Chihuahua Pros and Cons: An Honest List Before You Commit
Updated: 13 hours ago
By Nick, co-founder of Doggy Styles Inc and owner of Bruno, a rescued French Bulldog. Last updated 16 October 2026.
Quick Answer
The main Chihuahua pros are their size, their deep loyalty, their modest exercise needs, their low running costs and how easily they fit into flats and travel. The main cons are dental disease, a fragile body that's easy to injure, a tendency to bark, wariness of strangers and other dogs, a strong attachment that can make time alone hard, and a poor fit with toddlers. They suit people who are home a lot, want a close companion and are happy to put work into socialisation and teeth. They're a harder fit for busy homes with young children, or for anyone who wants a relaxed dog who greets everyone like an old friend.
Key takeaways
The pros are real: a loyal, portable, cheap-to-feed companion who doesn't need long walks.
The biggest cons are teeth, fragility, barking and wariness, and most can be reduced with effort.
A small dog isn't a low-effort dog. The time goes into training and care instead of walks.
If you're still getting to know the breed, start here:
Is a Chihuahua a good dog to own? What people get wrong
The most common mistake is treating a Chihuahua as the easy option because it's small. It's true that they don't need much space or long walks. It isn't true that they need less of you. Louie's owner, on Purina's owner stories, describes owning one as "much the same as having a baby", and plenty of owners would agree, usually at about 3am.
The opposite mistake is dismissing them as yappy handbag dogs. Luna's owner, also on Purina, says the thing she learned from getting a Chihuahua was "How much I needed one!!!" That's three more exclamation marks than we'd use, but the point stands.
The car seat
Week one. You'd pictured a tiny dog curled quietly on the passenger seat. Instead, you've had him three days and learned that he shakes in the car, barks at the postman, sleeps under your duvet and has strong views about the hoover. You also haven't been apart for more than ten minutes, because he follows you to the bathroom. Nobody mentioned this part.
Chihuahua pros and cons: a quick guide
Pros | Cons |
Small and portable | Fragile and easy to injure |
Very loyal and affectionate | Can struggle to be left alone |
Modest exercise needs | Feels the cold |
Cheap to feed | Dental disease is common |
Suits flats and smaller homes | Can be a big barker |
Easy to take places | Often wary of strangers and other dogs |
Huge personality | A poor fit with toddlers |
Owners tend to find both columns are true at once. The dog who follows you to the bathroom is the same dog who's beside you every evening, and the one who barks at the door is also the one who notices everything. It's one dog. He just has a lot of columns.
That mix of big personality and total devotion is what Doggy Styles Inc designs around: clean, minimal Chihuahua pieces for people who weighed up the list and decided it was worth it.
👉 Shop Chihuahua women's t-shirts, unisex t-shirts and sweatshirts and hoodies
👉 or explore the full CHIHUAHUA COLLECTION
The pros of owning a Chihuahua
They're small and portable
A Chihuahua fits in a flat, a small car and, often, a carrier on public transport. Romeo's owner, on Purina, says he "loves travelling with me everywhere I go". For people who want a dog that comes along, that's a genuine advantage, and he'll have opinions about the itinerary.
They're deeply loyal
Chihuahuas tend to attach closely to their people, often one person most of all. If you want a dog who is properly yours, this is the breed. If you want a dog who is properly everyone's, it may not be.
They don't need long walks
Short daily walks and some play at home keep most Chihuahuas fit and content. That makes them a realistic option for people who can't manage hour-long hikes, including many older owners.
They're cheap to run day to day
A bag of food lasts a very long time. The bills that matter are insurance, teeth and the vet, which the cost table below covers properly.
They have a lot of personality
As Holly's owner puts it on Purina: "They have a lot of character about them." Chihuahuas are opinionated, funny and alert. Very few people find them boring, and none of them are Chihuahuas.
The cons of owning a Chihuahua
Their teeth
Small mouths crowd teeth together, and dental disease is the most commonly recorded health problem in the breed. Daily brushing from puppyhood and regular checks make a big difference, but it's sensible to budget for professional dental treatment at some point.
They're fragile
A jump off the sofa, a fall from someone's arms or a big dog's rough play can cause real injuries. Steps, careful handling and supervised play are part of the deal.
They bark
Many Chihuahuas are keen alarm dogs. Training reduces it, but it rarely disappears. Neighbours through thin walls will form a view. How much, why and what actually helps has its own post.
They can be wary of people and dogs
Without good early socialisation, many Chihuahuas are suspicious of visitors and nervous of bigger dogs. It's manageable, but it takes consistent work rather than hope.
They don't love being alone
A dog who bonds this closely can find time alone hard. The PDSA advises that adult dogs shouldn't usually be left for more than about four hours at a time (PDSA vet advice). That applies to every dog, but it bites harder with a breed this attached. If your days are long, read the separation post before you buy the bed.
They feel the cold
Little body mass and, in smooth coats, very little hair means many Chihuahuas need a coat in winter and a warm bed all year. You will own more blankets than you planned.
What a Chihuahua really costs
Cheap to feed isn't the same as cheap to keep. These are UK figures, at minimum.
Cost | Roughly | What it covers |
Setting up | From about £415 | Bed, harness, bowls, first vaccinations, worming, neutering |
Everyday running costs | From about £69 a month | Food, insurance, boosters, flea and worm treatment |
Lifetime minimum | £6,200 to £12,000 | Everyday costs over his life, not including illness or injury |
Dental clean under anaesthetic | Around £250 to £500 | Each extraction costs extra |
Jumpers, coats, steps, blankets | Small but constant | He will need more than one jumper |
The PDSA's figures for small dogs, calculated at 2024 prices, put the minimum lifetime cost at £6,200 to £12,000, around £69 a month and about £415 to get started. They don't include buying the puppy, or vet bills for illness and injury (PDSA, the cost of owning a dog). A dental clean under anaesthetic typically costs £250 to £500 in the UK, depending on where you live and how much work is needed, with extractions on top (Dogster, 2026).
Two things push the real figure up. The first is teeth, for the reasons above. The second is that small dogs often live a long time, so the monthly figure keeps going for many years. Good insurance, taken out early, is worth more with this breed than most.
What the research says
The biggest picture of Chihuahua health comes from UK vet records, and it lines up neatly with the two cons owners mention most: teeth and weight. Dental disease is the most commonly recorded problem in the breed, with weight gain not far behind. The figures, what they mean for how long Chihuahuas live, and what actually helps are all in the lifespan post.
How long Chihuahuas live, and what tends to cut their lives short, has its own post.
Living with the cons: what each one actually takes
Teeth: a couple of minutes' brushing a day, dental chews and a yearly check.
Fragility: steps up to the sofa and bed, a harness rather than a collar, and rules for children about picking him up.
Barking and wariness: lots of calm, rewarded experiences in the first months, and steady reward-based training after that.
Time alone: short practice absences from the start, and a plan (a dog walker, daycare or family) for long days.
Weight: weighing food and counting treats, because a few extra biscuits matter a lot to a dog this size.
What the day-to-day actually looks like, blankets and all, is covered in the living-with post.
The dentist
Month two. The vet lifts his lip at his first check-up and says, kindly, that you'll want to start brushing now. You buy a finger brush and chicken-flavoured toothpaste. The first attempt is a negotiation. By the second week, he comes running when he hears the tube open. It turns out he'll do almost anything for chicken, including dental hygiene.
Who a Chihuahua suits
A Chihuahua is a great fit for people who are home a lot, live in smaller spaces, want a dog that comes with them, and like the idea of a very close companion. Many do well with adults and calm, older children.
A Chihuahua probably isn't the right fit if:
you have toddlers or very young children
you're out of the house all day with no one to cover
you want a dog who's relaxed with every visitor and every dog
you want a running or hiking partner
barking would cause problems with neighbours
If children are part of the picture, the family post goes through it by age and temperament.
The walk
Month four. A neighbour with a Spaniel asks how you manage the walks. You explain that twenty minutes round the block, twice a day, and a game of fetch down the hallway is plenty. He looks at his own dog, who has already done five miles and is asking for more, with something close to envy.
Rescue and older Chihuahuas
Adopting an adult Chihuahua changes the list. You'll often know his temperament, his barking level and how he is with people before you commit, which removes a lot of guesswork. The trade-off is that he may come with dental problems or fears that need work. Older Chihuahuas are often calmer and well suited to quiet homes, though vet costs can be higher.
When to get professional help
If you already have a Chihuahua and one of the cons is getting on top of you, help is available. Talk to your vet about teeth, weight, sudden behaviour changes or anything that seems painful. For growling, snapping, serious fear or distress when left alone, ask for a referral to a qualified behaviourist who uses reward-based methods.
Chihuahua vs other small breeds
Compared with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a Chihuahua is usually less sociable with strangers but avoids the Cavalier's well-known heart problems. Compared with a Dachshund, he's more portable but shares a similar alertness and wariness. Compared with a French Bulldog, he's far less prone to breathing problems but more fragile and more likely to bark. Every small breed has its own list. The question is which list fits your life.
What Chihuahua owners realise over time
Most owners find that the cons are mostly about time and attention, and that the pros grow on them faster than they expected. The closeness that makes him hard to leave is the same closeness that makes him such good company. Many go on to get a second one, which tells you how the maths came out.
The car seat, a year on
A year after that first week. He's on the passenger seat in his harness, wrapped in a jumper, watching the road. He still barks at the postman. He still follows you to the bathroom. He's been to the coast, a pub garden and your sister's wedding. His teeth are clean. You've stopped thinking about the list.
The verdict
The Chihuahua pros and cons come down to this: a loyal, portable, low-exercise companion with a big personality, in exchange for daily care of his teeth and body, real work on socialisation and barking, a household that can give him plenty of company, and a sensible budget for the vet. If you're home a lot and want a close companion, the pros usually win. If you have toddlers or long days away, a different breed may be kinder to both of you.
If you're still getting to know the breed, the guide covers the full picture.
Living with a Chihuahua means a short pros list that matters more than the long cons list. The Chihuahua range is for people who did the maths and got the dog anyway.
👉 Explore Chihuahua women's t-shirts, unisex t-shirts and sweatshirts and hoodies
👉 or explore the full CHIHUAHUA COLLECTION
Weighed up the list and got one anyway? Show us. Tag @doggystylesinc on Instagram or find us on Facebook at Doggy Styles Inc, and your Chihuahua could feature in a future post.
Continue Understanding the Chihuahua Breed
FAQs
What are the pros of owning a Chihuahua?
Small size, deep loyalty, modest exercise needs, low food costs and a big personality.
What are the cons of owning a Chihuahua?
Dental disease, fragility, barking, wariness of strangers and dogs, difficulty being alone and a poor fit with toddlers.
How much does a Chihuahua cost to keep?
The PDSA puts the minimum for a small dog at around £69 a month and £6,200 to £12,000 over a lifetime, before illness, injury or the puppy itself.
Are Chihuahuas good for first-time owners?
They can be, if you're prepared for socialisation, training and daily tooth care from the start.
Are Chihuahuas high maintenance?
Low on exercise and grooming, higher on company, training and dental care.
Are Chihuahuas good with children?
Often with calm, older children. They're a poor fit with toddlers because they're easily hurt and can snap when frightened.
Can Chihuahuas be left alone?
For short periods once they're used to it. The PDSA suggests no more than about four hours for adult dogs.
Are Chihuahuas healthy?
Generally reasonably healthy, but dental disease is very common, and kneecap problems and weight gain are worth watching.
Is pet insurance worth it for a Chihuahua?
Usually, yes. Dental work and injuries are common, and a long life means many years of possible claims.
Are Chihuahuas good flat dogs?
Yes for space and exercise. Barking through shared walls is the main thing to manage.
Is a male or female Chihuahua better?
Individual temperament matters more than sex. Meet the dog, and his parents if you can.
Should I get a Chihuahua?
If you're home a lot, want a close companion and don't have toddlers, a Chihuahua is often a very good choice.
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