Description

The long coated Chihuahua should have a flat or slightly wavy coat, preferably with an undercoat. The ears should be dripping with fringe, a substantial ruff must encircle the neck, and the legs should be well-feathered.

Color

The Chihuahua comes in a variety of colors from fawn to black.

Category Size

Tiny

Coat Length

Medium/Long

Weight/Height Range

These dogs measure between 6-9 inches at the withers and weigh between 2-6.5 lbs.

HEIGHT	MIN	MAX	WEIGHT	MIN	MAX
Female	6"	9"	Female	2 lbs.	6.5 lbs.
Male	6"	9"	Male	2 lbs.	6.5 lbs.

Ailments

There are some hereditary pitfalls with this breed, as with any breed. Almost all small breeds have a tendency to get subluxating patellas, probably due to stress injuries from leaping off the furniture - enormous jumps for such tiny creatures. Many small dogs also have weak tracheas. Chihuahuas, more particularly, suffer from cleft palate, hydrocephalus (excess water on the brain) and hypoplasia of the dens - a lack of development in the second vertebrae, leading to skull instability. Haemophilia, a blood clotting disorder carried by the females and manifesting in the males, also occurs.

Suitable Breed for Allergy Sufferers

No

Common Ailments

Bones (Developmental) - Patellar luxation, Brain (Congenital) - Hydrocephalus (water on the brain), Eye - Cataract - Congenital, Eye - Entropion, Eye - Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), Eye - Glaucoma, Haemolymphatic - Bleeding disorders - Haemophilia, Mouth - Cleft palate, Windpipe/Trachea - Tracheal collapse, Urogenital (Acquired) - Nephroliths (kidney stones, renal calculi), Reproductive (Male) - Retained testicles or cryptorchidism (one or both), Pulmonic stenosis, heart valve problems, shoulder luxation, hypoglycemia, hypoplasia of dens

Personality

Personality wise, the Chihuahua tends to bond closely with one or two people. With its master/mistress the Chihuahua will be curious, lively and intelligent, as well as deeply and constantly affectionate. However, the breed does not take kindly to strangers and can appear nervous, yappy and even snappy with the uninitiated. Chihuahuas must be socialized as early as possible or they will become anxious in new environments and will not get along with children and other household pets. On the plus side, the dog is very territorial and will make a good guard dog, although some find the Chihuahua's barking excessive. They are a clannish breed and enjoy being in a pack of Chihuahuas. They adapt quite well to flat dwelling and make excellent, loving companions for single people and the elderly.

Intelligence

A clever breed, the dog can take well to training if it is begun early on. Some Chihuahuas have been trained to use a cat tray, while others are never house trained at all. It is entirely up to the owner to put some time in from day one of the puppy's arrival.

Energy

Medium

Tendency To Bark

High

Overall Exercise Requirement

The Chihuahua can adapt to however much exercise you would like to give it, within reason. Chihuahuas tend to have bursts of energy where they play excitedly, but do not need a lot of walking. It is recommended that Chihuahuas wear a harness instead of a collar due to their fragile tracheas (windpipes.)

Suitability for Personal Protection

Low

Suitability as a Guard Dog

Medium

Suitability for Children

Low

Ease of Transportation

High

Level of Distress caused if left alone

Low

Level of aggression

High

Other animal compatibility

Medium

Breeding & ownership

These little dogs are relatively easy to feed. As a breed they are known to suffer from hypoglycemia so it is advisable to feed 2 small meals each day.

Food Cost

Affordable

Average Puppy Price

Moderate

Other Expenses

A puppy will cost from $600 upwards.

Grooming & showing

Grooming is not a demanding chore with the Chihuahua. The long coated needs a good brushing and combing once a week. The bib or ruff of the long coats may need a wash as it can attract food leftovers. Chihuahuas do shed, but being small, there isn't much hair to lose. It is a good idea to brush a Chihuahua's teeth daily as, with all small breeds, they are prone to a heavy tartar build up.

Grooming requirements

Once a week

Trimming required

Occasional

Tendency to shed hair

Little

Show characteristics

Chihuahuas have a distinctive skull that is very rounded or 'apple domed' with or without a molera (persistent frontal fontanel.) The cheeks and jaws are lean, while the nose is moderately short. In the dark coated dogs, the nose should be black but the nose can be pink in blonde dogs. Large, erect ears flare out at a 45-degree angle from the skull. Quite full, yet not protruding eyes should be set well apart and be dark in dark coated dogs, ruby in lighter coated dogs. The bite of the teeth should be level. As the head is held high, the neck is slightly arched and set on sloping shoulders. A Chihuahua should be slightly longer backed than it is tall and the back should be level. Legs are straight and the hindquarters are muscular with the hocks set well apart. The back should remain level as the dog moves. A sickle shaped tail or a tail that loops over the back, with the tip just touching the back is desirable. The feet should be dainty, set well below slender ankles, and the toes should be well divided. The long coated Chihuahua should have a flat or slightly wavy coat, preferably with an undercoat. The ears should have a fringe, a substantial ruff must encircle the neck and the legs should be well-feathered. The tail should be plume like. Any coat color is acceptable for the show-ring.

Breed classification

Chihuahuas belong to the Toy group and are used as companions and seen in the show-ring.

Origin

The Chihuahua has a colorful, almost hair-raising past. The breed may go as far back as 5th century Mayan Civilization. Pyramids in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, have carvings of small Chihuahua like dogs. At the Monastery of Huejotzingo, between Mexico City and Pubela, there are more Chihuahua images in the Toltec stones used to build the monastery. These date from the 9th century. It is known that a small dog, called a 'Techichi', was an important part of Toltec and Aztec cultures. Techichi were the pets of the wealthy and were an essential facet in the religious practice of these ancient Indian cultures. The dogs were cremated with the dead in order to take on the deceased's sins so that the person could enter the next world without angering the gods. The dogs were also supposed to guide the deceased through the underworld and fight off evil spirits. Some people believe that the Chihuahua is the product of breeding between the Techichi and a small, hairless dog from Asia that would have entered the Americas across the Bering Strait. Whatever the origins, the devastation of the Central American civilizations was reflected on the dogs and this small, religious figure of the canine world was nearly lost. Chihuahua is a state in Mexico and it is from this state that the modern Chihuahua was first exported to America. Theory has it that the modern breed developed from the ancient strains of the Techichi, mixed with small dogs of Mexico, Arizona and Texas. The breed rapidly gained popularity and is a much-loved pet all over the world today.

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