Chihuahuas
Chihuahua may refer to…
- The state of Chihuahua in Mexico
- The city of Chihuahua in Chuhuahua, Mexico
- The smallest breed of dog named after the state of Chihuahua in mexico
- The Chihuahua desert in Mexico
- The railway that runs from Chihuahua, Chihuahua to Los Mochis, Sinaloa
- The Chihuahuan Raven, a native bird of Mexico and the US
- The Chihuaha Pine, a native tree of Mexico and Arizona and New Mexico in the US
- and a few other things
Chihuahua dogs are the smallest breed of dog in the world. The breed probably originated in Mexico and is figured to be a descendant of Techichi, a breed of dog that was favored by the Toltec civilization that inhabited pre-Colombian Central Mexico around 1000AD. Evidence of dogs who appear to be very similar to(maybe slightly larger than) chihuahuas has been found to date back to 2nd century BC.
It is probable that Chihuahuas have been bred to be smaller than their ancestors due to the introduction of miniature Chinese dogs that were brought by the Spanish to South America.
Click here to see a picture of a statue of a Spaniard in battle. This is the type of Spaniard that might have brought miniature Chinese dogs to South America.
The breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904.
Is your dog a Chihuahua?
Chihuahua dogs range from about 6-15 inches in height so size varies greatly in this breed. However, both American and British standards state that a Chihuahua will not weight more than 6 pounds. That is, of course, if your chihuahua is not obese.
click here to see a photo of an obese chihuahua.
The American Kennel Club also only recognizes two varieties in coat for a chihuaua: Long haired and Short haired.
According to the American Kennel Club, your dog is not a Chihuahua if it weighs more than 6 lbs and if it’s hair is neither long nor short. If you are having trouble deciding which type of hair your chihuahua has, click here.
Chihuahuas can easily be provoked to attack since they are, after all, dogs and are naturally terretorial and protective. The AKC[American Kennel Club] describes the breed as, “A graceful, alert, swift-moving little dog with saucy expression, compact, and with terrier-like qualities of temperament.”
If your dog does not have a saucy expression and is not compact, it is not a chihuahua.
Click here to see a photo of a Chihuahua displaying signs of aggression.
The AKC also says that chihuahuas are not good dogs to have in homes with small children because of their size. Small parts may be a choking hazard.
In 2009, a Chuhuahua made the news when he protected a 3-year old girl from a 100 lb. mountain lion.
Chihuahuas are often prone to genetic neurological anomalies such as epilepsy and are prone to the sometimes painful hydrocephalus which causes an abnormally large head during the first several months of the dog’s life.
Click here to see a photo of a Chihuahua puppy with an abnormally large head.
Chihuahuas are the only breed of dog to be born with an incomplete skull. It will, of course, fill in as the dog grows.
