Breed Profile: Chihuahua.

Chihuahua.

Despite being the worlds smallest breed of dog, they most certainly make up for that with their personality.

Origin: Mexico.

Breed Purpose: Lapdog, companion.

Kennel Club Dog Group: Toy

Height: Both, 15cm – 23cm

Weight: Both, 1kg – 3kg

Lifespan: 15 years on average.

Exercise Needs: Even this little dog needs exercise. They need regular, daily exercise. Remember, just because they are a small breed it doesn't mean they don't need walking.

Even though these dogs are small they are VERY intellegant so will need mental exercise as well as physical.

Lots of training will help with mental exercise and you can also invent and create games to help too!

Feeding Needs: The Chihuahua needs a well-balanced diet with extreme care being taken over the quantities of food given as being overweight puts too much strain on their delicate bones and will shorten the lifespan.

Coat&Colours: The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom and the American Kennel Club in the United States only recognize two varieties of Chihuahua: the long-coat, and the smooth-coat, also referred to as short-haired They are genetically the same breed. The term smooth-coat does not mean that the hair is necessarily smooth, as the hair can range from having a velvet touch to a whiskery feeling. Long-haired Chihuahuas are actually smoother to the touch, having soft, fine guard hairs and a downy undercoat, which gives them their fluffy appearance. Unlike many long-haired breeds, long-haired Chihuahuas require no trimming and minimal grooming. Contrary to popular belief, the long-haired breed also typically sheds less than their short-haired counterparts. It may take up to two or more years before a full long-haired coat develops. Chihuahua's come in virtually any colour combination. White, cream, fawn, blue, black, brown also known as chocolate, brindle and many other 'splash' colours. The merle colour is not tradionally known to be part of the breed standard. In May 2007, The Kennel Club decided not to register puppies with this coloration due to the health risks associated with the responsible gene, and in December of that year formally amended the Breed Standard to disqualify merle dogs.However, in May 2008, the Chihuahua Club of America voted that merles would not be disqualified in the United States, and would be fully registrable and able to compete in American Kennel Club (AKC) events. Opponents of merle recognition suspect the coloration came about by modern cross-breeding with other dogs, and not via natural genetic drift. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temperment: Chihuahua must be chosen with care, as the temperament of its owner(s) can make a difference in the temperament of the pup. Chihuahua's have 'terrier' like personalitys and can be very alert and guarding. Chihuahua's are 'people' dogs and love to always be around other people and other animals. Many chihuahua's are 'one person' dogs and love to stick to one particular favourite person. Chihuahuas love their dens and will often burrow themselves in pillows, clothes hampers, and blankets. They are often found under the covers or at the bottom of the bed, deep in the dark and safety of what they believe is their den. Health disorders: This breed requires expert veterinary attention in areas such as birthing and dental care. Chihuahuas are also prone to some genetic anomalies, often neurological ones, such as epilepsy and seizure disorders. Chihuahuas have moleras, or a soft spot in their skulls, and they are the only breed of dog to be born with an incomplete skull. The molera fills in with age, but great care needs to be taken during the first six months until the skull is fully formed. Some moleras do not close completely and will require extra care to prevent injury. Many veterinarians are not familiar with Chihuahuas as a breed and mistakenly confuse a molera with hydrocephalus. Chihuahuas can also be at risk for hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which is especially dangerous for puppies. Left unattended, hypoglycemia can lead to coma and death but can be avoided with frequent feedings. Chihuahuas are also known for a genetic condition called 'luxating Patella,' a genetic condition that can occur in all dogs. In some dogs, the ridges forming the patellar groove are not shaped correctly and a shallow groove is created. In a dog with shallow grooves, the patella will luxate or slip out of place, sideways. It causes the leg to 'lock up' and will force the chihuahua to hold its foot off the ground. When the patella luxates from the groove of the femur, it usually cannot return to its normal position until the quadriceps muscle relaxes and increases in length, explaining why the affected dog may be forced to hold his leg up for a few minutes or so after the initial displacement. While the muscles are contracted and the patella is luxated from its correct position, the joint is held in the flexed or bent position. The knee cap sliding across the femur can cause some pain due to the bony ridges of the femur. Once out of position, the animal feels no discomfort and continues with activity. Chihuahuas are also prone to some heart related disorders such as heart murmurs and Pulmonic Stenosis, a condition in which the blood outflow from the heart's right ventricle is obstructed at the pulmonic valve. Description of breed standards: The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) standard calls for dogs ideally between 1.5 and 3.0 kg (3.3 to 6.6 lbs.), although smaller ones are acceptable in the show ring. Pet-quality Chihuahuas (that is, those bred or purchased as companions rather than show dogs) often range above these weights, even above ten pounds if they have large bone structures or are allowed to become overweight. This does not mean that they are not purebred Chihuahuas; they do not meet the requirements to enter a conformation show. Oversized Chihuahuas are seen in some of the best, and worst, bloodlines. Typically the breed standard for both the long and short coat chihuahua will be identical except for the description of the coat. There is also no such thing as a 'teacup' chihuahua or 'miniature' chihuahua, this is just a selling techniques for a breeder to sell their pup's. It has even been recorded for some litters to turn out completely different! I read a story not so long ago of two chihuahua brothers, one was 2lbs and the brother was 6lbs and they both came from the same litter. Oh, and just because a chihuahua is 'tiny' when they are born doesnt mean they will be 'tiny' when they are grown up. People have a very niave perseption of these small dogs. Puppies: Chihuahua puppies tend to range in price. On average you are looking at paying £800+ for a Chihuahua puppy. Personally i would only buy a Chihuahua puppy from a registered breeder who understand the breed and the bloodlines and can provide you with a top quality pup. The colours of Chihuahua's tend to effect the cost of these puppies, you can buy a standard cream long coat boy for £700, yet if you were looking for a 'lilac', 'blue' or 'chocolate' girl you are looking at paying £1000-£2000. I have found over the past few years Chihuahua prices have gone up dramatically since they are seen as 'hangbag' dogs (which i think is ridiculous), it almost seems as if the true Chihuahua lovers can't even afford to purchase Chihuahua's nowadays. Can i also just state: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASEEE think about what breed you want, just because these puppys are cute and tiny it doesn't mean they wont take much effort and they dont want to sit in your handbag all day and look pretty. They have legs, they like to be free and walk and play!!! :-) To find out more look here: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/183

These four beautiful Chihuahua's below belong to Shawna McCain.

This is Huntlee, a long haired Chihuahua

This is Bentlee.

This is Brystal

This is Bailee.