See the house from ankle height.

Prepare · Home preparationAbout 8 minutes, plus checklistReviewed 7 November 2026

Most of the dangers to a Chihuahua at home are invisible from standing height: the gap behind the sofa, the open-backed stair, the gate with a ten-centimetre gap. Get down on the floor, then work through the rooms below.

In brief
  • Prepare a warm, quiet “den” before the dog arrives.
  • Block falls: stairs, beds, sofas and balconies.
  • Close gaps a small dog could squeeze through or get stuck in.
  • Register with a vet and book the first check before day one.

Go to the checklist

A home seen from a small dog’s point of view A simple floor plan of a home with numbered hazards: a gap behind the sofa, a high bed, open stairs, a kitchen bin and cables, a balcony with wide railings, a garden fence gap and a front door. A warm den is marked in a quiet corner of the living room. Living roomKitchenBedroomHall & stairsGarden sofa warm den worktop high bed open stairs fence line front door 1 2 3 4 5 6
Illustration. 1. Gaps behind and under sofas. 2. Jumping down from high beds. 3. Open-backed stairs. 4. Bins, cables and dropped food. 5. Gaps in fences and gates. 6. Open front doors: the commonest escape route.

01Start with the den

Before anything else, decide where your Chihuahua will rest. A new dog, especially a puppy or a nervous rescue, needs a place that is warm, quiet, draught-free and theirs alone. A covered bed or a crate with a soft blanket over three sides, inside a small pen, works well. Put it in a room where people spend time but away from the main walkway and the front door.

Chihuahuas love to burrow. A snuggle bed or a fleece they can tunnel into meets a real need, and many settle better with one. Keep the den away from radiators that get very hot and from cold external doors.

02Room-by-room checklist

Work through it over a few evenings. Filter by room, add your own items, and, if you allow saving, your ticks will still be here when you come back on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.

03The first 48 hours

  • Collect them at a calm time, ideally at the start of a few days at home. Bring a carrier with a blanket that smells of their old home.
  • Go straight to the toilet spot when you arrive, then let them explore one room. Open the rest of the house gradually.
  • Keep it quiet. Visitors can wait. Let the dog come to you, and let children sit on the floor and offer a treat rather than reaching or picking up.
  • Feed the same food they’ve been eating, little and often. Puppies need regular meals to keep their blood sugar up.
  • Expect a restless first night. Many owners put the den beside their bed for the first few nights so a puppy can be reassured and taken out to toilet. Moving it gradually later is easy.

Low blood sugar in puppies

Toy-breed puppies can develop dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) if they miss meals, get cold or are stressed. Signs include weakness, trembling, wobbliness, dullness, collapse or seizures. Rub a little honey or glucose syrup on the gums and phone your vet immediately.

04The first week

  • Visit your vet for a health check, ideally within the first few days, and confirm the vaccination plan.
  • Update the microchip database with your details. See microchipping law.
  • Start insurance from day one.
  • Begin short, happy alone-time practice. See building confidence alone.
  • Start gentle handling: a few seconds touching paws, ears and mouth, followed by a treat.
  • For puppies: begin careful socialisation to sounds, surfaces and calm people, even before vaccinations are complete, by carrying them and inviting vaccinated, gentle dogs to visit. Ask your vet what’s safe.

05Household toxins to move out of reach

A tiny dog needs only a tiny amount of something toxic to become seriously ill. Keep these out of reach:

  • Chocolate, especially dark chocolate and cocoa
  • Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants (including in mince pies and hot cross buns)
  • Xylitol, a sweetener found in some sugar-free gum, sweets and peanut butters
  • Onions, garlic, leeks and chives
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Human medicines, especially ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatories, paracetamol and antidepressants
  • Rat and slug baits
  • Antifreeze, which tastes sweet
  • Vapes and nicotine products
  • Cannabis, and edibles in particular
  • Some plants and bulbs, such as daffodil bulbs, lily of the valley and sago palm

If you think your dog has eaten something toxic, phone your vet straight away, even if they seem fine. See poisoning.