Chihuahua is native to Mexico and belong to the smallest dog breed in the world. The Chihuahua Club was established in 1923. It is one of the 12 most popular breeds of dogs in the United States.
Chihuahua dog morphological characteristics
The ideal height of an adult chihuahua should be between 15-23cm, and the ideal weight of an adult should be between 1-3kg. The smaller the size, the more popular it is, so the price on the market is not low.
Morphological characteristics
Chihuahuas are cream, red, brown, black with yellowish brown. The short-haired breed has soft hair. The long-haired species have decorative hairs on their ears, limbs, and tails, and the length of the body surface hair does not drag the floor. Long-haired chihuahuas are more afraid of cold. Common colors are: light brown, maroon or white.
The head should preferably be a round “apple-shaped” head. The expression is beautiful. The eyes are large and not prominent, well-proportioned, and preferably bright black or red (white eyes are allowed for pale yellow or white dogs). The ears are large, erect, and stay upright when alert, but when resting, the ears will be separated, forming a 45-degree angle between the two ears. The muzzle is shorter and slightly pointed. For black, blue and chocolate varieties, the nose color is consistent with their body color. Pale yellow varieties are allowed to have pink noses. Scissor bite or pincer bite. Overshot or undershot is a serious defect.
The neck is slightly curved, which fits perfectly with the shoulders. The topline is level. The rounded ribs support the chest cavity and make the body strong (but not a barrel chest). The tail is moderate in length, lifted up in the shape of a sickle, or curled up on the back, with the tip of the tail just touching the back (never clamped between the legs). Short tail or docking is not good. The shoulders of the forelegs are narrow, gradually widening downwards, and the forelegs are straight so that the movement of the elbow is not restricted. The shoulders should be up, balanced and strong, leaning toward the back (the shoulders should not be down or too low). Broad chest and strong front body, but never resemble a “bulldog” chest. The feet are slender, and the toes are just well separated on the beautiful little feet, but they cannot be separated too far, and the pads are thick (not like rabbit feet or cat feet). Slender ankles.
The hind limbs are muscular, well-spaced, not too far in or too far, looking down, strong and sturdy. The feet are the same as the forelimbs. Ideally, there are fur on the feet and legs, shorts on the hind legs, and fur collar on the neck. Long-haired type is bad if the coat is sparse and almost naked.
The short-hair type coat is very soft, tight and smooth (undercoat is allowed when the amount of hair is large enough). The coat covers the dog’s body and has a good fur collar and tail, with sparse coat on the head and ears. The hair on the tail resembles fur. The long-haired coat is soft, flat or slightly curved, preferably with undercoat. There are fur on the edges of the ears (if the ears are thin and have more fur, the ears may lean forward slightly, but never downward). The tail is full and long (feathery). Ideally, there are fur on the feet and legs, shorts on the back, and fur collar on the neck. Long-haired disqualification: sparse coat, almost naked.
Chihuahua character characteristics
When talking about the small petting dog, the first thing people think of is the Chihuahua. Although the size of this dog is small, it is not timid and very courageous. At the same time, it has the hunting and prevention instincts of a large dog. Chihuahuas have tough will, grace, vigilance, and quick movements. They are widely loved by people for their well-proportioned physique and petite body. The owner has a very exclusive mind.
Chihuahuas are quite chilly and should not be kept in outdoor kennels. You need to wear coats to keep out the cold in winter. Chihuahuas are small in stature and do not require high living space. Basically, the space of a normal residence is enough for them to play.
They don’t do much exercise every day, and they don’t have to spend time taking them out to play. Chihuahuas can stay at home every day and are very suitable for being raised by people who now live in apartments.
is sensitive, suspicious, loyal, dependent, brave, smart, and curious. The owner needs to understand the personality of the Chihuahua to get along with it. When you are with your host, if someone touches you, they will bite you. After Chihuahua knew the master, she hoped to stick to the master every moment. So, whether you are watching TV or exercising, there will be a four-legged shadow following you. At the same time, Chihuahua is very curious about all new things and loves adventure.
Because the Chihuahua likes to cling to people, it will be very frustrating to be left out, so it is not suitable for independence. It is said that this dog does not like to get along with children.
Chihuahua maintenance knowledge
Chihuahuas are divided into long-haired and short-haired breeds. The difference between the two is the shiny coat. Long-haired chihuahuas have a tendency to shiver like short-haired breeds in the cold season, except for the rich back hair. So what issues should we pay attention to when raising Chihuahuas?
Feeding Tips
Special reminder: Chihuahuas are extremely prone to dystocia! Try to consult a veterinarian before giving birth. This matter is at stake, don’t be careless.
Chihuahuas are petite, not timid to other dogs, and extremely exclusive to their owners. They are divided into short-haired and long-haired. The difference between the short-haired species and the long-haired species is the shiny, close-fitting, and supple short hair. Long-haired chihuahuas have a tendency to tremble like short-haired chihuahuas, except for their rich back hair.
1. Generally speaking, Chihuahuas are more possessive, they like to be with people, they like to be hugged, and they are a clingy puppy.
2. Chihuahua has a strong biological clock, so it will get sleepy at a certain time at night. The host must not be involved in the little guy staying up late, and some usually have the habit of taking a nap.
3. Chihuahuas are small and easy to be stepped on.
4. Excessive, oily, or cold food can easily cause diarrhea and stomach cold.
5. Chihuahuas drink less water, but they must never stop drinking water.
6. The Chihuahua just bought has weak resistance, poor environment, improper care, and poor physical foundation. Try not to let him come into contact with sick dogs.
7. In autumn and winter, the temperature changes drastically, you should always pay attention to the warmth of Chihuahua. Temperature is the point of invasion of Chihuahua disease.
8. Chihuahuas are afraid of firecrackers.
9. The vaccine should be of the same brand, otherwise it may cause immune failure.
Almost 80% of Chihuahuas die from dehydration caused by diarrhea!
Conservation common sense
1. You should follow the original feeding method and gradually change the feed method: suddenly changing the food, the dog cannot adapt, often causing digestive tract diseases
2. Feeding should be regular and quantitative: for fear that the dog will not eat well or will not be full, just feed it with eggs, milk, fired intestines; feed by the owner, relatives and friends; irregular, irregular, within three days, will not get sick strange;
3. Excessive play: adults tease, children play, you hold a hug, I tease, dogs can not get rest, fatigue, resistance decline, easy to get sick, especially puppies, the daily sleep time should be at least guaranteed 10 hours.
4. Not adapting to the new environment: The dog will leave the original living environment and come to a strange place. It will feel lonely and helpless and miss the original owner. If it is not taken care of, the dog will get sick. Especially puppies, who have just been weaned and left their siblings, are not used to it. If the food and room temperature are not up to the requirements, they are more likely to get sick
5. Improper bathing: Some owners think that the dog is very dirty, and they bathe the dog as soon as they buy it and do not dry it. The dog is easy to get sick. It’s best not to take a bath for a newly purchased dog. Observe it for two days. If you have no symptoms such as colds and diarrhea, then go for the vaccine.
6. Going out and contacting other dogs and being infected with diseases: Even for vaccinated dogs, the protection rate is not 100%, let alone unimmunized dogs. Dogs that have just been bought back, during the isolation and observation period, do not take them out for play, do not come in contact with other dogs, or even other dog breeders, to prevent cross-infection;
7. If you already have a dog at home, you must isolate and observe the new one for a few days to prevent the original healthy dog from being infected.
8. Standing medicines and items: thermometers, eye drops, cold medicines, antidiarrheal medicines, ear mite drops, lactic acid bacteria tablets (can treat diarrhea and aid digestion), medicines must be used for children or pets, in addition to prepare a few Root popsicle stick (used for temporary bandaging in accidental fractures to fix and prevent secondary fractures).
9. Chicken livers should not exceed two pairs a week, otherwise it will affect bone development, and fasting must be controlled (see “Diet Taboos” for details)
10. If you are a puppies, you must pay attention to keep warm, and cover the nest with clothes. It is best to use old sleeves to change into small clothes to wear. Or buy clothes suitable for Chihuahuas at a pet store.
Chihuahua feeding points
The Chihuahua just bought does not play with him in an emergency, and gives him snacks. In order to avoid the dog’s stress response, let the dog get familiar with the environment after returning to the new home, and then consider playing with him. When it comes to eating, Don’t feed too much, and consider treating Chihuahuas when you’re familiar.
The food given must be clean, hygienic and fresh. The food bowls and other utensils should be washed and rinsed frequently, and a certain amount of clean drinking water should be provided after eating.
Chihuahuas are naturally small in appetite, but their metabolism is very fast, and they are easily hungry. It is best to feed it several times a day. The feed is best based on dry feed, and it can also be appropriately matched with some wet feed. Chihuahuas are very gluttonous, but you must be careful not to let the dog eat too much, so as not to gain weight.
60-90 grams of meat per day is enough. For larger Chihuahuas, they only need to provide about 150 grams of meat per day, plus a similar amount of vegetables and biscuits.
Since this dog is not cold-tolerant, the food should also be warm. Meat should be cooked, chopped, and mixed with dry feed and warm water before feeding.
