The Chihuahua is the smallest dog in the world and is very popular in every country on the planet. With a reduced size and weight, in addition with its character and ability to live with other pets, make it well suited to any home.
Origins
It comes from Mexico, specifically from Chihuahua, the state where it was discovered for the first time and its meaning is literally "arid and sandy place". Chihuahuas are believed to be descendants of an ancient breed, the Techichi. Toltecs in Mexico kept these pups as lap dogs as early as the 9th century CE.
Characteristics
As we have already mentioned, it is a small, compact dog with fast movements. Their measurements to the withers vary between 6 and 10 inches. In addition, they usually weigh between 3 and 8 lb with a life span between 12 and 20 years.
There are two breeds of Chihuahua dogs that differ basically in size and in some physical aspects:
- The apple head chihuahua: It is the most common, its head has, as its name indicates, a shape similar to that of an apple that gives it a sweet and careful appearance. It has two large and separated ears, almost always in a straight position. In contrast to a large head and bulging eyes, its body is small and slim. At the end of its body we find a small tail that turns on the back.
- The deer head chihuahua: It is somewhat larger than the previous chihuahua. The shape of the head is more elongated and in some cases resembles that of a small deer. They are somewhat taller and more stylized, although they also show a delicate and sweet appearance that will make us fall in love.
In addition to the physical characteristics, we are also faced with two different types of coat:
- Long-haired Chihuahua: The fine, silky hair is straight or slightly wavy. In addition, the hair on the ears, neck, back of limbs, and tail is especially long.
- Short-haired Chihuahua: Short and dense, smooth and shiny on the head and body.
Temperament and behavior
The Chihuahua dog breed has a lively, alert, restless and very brave character. It is a dog that is sometimes a little distrustful of strangers and warns of its presence with insistent barking, making it a good guardian. Little aware of its true size, it behaves sometimes somewhat recklessly and faces other dogs much larger and stronger than it.
They are very attached to their owners and relatives, they like to identify with a herd, so they can be somewhat jealous, territorial and possessive. You have to educate them well so that they do not have inappropriate behavior with strangers.
Health
It is a long-lived dog that easily exceeds 15 years of age and that under normal circumstances lives very healthy. Due to their size, they may suffer from dwarfism, knee dislocation, skin allergies or suffer from a certain tendency to gain weight. You have to take good care of their diet so that they do not exceed their ideal weight. Being overweight is a disease that can cause joint and heart problems in animals that suffer from it.
They are very sensitive to cold, so in the winter months the use of warm clothing is recommended. Some the most common chihuahua diseases are:
- Split palate.
- Epilepsy.
- Disc herniation
- Secondary glaucoma.
- Dislocation.
- Hydrocephalus.
- Hemophilia A.
- Heart problems.
For more information, talk to one of our Pet Experts and get customized advice by submitting a request in our Mavyn app or Mavyn Pet page.
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