He’s probably going to be ok, since he’s moving and eating, also it is to be expected that there should be some swelling since he did hit his head on the concrete from some height. Still, it is very important that you bring him to the vet asap (like today, if you can get him in). The vet will need to do a more careful examination to make sure there are no internal injuries. In the meantime, monitor your chihuahua closely. Watch out for lethargy, dizziness or vomiting.

Please please please contact Chihuahua Rescue and Transport: www.chihuahua-rescue.org. I volunteer for them, but here on the east coast. It’s a national organization, they should have contacts out west. I found another organization online: http://www.chihuahuarescue.com/, they are in CA. They should know someone who can pull the chihuahua out and send it to a foster home. This is such an unfortunate situation.

I think your chihuahua is way too young for anxiety medication. If you want to give her something natural like lavendar or chamomile drops, that’s fine, but anything pharmaceutical would be too much. It’s natural for a puppy that young to cry because she has just been separated from her mom and littermates and she misses you.

She will grow out of it with time, medication would be overkill and I would worry about the side-effects especially since your chihuahua is still in developmental stages. It’s too early to tell what her personality is like, and if you start giving her drugs now to alter her behavior, it will be very difficult for you to know her true personality.

If you are going to leave the house, leave quickly and don’t linger. She can sense your presence and will cry even more. She will stop crying after 10-15 mins, I promise. She won’t cry all day.

I know how you feel, I panic every time I go travel too because I feel so bad leaving my babies. I’m lucky in that so far I have been able to count on friends and family to dog sit for me, but I know it’s not easy to find someone trustworthy who’s willing to do such a big favor.

Have you visited this doggie hotel? If you’ve personally visited and have a good gut feeling about the place, I would not worry, but you must visit and talk to the staff and make sure they understand your dog’s needs. If your chihuahua is friendly, you can ask if they can keep your dog in the reception area or in the office with the people, so your dog can be around people. A lot of kennels keep the smaller dogs in the office. You should also make sure that they don’t let your chihuahua play with the bigger breeds because your dog can get hurt if the other dogs play rough. Other than that, if the staff seems nice and caring, the place looks and smells and clean, and the other dogs look well cared for, then go for it.

I would not worry about how your chihuahua feels. He will probably feel sad just because you’re not around, and you can’t help that. Dogs adapt very quickly. I’ve had many rescue dogs come into my home and they find their place immediately. They’re not like us, they don’t analyze every situation. They take what they’re given and make the best of it. Dogs are very resourceful that way. So as long as you know he’ll be safe in the kennel, that’s all that you have to worry about.

It’s not only that he’s teething, but that’s how puppies play with their littermates. He only bites you because you are a member of his pack. If Santino was with his mom and littermates, he would do the same to them, but the mom would put a stop to it. The way she would do it is to growl and bark at him, she may grab him by the scruff of his neck and give him a rough shake. You could mimic that by shouting a sharp “ouch” when he bites you, then grab his neck and give him a little shake, then lay him down on his side until he calms down. Another thing you can try is to tap him on the bridge of his nose with your finger. It shouldn’t be a blow to him, but it should be done with a little force so he knows you mean business. Again, you should lay him down on his side, and hold him down with your hand until he calms down. You have to be consistent and do this for several days, he’ll learn to leave you alone soon enough.

Unfortunately, the behavior you’re describing is very normal. Chihuahua puppies will chew anything. The good news is that they will outgrow it eventually. One of mine liked to chew on wood and my dining table legs can tell you that story. I sprayed bitter apple on the things they frequently chewed to get them to stop. Bitter apple is not bad for them, just tastes bad. If your chi likes paper though, it would be difficult to spray every piece of paper you have. I might spray a couple of pieces of paper and leave them around on purpose, let your chihuahua chew it and see if that gets him to stop.

Another thing people have tried is tobasco sauce. As you can imagine, that would taste very bad for a chihuahua. I have 3 chihuahuas and over the last 10 years, I’ve discovered that sometimes it’s easier to alter my behavior than theirs, so now I instinctively scan the room to see if there is anything around that they destroy. Prevention is the best solution.

I get asked this question a lot. Brown spots are normal. Puppies do change colors. It is possible for fawn chihuahuas to develop brown spots as they grow up. As long as he’s not itching and scratching and behaving like there is a skin problem, it sounds normal to me.

It’s very normal for a chihuahua to hide and be scared when they first go to a new home. I rescue and foster chihuahuas, so I bring in many chihuahuas to my home and sometimes it takes them a week to come out of their shell. The best thing to do is to ignore her. I know it is hard to do at first, because you want to show her you love her and that everything is ok, but she needs to know that you are not out to get her. You need to leave her alone, don’t stare at her, try to catch her or call her. Just let her be, wherever she wants to hide. Leave food and water and a wee wee pad close by. In time, it could be as short as a few hours, she will know that there is nothing to fear, and she will explore little by little.

Basically, you want to make it feel safe for her to come out on her own terms. When she comes out of hiding, do not immediately run to her or get excited, she will be scared again and run back. You want her to have a positive experience each time she ventures out a little more. You can leave very yummy treats (a boiled piece of chicken, a liver treat, or a rawhide) a short distance away to encourage her to come out. Let her eat the treat and let her decide what she wants to do next, either go back into hiding or explore a little more. In a short time, she will be very curious about YOU, and she will come near you and sniff you. Hold out your hand, palm up, under her chin and let her sniff you. Just remember, little by little, and progress will be made. Resist the urge to grab her or make sudden movements.

Chihuahuas are very loyal and many of them develop a strong bond with one person, it will take a little time for her to adjust to being away from her previous owner. But don’t worry, she will bond with you too and it will also be a very strong bond. The wonderful thing about dogs is that they adapt quickly to new surroundings. Just give her a few days.