Chihuahua: What Is Adulthood?

In this new article, we want to cover everything related to adulthood and the growth of the magnificent Chihuahua dog!

Let’s take a moment to quickly recall that a Chihuahua has 2 coat types according to the FCI (World Canine Organization):

• Smooth coat Chihuahua
• Long coat Chihuahua

So, if you’re ready to learn more about how the world’s smallest dog grows up, you’re in the right place! Don’t forget to check out our article on Chihuahua prices! 🥰

The youngest age to adopt a Chihuahua puppy

In some cases, a Chihuahua puppy may be a little older before leaving for its new home.

Furthermore, it may happen that a breeder (mating specialist) feels that a Chihuahua hasn’t grown as expected and, being a bit too small, wants to wait a week or even a month longer to allow the puppy to gain a little more weight. 🤗

If a small puppy needs to be transported over a long distance to a new home, by car or other means, some breeders will want the Chihuahua to be older, up to about 3 months, in order to better manage the physical and emotional stress that can develop during the trip.

The different growth stages in a Chihuahua’s life

🐶 One-day-old newborn:

Chihuahua puppies are born with their eyelids closed, their hearing isn’t yet developed, and their baby teeth haven’t come in. Newborns do nothing but sleep and nurse.

🐶 10 days:

Most puppies have doubled their birth weight.

Sleeping and nursing take up 95% of the little Chihuahua’s day.

🐶 1 month:

This is the start of the puppy’s “socialization phase,” during which acceptance or fears are formed.

The puppy must be handled often, needs to be able to explore safely, and growth is rapid at this time. Weaning begins! (gradual stop of nursing in favor of solid food).

🐶 6 weeks:

Baby teeth begin to appear 😍

Weaning is well underway and the puppy starts to manage solid food. The first round of vaccinations is administered.

🐶 2 months:

Most puppies are ready to join their new homes.

Although this is a huge adjustment, it is also an exciting time for the dog. A Chihuahua puppy of this age can easily be startled by something, but its fears are not yet set in stone.

The arrival of the Chihuahua in its new family

Part of your job as a new puppy owner is to take advantage of the young Chihuahua’s natural curiosity and gradually introduce a wide range of cues.

This includes touching the teeth (for future dental cleanings), brushing the coat, exposure to all kinds of household noises, and introducing toys that will be useful when the teething phase begins.

Deworming is done at 8 weeks, and a combination vaccine will be administered at 8 or 9 weeks. Potty training begins.

At this age, the Chihuahua puppy sleeps a lot, 18 hours on average, both at night and during naps. Growth is therefore rapid on the way to adulthood. 🐾

🐶 3 months:

This is the start of the educational phase during which the puppy learns its place in the household hierarchy. Your goal should be for your adolescent to consider you the alpha (the leader) of the den (the house). 😃

Some understanding of hierarchy will be gained by a Chihuahua puppy who observes you. However, now is the time to clarify your leadership and train your Chihuahua! Otherwise, any type of training can be difficult and behavioral problems can arise, including territorial marking…

Its appetite begins to grow, the puppy’s vaccinations are finished or almost finished, and you can then start walking it twice a day and offering it playtime in the yard (always under supervision).

Potty training for the young pup is still ongoing, but there should be progress. The dog stays awake more often during the day and manages better at sleeping through the night.

At this young age, it’s a real little ball of hyperactive energy, and by playing with it, you can teach it many habits! 🥰

🐶 4 months:

At this age, its learning is still ongoing, and the little dog is now much more aware of its environment.

The young dog may protest by barking about being left alone more than when it was younger… and separation anxiety issues can appear or intensify.

Potty training is almost finished, and teething begins around now with stronger urges to chew.

👉 The French brand EVIDENT offers healthy and natural “deer antler” packs for dog chewing:

🐶 6 months:

This is the start of adolescence and puberty is underway for both males and females.

If they are not spayed, females have their first heat around this time.

Teething may calm down a bit while the puppy’s hyperactive behavior decreases: this often brings some calm to the house, whereas things might have seemed a bit chaotic before 🤭

If dog training started at 2 months old, the puppy should now be completely housebroken. Growth is slowing down…!

🐶 9 months:

Most Chihuahuas stop growing around 9 or 10 months old.

For others, they will just gain a little weight until about 12 months, and teething is finished or almost finished.

1 year: milestone age

That’s it! A Chihuahua is considered to have reached adulthood with a weight between 1 and 3 kg. 🥳

The one-year-old young adult is alert, active, and wants to be kept busy. However, it has less hyperactive behavior.

🐶 1.5 to 9 years:

The Chihuahua is in its prime, and you can start regular grooming to take care of its coat, paws, claws, teeth, ears, etc… 🥰

🐶 10 years and +:

There is no exact age at which a dog is declared a senior.

Since small dogs live relatively long lives, they become seniors later than large dogs.

The veterinarian who knows a pet’s health history declares a dog senior (but generally, we talk about 10 years).

Your affectionate pup will switch to a diet adapted to its adult health, and your veterinary specialist will continue to advise you on its energy needs and kibble brands.

Age equivalence between Chihuahua and human

The idea that a dog ages 7 years for every human year is a generalization 😉

This idea was put forward some time ago, based on the principle that the lifespan of a human being is about 70 years and that of a dog is about 10 years.

In reality, dogs age at different rates, with the size of their breed being the determining factor.

Small dogs mature much faster than larger dogs and have a longer lifespan. Furthermore, it is a myth to think that the Chihuahua is a fragile dog despite its small size.

A dog’s growth rate is not the same at all stages of its life. For toy breeds, we observe rapid growth to maturity during the first year equivalent to 15 years, then a jump equivalent to 9 years for the second year, and then things even out in 4-year jumps.

Final Paw

Here are the maturity stages of this intelligent little ball of love: 🐶

1. Newborn: From birth to 4 weeks.
2. Puppy: 4 weeks to 1 year; can be divided into young puppy (4 weeks to 5 months) and older puppy (6 months to 11 months).
3. Adult: 1 year, can be divided into young adult (1 to 4 years) and adult (5 to 9 years).
4. Senior: 10 years and older.

Tell us in the comments below how old your pet dog is, we want to know! 😉

– The DoxieLife team – We are fans of dachshunds but remain in love with all dog breeds 💚🐶

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