Chihuahua / Chihuahueno, New Yorker

Breed history:

It is recognized by everyone as being the smallest dog of all the existing breeds. Although some consider that its ancestors were brought from Europe or China, the most plausible theory is that it descends from the aboriginal dogs, raised by the Aztecs, small-sized dogs called Techichi. Many relics and statues representing these dogs were found in tombs, and attest that they played an important role in the Aztecs religious lives. It seems that these dogs were sacrificed by the Aztecs priests in order for them to lead the souls of the dead in the other world. Chihuahua emerged in North America at the middle of the 19th century and in 1928 the American Club "Chihuahua" was founded and because of the American breeders which, through hard and neat selections, obtained the specimens of today, they suffered important changes (before that their face was longer and the ears were larger, similar to a bat’s).

Description:

It is a very small-sized dog, with a well-shaped body, pretty sturdy, slightly longer than taller. It has a large head, round as an apple, with delicate jaws, a prominent stop, short muzzle and slightly pointed, short nose pigmented in accordance with the fur. The eyes are big, round, set well apart, a little prominent, fully dark. The ears are big, set apart, "bat" shaped, erect in motion and drooping by its sides at rest. The tail is of medium length and it is kept curved over the back. There are two varieties: with long hair and with short hair. The first variety has long, straight or wavy, soft hair and it can have a mane around the neck, fringes at the tail, ears, feet and is very rarely seen. The second variety has short, soft, glossy, straight hair, close to the body. It can have any color or color combination such as: black, white, reddish-blue, wheat-coloured, with or without white or dark patches.

Personality:

It is an intelligent, very brave, fast, lively, energetic, very vigilant, alert, sensitive dog, playful and noisy, with a bark that gives the impression of a bigger dog. It is very attached to the family, especially of one person, devoted and faithful. If it is socialized from an early age, it accepts children and also strangers. It gets along well with other dogs from the same breed and not so much with the ones from other breeds, or other animals, needing socialization.

Grooming:

The long hair dog's fur must be brushed regularly and for the one with short hair it should be brushed occasionally with a rubber brush. Eye drops must be used to prevent the appearance of ,,tears stains’’. It is better to avoid weight gain for these dogs, because obesity can lead to the narrowing of the airway. The pup’s teeth must be checked regularly, to make sure that the baby teeth have fallen. Sometimes they remain next to the permanent ones and require surgery to remove them. They are pretty picky with food.

Living conditions:

It is a dog that feels best indoors, or in an apartment with a sedentary master. The exercise that he does in the house is enough. It is sensitive to cold, humidity or air currents. When it is cold outside, it should wear a special coat. It shouldn't be allowed around animals, or other much larger dogs because it can be trampled on. It shouldn't be left around little kids because they consider him a toy. It needs socialization. 

Training:

 Because these little dogs don’t really do a lot of damage, they are not generally trained. However, this dog would be a great student.

Usefulness:

 It is a lovely and devoted companion.