The Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is a dog that many believe originated in Mexico and for the most part that is true but the ancestor of the Chihuahua dog was actually a mute dog called the Techichi. The Techichi was a breed of dog that belonged to the Toltecs.

Historians describe these dogs as being a strong boned, small, dogs that were connected to the Toltecs in Central America. The Techichi are described as having long hair and being taller than the Chihuahua that we have today.

Later on, the Aztecs conquered the Toltecs and took over their entire civilization; the Techichi then took his place as a dog of great importance in religious ceremonies. They were used to expiate sins and to guide the bodies of the dead. It seems like the Techichi had found their little spot in society, I think they probably enjoyed it.

Somehow the medium-sized Techichi met the Oriental hairless the result was a much smaller little dog with a short smooth coat, and this dog could actually bark. Hence the Chihuahua was born.

This little Dog made it all around the world eventually, through the travels of many people, but probably the first Chihuahua that made it to Europe was introduced by Christopher Columbus himself, there is apparently a letter from Christopher Columbus to the king of Spain describing the Chihuahua.

A dog that has had many homes, it is undisputed that the home of the Chihuahua is Mexico, and that is also where he got his name. Chihuahua is a state of Mexico right along the Texas border, and being the place that the Chihuahua was officially discovered that is also the name he received in the 1850.

The Chihuahua was first registered by the American Kennel Club in 1904, but the Chihuahua did not receive that much popularity until the famous Taco commercial came around, that is when the Chihuahua won the hearts of the American public and became extremely popular, jumping from number 16 on the American Kennel Club list to number 12.

Due to such popularity the puppy mills had to have their part, because of this the Chihuahua does have some health disorders such as: shivering, dried corneas, joint problems, there is even a condition called Molera which is a soft spot on the head, if the Chihuahua puppy gets hit in the head he could die; great precaution is advised when you are dealing with such an animal.

Although the Puppy mills may not be directly responsible for the appearance of these problems, the puppy mills do not breed their dogs to specifically prevent such problems, including aggression, it is not recommended that you ever buy a dog from a puppy mill because you don't know what it is that you are getting. Health problems, bad temperament and other problems could all be present in the puppy you buy. Therefore, even if you have to pay a little extra money to get a puppy from a good breeder, at least you know that you are getting a puppy that is of quality breeding.

When thinking about buying a puppy ask to see the mother if possible, ask to see proof of health tests done on the parents, if possible get a look at where the puppy was raised; was the puppy properly socialized, was he vaccinated, was he raised in good conditions, does he show signs of being afraid of you? Be thorough because this is a dog that you are going to have for a long time, you are probably paying good money for him also, so doing a little research is worth it.

The Chihuahua is a dog that loves life but he does have the tendency to not like other breeds of dogs; because of this, when out for a walk it is a good idea to keep your little buddy on a leash because they like to challenge dogs that are bigger than they are, just don't let him get into a fight that he has no way of winning.

Chihuahuas are not recommended for small children because they can get snappy when irritated, but they are the perfect dog for elderly people or for singles, just no children. What can I say, how would you react if you were that small?

Happy Chihuahuaing!