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I am about to foster a seven pound 4 y/o little chi.
I will ask the former foster who is bringing him this q but I am sure she has a yard he uses so she may not be walking him much on a sidewalk as I shall have to. I am in a condo in the middle of the city. There IS a great park neaby to which I intend to go often but at 6am when he needs to go out right away it'll be a sidewalk.
What about their feet in very hot/cold weather, and what about heavy rain? I should get him a raincoat I think?
I've owned big rough and tumble hound mixes but this is a delicate small fella.
Also any chi folk with any other advice is welcome!
Chichis are tougher than you would think. Mine goes out in any weather and has no troubles. When weather is bad of course we don't stay out for long and I will sometimes carry her in and out if the ground is very cold or very hot.
She does also use wee wee pads but that is for when I am not at home for long periods of time.
I suggest you train her to use Litter Box. Get a x-lg Cat litter box line it with the pee pads. When s/he needs to go take him to the litter box & Reward him/her. Repeat till the dog is going on his own. Even then Praise him. Don't worry you can still take him to the park in Nice weather.
I have a little 7 lb chihauhau mix, along with other dogs. He goes out in all weather and, although he doesn't like rain, does just fine with a quick trip out to do business in all kinds of icky weather. My daughter has a chihuahua-pug mix and that one is indifferent to the rain but will only do a quick do-your-business dash in the snow. My daughter tried buying her little boots thinking that might help, the videos were hilarious as it was clear the dog thought my daughter was torturing her.
I have had small dogs in the past, contrary to what everyone seems to believe they are more than capable of being on a first thing in the morning, nice walk after work, and last thing before bed schedule. Other than when they are very young or very old, I will never understand people's insistence that just because they are small they need indoor potty places - they don't anymore than any other size dog. I have had to break foster dogs of that nonsense before and all of them were able to do it except the little guy with diabetes.
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Chihuahuas do seem to like raincoats, and sweaters in cool weather. The good thing about such little dogs is if you see the conditions are getting to be too much, you can pick them up and carry them back home. Not an option with a hound!
that foster was only with me a week, he got adopted fast so I never had to deal with the issue about which I originally asked.
BUT...
OCT 2016 I adopted a FOUR pound female from the SPCA, age and history unknown as she was left in a drop box.
Came truly cold weather, I got her a coverall by Hurtta, a Finlandian company that makes fancy high end dog coats for active dogs in very cold climes.
She acted like I was putting her in the iron maiden when I put this $75.00 windproof/waterproof coverall on her. Pancaked, froze in place, would NOT walk at all in it.
I tried several layers of sweaters instead, still no go! Balked, cowered, whined, resisted. I tried all through DEC and gave up. I'm not talking temps in the teens or on ice; if it is under 40F, this was the result.
She used pee pads from Jan to April!! No exercise, and I am one who walks dogs normally a MIN of 1hr and more often closer to 2hr. I was so glad when weather got warm enough that she enjoyed walks!
This winter, I shall try again, as she was just a few mos post-adoption and had little muscle mass, had been neglected prior to me getting her, as her teeth were HORRID as well (had to pull 11) so MAYbe some of it was her being subpar, health wise in general.
She is so freaking cute; she is like having a hamster (kidding but my Gawd she is small). My daughter called her Polly Pocket after the tiny dolls.
Last edited by VexedAndSolitary; 07-12-2017 at 07:05 PM..
Thanks for getting her teeth taken care of. Betting 1/2 her problem was mouth pain when outside in the cold! Suggest you put the lightest coat on her & Play with her inside. Once she makes any move praise her! Also when I was trying coats on Lady-Bug she just stand there with anything with a Hood 2-3 SECONDS later she flip over like she trying to do a head stand & Off come the coat! She also did not like the kind that she had to have pulled over her head & stick her feet thru sleeves. I ended up getting her a tiny Horse blanket style!!! She loved it! So you need to find what the dog likes!
BTW you can see pics of Lady-Bug in her coat! Check my album
LOL Katie, love it. Your dogs are lovely and I have read some of your dog posts, they are always well informed.
She had 11 teeth MISSING when I got her and vet pulled 11 MORE so she has only 20 teeth!
This was months after the tooth extraction, I did that immediately after getting her so that wasn't a factor.
She was plumper by Dec but hadn't built enough muscle mass I suspect.
I tried several coats, I did get a horse blanket style as well and she tolerated that one best as far as keeping it on but still balked/whined/acted like I was torturing her as soon as we hit the outdoors in temp under 40F.
She still ignores toys, I may start a thread on that asking for advice.
After Katie & Lady died before Christmas I got a Mimi Aussie Feb 5th... She wont play with Any toys I tried a lot... you name it I tried it! So let me know what you find that you dog will play with. I really miss playtime But then maybe using a toy is ok cause when does love a good rump... but when a toy comes out she goes into her crate wont come out...strange
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Not an option with a hound!
But then maybe using a toy is ok cause when does love a good rump... but when a toy comes out she goes into her crate wont come out...strange
