A video of a small dog alerting its owner that she needs to relieve herself outside has gone viral on Instagram. It shared the clip (credited to user @janelikesbeans) in a post on the @iloveechihuahua account. And it received over 73,000 likes at the time of writing. The video shows a Chihuahua running towards the bottom of a door, where she appears to tap a bell with her nose. As the bell rings, a voice in the clip says: “Good girl…do you want to go potty? Come one, let’s go potty.” The door is opened, and the dog is seen scooting down a little ramp before running off to the side.
It shared the post with a caption: “the little run and ramp [teary-eyed face emoji]. I [can’t]! so cute [red heart].”
An August 2019 study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior found that large dogs were “more likely to be fully house-trained” than small dogs. And “further research is warranted to understand why these differences are present.”
The study said clinicians often categorize small dogs as “more difficult to house-train.” However, “there have been no published studies to date to confirm the veracity of this assumption.”
American Kennel Club
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the Chihuahua—a national symbol of Mexico—is “a tiny dog with a huge personality.”
These “alert and amusing” little dogs are among the oldest breeds of the Americas, with a lineage dating back to the ancient kingdoms of pre-Columbian times.
The AKC says: “Even tiny dogs require training, and without it, this clever scamp will rule your household like a little Napoleon. Compact and confident, Chihuahuas are ideal city pets.”
Potty training is one of the most important aspects of owning a dog. Below are some tips to successfully house-train your pup, as outlined by Mary Burch, a certified applied animal behaviorist and the family dog director at the AKC and The Humane Society of the United States.
- Monitor your dog’s diet.
- Keep a consistent schedule, from trips outside to feeding and exercise.
- Choose a bathroom spot outdoors, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot. Choose a specific word or phrase you can eventually use before they need to go to remind them what to do.
- Provide regular exercise, which helps with motility.
- Provide positive reinforcement to your puppy for “going” outside. Take your pup out for a long walk or playtime only after they’ve relieved themselves outdoors.
