How Chihuahuas like Swimming

Do Chihuahuas like Swimming – The chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog in the world. Chihuahuas are not classified by the AKC as a dog’s breed that enjoys swimming. There is no evidence or proof that chihuahuas have been known to enjoy swimming with humans in general because of their size and apparent fear of water.

• Small Size
• Smell of Chlorine
• Slippery
• Short Legs
• Not Water Dog ( Toy Breeds)
• History of coming Hot Climates – Mexico
• Not a Strong Swimmer
• Small Legs – Water doesn’t have to be very deep to be fatal
• Get Tired Easily – Dog paddle

History of Chihuahuas?

The history of chihuahua dog breeds is complex. In Mexico, where they are native, the breed shares some roots with hairless terriers and other indigenous dogs from North America. The original name for this dog was Techichi which means “priest’s dog.” Chihuahua comes from a word meaning “near” or close to the Earth.

The Techichi was originally bred by the Toltec civilization to be a companion dog for Mayans and Aztecs, but during Spanish colonization, this breed became part of Mexico’s rancho culture. The Techichi is represented in many ancient friezes, paintings, and pottery dating back to 100 BC as well as pre-Columbian petroglyphs.

The Techichi was popular with the Indians because it would not grow bigger than a small dog and they did not have to feed them much but were still fierce enough to protect their owners from any invaders. It’s thought that Christopher Columbus transported some of these dogs back to Europe when he returned after being in the Americas.

The first recorded mention of these dogs outside of Mexico is in 18th century France, where they were exhibited alongside other indigenous breeds like “Peruvian hairless” and “Mexican Hairless.” The chihuahua’s popularity grew as a companion dog for Victorian ladies with its tiny size and lack of excessive fur, and became known as the “Lady Dog.”

The Techichi was almost driven to extinction in Mexico due to crossbreeding by fanciers of foreign breeds, but it is still popular here. There are two types of dog breeds-the smooth coat that looks like a rat and the long-haired chihuahua with wiry fur, both made up of a mix of different breeds.

The chihuahua is the smallest dog breed in the world, and because they were originally bred to be something small enough for people to carry them around easily, they are subject to one of many health problems that come with being so tiny. Chihuahuas cannot regulate their own body temperature well due to their size, so they need to be kept in an environment that is warmed up enough for them.

The chihuahua has a life expectancy of 12-16 years which may seem low but because it’s the smallest breed dog, and their bodies are susceptible to different diseases or conditions due to being small such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or diabetes, it’s not unusual for them to have a shorter life than other breeds.

Do Chihuahuas Like Water?

Chihuahuas are a dog breed that is more likely to fear water more than enjoy it. They have an innate fear of anything wet, any type of liquid or substance will make them want to run in the opposite direction. Some chihuahuas even develop hydrophobia as they get older and start associating liquids with danger instead of the comfort they once knew.

• Chihuahuas have a natural fear of water because it is something that has always been their biggest threat in life, especially during heavy storms when the rain would flood into homes and chihuahuas were most likely to drown as pets. They know instinctively what can happen if they are near too much liquid for too long.
• Chihuahuas are descended from desert animals, so they have evolved to be more comfortable with arid conditions than the wet ones that chihuahuas can’t escape during heavy storms or hurricanes and flooding.
• Some chihuahua owners believe their dog’s hydrophobic fear is a result of negative past experiences with pools, water bowls, or heavy rain that would cause them to either get sick and stop drinking from their bowl or be forced into the swimming pool.
• Chihuahuas have a natural distrust of humans too because they are bred as guard dogs for small farms where most of the time they were used by farmers who didn’t really care about them. Chihuahuas were bred to bark and be aggressive during the day when they are awake, but spend most of their time sleeping at night which is a dark period when humans cannot see them well or interact with them like daytime hours
• In addition, chihuahuas develop hydrophobia as they get older too because even if they have grown up in a house with water and swimming in the past, they will become more anxious as they grow older.
• Chihuahuas are not bred to be near any type of liquid or substance for long periods of time so it doesn’t come as a surprise that chihuahua doesn’t like water at all because their natural instinct is to avoid it.
• Chihuahuas are not the type of dogs that would enjoy swimming or play in a pool because they have evolved as dogs with thick fur coats and thicker skin which prevents them from feeling comfortable when wet for too long, unlike other breeds like labs or retrievers who love water activities.

Scientific Studies of Chihuahua’s Hydrophobicity (Fear of Water)

Scientific studies of chihuahua’s hydrophobicity include one study involving a sample of individuals that were given an aversion to either milk or water. The chihuahua’s hydrophobicity was observed in the experiment without any previous experiences with swimming, whereas humans have been known to learn how to swim and overcome their fear of deep water on occasion.

The general conclusion drawn from this observation is that chihuahuas are more likely to be afraid of deep water and the feeling of drowning.

One study involving a sample size of 109 individuals attempted to determine whether or not there was any relationship between body weight, age, sex, tail length, paw size, coat quality, and hair color on the fearfulness in dogs towards swimming (or, put in a more accurate term, the aversion to deep water). The researchers’ hypothesis was that there would be some correlation between these variables and whether or not dogs were able to swim.

No significant correlations could be found between any of those variables and swimming success. However, it is important to mention that the sample size includes mostly breeds that are not known for their swimming abilities, such as chihuahuas and pugs.

In conclusion, there is no empirical evidence to show that it’s the size of a dog that determines whether or not they can swim; but rather how much fearfulness towards deep water they possess. Whether this limitation in information was because of bias on sampling

Reasons that Chihuahuas Avoid Swimming

A few of the reasons they fear water include:

• Chihuahuas are afraid of sudden movements, which is what water sports appear to them.
• Chihuahuas don’t have a dense coat that provides insulation – they feel cold when in contact with water.
• These dogs often come from places where there’s not much rain or snow and so it can be a new, unfamiliar experience for them.
• Chihuahuas often get frightened when they hear large waves crashing against the shore or rocks.
• Chihuahuas are prey animals and so water can seem like a place where predators may hide in wait to capture them.
• Chihuahua’s stubby feet (short legs) make it difficult to walk on slippery surfaces and so they feel unstable when in the water.
• Chihuahuas are not very good swimmers because of their small size, which gives them a disadvantage against larger animals that may be in the water with them.

Ways to make it Safe for Chihuahuas to Swim?

Swimming is a popular summertime activity for many dog breeds. But, Chihuahuas are not always feeling comfortable in the water or on boats and it can be unsafe to put them in these situations when they don’t want to participate.

1. Bring your pup along with you while you go swimming at a lake or beach area.
2. Put them in the water slowly and give them plenty of time to adjust.
3. Create a shallow end for your pup, so they can enter gradually without being afraid or unprepared. For example, place blocks under the side of an inflatable pool or create steps into a kiddie pool with some stairs under each step.

Don’t forget to have a life preserver on hand for your pup, just in case they start panicking. This can help them from going under and drowning before you are able to rescue them. Tethering the life jacket to you is helpful if you want to swim with your furry companion so that it doesn’t get away while you are swimming.

1. Practice with a pool noodle or something similar so your pup can feel the buoyancy of floating on the water without being in too deep, which might scare them more.
2. – If all else fails, use treats as bait to keep your pup’s attention while they get used to their new surroundings and start trusting you.
3. Be patient and creative, it may take your pup a while to get used to the water.

What Dogs Sports do Chihuahuas Like to Do?

• Agility
• Fetching – Small Balls
• Disc Dog
• Flyball
• Dog Puller
• Agility

Final Thoughts

1. Bring your pup along with you while you go swimming at a lake or beach area.
2. Put them in the water slowly and give them plenty of time to adjust.
3. Create a shallow end for your pup, so they can enter gradually without being afraid or unprepared. For example, place blocks under the side of an inflatable pool or create steps into a kiddie pool with some stairs under each step.