6 Facts About the Chiweenie Dog Breed

 Have you ever heard of the Chiweenie? No? Well, you are in for a treat folks, believe me on that. The Chiweenie is a mix between the tiny Chihuahua and the Dachshund (or, as some people call him, the sausage dog, but let’s not talk about that). This mixed breed has been around since the early 90’s, and right now, more and more people are adopting it. Feisty, friendly, and playful, the Chiweenie is a small dog with a big heart, and an even bigger personality.

So, if you want to know more about the Chiweenie, keep on reading, and discover with us 6 facts about one of the cutest mixed breeds around!


1.The Chiweenie is a watch dog at heart

Sure, you might think the Chiweenie is too small to scare off thieves or other dogs, and yet, his temperament frightens more than one. He might be small, but he has the personality of a giant watch dog, and will show it whenever he can, no matter what.

The Chiweenie has inherited the temperament of his purebred parents, and since both the Chihuahua and the Dachshund are excellent watch dogs, their mix has inherited their abilities. Protective and extremely observant, they are always ready to warn you about any potential dangers, and will do everything to protect you, despite their small size, which is what makes Chiweenies such great loyal companions.

2.The Chiweenie might suffer from “small dog syndrome”

Do you know what “small dog syndrome” is? Basically, it is when a pocket-sized dog (or toy dog, as some people like to call them), wants to show you who’s the boss, and decides to take the lead in the house. Chiweenies are more prone to this syndrome, since both their purebred parents are dominant dogs.

“Small dog syndrome” has many symptoms: your Chiweenie, might have a tendency to growl at your or at your guests, jump on people, bark all the time, or disobey commands. One way to avoid this is proper training, and that’s when the next point comes in mind.

3.The Chiweenie is quite hard to train

It is difficult to train a Chiweenie and socialize him, given his big and bold personality. Since it’s a small dog by default, the Chiweenie will try to assert dominance when you start training him. Since harshness doesn’t work with this breed, the best way to train your small dog is to use positive reinforcement, treats, and make the training sessions as fun as possible by using games.

If this is still not working, then one solution would be to take your pooch to a professional dog trainer who will know how to deal with his strong (and somewhat aggressive) behavior.

4.The Chiweenie is a great small apartment dog

If you live in a small space but still want to adopt a dog to keep you company (lonely nights can be hard, man), then the Chiweenie is the perfect breed for you. You don’t need a giant front yard or a big garden, your Chiweenie will be more than happy running around in the living room, spending the extra amount of energy he has.

But, this doesn’t mean that your Chiweenie won’t need exercise in the outdoors. Make sure to walk your pooch daily, when the weather allows it, since this breed doesn’t do too well in the cold.

5.The Chiweenie doesn’t need too much food

But (and there is always a but), the Chiweenie runs around a lot, which means your dog will need all the extra energy he can get. This means that even though he doesn’t eat much (due to his weight and small frame), a Chiweenie will need highly nutritional food. A brand we recommend is Merrick Dog Food, which is rich in proteins, Omega-3, and Beta Carotene, and that’s all your Chiweenie needs to be healthy and full of energy!

6.The Chiweenie doesn’t fare well with small children

Sure, the Chiweenie can be great around older children, but keep him away from the smaller ones. Not only can he get jealous and thus aggressive around them, he can also get hurt, since small children don’t know how fragile this cute dog’s body actually is.

So, if you have small kids in the house, maybe think twice before adding a Chiweenie to the mix.

This blog was written and submitted by Sarah Zayn, DiamondPup.com