.
.
.
💕💝💖💓🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤❤️💚💛🧡❣️💞💔💘❣️🧡💛💚❤️🖤💜🖤💙🖤💙🖤💗💖💝💘
.
.
*🌈✨ *TABLE OF CONTENTS* ✨🌷*
.
.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥*we won the war* 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥