Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.
One thing I try to avoid in veterinary work is stereotyping dogs. Although breed and genetics can, and do, influence temperament, it is far from the only factor, and you cannot predict canine behavior based on breed alone.
However…
Since Chihuahuas entered my life I have become familiar with many quirks and qualities that, based on the overwhelming number of memes, videos, and questions posted by owners, are extremely common in this tiny breed. For instance:
1. They are often barky and bitey
Understandable from a defensive standpoint – everything is bigger than they are – but tolerated far too often. Being dictated to by a vicious creature with roughly the size and injury risk of a pineapple is a bit ludicrous.
2. They are always cold
Even when they’re not.
3. They tremble a lot
Because they’re always cold. Or nervous. Or excited. Or hungry.
4. They are greedy
I honestly do not understand where the food goes. Ned’s stomach must be like TARDIS – it’s bigger on the inside!
5. They like to boss around larger dogs
Just ask poor Kodah!
6. They love to snuggle and burrow
This is 1000% accurate.
Chihuahua Hibernation
Okay, Chihuahua hibernation isn’t actually a thing, but I bet they wish it was! The perfect excuse to gorge themselves on food, getting a nice layer of fat, then find a snuggly warm den to snooze through winter…actually, it sounds pretty good! While hibernation may not actually feature in the life of the Chi, burrowing certainly is, sometimes at their peril!
Being presented with a blanket seems to trigger an instinctive, reflexive urge to dig and scrunch and burrow until there is little more than the hint of a bum sticking out from beneath the cozy layers. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? The trouble is that sometimes some larger bums decide to plonk themselves down on the comfy pile of blankets, unaware that this pile is occupied! Kodah has been bitten by blankets enough to now treat everyone with caution and trepidation. It is only once much poking and prodding has yielded no snarls or movement that he knows he can enjoy this comfortable bed.
As winter set in, I found it decidedly frustrating when, after letting the dogs out for their morning ablutions, Ned and Fred immediately returned to the bed to snuggle back underneath the still-warm blankets, while I have to face the day. On particularly chilly mornings, the Chihuahuas will even forego breakfast in favor of snuggling, something I never thought I’d see!
Why Do Chihuahuas Burrow?
Apart from the obvious cozy warmth of a blanket den, I suspect that the Chihuahua’s propensity for cocooning themselves for a nap has something to do with another quintessential Chihuahua trait – the shaking. Yes, sometimes their shivering is just because they are feeling the cold, but it is also a sign of a dysregulated nervous system.
Although the physical size of the Chihuahua is small, everything else about them is big: their eyes, their personalities, their emotions, and sometimes it seems as though their feelings are spilling out into the outside world. It has been well documented that when people on the autistic end of the spectrum are experiencing sensory overload or dysregulation, firm pressure applied to their body can help calm their nervous system. Similar effects are seen with the use of thundershirts to help dogs with anxiety and noise phobias.
Similarly, the close confines of a blanket burrow may provide the tiny Chihuahua body with the pressure and security that helps them feel relaxed…until someone tries to sit on them, that is!
Even though two small dogs manage to take up a surprising amount of room in our bed, I am perfectly happy to share my blankets with Ned and Fred. They keep our bed warm in the winter, and it’s always a laugh to watch Ned quivering with anticipation when he sees me extracting a freshly laundered fluffy blanket from the dryer.
I just have to be careful to check the bedding for hitchhikers before throwing a load into the wash!
Do you have dogs that show classic behaviors for their breed? Or perhaps you have the opposite, with one that behaves the opposite to what you might expect, like a Jack Russell that is friends with a rat, or a Border Collie that doesn’t like to chase things. Let us know in the comments below!
This article is a part of Dr. Karyn’s series with her five dogs.
