Chihuahua Dogs

Chihuahuas are one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the United States. These tiny dogs have their roots in Mexico, but was later introduced to United States, France and other parts of the world. One of the reasons behind their popularity is that they can be easily carried around. Special handbags are designed for this purpose, and it is a common sight of chihuahuas peeping out of the handbags of their owners. Let us go through some interesting information about this dog breed.

History

It is believed that chihuahua is the only native dog breed of north America and its progenitors belonged to Mexico. Some dog sculptures found from this place by archaeologists resembled chihuahuas and are dated back in the 5th century A.D. During 1100 A.D., the native people of Mexico - Toltecs, started ruling the central and southern parts of the country. By the 13th century, Toltecs were conquered by the Aztecs (Nahua-speaking people). Both the Toltecs and the Aztecs possessed heavy-boned, long-haired dogs of small stature, which was kept as a pet and was also a part of their religious rites. This dog with a humpback was known as Techichi.

There are many stories regarding the origin of chihuahuas. One is that the Toltecs and the Aztecs may have crossed Techichi with Perro Chihuahueno, a mountainous dog of Chihuahua. It is said that Perro Chihuahueno had a round head, long nails, and short, erect ears. The resultant breed was Chihuahua. Another version related to the invasion of the Aztec empire by the Spanish invaders during the 16th century. It is said that the Spanish invaders brought miniature Chinese dogs with them and crossed the Techichi with the Chinese breed, that resulted in the origin of Chihuahua dogs.

In 1850, one of the ancestors of this breed was found in the old ruins near Casas Grandes, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. These dogs became popular in the surrounding states of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico and subsequently they were introduced to the United States. The American Kennel Club recognized this breed in 1904. Today, there are many crossbreeds of chihuahua dogs and are available in a wide variety.

Physical Features

In general, chihuahuas are very small-sized dogs with distinct physical features. The height of this breed can range between six to nine inches at the shoulders and they can weigh between one to six pounds. Their eyes are large, dark and round and they have large erect ears, which are triangular-shaped. The legs of these dogs are strong with delicate feet and their tails are mostly sickle-shaped. The various types of chihuahuas are differentiated with the body type, color and type of fur.

According to the type of fur, there are two varieties of chihuahua - long haired and short-haired. The long-haired ones have smooth, fine hair. They look fluffy due to the long hair, which may take a minimum time span of two years to develop fully. As against popular belief, this type shed less hair than the short-hair ones. Most of them have long furry tail, but the short-haired ones have erect tail. Chihuahua comes in a wide range of colors, color combinations and patterns. The common colors include fawn, red, cream, silver, white, chocolate, blue and black.

The two basic body types of chihuahuas are Apple headed and Deer headed. Apple headed chihuahuas have head with the shape of an apple, a short nose and close-set eyes, whereas Deer headed chihuahuas have longer nose than the former and their head are not apple-shaped.

Characteristics

Chihuahuas are very loyal and attached to their owners. They are attention-seekers and like petting. They are intelligent dogs and should be provided with appropriate training to tackle their aggressive behavior. They can be easily provoked, and use their teeth to attack. Hence, it is not advisable to keep a chihuahua with small children. They cannot get along with other dog breeds too.

Health and Lifespan

Chihuahuas are prone to illnesses such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), ear infections, eye infections, tooth loss, genetic diseases, epilepsy, seizure disorders and heart disease. Due to their small size, chihuahuas are more prone to injuries, especially bone injuries. They should be protected from cold using sweaters, as they cannot withstand low temperatures. They should not be overfed, due to the risk of hypoglycemia, which can result in shortening their lifespan. They are born with a soft spot on the forehead (molera), which would close with age. In some cases, the molera does not fully close, making the dog vulnerable to injury. Hence, extra special care is needed. The lifespan of a healthy chihuahua can range between 10 to 17 years.

With proper training, chihuahuas can be your best companion, which could be selected from a vast array of colors, color combinations and patterns.