Chihuahuas Information,Pictures,Description,Grooming,Appearance,Health and History

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Height	15-23 cm
Weight	1-3 kg
Life Expectancy	About 15 or more years
Origin	American

The Chihuahua is a tiny toy sized dog. The body is longer than it is tall. The head is well rounded, apple in shape and the muzzle is short and pointed with a well defined stop. Puppies have a soft spot on the top of the skull called a “molera”, which usually closes by adulthood. The large, round eyes are set well apart and are dark, ruby, and may be lighter in white dogs. The erect ears are large. Dewclaws may be removed. The tail is long, sickle-shaped, either curled over the back or to the side. The coat comes in both a short coat or a long, wavy or flat coat. All colors, both solid, marked or splashed are accepted. Colors include, but are not limited to, black, white, chestnut, fawn, sand, silver, sable, steel blue, black & tan and parti-color.

History

Nueva Vizcaya was the first province of northern New Spain to be explored and settled by the Spanish. Around 1528, a group of Spaniard explorers, led by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, first entered the actual territory of what is now Chihuahua. The conquest of the territory lasted nearly one century, and encountered fierce resistance from the Conchos Indians, but the desire of the Spanish Crown to transform the region into a bustling mining center led to a strong strategy to control the area.

In the second half of the 16th century, the Spaniards organized several expeditions into the north of Mexico to find the mythical Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, and in 1564, the conquistador, Lieutenant Rodrigo del Rio y Loza, found gold in the area when the Sierra ends, and founded Santa Barbara, the first Spanish city of the State, by bringing 400 European families to the settlement. Later, in 1631, Noah Carrasco de Biesma discovered a rich vein of silver, and created the villa of San Jose del Parral, that attracted the most prominent families of Spain, and was the capital of the Nueva Vizcaya province; it was an important economic and cultural center for around 300 years.

Features

Chihuahuas are alert, active little dogs, who have a reputation for being temperamental and clannish. They are described as “terrier-like” in temperament and tend to be extremely loyal and long-lived. Smooth coated dogs who live in cooler climates may need sweaters to keep warm.

Temperament

The Chihuahua is a good companion dog. Courageous, extremely lively, proud and adventurous, they enjoy affection. Brave, cheerful and agile. Chihuahua’s can be strong-willed without the proper human leadership. They are loyal and become attached to their owners. Some like to lick their owner’s faces. Socialize them well. For some, they may be slightly difficult to train, but they are intelligent, learn quickly, and respond well to proper, firm but gentle (positive reinforcement) training. May be difficult to housebreak. Do not let the Chihuahua get away with things you would not allow a large dog to do (Small Dog Syndrome), such as jumping up on humans. While it may be cute for a 5 pound tiny dog to put his paws on your leg when you come home from work, it is allowing a dominate behavior. If you allow this little dog to be your pack leader they will developed many behavior issues, such as jealousy, aggression with other dogs and sometimes with humans, and will become undeniably suspicious of people except for their owner. When strangers are present, they will begin to follow their owner’s every move, keeping as close as possible. A Chihuahua who is pack leader of their humans may snap at children. This breed is generally not recommended for children, not because they are not good with them, but because most people treat the Chihuahua differently than they would a large dog, causing them to become untrustworthy. Because of their size, this breed tends to be babied and things we humans clearly see as bad behavior for a large dog is looked over as cute with a small dog. Small dogs also tend to be walked less, as humans assume they get enough exercise just running around during the day. However a walk provides more than just exercise. It provides mental stimulation, and satisfies the migration instinct, all dogs have. Because of this, small breeds such as the Chihuahua tend to become snappish, yappy, protective, and untrustworthy with kids and humans they do not know. Chihuahua’s who are their human’s pack leader tend to be fairly dog-aggressive. An owner who realizes this and treats the Chihuahua no differently than they would a large breed, becoming a clear pack leader, will get a different, more appealing temperament out of this wonderful little dog, finding them to be good little child companions.

Health

Prone to rheumatism, slipped stifle, colds, and gum problems. Also corneal dryness and secondary glaucoma, do to their protruding eyes. Gains weight easily. Take caution around toxic products such as chocolate or fertilizer. This is a very small breed and it will not take much to poison them. Chihuahuas are often born via cesarean section because puppies are born with relatively large heads. Susceptible to fractures and other accidents in puppyhood. Some Chihuahuas have a molera, an unclosed section of the skull which can remain open throughout life. This makes the dog prone to injury. Has a tenancy to wheeze and snore, because of their small, short muzzles. Prone to stress, caused by the owners tendency to treat them like little babies. All dogs, even tiny ones, need to feel their owners are strong minded beings able to handle the entire pack.

Grooming

The smooth, short-haired coat should be gently brushed occasionally or simply wiped over with a damp cloth. The long coat should be brushed daily with a soft bristle brush. Bathe both types about once per month, taking care not to get water in the ears. Check the ears regularly and keep the nails trimmed. This breed is an average shedder.
Identification

Chihuahuas are small, muscular dogs with large eyes and an attitude to match. Smooth and rough coat types are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The AKC specifies that Chihuahuas must have a broad chest and body that is a bit longer than the height at their withers, or the highest point of the shoulder blade. Their heads are round “apple-domes,” topped by large, upright ears set at 45-degree angles to the centerline of the skull. They come in solid and patterned coats in all colors.
 

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