I’ve had many chihuahuas throughout my life, and in conversations with potential owners, many people ask me if chihuahuas can live in cold weather or ask me “can a chihuahua live outside?” The answer is a resounding yes, they can, but will almost always need to pair your chihuahua dog with some chihuahua clothes and a few coats for dogs.
Chihuahuas tend to cool off and get cold more easily than other breeds of dogs. They originate from a warm part of the planet–whether it was really in Mexico as many believe or in the Mediterranean as some experts suggest–and so genetically speaking, they’re more geared for the heat than a lot of other breeds. In addition, their smaller bodies have a higher metabolism, which makes them cool down quicker than bigger dogs with lower metabolic rates. So if you live in a place like Canada or the UK or a state in the US where it really cools down at some point in the day or for part of the year, then you can just pick up a pieces of clothing for your little dog and play chihuahua dress up with him, and that’s all you really need to do.
I’ve lived with a number of chihuahuas in Canada that I brought up from Mexico, and they do find it cold without the clothes, but you put a sweater on them and then dress them up in a chihuahua coat that is specifically made for dogs, and they stay warm just like any other kind of dog would. It’s really not a problem, and they’re perfectly fine when they have their clothes. Even without the clothes, they do alright, but you want make sure they’re comfortable in your home and when they go out for a walk when they’re cold, so that’s what the doggy clothes are for. It’s pretty simple.
Every chihuahua dog owner I’ve ever seen who lives in a cooler climate has a little collection of clothes for their little K-9… it’s kind of cute, actually. The more you walk around the neighborhood in the winter, the more you get to see your neighbors’ dog clothes wardrobes, haha, with all the chihuahua winter coats and the shirts and sweaters, and tons of different coats for dogs. So yes, it is normal for people to have chihuahuas in colder weather and in cold climates, and live with Chihuahuas in Canada in the winter, and in other cold places too, of course. To take them outside, just pick up a few chihuahua clothes for the little pooches, and they’re good to go.
