Appearance:

Chihuahuas are the typical tiny dog. They are the smallest breed of dog, since they are only 6 to 9 inches tall and weigh only 2 to 6 pounds. (Some do weigh more, depends on how over weight it gets) They have large heads. There are two types of heads they can have. Apple-head and deer-head.  Some Chihuahuas have a soft spot on their head, between the eyes called a molera. It is the same as a soft spot on a baby’s head. Sometimes it will eventually harden, but not always. They have large, round, bulgy eyes and giant ears. Their bodies are small and they have skinny tails. They can be long-haired or short-haired. They come in many different colors. They can be white, black, and sable. They can also be, tri-colored, ginger, cream, and blue. But there are even more colors like blue, red, lavender, fawn. And also, brindle and parti-color.

Personality:

They don’t like strangers. They will bark a lot. Don’t like being separated. They are alert and energetic. They are lap dogs. And bond to their owner. They make perfect watch dogs, too. But they are not for young children. They bite and get annoyed easy. They should are better off with children 8 and over. The Chihuahua’s tendency to shiver or tremble is not a health issue but takes place when the dog is excited or stressed. One explanation is the toy dogs have a higher metabolism and so dissipate body heat faster than larger dogs. Shivering helps to generate body heat – that’s why people shiver when we are cold. However, rapid dissipation of body heat is a distinct disadvantage in cool or cold climates, so Chihuahuas should always be protected when taken outdoors in these areas. Fortunately, there are dozens of styles of protective sweaters available.

Origin:

Chihuahuas get their name from a state in Mexico called Chihuahua. Chihuahuas are thought to originate from Mexico, but evidence supports they may have come from other places. In Mexico they were sacred and used in spiritual rituals. They were also thought to be able to chase away spirits. Some historians believe that Chihuahuas came from an island in the Mediterranean. In Europe there are paintings of small dogs that look like Chihuahuas. Some dating back to the 1400s.Some even think it came from China and that they were brought to Mexico. The Chinese were known for dwarfing plants and animals and rich merchants from China moved to Mexico. They are also thought to be descendants from the Mexican dog, techichi. And that the techichi was mixed with a smaller Chinese dog, such as the Chinese Crested. This is the most popular and most likely theory.

 picture:

Sheen, our chihuahua