Chihuahua Information Center
Your Subtitle text
The Dog Chihuahua
Why do so many people have to search for the term The Dog Chihuahua as opposed to just Chihuahua? Because this amazing dog originated in Mexico and the state of Chihuahua was named after this tiny breed.
Thought to exist as far back as Ancient Mayan times, this tiny dog has found its way into the hearts of people all over the world. Very popular throughout Mexico, in the beginning of the 1900's, tourists began to bring them into the U.S. The 1st Chihuahua to be
officially registered in the United States was done so in 1904, with only 3 others that year.By 1913, there were 30. By 1972, there were 25,000. And now there are over 40,000 registered with the AKC and many more not registered or listed with other kennels such as the CKC or other.
Owners choose this breed for many reasons:
Size -
- This makes for easier potty training - as accidents are easily cleaned up and even a very small yard is large enough for elimination needs.
- The dog can be very comfortable in any sized house....happy in a tiny apartment or a sprawling farm.
- This tiny breed can easily be brought along to run errands, etc. Many find the use of a pet carrier a simple way to bring their Chi with them, since the carrier can be very small and easy to carry.
- For those who like to share the bed, this can be done without any issues
- For those with small children, this breed is not intimidating to youngsters...and with good socialization skill training, a Chi will enjoy playing with kids of all ages.
- This breed is very adaptable.....happy in large families...And just as happy as a companion to someone living alone.
Ease of Care-While the size of this dog presents certain challenges such as the recommended use of a harness as opposed to a collar to prevent health issues such as Collapsed Trachea....And the dog should not be exposed to hot or cold temperatures, their are elements about the Chihuahua dog that make for easy care:
- The coat - The short haired Chi is easy to groom. There are no long hairs that would become matted. Baths only need to be given approximately every 3 weeks. Trimmings do not need to be done that often and when done, only the bottom of the paws and the anus area need to be touched up during grooming.
- Being so small, food supplies last a long time, especially when bought in bulk. For those who choose to offer homemade food, it can keep costs down even more, thus a budget is not really affected in this regard.
- While some say that this breed is a "yapper", this is usually spoken by those who do not own a Chihuahua dog. When socialized properly and trained well, the Chihuahua dog generally has amusing, loving behavior. Any barking issues can be resolved with training. Quick to learn, eager to please and loving to sit on his or her owner's lap, this dog is known for being very sensitive to emotions and a great companion.
The dog Chihuahua is the smallest breed in the world (even though the smallest on record was actually a Yorkshire Terrier). It is classified in the toy group of the AKC. With an adult weight of just 2-6 pounds (.9 to 2.7 kg) and a height from floor to shoulder of just 6 to 9 inches (15.2 to 22.9 cm), this breed is a companion lap dog. Due to their size, some will term any unwanted behavior as Little Dog Syndrome.
There are both long haired and short haired varieties; although beyond fur length, there are no differences. This breed can be found in each solid or parti colors.... of 1 or more combinations of 29 different colors!
Some are under the belief that there are 2 different varieties... The facts are that there aside from the above mentioned short or long coats, there are 2 different appearances in regard to head shape, the apple or the deer head, however all are the same purebred dog: The dog Chihuahua. In show, the apple head is the set standard. There is no such thing as a Miniature or Toy.
Absolutely meant to be an indoor pet, they do well in just about any environment, whether a small apartment or a large home. They are small enough to be placed in body carriers and taken to stores, malls and more. Some even act as service dogs. They have a lot of energy that can become pent up in that little body, and therefore they need daily exercise....It is shown to help them behave better.
Walks around the neighborhood are just find, but they also love to explore and will enjoy jaunts through the woods or runs in a field. While they do need to live inside, many also enjoy playing in the snow for short periods of time (This does need to be timed as they are sensitive to cold temperatures). Clothing is often used to prevent burned paws from the heat or protection from winter elements.
Due to their fragile bones, it is highly recommended to use a harness as opposed to a dog collar. This allows for any pressure to be dispersed along the chest, back and shoulder and not just on the dog's neck. Doing so will help to prevent a condition called Collapsed Trachea.
Some will get along with other pets quite well. However, this should be tested before bringing a Chihuahua into a household with cats or dogs... Or bringing home a new pet to a house that is already ruled by a Chi ! One should see how the animals react to each other. Best is if they actually ignore one another at first, this means that they do not see the other as some sort of threat. If posture is still and staring is intense, it is not a good sign.Care must be taken with puppies, as they are prone to Hypoglycemia. This is a condition which can happen mostly to puppies under the age of 4 months... blood sugar levels rapidly drop causing drowsiness, dizziness, disorientation and eventual coma if not treated. Putting some honey on your fingertip and applying it onto the gums for quick absorption into the bloodstream works well to offset this issue; however a trip to the veterinarian is important in case an IV solution is needed to help levels balance out.
This breed is very intelligent and this allows them to take to training quite well, both for commands and for house breaking. Some owners like the idea of using pee pads and allowing their Chi to go to the bathroom in the house...However, you will have more success if you bring them outside. Repetition and consistency are 2 of the keys of quick training.
While a Chihuahua dog will not eat a lot of food, the type of diet that they have is very important. Those small amounts must have optimal nutrition to maintain excellent health. You may find our Feeding section helpful if you have any questions about this topic.
We encourage you to stay for a while to read through all of our different sections. We are devoted to the happiness and health of this breed and it is our goal to offer you helpful, detailed information.
There are so many topics concerning the Chihuahua dog that we also have Topic of the Month page...Here we bring you new information each month, so that you always can learn something new and be able to stay up-do-date on the ways to keep your Chi happy and healthy.
So stay a while and enjoy the site that is the largest site dedicated to the dog Chihuahua! Note: All navigation is in alphabetical order to your left.
