Named for the Mexican state of Chihuahua, much of the history of the
Chihuahua breed is open for conjecture. Viewpoints range from the belief
that they are indigenous to South America, from the days of the Incas and
Aztecs; brought to the New World by the Spanish Conquistadors; or introduced
to the New World as recently as the nineteenth century from Asia. There
are two varieties of Chihuahua: long coated and smooth coated. The long
coated may have been created in the United States by crossing smooth coated
Chihuahuas with other toy breeds such as the Papillon and Pomeranian. The
Chihuahua was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904.
A major appeal of this breed is for companionship, especially in apartments.
They have tiny bodies but large hearts. They are considered to be the ultimate
toy lapdog. They are playful and graceful but are not appropriate for a
rowdy lifestyle or outdoor living.
The long coated variety has fur that is long and soft in texture with some
wave possible. It has a large neck ruff and long coat on the tail. The smooth
coated variety has soft, glossy fur that lies close to the body. Any color
or combination of colors is acceptable in either variety. In general, both
varieties of Chihuahua have a well rounded, apple-domed skull. The ears
are large for the size of breed, set at a 45-degree angle on each top corner
of the skull. The muzzle is slightly tapered . The eyes are round, large
and set wide apart. The back is level, slightly longer than the dog's height.
The tail is of medium length and carried over the back. The weight range
is from one to six pounds. The height range is from six to nine inches.
angel@yahoo.com of Nevada writes:
Sensitive hearts, tough attitude.
Chihuahuas are truly a very sensitive breed, but that doesn't mean that
they don't have attitude because they have plenty of that! I have a two-month-old
male and he never ceases to make me smile - not to mention laugh. What a
clown! I would recommend a Chihuahua to anyone except families with children
five years old and under. That is just too young to have to deal with the
responsibility of owning a Chihuahua. They are surprisingly hardy, but they
are somewhat fragile when it comes to being stepped on, sat on, etc.
Name withheld by request of U.S. writes:
A snuggle-buddy for life.
Chihuahuas are an excellent breed full of personality and character.
My little baby is just over four pounds and a wonderful guard dog. He's
very good with people, children too, and he LOVES to be the center of attention.
Though some Chihuahuas become shy to crowds, mine loves the attention and
excitement of crowds, not to mention all of the pats he gets from adorers!
I would recommend a Chihuahua to a responsible pet owner who can understand
the pros and cons of owning a Chihuahua, after all they are not for everyone.
If you are considering a Chihuahua for your family, PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH
FIRST. A Chihuahua is for life!
Name withheld by request of England writes:
Totally Chihuahua.
For the first time ever I got a longhaired Chihuahua. I always thought
Chihuahuas were vicious and bad-tempered but I couldn't have been more wrong.
They are the cutiest, funniest, lovable dogs ever. When they are with people
they know they think they are the biggest dog around not the smallest, but
when they feel small they are such babies. They are the most clever dogs
about and they can become the best friends you could ever have.
Name withheld by request of U.S. writes:
Gentle, high-strung, very loyal pets.
I have three Chihuahuas and all three are from different lines. One
is a Smooth Coat four-pound male (brindle) very true to the standard. The
second one is a female Long Coat (tri-color) very beautiful, and my third
one is a cream-colored larger Chihuahua female (a bit oversized), but this
does not change her attitude or loving disposition. All three are very alert
and they make excellent guard dogs. They have very few problems. I would
recommend that if you have small children, you get the larger of the Chihuahuas
as the kids may be a little rougher on them. The smaller ones are great
for adults who just want to pamper their Chihuahuas.
cynthia_tate@hotmail.com of California writes:
Such an expressive face.
We have a little five-year-old Longhair Chi who is an absolutely wonderful
little guy. I know a lot of people say Chis are snappy, and I'm sure some
are, but we've noticed that if a guest in our house sits down at his level,
he makes friends very quickly. Chis are the best lap dogs and cuddle dogs
and are content to be held for hours. I don't know of any dog that has more
expressions than a Chihuahua. You can almost tell what they are thinking
by the way they move their ears and eyebrows and the look on their face.
They are exceptionally smart and housetraining was not a problem at all.
They are very alert little watchdogs and could do some serious damage to
someone's toes if need be. (Our Chihuahua is backed up by three full-sized
Collies so I think he is a little braver than he needs to be.) They are
extremely easy to take care of because of their size so bathing and grooming
is simple and not very time-consuming. I can't imagine not having at least
one Chi for all the enjoyment we get from ours.
tammmy@hctc.com of Shelton, WA writes:
A great pet for any responsible pet owner.
I have owned many small dogs in my life, and I must say my four-year-old
Chihuahua is the best LITTLE dog I have ever owned. Many breeders refused
to sell me a small breed dog because I have two young boys. I agree, that
is a responsible thing for a breeder to do, but I believe that my Chihuahua
has a good, loving home, where she feels safe, and gets a lot of socialization.
I feel that any breeder who will rule out a family for their dog, without
an interview is not interested in what is best for the dog or the family,
only their own feelings. The breeder I got her from, met with myself and
my sons before agreeing to sell us such a small dog. This dog was immediately
comfortable with us, and is a great fit for our lifestyle.
She is a two-pound Chi, and we must take extra care to ensure her safety.
She is either in my arms, in one of her carriers, or on a leash at all times.
My guard is always up for her safety, especially when the boys are feeling
particularly rambunctious, since they don't always remember she is on my
lap as they fly through the air towards me. When the boys come into the
room the dog is in, I ALWAYS remind them to be careful of the dog, and they
DO need those reminders. The dog has never hurt the boys, nor have the boys
ever hurt the dog. The dog and the children are very comfortable around
one another, and although it takes a lot more work, it can be done. The
key is NEVER to let down your guard. We live on thirteen acres, with a creek,
where there are birds of prey. She is on a three-foot leash while outside,
and we HAVE been dive-bombed by bald eagles.
She does NOT nip at children, and spends many days at our local school teaching
children safe handling and care for small breed dogs. The children are required
to ASK to touch her, for their own safety, and to put their hand up first.
She may growl at them, but I never let her get the best of people. I turn
her face away and allow them to pet her anyway. In this way, people are
safe, and the dog learns that WE are in control, not her. I limit the number
of children allowed near her at any given time to three, to help her feel
secure. Please know that before I take her around people, SHE has to be
okay with it on that day. There are many days where she stays in her carrier,
out of respect for her feelings.
She is a member of our family and goes with us everywhere, she (her crate)
is safety belted in, just the same as the rest of the family. She feels
most comfortable inside a small soft backpack or purse-like bag, while in
crowds. She is rarely left at home or in the car. I take her in her carrier,
to ANY place that does not serve food, or have signs posted against pets.
We occasionally go out to eat and she will then will be left in the car,
but ONLY on overcast days. If there is a chance the sun will break through
the windows, she is with me. I know the places she is allowed and avoid
those she is not. She does not "rule" our family, our children
are asthmatic, and we avoid places that would be harmful to them as well.
Her needs are respected and met just like any other family member. To me,
this is part of being a responsible pet owner.
Like most tiny dogs, she has a sensitive stomach, and does not process beef
very well. This having been said, her dog food is a quarter of a cup of
dry lamb and rice, Science Diet to help keep her teeth in good condition,
with a teaspoon of "gravy" to aid digestibility. She was being
fed strictly dry food, but she got an intestinal blockage from not chewing
the smallest kibble I could find. The vet reported it was not an extremely
uncommon problem in dogs under four pounds. Since that blockage we found
that Science Diet makes a tiny kibble which is easier for her to chew. I
did read prior to this incident that these small dogs would chew smaller-sized
kibble with no trouble, and that it was best for their teeth. Talk to your
vet!
Medically she has had no difficulties with parasites, or disease, although
being an "apple head" type Chi, she does snort, and being so close
to the ground she tends to wheeze. She is taken to the vet annually to have
her teeth cleaned and a full check-up. A good check-up requires cultures,
many vets charge you the same fee with or without cultures. If you can find
a veterinarian who deals extensively with small dogs, he/she can be your
best ally when purchasing and caring for a Chihuahua. If you remember Chihuahuas
require a lot more attention to safety than other larger dogs, then you
should do fine.
Any time you choose to add a pet to your family you should research FIRST
to find out what will work best for your family situation. Good luck and
enjoy! These dogs are great, loving, family pets for any RESPONSIBLE pet
owner.
bejaar2000@yahoo.com in California writes:
Small dog with a big attitude.
I have a five-year-old Chihuahua. She's a great watchdog and teams up
with my other dog, which is a 120-pound male Cane Corso Mastiff. She is
an extremely active dog for her size and loves our children. She does avoid
our two-year-old and senses that she will get hurt, but she has no problem
playing with my ten- and six-year-old boys. She does like to bark at other
dogs and will run to check them out if they are on or near her territory.
She does have her Mastiff to back her up and he always looks out for her.
The breed is an excellent watchdog for its size. It is very protective and
wary of strangers and will bark and at times chase people who get too close
to our home.
juzmarti@aol.com of Cincinnati, OH writes on 2/17/01:
Wonderful pets and companions.
I have been active in the show rings for almost 9 years now, and I have
found the Chihuahua to be my favorite breed. As the owner of 16 of these
darlings (most are show dogs or finished champions) I am kept quite busy,
but this is an easy breed to care for, whether they are smooth or long coat.
They love to be held and will lie quietly with you to watch your favorite
TV show or movie. But they also like to be the center of attention and are
extremely intelligent for such a little dog. They have lots of personality
and are quite a lot of fun. My chikids love the little hands of children
as much as the larger hands of adults ... they know no strangers and readily
approach visitors with tails wagging, after their initial barking that a
visitor is at the door. They are good little watch dogs, by the way. Proper
socialization is the key to a happy, friendly Chihuahua, and they are quick
to housebreak, paper train, or even litter-box train if you start as a pup.
This little breed has stolen my heart and they are dearly loved by myself,
my three children, and everyone who meets them!
Escapedbdc@yahoo.com of Austin, TX writes on 12/31/00:
Individulaistic, loveable, and darn right cute.
My long hair Chihuahua is six years old, never been sick or had any problem
with parasites. He is durable and loves to play. But this is a dog that
i have worked with. In most cases Chihuahuas are very protective and are
not fond of children. Mine took me two years to get him to the point where
he didn't automatically snip at a child. Socializing him was simple but
takes a long time. Now he will go to people to get scratched on but will
not be picked up by them. He is not a shaky dog like most but that also
took time around many strangers. I recomend long hairs or standards to anyone
without very young children or mean big dogs. Big dogs in general are fine
and cats are wonderful. If you don't treat them like they will break the
moment you look at them, they will live much less frightened lives and be
a fabulous dog. The other recomendation with getting a chihuahua is to feed
them on premium food and not store food. They go to the bathroom much less
often with nature's way or advantage, than they do with kibbles and bits.
Also DO NOT feed them canned food or soft food.. They have small jaws with
big teeth, one tooth lost is a big deal to them. My dog can eat the large
chunks of hard food when he has to. Of course his preference is for smaller
chunks but too bad for him, he gets to work his jaw more. their thin legs
also require them to be thin rather than obese and my dog can jump up on
my bed that stands 25 inches tall so jumping is no problem when you don't
baby them into being picked up all the time.
CDaehn@aol.com of Alberta, Canada writes on 5/17/00:
Wonderful for the right person.
They make exellent watchdogs, and are very affectionate with lots of
personality. They seem to know there own size, and are clannish by reconizing
their own breed, and prefer other Chihuahuas over other breeds. They don't
make good pets, however, for people who have young children as the child
may hurt the tiny dog (average weight is 3-6 pounds). Care must be taken
to ensure the breed doesn't jump of furnature, or that it doesn't jump a
lot, as this will hurt there patellas, a health problem which plagues the
breed. If you do decide to get a Chihuahua, it is in your best interest
to get from rescue, or a responsible breeder. If you get one from a breeder,
make sure the parents patellas are checked along with heart and eyes, but
these don't plague the breed as much as the patella problem. A responsible
breeder also sells there puppies when they are ten weeks or older, as they
have little fat reserve, and if given to an inexperienced home it may get
low blood suger. The Chihuahua will give you years of enjoymant, and should
be a well thought out decision, and not an impulse one.
Cheers!
trixta3481@aol.com writes on 2/11/00:
Great.
I have a 2 year old Chihuahua and she is so great and lovable.. She was
an abused pup. and I took her as a temporary thing a little over a year
ago now she is my best friend and my only child. She is a very lovable warm
hearted girl. I have not had any problems with her being around children,
but she is very shy around big croweds of people. She will snugle when you
need someone to keep you warm and she loves to sit on my lap while I am
on the computer..Although I think my favorite thing about her is her sesitivity.When
I am crying she will join me in a cry fest. When I am tired she will join
me for a nap, and when I am wide awake and want to play she is right there
with me.She is always ready and willing to keep me company not matter what
I am doing. Not to mention she is a perfect size for an apatment. The one
thing about Chihuahua's is that they are small dogs and very sensitive to
being alone.They get attatched quickly. We want another Chihuahua to add
to our fun.
chihmom@worldnet.att.net of U.S. writes on 10/11/99:
Loyal lap sitters.
Chihuahuas are wonderful dogs. they are loyal to their owners, great watchdogs,
when raised right they are very out going and love everyone. They come a
big variety of colors and there are two coat types - smooth and long. With
all of the color you can find a Chihuahua for everyone. Small children should
be taught how to handle Chihuahuas to prevent any accidents that might hurt
them.
VALOKC@AOL.COM of Oklahoma writes on 10/10/99:
Great dogs
Extremely loyal and faithful. Very loving. Can be owned in homes or apartments.
Not a dog to be around small children as they may harm it - though it makes
an excellent companion.