The Chihuahua is characterized by its tiny size, narrow muzzle, and two large triangular ears.

Poil : there is a long-haired variety and a short-haired variety.

Size (height at the withers): 15 to 25 cm.

Weight : from 1 to 3 kg.

Classification FCI : N°218.

In Europe, the Chihuahua has only been known since the end of the 1923th century. Yet it has been celebrated for hundreds of years in Mexico, its country of origin, and more precisely in the state that gave its name to the animal. It would have been domesticated by the Toltec civilization and later, from the 1953th century, the Aztecs raised it to the rank of quasi deity. Doomed to certain disappearance with the invasion of Mexico by the Spanish Conquistadors in the XNUMXth century, it was in the United States – where it quickly became very popular – that the breed continued. The American Chihuahua Club was founded in XNUMX and it was not until XNUMX that the Club du Chihuahua du Coton de Tuléar et des Exotique (CCCE) was created in France.

It is often said of the Chihuahua that it is a large personality trapped in a small body. His masters still describe him as active, lively and daring. He is affectionate with those close to him, but with strangers it’s a whole different story. His early socialization is the key for his confidence to take precedence over his vigilance towards strangers. He does not hesitate to systematically signal any unknown presence by barking and knows how to be authoritarian. Hence the need to make him understand his place and his rank within the family from an early age.

The breed is considered healthy, although the Chihuahua has a predisposition to several diseases, among which:

Degenerative mitral valve disease: it is the most common heart disease in dogs, accounting for 75% of all heart conditions. (1) It mainly concerns small dogs such as the Dachshund, the Poodle, the Yorkshire and therefore the Chihuahua. This disease, which develops insidiously with old age, is often discovered by chance. It is detected by auscultation of the heart with a stethoscope and the diagnosis is refined by an x-ray and an ultrasound. To date, there is no curative treatment, but drugs can slow its progression.

Congenital dislocation of the patella: this orthopedic condition is the most common and frequently affects small breed dogs. Females are a little more likely to fall victim to it than males. A dislocation is not always accompanied by clinical signs such as lameness but, on the contrary, it can cause a rupture of the cruciate ligaments. (2)

Alopecia / baldness: the Chihuahua is one of the dog breeds predisposed to hair loss. This can be partial or total and primarily concerns the temples and around the ears, neck, abdomen, back and thighs. The increase in fatty acids in the diet is likely to slow the process down somewhat. Note, however, that alopecia presents only an aesthetic problem and does not affect the health of the animal in any way.

Other disorders can affect the Chihuahua: hydrocephalus, dental disease, reverse sneezing (mild) episodes, etc.

Because of its small size, the Chihuahua is a vulnerable animal. A broken bone or a concussion can occur after a simple fall or the fall of an object on him. A dog bite can break his neck in a second. When going out, he must therefore always be kept on a leash and carried in his arms as soon as he meets another dog (which will necessarily be bigger than him). His owner should also pay special attention to his diet which, ideally, should be fine-tuned with the advice of a veterinarian. Likewise, he must be able to have access to water at any time of the day.