Chihuahuas are the favorite dogs of celebrities, probably due to the fact that they fit in a woman's purse. But don't be fooled by their typical mascot appearance and small size: dogs of this breed can be pugnacious, as if they wanted to make up for the lack of height and weight with a cheeky approach to the world.
RaceChichuahuacomes from Central America, more specifically - from the areas now belonging to Mexico, and centuries ago occupied by the Aztecs. The name of the breed itself comes from the Mexican state of Chichuahua and the city of the same name, located at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountains - it is from there that the first dogs of this breed came to the United States.
It is not entirely clear how Chichuachuas came to be so small - there are many theories on this subject, and one of them even claims that this breed was created as a result of centuries-old crossbreeding of dogs of the now defunct techichi breed with small breeds of dogs from Mexico and the American states of Texas and Arizona. Another theory says that Chihuahuas came to the Aztecs directly from China as a gift from the emperor to the Aztec rulers.
Chihuahua - what does it look like?
Currently, Chihuahuas are one of the most popular decorative and companion dogs - this status is owed to Hollywood celebrities and movie stars, which dogs of this breed liked as living mascots and appeared with them everywhere.
The fashion for them was promoted, among others, by Paris Hilton, whose female Tinkerbell for almost fourteen years has accompanied many banquets and shows, carried in a special purse.
It is possible, because dogs of this breed usually weigh no more than one and a half kilograms (they rarely exceed the weight of three kg), and the height at the withers is usually 15-20 cm.
Chihuahuas have quite large - in relation to the rest of the body - ears and are well built. Dogs of this breed can be short-haired or long-haired and in a very different color.
The most common are red, cream and beige Chihuahuas, as well as white ones. Less often - gray, black, tan, fawn brindle. From time to time there are also chihuahuas in the color of merle, i.e. marble effect - irregularly placed dark spots on a lighter background of the same color.
Chihuahua - character
These dogs make up for their lack of height in character: they are brave, very lively, cheerful, quite aggressive and sociable. They like to be in the company of other dogs of their breed, and they eagerly establish contacts with representatives of other breeds and even species - provided, however, that they had the opportunity to do so from early childhood.
Without prior socialization, they can be aggressive towards other domestic animals, strangers and young children. They have a hunting instinct for smaller animals, so it is better if they do not have the opportunity to play with other small furries: puppies or rodents.
They are very intelligent, but usually have their own opinion and therefore are not easy to train. Usually they establish a very close bond with only one, at most two, caregivers, treating the others indifferently (rarely hostile).
They are perfect companion dogs for people who can devote a lot of time to them, but poorly endure loneliness and long stay at home waiting for the owner to return from work.
So they are not a good choice for people who spend most of the day outside the home. They should also not be bought as a gift for young children: they are quite delicate and easy to hurt, which will be answered with an equally painful bite.
Chihuahua - diet and exercise
Dogs of this breed have small stomachs, but a very fast metabolism. So they have to eat often, but not much. Your best choice is a good-quality small animal feed that is divided into small pieces and rich in the right amount of nutrients.
Interestingly, Chichuahua is bursting with energy, so they need a lot of exercise and walks: otherwise they will use up the excess at home. They should go for a long walk with the owner at least once a day, during which they can run out.
Chihuahua - he alth and disease
Dogs of this breed do not suffer from allergies, and are usually quite resistant to infections. The most common problems are the unconsolidated fontanell, which makes the brain vulnerable to injury, as well as heart problems and a tendency to dislocate the patella.
Despite this, however, chichuahuas require frequent visits to the vet and ophthalmic and dental care - the latter necessity is due to their small size, which makes it difficult for the owner to cope with some care activities.
They have a very delicate trachea, so instead of a collar for a walk, it is better to put a harness on them: otherwise you may get unpleasantly injured.
Chihuahua - care
Beautiful, dense coat of dogs of this breed does not require specialcare treatments: once a week it is enough to brush your dog out to comb out the dead hair. Slightly more often - every two or three days - you should wash the hair on the fringes, removing food residues.
Like almost all dogs, Chihuahuas also shed, but it's not a problem as they don't lose much of their hair. On the other hand, it may be troublesome - but necessary - to brush their teeth every day, on which limescale builds up.
- Shih tzu - lion dogs
- M altese
- Cane corso italiano: a reliable guardian and defender
- Pug: appearance, diet, diseases
- Amstaf (American Staffordshire Terrier)
- Beagle: Busy Troublemaker
- Akita: samurai dog