The
Chihuahua is a tiny dog with an apple-shaped
head and a short pointed muzzle. It has
round, large, very dark eyes, sometimes
dark ruby or luminous in color. The trademark
large ears should be held erect. Puppies
have a soft spot or "molera" on the top
of the skull. The bone usually closes the
gap by adulthood. The body is cobby (stout),
longer than it is tall, and the tail is
sickle-shaped - curled over the back or
to the side. Besides the common short-haired
variety there is also a long- haired type.
Colors include fawn, sand, chestnut, silver
and steel blue, but any color is accepted,
including black & tan and parti-color.
The dog is more robust than he looks, with
a level back, and legs coming down straight
and square.
Temperament
The
Chihuahua is a good companion dog. Courageous,
extremely lively, proud and enterprising,
it gives and demands affection. Bold and
saucy, it moves swiftly to avoid being stepped
on. Chihuahua's are strong-willed, intensely
loyal and become very attached to their
owners, even to the point of jealousy. They
like to lick their owner's faces. It is
undeniably suspicious of people except for
its owner. When strangers are present, it
follows its owner's every move, keeping
as close as possible. For some, they may
be slightly difficult to train, but they
are intelligent, learn quickly, and respond
well to proper, gentle (positive reinforcement)
training. This breed may snap at teasing
children, after all it is too tiny to get
away. The Chihuahua must resort to his sharp
teeth in self defense. It is not recommended
for children. He can be noisy and may require
patience to housebreak. Many owners simply
paper train this breed. Be sure to socialize
your Chihuahua as a pup to avoid excessive
aggressiveness with other dogs as well as
reserve with strangers. They tend to be
fairly dog-aggressive. Chihuahuas generally
recognize their own breed, but sometimes
disapprove of other breeds. However, a "very"
well-socialized Chihuahua can be friendly
with strangers and other dogs. For example,
Peanut (photo below) is the friendliest
Chihuahua I have ever met. She was extensively
socialized as a puppy. Her owner took her
everywhere, including to work, every day
and exposed her to a wide variety of people.
Since she was so cute and small, she was
passed from person to person all day long.
She lives with two older Beagles and gets
along with them just fine. But again, she
was raised with them since she was a puppy,
and was frequently taken to a house that
has seven other dogs living there (five
Pekingese, one terrier mix and one American
Pit Bull Terrier) and two cats. Peanut
did not even seem to mind my toddler running
around. This is not typical Chihuahua behavior,
but I tend to think that it was the socialization
that made her the way she is today.
Because
of his short nose, the Chihuahua tends to
wheeze and snore. His prominent eyes are
susceptible to corneal dryness and secondary
glaucoma. Prone to slipped stifle, gum problems,
colds, stress, and rheumatism. Don't let
him lick or eat toxic products, fertilizer
or chocolate. Feed lightly as it tends to
gain weight. Chihuahua puppies are born
with large heads, frequently necessitating
cesarean deliveries by a skilled veterinarian.
They are vulnerable to fractures and other
accidents in puppyhood. Some of the breed
have a molera, an unclosed section of the
skull which can remain open throughout life.
This makes the dog prone to injury.
Living
Conditions
The
Chihuahua hates the cold and may shiver.
It will tolerate and even appreciate a warm
sweater on cooler days. They are good little
dogs for apartment life.
Exercise
Although
it is tempting to carry these dainty creatures
about; these are active little dogs, who
need a daily walk. Play will take
care of a lot of their exercise needs, however,
as with all breeds, play will not fulfill
their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who
do not get to go on daily walks are more
likely to display a wide array of behavior
problems. They will also enjoy a good romp
in a safe open area off lead, such as a
large fenced in yard. Don't think that just
because he is small he should be confined
to a small space.
Life
Expectancy
About
15 or more years.
Grooming
The
smooth, short-haired coat should be gently
brushed occasionally or simply wiped over
with a damp cloth. The long coat should
be brushed daily with a soft bristle brush.
Bathe both types about once per month, taking
care not to get water in the ears. Check
the ears regularly and keep the nails trimmed.
This breed is an average shedder.
Origin
This
is the oldest breed on the American continent
and the smallest breed in the world. Native
to Mexico, nonetheless it seems to have
been introduced by the Chinese. It was only
brought to Europe at the end of the nineteenth
century. The Chihuahua is named after the
Mexican state of Chihuahua where he was
brought to the rest of the world by travelers.
This breed is believed to have been sacred
to the Pre-Columbian Indian nations. The
most valued dogs weigh under 2-1/4 pounds
(1.3 kg.). Some can even stand on all fours
in a person's palm! There is a long-haired
variety that is judged separately, but is
essentially the same except for the coat.
The Chihuahua is a popular, economical companion
dog.
