Chihuahua

Chihuahuas are treated by some owners as a toy. And this is a real dog, willing to learn, which is rarely used. This smallest dog in the world comes in two varieties: short and long-haired. Lively, smart, affectionate to the owners.

Nature

The model chihuahua should be stocky, well-muscled, lively, curious and brave. Rickety, frightened dogs have nothing to do with the real image of the breed.

Chihuahua is a large dog in a small package. It is not a toy and should not be treated as such. He is a cheerful and friendly pooch. He is very sensitive and strongly attached to the owner, who does not step away. He likes to be in the spotlight and sit on his lap. Ignored for a long time, he asks for his due attention. Usually the greatest affection for a chosen person, but is also nice to other household members.

A dog of this breed will be a good friend for older children. However, it is not suitable for two or three year olds who can accidentally hurt a delicate dog.

Chihuahua is a watchful and confident animal, bravely defends its terrain and is ready to bark at every intruder. Enormous courage is often a big problem, because quadrupeds of this breed do not feel respect for much larger brethren than themselves and are willing to attack them. They tolerate the company of other dogs well at home, but it is better that they are of similar size or a calm and gentle breed. Chihuahuas usually try to subdue other quadrupeds.

The representative of this breed is very active and busy – it is full of everywhere, he looks into every hole and penetrates every angle. He doesn’t require long walks, but he likes to spend time outdoors and should be allowed to do so.

Skills

Chihuahuas were bred to make the time more pleasant for the owner. Absolute obedience was not expected of her, and she was not assigned specific tasks.

Currently, it is primarily a companion dog. Some individuals can successfully play sports, e.g. obedience or mini agility.

Chihuahua. Training and education

Intelligence, cuteness and curiosity are undoubtedly the characteristics of a chihuahua. Most owners do not train their pets, thinking that it is not necessary for such a small dog. And representatives of this breed like to learn. During learning, however, you must not shout or treat the dog harshly – only gentleness and consistency will ensure success.

Puppies are quite demanding. It is important to raise them properly, which should start with the breeder, so it is risky to buy dogs from an unproven source. The toddler will also require appropriate socialization. Do not protect him from the whole world, because he will grow into a frightened pooch.

An important element of raising a puppy is learning to clean. The tiny chihuahua has a small bladder, so even with an adult dog, you have to go out more often than with his larger brethren.

If we are unable to walk the pet, e.g. every three hours, we can teach him how to use a cat litter box. This is a convenient solution for the owner, but it leads to confusion in the dog’s head, because as a result, the animal does not know whether it can settle at home or not. Let’s also remember that using the litter box cannot mean giving up walking – a chihuahua needs them like any dog.

Who is this race for?

Chihuahuas are suitable for anyone who wants to have a nice, devoted friend that you can take with you almost anywhere. Perfect for both large families and homes of the elderly or lonely. It easily adapts to any conditions and can live even in a studio apartment.

Chihuahua. Advantages and disadvantages

Disadvantages

• can be feisty of strange dogs
• males tend to matter in rooms and objects

Advantages

• very attached to the owner
• cheerful, gentle and friendly
• active and busy
• a good friend for older children
• gets along with other dogs and pets
• easy to care for
• is not expensive to maintain
• long-lived

Health

Chihuahua is a healthy and long-lived dog, but you have to follow preventive care and take care of its proper condition (especially for puppies).

An animal of this breed may be prone to hypoglycemia, which is a decrease in blood glucose levels that even lead to unconsciousness. If disturbing symptoms occur, e.g. excessive sleepiness, apathy, paleness of mucous membranes or elevated temperature, glucose or sugar solution should be given.

Occasionally there are movable patella and non-thickened fontanelle (especially in very small quadrupeds). A small font is acceptable as a typical breed feature. The greater one is a threat because the brain is not sufficiently protected by the bones of the skull and any head injury can cause the dog’s death.

Occasionally there are missing teeth, occlusion problems (it cannot be estimated for quite a long time) and eyes – tear duct failure and nasolacrimal occlusion. Puppies, young and elderly dogs can be given homeopathic remedies to increase immunity.

Chihuahua tolerates higher temperatures well, but it must be protected from overheating and strong sunlight. She does not like cold and moisture – during heavy frosts, put on her clothes (especially the short-haired variety) and shorten the walk.

Feeding

Chihuahua eats little, but requires good quality food. It’s best to use ready-made foods for miniature breeds with a higher protein and fat content. Due to the rapid metabolism and high energy demand, products for growing dogs can be given a little longer than recommended by the manufacturer.

The dog of this breed has a small stomach, so it should eat small portions 3-4 times a day – a single amount of food for an adult is about one tablespoon. Regularity and the number of meals must be observed, because neglect can lead to a drop in blood glucose levels.

We should also remember about constant access to water, because the chihuahua dehydrates fairly quickly. The dog must be muscular, but not obese, so it’s important to control your weight, preferably every two weeks.

You can vary your pet’s diet by, for example, giving him small amounts of meat, chicken offal, white cheese or vegetables. Bones can cause serious digestive problems. Calcium-vitamin preparations may only be used under the supervision of a veterinarian.

During molting periods and during the exhibition season, supplements that improve coat condition and pigmentation can be added to food.

Care

Chihuahuas do not require complicated care. Males of this breed molt seasonally, usually in early spring. Bitches lose their hair more often, e.g. after a baby or after the birth and rearing of puppies. Although there is not much hair, it must be combed systematically – otherwise, it will stick to the carpets and upholstery.

It is enough to comb the short-haired variety once a week (during molting more often) with a rubber glove and a thick, semi-soft bristle brush.

We comb the long-haired chihuahua once every 2-3 days, paying special attention to the hair behind the ears, on the neck and under the tail, because smelt can form there. A rare bristle brush and a small comb with rotating teeth are best for this variety. You can also use preparations that facilitate combing.

We bathe representatives of this breed when necessary (e.g. once a month) in a nutritional shampoo, e.g. with the addition of mink oil or lanolin. Cosmetics that deepen the color can also be used. For dogs that are uniformly white or predominantly white, we recommend bleaching shampoos and eliminating discoloration (we do not apply them to the colored parts of the coat).

After bathing, both long-haired and short-haired dogs of this breed need to be dried thoroughly. Regularly check your eyes (special preparations are used to remove dark discolorations), ears, perianal glands, cut claws and remove tartar.

We prepare Chihuahuas for the exhibition a few days earlier. Short-haired is enough to take a bath in a shampoo for deepening the coat color or matching its shade.

The long-haired variety requires thorough combing of the coat and slight correction of the coat. With double-sided scissors thinning scissors slightly aligns protruding hair around the ears and on the edges of the orifice, as well as under the tail. Then we bathe the dog. Depending on the condition of the coat, we choose a nourishing shampoo or coat that intensifies the color of the coat. You can also use a conditioner. When dry, smooth the long coat with a brush and the short coat with a rubber glove.

We display Chihuahuas on a ring adapted to the color of the coat. You also need to get her used to stand on a table where the judge assesses the construction and checks the bite.

According to the standard, the ideal weight of a chihuahua is 1.5-3 kg. Smaller dogs (0.5-1.5 kg) are accepted, but it often happens that the judges do not give them the highest marks. Therefore, when planning a show or breeding career, do not choose the smallest puppy from the litter. Let’s also remember that the breed is not very even in type and individual animals can differ significantly in their beauty.

Accessories

We bring a puppy of this breed in a leather collar and on an ordinary or automatic leash. We use braces only in adult dogs, because they can lead to deformation of the shoulders and standing of elbows in puppies.

For chihuahua classes, latex mascots, naturally smoked teethers or cotton strings will be the best. Avoid toys that have protruding parts that are easy to bite off.

Not very large, soft beds are best for sleeping. If we leave the house for a long time, we can leave the puppy in the playpen (e.g. from ready-made metal elements). Inside we put a bed, a bowl of water and dry food, a litter box (preferably with a double bottom, because you do not need to use gravel then) and a toy. A special bag or material cage will be useful for trips and exhibitions.

Chihuahua. History

Chihuahua is considered the smallest dog in the world, although larger (1.5 to 3 kg) individuals are now preferred inbreeding. The name of the breed comes from the state and city of northern Mexico. According to one legend, these small, brave quadrupeds were to accompany the souls of the dead on their way through nine rivers beyond. Blue dogs were considered sacred and sacrificed to gods to secure their favor, redheads were lucky.

Apparently, the ancestor of the chihuahua was a techichi dog bred by the Toltecs – an agricultural people living in Mexico before the Aztecs. During archaeological excavations carried out in their ancient settlements, clay and stone figurines of dogs somewhat reminiscent of chihuahuas were discovered. Statues with images of small dogs were also found in the former Mayan city of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Toltecs and the Mayans were conquered by the Aztecs, who ruled in today’s Mexico until the early 16th century. Then their conquistadors destroyed their kingdom. According to some theories, the breed could have arisen from the intersection of techichi and Mexican xolo. In turn, other sources say that chihuahua type quadrupeds came to this area along with Montezuma – the last Aztec ruler.

Miniature dogs were considered very valuable in the Aztec kingdom. Only noble people could hold and breed them. A princess supposedly had 1,500 of them, and each was overseen by a slave assigned to him. If the dog fell, his guardian was also sentenced to death.

Until the mid-nineteenth century, the world had not heard of chihuahuas. Only then did tourists visiting Mexico buy miniature dogs. A representative of this breed was first shown at an exhibition in Philadelphia in 1884 under the name Chihuahua Terrier. Cynology became more interested in these dogs around 1888, when James Watson purchased the female Manzanita in El Paso. In 1904, the North American Kennel Club registered the first representatives of the breed.

In 1923, a chihuahua breeders club was founded in the United States. These dogs arrived in the British Isles at the end of the 19th century, but the first registered litter was not born until the 1930s. The breed was on the European continent after World War II.

Chihuahua comes in two varieties – short-haired and long-haired, which can be combined with each other in breeding. Some researchers believe that the long coat is the result of the short-haired chihuahua crossing with a papillon and a miniature spitz. Others argue that both lengths of hair originally existed as a form of adaptation to the climate. 

Chihuahua. Template

Chihuahua – group IX FCI, section 6, reference number 218

• Country of origin: Mexico
• Size: ideal weight 1.5-3 kg; dogs weighing 0.5-1.5 kg are accepted but not preferred; weighing over 3 kg should be disqualified
• Coat: short-haired – short coat, shiny, soft, close-fitting all over the body, if the undercoat is present, the coat is slightly longer; rarer hair in the throat and lower abdomen, short, slightly longer hair on the neck and tail on the mouth and ears; long-haired variety – long, delicate and silky coat, straight or slightly wavy, undercoat not very thick; there is an orifice on the neck, feather on the ears, on the back of the fore and hind legs, on the paws and tail
• M ASC all colors and combinations thereof are acceptable
• Maturity: 1.5 years
• Lifespan: 12-15 years
• Weather resistance: medium

Interesting facts

Chihuahua  – a city in northern Mexico, where exhibitions of monuments to dogs of this breed have been organized since 2006. Dozens of colorful characters with well-known shapes then become in the city center and – as it turned out – effectively attract tourists (in the first year there were 50,000 more than before). Apparently, most fans of the United States come to admire them.

Danka Kordak  – the smallest chihuahua recorded in the Guinness Book of Records – just 13.8 cm tall!

Hops ! – a password that can be used to inform a small dog that he will be lifted from the ground. Using this method – just like summoning a pooch instead of approaching from behind and suddenly kidnapping him from the floor – will help to avoid unnecessary upsetting of the pet.

Petco Chihuahua Races  – Chihuahua races organized annually in the United States by a chain of pet animal products markets. Several thousand pooches participate in them. In the qualifying rounds, 10 start in each race and must overcome a distance of 12 meters. The winners advance to the semi-finals and the top five semi-finalists from each semi-final to the finals. The winner receives a cup and a shopping card at Petco.

Teacups – a term commonly found in foreign puppy sales announcements means a dog that fits in a teacup and is targeted at people looking for the smallest pet. It is worth knowing, however, that the smallest is rarely the healthiest, because excessive miniaturization has negative health effects. Therefore, it is safer to choose a dog of a size compatible with the breed standard, than to look for a record holder for the “Guinness Book of Records” …

Toys  – although many owners buy lightweight cat toys for their chihuahuas, it is not so rare to find chihuahuas as a burly-like patella, which easily retrieves rubber bones for medium-sized dogs! This has the advantage of not being choked. Therefore, before we give the dog a mountain of toys, let’s first learn his preferences.