# Why so much chihuahua hate?



## IzzyD (Oct 30, 2013)

Today someone made a comment about not liking chihuahuas so I politely said that I thought they were great dogs and informed her that my family is getting one nezt summer. She then rolled on to the usual "oh chihuahuas are ugly and look like rats" rant (I restrained myself from returning the compliment ;-) ).

I've been hearing this from different people a lot lately and it's kind of starting to annoy me. I mean ok, so you don't like my choice of dog. Big deal! Can you keep it to yourself already?

What is it about chihuahuas in particular that people don't like? There are plenty of other breeds of small dog to pick on! Has anyone else had a similar experience?


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

IGNORANCE!! I never hated them but never thought I would own them. I used to think of little yappy, unmannered dogs. I admire every breed/mix that is out there.
I was SOO wrong, I just ignore people that make comments.
Once people meet them they love them also. We now will always have this wonderful breed.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I have never understood the rat thing. I actually really like rats, they are very intelligent and adaptable creatures, but I fail to see any physical similarities to my dogs lol. I did have a Gambian Pouched rat a few years ago who was about the size of a Chihuahua, I actually use her old harness on Delilah.


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## AnnHelen (Nov 29, 2010)

They are just jealous that they can*t handle them !!!  Simple as that. My answear to people like that, is that I*ll take dogs over disgusting human APES any day  p****s me off hihi


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## sammyp (Jun 14, 2011)

Wicked Pixie said:


> I have never understood the rat thing. I actually really like rats, they are very intelligent and adaptable creatures, but I fail to see any physical similarities to my dogs lol. I did have a Gambian Pouched rat a few years ago who was about the size of a Chihuahua, I actually use her old harness on Delilah.


I never use the term omg but ....
OMG!! The same size as a chihuahua wow that must have been a huge rat. Do you have any pics ? Would love to see it. 

As for people digging at chihuahuas ... Whats the saying ? Don't judge a book by its cover. They are the people missing out. Take no notice of what people say as they have obversely never met a chi and don't realise just how special chi's are.


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## Giubba (Oct 15, 2013)

It happens to me all the time, and considering that mine is 10lbs he's not properly a _rat_. 

People think that chis are annoying and yelping, as almost they're incapable of behaving and loving like any other breeds. 

When I stumble upon these individuals - and sadly some of them belong to my enlarged family - I just don't care. You don't like my dog? Then you don't like me as well. Want to laugh and have fun with me like the time my dog wasn't in my life? Make an effort and try to know Giuliano more. They will find him adorable and lovely. 
When they complain that Giuliano barks at them, I say: "Do you notice when someone doesn't like you? The same is for dogs."

IzzyD, really, don't take any discussion with them. Just let it go, it's better. They don't know. And sometimes they _don't want_ to know.

Sorry for the long post!


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## AnnHelen (Nov 29, 2010)

great post giubba <3


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## quinnandleah (Sep 28, 2011)

I think like with pit bulls alot of the dislike comes from what the see in the media. Most movies I've seen depicts that they are a yappy spoiled dogs, which really depends on how they are raised (just like children).


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

I think the best defense against rude and ignorant comments like that is a well behaved and balanced chi. I have heard negative comments from people passing by, but no one that has ever actually met Odie has had anything bad to say about chihuahuas. The most frequent comment I get is, "wow, she doesn't bark? And she's so friendly!" and it makes me proud. Well behaved ambassadors for the chi breed will do more than us responding to anyone ever will. 

This made me think of last month when I was at someone's house for one of those parties where you buy stuff from a catalogue. Her dog (a smaller breed) was so messed up and it was sad. He was a puppy and she couldn't not hold him or he would go mental barking. His bark was SO loud and high pitched that you wanted to plug your ears. The first thing he'd do when she put him down was immediately start humping someone's legs or try to grab their papers away from them. She eventually put him in his kennel and the second she left he started crying and she lasted about 2 mins before she let him out again. At the end of the night we were chatting and I mentioned that I have a chi. Then we talked about her husband who is Mexican and my mom made a joke that they should have got a chihuahua. She replied, "I hate chihuahuas. They're just yappy ankle biters". Seriously. This made me realize that people are going to believe whatever they want to. I wish that Odie could have been with me! She would have been curled up on someone's lap the whole time. 




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## Giubba (Oct 15, 2013)

quinnandleah said:


> I think like with pit bulls alot of the dislike comes from what the see in the media. Most movies I've seen depicts that they are a yappy spoiled dogs, which really depends on how they are raised (just like children).


So true indeed


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## IzzyD (Oct 30, 2013)

I do find that most people who say these things have never actually met a chihuahua so the media definitely has something to answer for there. And a lot of them own very badly behaved dogs too (and I'm glad I'm not alone in observing this)! One has a labrador whippet cross who is completely uncontrollable. She jumps up, biting and scratching at your face the moment you walk through the door and I have the scratches to prove it. And yet her owner thinks chihuahuas are "nippy"! Well, if chihuahuas are nippy her dog is plain aggressive!

On the rat thing, I really like rats as well so it doesn't bother me too much. I have kept all sorts of rodents and have always regretted never having had a rat. But it's the implication that somehow as a result of their size they're not real dogs that I don't like. I bet they wouldn't say a short person wasn't a "real" human ;-)

Oh well, it's nice to have found so many people who love chihuahuas that I can complain to!


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## Rupert's Mum (Apr 13, 2013)

I too have been met with the comment 'why haven't you got a proper dog, it's more like a rat' Lots of people have an ill formed opinion of chihuahuas. When I told my mother in law I was getting a chihuahua she was horrified. Now she adores him and tells everyone what a friendly and loving dog he is. When visiting the beach in Summer this year a mother and child stopped me and asked if they could stroke ' the tiny dog' when they questioned what breed he was and I told them they didn't believe me saying 'I thought they were yappy and bite' 
The best medicine for such narrow minded views is to have a chi for 24 hrs!! They would soon change their minds and realise how adorable they are! 


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

KrystalLeigh said:


> I think the best defense against rude and ignorant comments like that is a well behaved and balanced chi. I have heard negative comments from people passing by, but no one that has ever actually met Odie has had anything bad to say about chihuahuas. The most frequent comment I get is, "wow, she doesn't bark? And she's so friendly!" and it makes me proud. Well behaved ambassadors for the chi breed will do more than us responding to anyone ever will.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Yes! I never get bad comments when Kerri is actually with me. All I hear is "why isn't she barking" "how did you teach her not to bark" "did she walk ALL the way up the mountain" or "wow, she is really friendly." Even people that don't typically love little dogs seem to be won over by her. It starts a lot of great conversations with people about the breed and I enjoy that.

When Kerri isn't around I don't really blame people for thinking badly of the breed- the media portrays chis as pampered, prissy, barkey pets. Also a lot of people seem predisposed to raising chihuahuas as accessories, not dogs, and that DOES sometimes make them into unstable, barkey, resource-guardey angry dogs. If those are the only chis people have ever met can you really blame them? I just eventually introduce said people to Kerri- or show them video on my phone of her doing agility. That tends to do it!

Also I wanted to second the rat thing. I have rats and they really look nothing like any of my dogs! Sometimes I do think the rats are smarter than Kerri though


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## sasha2334829 (Sep 30, 2013)

I never thought that I would own a chihuahua either. But I just had to get my Dojo. He is Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix and he is the smartest thing. I love him and my yorkie.


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## zellko (Jul 3, 2013)

How incredibly rude. I'm a former (reformed) Chihuahua disliker. A 'junkyard' chi is an annoying and sometimes dangerous critter. I know now that it's lack of kind care and socialization. If I were that tiny and someone treated me badly I'd get defensive, too. Even when I didn't like them, I'd never berate someone's loved pet. It is a chance to educate people though. I think I'd rather have them say something.


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

Well Ike is a yappy spoiled Chi and Holly is getting there very quickly. But just like my children they were spoiled also, and turned out okay. I really don't care what people think about my dogs, I never leave them out in the yard, I am always with them, when outside, they seem to think it is their duty to bark, but so does all the neighbors dogs. I also have a yappy pug. I must be am awful mommy.


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## Little Javi (Nov 12, 2013)

I too believed the media portrayal until a breeder friend of mine asked me to come and meet a male deer nose she had and borrow him for a couple of days since she was sure I would buy him after trying him out. She was right, and I have since bought 2 others. They each have their own little quirks which I find endearing and hilarious. I would never consider parting with any of them unless it was the only way to avoid homelessness. My I also own a 100 lb retriever who is my best friend in the entire world, but my runt apple head Javier (hence my handle here) is a close second. He is one of the most loyal, loving dogs I have ever owned. he absolutely flips out if I am home and somewhere that he can't access (ie:shower). None of my chis shake like a power sander or yap, nor are they overly spoiled. Why Chihuahuas and their owners have been painted in such a bad light is beyond me.


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

Evelyn said:


> Well Ike is a yappy spoiled Chi and Holly is getting there very quickly. But just like my children they were spoiled also, and turned out okay. I really don't care what people think about my dogs, I never leave them out in the yard, I am always with them, when outside, they seem to think it is their duty to bark, but so does all the neighbors dogs. I also have a yappy pug. I must be am awful mommy.


When I say yappy in this context (and I think most people are like this) I am talking about a dog with its head hanging out of a purse barking and trying to attack the teller at petsmart. A lot of dogs bark like crazy when they hear something in the yard- I would venture to guess your two are far more civilized than you let on. I have seen your posts for a while around here and you are a great chi mommy!


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

Evelyn said:


> Well Ike is a yappy spoiled Chi and Holly is getting there very quickly. But just like my children they were spoiled also, and turned out okay. I really don't care what people think about my dogs, I never leave them out in the yard, I am always with them, when outside, they seem to think it is their duty to bark, but so does all the neighbors dogs. I also have a yappy pug. I must be am awful mommy.


I am guilty of spoiling Odie too! She's definitely a very spoiled girl.  


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## KittyD (Apr 2, 2010)

Funny! I've never encountered that, I find that some of the *people* who own the dogs are weird? :lol: but I've never had an issue with people saying awful things about the breed. Usually when we are out and about people stop us and ask what type of dog we have and then they marvel about how sweet they are!


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## Buildthemskywards (Jun 16, 2012)

It's another case of dogs getting a bad rep for how their humans taught them to be.


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## Chihuahua Mommy (Dec 28, 2012)

I get that comment all the time when people ask about my chi,they always say " hows the rat" and i'm like hes not a rat its called a chihuahua and then i tell them ,"your just mad that your dog isn't as cute as mine" .


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## ILovemyChiChi (Nov 13, 2013)

Unfortunately humans can be pretty ignorant when it comes to dog breeds, they may meet one dog of a certain breed who is badly behaved and decide that all of that breed are the same as the one they had the experience with, pretty annoying if you ask me!!


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## KimmieNH (Nov 7, 2013)

It's Paris Hilton's fault !


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## lilbabyvenus (Feb 8, 2009)

I've never had this happen, but it just always bothers me when people can't keep rude comments like that to themselves :banghead:


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## Natti (Jun 24, 2010)

My response is usually something along the lines of "Im so sorry you're not intelligent enough to know a dog when you see one!" - I then walk off.... usually they dont say anything after that!


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## coco_little_bear (May 30, 2012)

Natti said:


> My response is usually something along the lines of "Im so sorry you're not intelligent enough to know a dog when you see one!" - I then walk off.... usually they dont say anything after that!


I love that!  That's what I'm going to say next time!


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## gibbus (Nov 14, 2013)

It's usually the people who have never met my lovely Chi's who call them rats. Once people meet the girls they instantly fall in love and can't believe how they're " not yappy". Dogs will only be yappy if you allow them to be  


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