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The Chihuahua is the
smallest dog in the world, standing a maximum of 9 inches high at the
shoulder. His coat comes in two varieties. The long, soft coat may be slightly wavy and comes in any colour
or combination of colours. Required grooming is
minimal. Because of his size, the Long-Coated Chihuahua requires
protection from cold winter weather and extremes of heat. He loves to
sunbathe and may overdo it!
This is a lively, alert,
affectionate breed, who wants to go everywhere with his owner. This has
given rise to the nickname, "Velcro pet"! Chihuahuas want to be
petted, talked to, and spoiled constantly. Having a strong dash of
"terrier attitude", Chihuahuas make good watchdogs. They like to
show who's boss and are often quite yappy. The breed standard notes that
the Chihuahua has a "saucy" expression, and his bright eyes, dainty
lines, and perky appearance endear him to many. He does best if socialized
early and is definitely an indoor dog. Small children must be very careful when
handling him as his tiny size makes him susceptible to injury during rough
play. The Chihuahua has also been known to hurt himself when jumping from
the back of a couch to the floor or leaping out of his owner's arms to the
floor. Remember his size!
The Chihuahua is very
intelligent although he does have a mind of his own and can be stubborn to
the point of being obstinate. Training should be mandatory for the
development of good manners, and will require patience, persistence and
practice on the part of the dog and the owner. Except for his coat, the
Short-Coated Chihuahua is identical to the Long-Coated Chihuahua and can
be born in the same litter. Prized for their small size, these dogs fit
well in environments that are generally not "dog-friendly" such
as apartments.
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