Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is not easily dominated. He has a lot of energy and a great need to exercise. This loyal and endearing little dog will be the best companion if he understands from an early age who is the master and who is the dog.

Height 15 to 23 cm
Weight 2 to 3 kg
Life expectancy 12 to 20 years
Hair Loss Low
Excercise Need Low
Home country Mexico

Quick Overview of the Chihuahua

Temperament

  • Very playful
  • Very strong character
  • Loyal and endearing
  • Very brave, despite his size

Appearance

  • The smallest
  • Well balanced and harmonious
  • Compact and well-proportioned

Health

  • Iron health
  • Very robust
  • Possible eye infection
  • Beware of obesity

Temperament of the Chihuahua

The Chihuahua's small size doesn't hinder his vitality in any way. This very playful little dog has a very strong character. He is loyal and endearing and loves to be petted and held in the arms of his family members.

The Chihuahua is also very brave and will stop at nothing to protect his own, which sometimes can cause problems. He is an excellent alarm system because he is very suspicious of newcomers.

He is naturally gentle with children but we must be careful because the sudden gestures of young children can sometimes frighten him. He occasionally doesn't tolerate other animals and tends to fight with them.

Even if they are taller than him, he doesn't fear them at all and he will tend to confront them. He must be thought to socialize with other animals at an early age to avoid these confrontations.

The Chihuahua loves long walks and despite his size, he has great stamina and needs a lot of exercise. His need to move is constant.

chihuahua personnalité

Breed Appearance

chihuahua

The Chihuahua is undoubtedly the smallest dog in the world. From the top of his 16 cm (6 inches), he claims his title loud and clear. Even though he is literally tiny, his physique is both well balanced and harmonious. He is compact and well proportioned.

Height

Between 15 and 23 cm (5.91 to 9.06 inches) for the male
Between 15 and 23 cm (5.91 to 9.06 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 2 and 3 kg (4.41 to 6.61 pounds) for the male
Between 2 and 3 kg (4.41 to 6.61 pounds) for the female

Color

His dress can be of any colour and the possibilities are very diverse.

Hair

Depending on the variety of Chihuahua, his hair can be short or long. It is also shiny and soft.

Morphology

The Chihuahua's eyes are quite prominent. His ears are large and erect. His muzzle is short and black. Tail is short.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 9, section 6 and is #218

Characteristics of the Chihuahua

Does this dog suit your lifestyle?

Every dog breed has its own characteristics. However, the actual character of a dog can vary from one to another within the same breed.

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Life in an apartment
Good first dog
Tolerates solitude
Tolerates cold weather
Tolerates hot weather
Affectionate
Friendly with children
Friendly with strangers
Friendly with other animals
Hair loss
Drooling level
Easy to care for
Robust health
Easy to train
Intelligent
Tendency to bark
Tendency to nibble
Protective
Instinct to hunt
Adventurous spirit
Energy level
Level of intensity
Need for exercise
Playful

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Chihuahua puppy: between 1500 € / $ 1 / £1 and 2000 € / $ 1 / £1
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder
Average monthly budget for a Chihuahua: 70 € / $ 1 / £1
The monthly budget includes the average expenses for food and hygiene products (grooming, anti-parasite...)

Chihuahua puppies near me

Chihuahua pictures

Tips About this breed

Even if he thinks he is the strongest dog in the world, the Chihuahua is still the smallest one on the planet and he tends to forget that very easily. Therefore, it is important to treat him like a real dog and not like a doggie, but also to keep an eye on him so that he doesn't put himself in danger.

Although he is robust, he has a tendency to get cold. Therefore, he must be kept indoors rather than outdoors. However, the Chihuahua loves the outdoors and long walks, so he needs a master who is willing to commit to walks and covers him on very cold days, even more so if he has short hair.

His size allows him to live anywhere but his need for exercise remains imperative no matter where he lives. The Chihuahua will adapt very well to life in an apartment, a house, a loft, the city or the countryside.

Health of the Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is very robust. Eye infections are sometimes an issue but not necessarily with all Chihuahua.

Due to his small size, gestations and births are rather difficult in some cases. Puppies are often born by caesarean section. A close follow-up with the veterinarian is necessary during gestation.

The life expectancy of the Chihuahua is about 15 years.

GROOMING

Whether short or long-haired, he does not require any special care. He is a naturally clean dog whose coat is very easy to maintain. His eyes can sometimes be prone to infection, but regular monitoring and cleaning will do the trick.

History of this breed

In Mexico, before the time of the Toltec civilization, around the 9th century, the Chihuahua apparently lived freely in the country. He would have then been raised by these people until their annihilation by the Aztecs in the 14th century.

The Chihuahua accompanied the Aztec people until their death. He had the reputation of leading souls to God and many dog bones were found in the graves, which suggests that the dog was buried with his master. He was the favorite dog of the Aztec princesses and their people.

Following the conquest of the country by Fernando Cortez, the breed almost disappeared. Having eliminated all the Aztec people and their great families, the extermination of their dogs took place at the same time. The Chihuahua became almost extinct at the time.

It seems that some specimens escaped the massacre of Cortez but until the 19th century, the Chihuahua was somewhat forgotten. Then, around 1850, in the city of Chihuahua in Mexico, American archaeologists found sketches from the Aztec civilization that represented dogs very close to the current breed.

It was therefore the Americans who offered the Chihuahua to the world thanks to their archaeological discoveries.

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