DOG BREED INFORMATION – CHIHUAHUA

• Origin: Mexico
• Alternate names: None
• Size: Small
• Life Span: 14-18 years
• Popularity: Ranked #32 in 2017
• Availability in India: Moderate
• Avg Puppy Price in India: ₹8,000 to ₹20,000
• Dog Breed Group: Toy Group
• Guide Dog: No

Is Chihuahua dog good for Indians?

Chihuahuas are a good fit for Indian households. They are easy to maintain and raise, they have a fairly decent tolerance towards heat. Chihuahua can comfortably survive in harsh Indian summers. On the other hand, their tolerance towards low temperature is subpar and thus they are not suitable for snowy regions. They are moderately easy to find in India. Another convenient aspect of Chihuahua is that they are very accommodable to Indian homes in the sense that they require lesser space and room for them.

Chihuahua Dog Official Breed Standards

Chihuahua is a tiny breed of dogs having a well-balanced body and are compact in size. They are graceful and alert at the same time and often carry a cheeky expression on their face. Official standards for Chihuahua are listed below:

• Chihuahua Height and Weight

The Chihuahuas, being the smallest dog breed, possess a light-weighted body. The average weight for males and females are almost the same and is somewhere around 2.5 kg. And, there is nothing to brag about their height also. The Chihuahua has an average height of about 5-8 inches.

• Coat

Their coat is glossy and soft textured with a preferable undercoat. Hair is well spread all over the body but is shorter in the head and ear region. Their coat is present in various colors like Black, Chocolate, Fawn, White et cetera.

• Body

They have a swift-moving, closely packed body with a slightly arched neck descending into thin shoulders. Their forequarters and hindquarters are lean and muscular respectively and are also moderately padded.

• Head

They have a well-rounded dome-shaped head with an alert expression on the face. Their eyes are round and mostly light in color. Ears being large and erect most of the times.

• Jaws

They have lean jaws with a slightly pointed and moderately short muzzle.

Chihuahua Temperament

Chihuahuas are very lively dogs. They are very quick and agile. They are also very aware of their surroundings and remain alert more often than not. Having a decent intelligence level, they learn new things with ease. Basic traits of Chihuahuas are:

• Alert
• Courageous
• Devoted
• Lively
• Intelligent
• Quick

Chihuahua Dog Overview

Chihuahuas are one of the smallest canines in the world. They are believed to be originated in Mexico but their actual beginning is shrouded in mystery. They are named after the state where remains of their ancestors were found in the year 1850.

Chihuahuas are quite easy-going and less demanding dogs. They adjust well to the surrounding and have a compliant nature. There are many key characteristics of Chihuahuas that makes them an awesome dog to own/adopt: 

• The accommodate well in smaller spaces. So, a small house or apartment is fine for Chihuahuas as they require less room for themselves.
• Chihuahuas are very loyal and loving towards anyone who they can trust.
• They shed very little.
• They are very easy to groom.
• They possess a decent watchdog ability.

But there are some issues with Chihuahuas like any other dog that a potential owner must know:

• They are quite sensitive in nature.
• Their tolerance to cold and chilly conditions is poor.
• They are not very friendly towards other canines.
• They have a high tendency for barking.

So, Chihuahuas have their fair share of pros and cons and an owner looking to bring a Chihuahua home should consider all the aspects of its character. Owners looking for a lively and small canine with less maintenance can easily go for this toy dog.

Popular Chihuahua types and colors

Some Chihuahuas are different in appearance than the others. Some might have a shorter coat and other might have longer strands of hair and this is the basis of their categorization.

Their different physical features help in dividing them into different types which are:

• Smooth-Coat Chihuahua
• Long-Coat Chihuahua
• Apple Head Chihuahua
• Deer Head Chihuahua
• Teacup Chihuahua
• Fawn Chihuahua

Coming to the color of their coats, Chihuahuas are primarily found in these colors:

• Black
• Chocolate
• Fawn
• White

They are mostly found in some sort of combination of these colors which are numerous like black & tan, black & white, chocolate & white, fawn & white, chocolate & tan et cetera.

Chihuahua Dog Breed Characteristics

Chihuahua Maintenance and Care

• Feeding

Similar to any other small dog breed, Chihuahuas should be fed in a limited amount as necessary and required. They are prone to excessive weight gain so they must be fed smaller portions of high-quality food. Treats should be given sparingly and mostly when using positive reinforcement for training purposes.

• Exercise

They have decent exercise needs and they love to spend their energy on that. They are quite fond of running and playing with their owners and a small sprint or a brisk walk is sufficient for them. Overexertion must be avoided with Chihuahuas.

• Training

Chihuahuas have an alert and responsive demeanor about them and respond well to training exercises. But, sometimes they can be a bit stubborn, so a firm but gentle hand is required while training them. Once under control, they are fairly quick learners and can grasp a lot of new tricks from their trainers.

• Grooming and Shedding

Chihuahuas can have two types of coats: smooth coats and long coats. Both of them have a different amount of grooming required. Long coat Chihuahuas require regular brushing at least once a week to untangle their hair while the smooth coat Chihuahuas have occasional brushing needs. Both of these Chihuahuas also requires regular brushing of their teeth and trimming of nails. And, both of them shed similar to one another, infrequently and in minimal amounts.

• Health Issues

Most of the Chihuahuas are quite healthy and remains that way but they possess some genetic issues. If the Chihuahua is not bought from a trusted breeder, chances of genetic problems are more. Other issues that can affect a Chihuahua’s health:

• Eye diseases
• Heart problems
• Patellar luxation
• Idiopathy epilepsy

• Visits to the Vet

As mentioned above, Chihuahuas generally remains healthy and fit. And, if they are purchased from a reliable breeder, then visits to the veterinarian are quite rare.

Chihuahua Dog History and Background

Chihuahua’s history and past are quite vague and is based on theories from different people. Some believe that they are the descendants of a dog known as Techichi which was found in Toltec civilization in Central or South America.

There are various Toltec carvings in which a round-headed, large-eared dog resembling a Chihuahua is depicted. Later the Toltec were conquered by Aztecs and they had their own beliefs about the Techichi dogs. Aztecs believed that Techichi had mystical powers that could help them to see the future, cure illness et cetera. Techichi became obscured in the 1500s when the Aztecs were conquered by the Spanish.

Other believe that Chihuahuas are the result of breeding between numerous small dogs of Mexican origin with petite hairless dogs which were brought from China to Mexico by some Spanish traders. These theories are all conjecture and have little proof to state them true.

The modern-day Chihuahua was finally found in 1850 in the state of Chihuahua from which it gets its name. It was recognized as an official breed in 1904. And, around the 1930s and 1940s, their popularity rose to incredible heights.