Chihuahuas
February 17, 2010 by LaBecs
Filed under Chihuahuas
1.- There are two kinds of Chihuahuas: Apple head, with a short nose and round head, and Deer head, with a more elongated face.
2.- They come long haired or short haired. The short haired has a smooth coat and sheds minimally. The long haired Chihuahua’s coat is silky, curly or flat.
3.- They come in many colors: sand, black, fawn, white, black and white… and more.
4.- They are the tiniest dog breed.
5.- They do better with solid, dry food. Soft and canned food can promote dental problems.
6.- They are highly intelligent and can be hard to train. They require firm and gentle leadership.
7.- They gain weight easily, which can be very harmful to their health.
8.- They look very active at home, but that should not take the place of a good walk. When they are not walked often, they can present behavior problems.
9.- They can live from 14 to 19 years.
10.- They like to form ‘”clans” and will get along better with other Chihuahuas than other breeds.
Important to know
They need to be very well socialized. If you allow them to be the pack leader, they’ll become possessive and even aggressive towards strangers. They can also be aggressive towards other dogs.
Though they are cute and tiny, they are not recommended for children.
Their temperament depends totally on how the owners treat them. If the owners are overly protective and baby them too much (which is the tendency) they will not be trustworthy pets. They can even become obnoxious.
Shelters tend to have large amounts of Chihuahuas. People tend to abandon them when they realize they are not the “toys” they hoped they would be. They represent a big responsibility.
Yes, their name comes from the Mexican State of Chihuahua, where they were discovered, but they date as far back as the 9th century AD and were found in the Aztec capital.
Long Haired Chihuahua Photo Courtesy of: Phoenix wolf-ray
Apple Head Chihuahua courtesy of: blackdood
