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CHIHUAHUAS
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How They Score
0 - 5 Bones
| Trainability |   |
| General Breed Health | |
| Easily Housebroken | |
| Low Maintenance (smooth coat only) |
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| Good w/Other Pets | |
| Non-Shedding | n/a |
All the many reasons to love them...
Watch Dogs-They make keen watch dogs! This breed wholeheartedly enjoys it's positions as defender of the family and take this role very seriously. You can trust this breed to alert you to every new sound and every knock at the door.Size- While Chihuahuas in the show ring are no more than 6 pounds, a pet quality dog can range in size from 3.5 to 11 pounds, give or take. Please be wary of breeders who use terms like teacup, mini or toy to sell extremely tiny dogs for higher prices. Smaller does not mean better.
Friendly-This breed has an innate tendency to be cautious of unfamiliar faces and situations. A 'people friendly' Chihuahua is easy to achieve with proper socialization.Trainability- They're quick learners and they're eager to please. Training sessions work best when you limit the time you spend teaching new tricks to less than 20 minutes per session. Because Chihuahuas are a toy breed, housetraining may not come as easy as you like. We highly recommend these positive training techniques.
Loyalty- They are extremely loyal, but often devote themselves to only a single person. To prevent jealousy of humans around their chosen owner, the importance of proper socialization and early training can not be stressed enough.Excitability- More excitable than you might think, they can be aggressive and are not suitable for people with small children. They also have no regard for the limitations of their own size and should always remain harnessed when taken outside of the home.
Have you also prepared yourself for the serious responsibilities of…
Frequent grooming- The long haired varieties of this breed needs regular grooming and brushing. Their hair can become very matted, but care should be taken in bathing. Harsh shampoos can can take the natural sheen from long coats and cause dry itchy skin. The smooth coat variety is much lower maintenance.
Behavioral Issues- Toy breeds are among the hardest dogs to housebreak and the Chi is no exception. You shouldn't be surprised by accidents (or on-purposes). Very small dogs also have very small bladders.
Separation Anxiety is common. Dogs show frustration by destructive chewing or barking or by hiking their leg on your potted houseplant.
Disregarding the hype- There is technically no such thing as a ‘tea cup’ breed of any dog. Likewise for 'pocket', 'mini' and 'toy' chihuahuas. These are invented terms used to market tiny dogs and sell them for ridiculous prices. Uncommonly tiny dogs (under 4 pounds) are an even greater risk for the health issues listed below.
Hypoglycemia is a matter of concern for the owners of these small breed dogs. Often their tiny bodies are unable to properly regulate blood sugar. Symptoms range from lack of energy, shivering, loss of coordination to coma or even death.
Patellar Luxation is a joint condition in which kneecaps pop in and out of place. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) reports that about 6% of chihuahuas are affected in varying degrees, but that number could be much higher.
Hip Dysplasia is a developmental subluxation of the hip joints which can eventually lead to arthritis and/or lameness. It's causes are genetic as well as environmental. A secondary concern of this affliction is osteoarthritis.
Legg-Calvé-Perthes syndrome is yet another joint condition affecting the lives of these fragile dogs. Accoding the Orthopedic Foundation for animals a staggering 33.3% are currently affected. Legg-Calvé-Perthes syndrome is degenerative and leads to bone loss and collapse of the hip joint. Early treatment can help to prevent degenerative arthritis.
The use of pet steps has been shown to significantly reduce the wear and tear on joints. Please consider them if you own or plan to own a small breed dog.
Problems with teeth often occur because their mouths are so small that overcrowding becomes an issue and can lead to many secondary health conditions. Overcrowding of teeth can result in excessive tartar and plaque build-up due to food being lodged between them.
Bacteria from dirty teeth is like poison. Once it enters the blood stream it can cause heart, liver and kidney disease much faster in tiny dogs.
Chihuahuas are not a good idea for people with small children. Even the most well behaved children can’t help mishandling a dog this small.
They can also pack a serious bite despite their small size. This can be a dangerous situation, especially with an unsocialized dog, for a child under six. All children should be supervised constantly around your dog to keep them both safe.
There is no heart in all the world more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of a dog.
Chihuahua Pictures
