Mini Chihuahuas: what do dogs look like and how to keep them?

Miniature Chihuahua dogs, or as they are also called chi-chi, are referred to as companion breeds with pronounced protective abilities. Despite their tiny size, these dogs are very courageous and very loyal. In this article we will dwell in more detail on the history of the breed, features of appearance, character, as well as the intricacies of caring for dogs.

The exact origin of the mini Chihuahua breed is not known for certain, however, as evidenced by archaeological excavations, the breed was known in ancient times in Mexico. For the first time, Hernan Cortez, who arrived in the country in 1520, described these miniature dogs.In his message to the king of Spain, he said that the Aztecs used these miniature animals as food - presumably, Chihuahuas were raised in special farms and sold on the market.

Another mystical custom is associated with this breed - when the Aztec died, then his dog was buried with him - it was believed that the Chihuahua helps the soul of the deceased move to another world. However, animals were introduced to the civilized world only three centuries later - in 1884. Immediately after that, the popularity of miniature animals skyrocketed, and all women of society wanted to have such a charming companion for themselves.

The breed got its name in honor of one of the Mexican states - Chihuahua, these animals are considered one of the smallest dogs in the world. The height of an adult pet varies from 15 to 22 cm, weight - from 1.5 to 3 kg. A separate variety of "super mini" stands out - the mass of these dogs does not exceed 1 kg. In the middle of the last century, some breed standards were developed, these parameters are considered very strict.

General characteristics: the body is compact, in males the height from paws to nape is approximately equal to the length of the body, respectively, the proportions of the body are close to square.

Bitches have a more elongated body, since nature provides for the need to raise and give birth to puppies. The head is apple-shaped, the muzzle has the shape of a sharp, shortened wedge, tapering in the direction from the eye sockets to the nose, the nose itself is miniature, slightly upturned, any color is allowed. The lips are light or dark, there is no salivation. There are 42 teeth in the jaws - 20 at the top and 22 at the bottom, a scissor bite, in some cases a straight one is allowed.

Chihuahua's eyes are very large and expressive, mostly brown, less often, but there are dogs with light eyes. The ears are rather long and erect in relation to the size of the head. When the pet is in a friendly mood, she spreads them in different directions so that the tips hang down a little. The neck is of medium length, thickened near the very base of the skull. In males, it is more massive than in females, the withers are practically not pronounced.

The back is quite strong, slightly widened. In males, it is generally shorter than in bitches. Muscle tissue stands out on the lower back, in females it is slightly elongated due to a predisposition to childbirth. The croup is even, the slope is practically absent. The sternum is voluminous, formed due to rounded ribs, in accordance with the standards, an overly massive barrel-shaped shape is considered a defect.

The tail of the mini Chihuahua is set high, tapering from base to tip. A healthy and active dog always keeps him upright and slightly curved. When the animal is calm and relaxed, the tail drops, but still retains the shape of a crescent.

Chihuahuas are always hairy and can be short or long haired, but hairless dogs do not exist. Any color is allowed: black, white, fawn, but among show breeds, pets with chocolate and bluish-pearl tones of wool are especially appreciated.

Before purchasing a mini-Chihuahua, it should be clearly understood that this dog is quite easy to provoke to aggression, therefore, they are not suitable for families with small children. At the same time, they are very smart and intelligent creatures and very brave - at any moment they are ready to defend their owner from cars, people and other dogs.

Chihuahua is a monogamous person who loves only one person, its owner. He will try to treat all other family members with patience and even with a touch of condescension, but he will not tolerate excessive attention and obsession with his person, therefore he may even bite the child if he wants to play with him.

Many breeders who previously owned other breeds of dogs often find the Chihuahua too intrusive, but in fact, the pet shows an extremely mutual interest. If you have no desire to play or too many chores, then be sure that your little miracle will not bother you, but will take care of your toys or simply go to bed. These dogs are very intelligent and delicate.

Pets always notify their owner about guests and phone calls, so they are especially appreciated by people with poor hearing. These funny animals are capable of lying next to their owner for several hours when he is sick, but they are ready to go for a walk at any time of the day or night. Small dogs are quite cocky, we can say that they have a truly Mexican temperament.

If they believe that something is threatening their master, then they will enter into the most dangerous conflicts. These are real "knights", brave, but with a kind and soft heart. Chihuahua does not tolerate loneliness; under any stressful situation, animals begin to shake with small shivers.

Until the age of three months, Chihuahuas are considered to be "children" from 3 to 5 months, they begin to grow intensively, then it slows down, and the pets begin to slowly gain all the remaining grams and centimeters, if the pet is destined to become a very small dog, whose weight does not exceed 1.5 kg, then at 5 months, its growth stops altogether.

At this time, the teenager looks more like awkward awkward animals, in which literally all parts of the body seem to require improvement: the head is too small, it is disproportionate, the sternum is small, the legs are long. From the outside it seems that the whole dog consists of the same corners. If your pet belongs to the long-haired breeds, then at the age of five months it is not much like the beautiful dog that it will turn into over time.

In the same period, the change of teeth begins in animals, first the sharp incisors change, and immediately after them the canines. At the same time, the very first molt is taking place, some individuals begin to lose their wool literally in shreds to bald patches and bald patches - at this moment it is extremely important to ensure the animal's intake of vitamins, minerals, and biotin.

Very often, after replacing teeth in a young Chihuahua, ears fall, therefore it is imperative to introduce special calcium components into the feed.

By the age of 8 months, the change of teeth is completely completed. Keep in mind that molars often grow in chi-chi at a time when milk teeth have not yet fallen out, they seem to grow as an additional row. In this case, you need to contact your veterinarian in order to pull out the milk canines that have become unnecessary.

Do not try to do it yourself, otherwise, instead of dairy, you can pull out permanent ones and thereby damage the health of your pet. It is undesirable to delay the visit to the doctor, if you do not get rid of milk teeth in time, then the bite of young chi-chi begins to deteriorate, in addition, food residues begin to accumulate between the canines growing in two rows, which leads to inflammation and caries.

In females, the first estrus occurs by 8-9 months, males at about the same age begin to take an active interest in female representatives and put “tags” throughout the territory. From this moment, animals can already give birth. After the very first estrus, most often in bitches, growth stops, in males this process is completed by 9 months. but the final appearance is formed only 1.5-2 years.

Mini Chihuahuas usually live from 15 to 20 years, according to this parameter, they are significantly ahead of many other breeds. A whole complex of factors affects the life span of a pet:

• balanced diet;
• normal weight;
• complete care.

Equally important is the genetic predisposition, which is individual for each dog, and regular veterinary examination. According to statistics, the smaller the dog, the more health problems it has, any veterinarian can confirm this. Mini Chihuahuas are prone to the following pathologies:

• hydrocephalus:
• obesity;
• hypoglycemia;
• heart disease;
• bronchitis;
• collapse of the trachea.

At the same time, most of the problems faced by chi-chi, with the right approach and timely treatment, quickly go away without giving any complications.

Officially, there are two types of Chihuahuas:

• short-haired;

• long-haired

Depending on the weight category, the following classification parameters are established:

• standard - animals weighing 1.5-3 kg;
• mini-chi-chi weighing from 1 to 1.5 kg;
• super mini Are animals whose weight varies from 500 g to 1 kg.

It is noteworthy that the less the dog weighs, the higher its cost, however, in this case we mean the mass of an adult dog, not a puppy. The fact is that puppies are born in a weight of 75-100 g and grow for almost a year, it is not possible to predict in advance which class the animal will belong to. Although, with a certain degree of probability, it can be assumed that if both parents weighed less than 1 kg, then the offspring will be limited to this nominal weight category.

Keep in mind that mini pets have a shorter lifespan than standard sized pets.

Be sure to take a closer look at the photographs shown by breeders, many unscrupulous sellers are cheating and post photos of someone else's pet or one of their most successful in advertisements, but in fact they offer something completely different.

Usually those responsible to the seller go to meet the wishes of the potential buyer, while the unscrupulous try to evade in every possible way and not send a new image.

To minimize the risks when buying a Chihuahua, it is best to contact to specialized breeding nurserieswho have been registered Cynological Federation of the Russian Federation. Prices for dogs differ depending on the class of the puppy: show, petit and brit.

Brit has good breeding data, therefore it is often used for breeding.

Dogs from the pet category can become good pets, but they are unsuitable for participation in international exhibitions, since they have pronounced deviations from the accepted standard, they are no longer used for breeding, such dogs are cheaper than others.

Before buying, be sure to determine exactly what you need a puppy for. If you intend to take him to competitions and expect to receive prizes, you will have to spend money on a show class, always with titled parents and a good pedigree.

Be sure to study in advance how exactly the puppy should look, or even better, when choosing, invite an expert to evaluate the category of the puppy. The pedigree will also be needed when you buy a dog for the soul, if there is no such document, you risk buying the most ordinary mestizo or even a purebred dog. The presence of a pedigree is always a guarantee of a stable psyche of the animal and a good exterior of the pet.

Unscrupulous breeders often resort to another trick, playing on the desire of any buyer to save money. So, puppies whose cost is approaching 20 thousand, they offer for 10, arguing the low cost by the fact that his parents - titled dogs had "unscheduled mating". This term is used today to justify the lack of a pedigree.

Usually, the buyer forms in his head a picture of how two high-class dogs mated at the wrong time and it is not possible for such a puppy to correct the document. In practice, however, most often this vague wording hides nothing more than intercourse of dogs of different breeds. As a result, animals of a wide variety of sizes and colors are obtained, which most often cannot claim the name Chihuahua with all their might, most often the buyer receives "pug-chihi" or "chiho-toy".

When choosing a dog, it will be useful to follow the advice of experienced breeders.

Do not believe the breeders' claims that your dog will definitely belong to the show class just because both of his parents are champions. Statistics say that there is no direct connection here, and even the most eminent dogs may have a puppy with pronounced differences from the standard.

Taking care of chi-chi is not difficult. Due to its ultra-miniature size, a Chihuahua dog gets along well both in a spacious private house and in a small city apartment. Keep in mind that these animals are unable to restrain the urge to go to the toilet for a long time, so if you are not able to walk the dog 2 times a day, then it is better to immediately purchase a tray for him so that the pet can already use it for all its natural needs.

The baby must certainly have his own personal space where he will sleep and rest, feeling completely protected. For the first few days of your new home, it is best to keep your dog in a small enclosure.

As you get used to it, the walking radius can be expanded - first, leave the animal in a closed room, then let it out into the corridor, and then completely allow it to walk around the entire living room.

It is best to choose small structures so that the dog does not freeze in them. As the dog grows and develops, the tray with saucers will need to be gradually moved away and, after a couple of months, installed in the final place, for example, the bowls can be placed in the kitchen, and the tray in the bathroom or on the loggia.

Caring for the coat of four-legged pets of this breed usually does not create any difficulties for the owner, the condition of the animal's coat directly depends on the type of food of the dog. It is recommended to comb your pet with a special massage brush 2-3 times a week and, if necessary, select all the fine litter. The coat is combed in the direction of hair growth. Long-haired dogs should be trimmed from time to time near the anus and between the toes to keep the dog hygienic.

The Chihuahua's coat gets dirty rather slowly, it is a very clean animal, so frequent bathing of the dog is not required. All washing procedures are carried out only as grease appears, if you arrange this more often, this can cause overdrying of the skin. Usually Chihuahuas are bathed 3-4 times a year, and you need to use specialized shampoos for this.

Dry the pet with cold air from a hair dryer, then wrap it in a warm towel so that it absorbs the remaining moisture and warms the pet.After bathing, be sure to comb your dog, as bath procedures usually cause a slight shedding.

Chihuahua ears tend to accumulate a lot of dust and emit earwax, therefore periodically you need gently clean the inside with cotton wool dipped in ear cleaner or plain lukewarm water. Convex eyes should be washed a couple of times a week with tea leaves or a weak solution of furacilin - this will relieve them of lacrimal sediment and various mucous secretions.

Do not forget to cut your nails regularly, but this should be done as carefully as possible, since they grow with the vessels that feed them and if you move it carelessly, you can damage the sensitive pads of the paws.

When carrying out a haircut procedure, be sure to look at the nails - they are transparent to the light, so you will immediately notice the border of the pulp from the inside.

At a young age, it is strictly forbidden to leave your pet unattended., the point here is that his bones are quite fragile, while the fontanelle on the skull is large, in this regard, any jumps from a chair onto solid surfaces can, at best, end in fractures, and at worst - to receive severe injuries.

During this period, a Chihuahua should be worn with one hand under the tummy, and the other under the ass. Please be aware that dogs are nimble, always twist and try to jump off, and this is fraught with head injuries, therefore the grip should always be soft, but tenacious.

To make the animal's movement around the house safer, at first, while you are not yet accustomed to the dog, you can put on a small bell, so the pet will be able to report its approach every time. This will keep the likelihood of stepping on the tiny dog ​​to a minimum.

All packages, wires and packaging must be removed from the floor. Animals of this breed have great love for them and uncontrollably gnaw everything that comes under their teeth, while they can swallow pieces of plastic, which are not naturally excreted from the body.

It is imperative to walk the dog in a tightly attached collar, if the fixation is weak, then the pets begin to get scared, get out and run away. It is best to hold your pet in your arms on streets with a lot of traffic, as well as in crowded areas.

On the street, these formidable, but small dogs can face another trouble - crows and other large birds. The fact is that small chihuahuas often remind them of mice and rats that birds hunt, so they can approach the dog and even begin to peck. In the cold season, take your pet outside exclusively in clothes, he needs overalls and boots. The fact is that these dogs have impaired thermoregulation, so they often get cold.

Even the smallest dogs nevertheless remain carnivores, and the diet for your pet should be formulated so that so that the share of meat products in it was at least 80%. Chi-chi are very capricious and fastidious dogs, so you will have to proceed not only from the usefulness of the product, but also from the animal's taste preferences. The dog should get proteins from lean meats (veal, beef, chicken or turkey); it will be useful to introduce lactic acid products, eggs and fish from time to time on the menu.

Meat is given only boiled, a couple of times a week feeding by-products is allowed, it is best to use the liver and heart. Porridge becomes a source of carbohydrates for a pet - dogs love buckwheat, oatmeal, corn and rice.It is best to boil them in broth and add some grated cheese for flavor. As a useful vitamin supplement, vegetables are introduced into the feed: carrots, as well as pumpkin, potatoes or zucchini, always in crushed form with the addition of sunflower, linseed or sea buckthorn oil.

Chihuahuas respond very well to fruits, so you can safely give them strawberries, bananas, raspberries and apples. In winter, instead of fresh fruit, you can offer your pets fruit purees.

In conclusion, you should dwell on the pros and cons of this breed. The advantages of the Chihuahua include:

• compactness - with such a pet, you can even enter those shops and establishments where entry with animals is usually strictly prohibited, be it a smooth-haired or fluffy dog;
• comfortable walking - this dog does not feel any need for long walks, in order to warm up properly, it is enough for the pet to jump along the corridor, the animals can stay indoors for months and not feel any longing for fresh air;
• economy in nutrition - Chi-Chi eats very little, so little money is spent on feeding him;
• good health - practically no breeding work was carried out on the dogs of this breed, so they retained all those qualities and the immunity that they got from their ancient ancestors;
• accuracy - Chihuahuas are not able to harm the home environment, they are more likely to harm themselves, but they will never chew on sneakers or tear furniture in the house.

Of the minuses, the following can be noted:

• traumatism - dogs are rather fragile, if it is unsuccessful to grab them, then you can harm, therefore, when living together with such pets, you have to be extremely careful;
• difficulty of reproduction - unfortunately, Chihuahuas almost never give birth on their own and without the help of a veterinarian, since their miniature size does not allow them to push the cubs out of the womb;
• difficulties in training - these animals cannot be called inconsiderate in any way, but nevertheless they do not lend themselves to training, these animals first of all perceive intonations and only after voice phrases, therefore, each command requires a long learning process.

In the next video you can watch mini Chihuahua puppies at the age of 4 months.