Dog Facts
About the Chihuahua Breed
The Chihuahua is the archetype small dog, famous for being the companion of certain celebrities. It is very small and compact, and is slightly shorter than it is long. It can move at a good pace for its size.
The dog is easily recognisable because of its size, which is helpful because its coat comes in all sorts of shapes and colours. There is a short haired and a long haired variety which are then split into two head-shape classifications: the "apple head" and the "deer head", although only the apple head is considered for show dogs. Whether long or short haired, it can be either white, tan, black, sable, or red, among other colours, and in all sorts of patches and patterns.
Named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico, the dog has a long history in the country, steeped in folklore and local customs. It is thought to have descended from the Techichi, a companion dog integral to the Toltec civilisation. This ancient breed was a much loved dog that was thought to lead people into the afterlife after their death. Unfortunately, this meant that the Techichi was often used as a sacrifice during funerals, but it was treated very highly and lived well during its life.
The Chihuahua is a very high energy and active dog, but running around inside from room to room will often be sufficient exercise. However, it loves to go out and about with its owner, and is very popular partly due to the way it becomes completely devoted to one person. It therefore needs lots of socialisation, and can't be left to live in the garden, partly due to the social dislocation, and also because it doesn't cope very well with the cold.