Unlike many other Toy Breeds, the Chihuahua is rather easy to care for and keep clean. With a bit of patience and keen eye, you can save trips to the groomer and keep the job a personal one.

Baths and Grooming

Depending on your Chihuahua's coat length, their requirements differ. Smooth, short-haired coat Chihuahuas should be gently brushed occasionally or simply wiped over with a damp cloth between their monthly bath. Long coat Chihuahuas should be brushed daily with a soft bristle brush to keep their fur from matting, especially if your long coat Chihuahua has a thick coat.

• You should give your Chihuahua a bath, at a minimum, once a month. Every three weeks is a realistic schedule, depending on how often your Chihuahua gets themselves into a mud pile or covered in grass stains.
• With the Chihuahua's ears standing straight up, you must take care not to get water into their ears, as an infection can develop. Keeping some swimmer's ear astringent in your Chihuahua bath tool box to dry up any water that finds its way into their ear.
• The best place to bathe your Chihuahua is right in your kitchen sink. This will allow you and them enough room for a safe experience.
• You will also be able to keep a safe hand on them, keeping them from squirming out of your hands. Keep your dog safe in your hand while you wash them with the other hand.
• Be sure to have all of your supplies handy! Dog shampoo (NOT HUMAN SHAMPOO!!!) and a warm, soft towel are a must. Chihuahuas can chill rather easily. A towel just pulled from the clothes dryer is a perfect solution. And a hair dryer set on low to dry them after their bath is ideal on those chilly days.

Nail Trimming

Often times, owners choose to take their Chihuahuas to the groomer to have it done. with patience and consistency, you and your Chihuahua can find it to be a more pleasant experience.

While you have your Chihuahua wrapped in a towel to dry is a great time to pull out the nail clippers and take care of their nails! This is an ideal time if your Chihuahua is not keen on this kind of handling. To prevent this kind of behavior, ideally, you should should start a nail-trimming routine as early in their life as possible so that your Chihuahua becomes accustomed to your handling their paws.

• Be careful to trim aa small bit at a time. Each nail has a vein that runs through the middle of it,called the "quick". If the quick is cut, it will bleed quite a bit. You may use a a dab of Kwik-Stop Styptic Powder to help stop the bleeding.
• Since the Chihuahua is mainly a house pets, you will need to trim their nails at least once a month. If your Chihuahua spends a lot of time on harder ceramic tile or concrete flooring, your schedule can be extended to every three months.
• When trimming the nails of tiny Chihuahuas, you can use cat claw trimmers .
• There are many differ net kinds of trimmers on the market. Guillotine style are favored by the majority of Chihuahua owners. The noise from the PediPaws Pet Nail Trimmer have been known to startle and make Chihuahuas more nervous.