9781422279328

Chihuahua

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Beagle Boxer Bulldog Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Chihuahua Cocker Spaniel Dachshund French Bulldog

German Shepherd Golden Retriever Labrador Retriever Miniature Schnauzer Poodle Pug Rottweiler Siberian Husky Shih Tzu Yorkshire Terrier

By Christine Davies Chihuahua

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com © 2018 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in the United States of America. Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3848-6 Hardback ISBN: 978-1-4222-3853-0 EBook ISBN: 978-1-4222-7932-8 First printing 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Cover photograph by N Po/Dreamstime.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

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Contents

1 Introducing the Chihuahua................................. 6 2 What Should a Chihuahua Look Like?.............. 16 3 What Do You Want From Your Chihuahua?. ..... 26 4 Finding Your Puppy. ......................................... 38 5 A Chihuahua-Friendly Home. ........................... 48 6 Caring for Your Chihuahua................................ 72 7 Training Your Chihuahua. ................................ 82 8 Keeping Your Chihuahua Busy......................... 98 9 Chihuahua Health Care.................................... 104 Find Out More.......................................................................... 126 Series Glossary of Key Terms................................................. 127 Index. ...................................................................................... 128

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Chapter 1 Introducing the Chihuahua S mall is beautiful, and that is certainly true of the tiny Chihua- hua, the smallest dog breed in the world. But this captivating little creature is no pushover. The Chihuahua exudes self-im- portance, and demands to be taken seriously. The Chihuahua is one of the most ancient of breeds, and during his long history he has become the most perfect companion dog. Once you have owned a Chi, no other breed will do. Chihuahua basics Despite his small size, the Chihuahua is a sturdy, well-propor- tioned dog, slightly longer than he is tall at the shoulders. He moves with purpose, his head held high and his tail slightly curved over his body, with an attitude that says, “Look at me!” The Chihuahua is known as a head breed, meaning this is one of the distinguishing features of the breed. The skull is apple-domed,

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and this is set off by large, flaring ears. The Chi’s dark eyes shine with love and devotion—or with mischief. If you like grooming, you can choose the long-coated Chi; oth- erwise the smooth-coat will be your choice. Both varieties come in a wonderful array of colors and patterns. The molera Many Chihuahua puppies are born with a molera, or open fon- tanel, which is a unique breed characteristic. The opening allows the puppy to be born from a small mother with no damage to the brain. Human babies are also born with an open fontanel, but the frontal and parietal bones of the cranium fuse soon after birth. In the case of the Chihuahua, the bones may not fuse until the dog is an adult, and in some cases the fontanel remains open all the dog’s life. An open fontanel should not be considered a defect, but dogs should be treated with extra care, as the head is more vulnerable. There is an open spot in the skull, and a dog hit in that spot may die. However, in dogs with a molera, the opening is typically small—0.25 to 1 inch (6 to 25 mm) across. And the number of dogs with a molera well into adulthood is small.

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Temperament The Chihuahua has no doubt in his mind that he is a real dog, and he wants to be treated as such. He may be small, but he is ready to take on the world. He is active, inquisitive, and intelligent, and he relishes the opportunity to use his brain. Of course, he likes his

cuddles, and will be a devot- ed companion, but he does not want to be treated like a pampered baby who never has the chance to enjoy dog- gy pursuits. Unfortunately, the tiny Chi has become the victim of a fad for “handbag dogs,” and celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Madonna, and Brit- ney Spears have all been

photographed carrying their Chihuahuas as fashion accessories. This is no life for a dog; the Chihuahua should be valued for what he is—a superb companion, and a dog at heart. Life expectancy Toy dogs tend to have a long life expectancy, and the Chihuahua does better than most. With excellent care and a little luck, a Chi will survive into his teens. A good few make it to their mid teens, and there are even a few who reach their late teens and still enjoy a good quality of life. The ideal home Town or country, mansion or apartment, the Chihuahua will be happy as long as he has company. This is a breed that thrives on be-

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ing part of a family and joining in all activities. He is an ideal choice for older owners, as his exercise requirements are minimal, but he will also enjoy life with a younger family. Because he is small and therefore more vulnerable to injury, he is not a good choice for fami- lies with very small children. The Chihuahua is totally fearless, and will mix with other, larger dogs. Indeed, he usually ends up the boss! However, care should be taken with initial interactions. Beware, because Chihuahuas are very collectible, and although you may start off with one, you may soon find yourself with a little tribe of them. Chihuahua history The Chihuahua has a long and tangled history, and it is some- times hard to separate fact from fiction. There are colorful tales, now shrouded in the mists of time, that make the Chihuahua the most fascinating of breeds.

There are two schools of thought as to where the Chihuahua came from. Both are equally plausible, so you can take your pick. Mexican roots The Chihuahua gets its name from the state of Chihuahua in the northern

part of Mexico, bordering on Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. The ear- liest archaeological ev- idence dates back to the fifth century. The Mayans made clay sculptures of small dogs that look like

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the Chihuahuas we know today. Starting in about 900, the Toltecs conquered the southern and cen- tral parts of Mexico. They kept pet dogs, some long-haired, which they called Techichi. They were highly valued as house dogs, and were also used in religious ceremonies. In 1325 the Aztecs conquered the Toltecs and established their own civilization, which lasted until 1521. The descendants of the

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Techichi played an important part in Aztec culture. When a person died, a yellow or red dog was sacrificed so he could accompany the dead person on his journey to the afterlife. This explains why many graves excavated in Mexico contained the skeletons of small dogs. There is a gap in the Techichi’s story following the Spanish con- quest. Some believe they went feral and survived by hunting small rodents. Others think it is more likely that they were crossed with the black and tan terriers that the Spanish brought with them. In any case, it was more than 300 years before the little dog from Mexico was next heard of. The Mediterranean theory The origins of many of our Toy dogs can be traced to the Medi- terranean, and there is a theory that the ancestors of the Chihuahua were found on the island of Malta. It is known that dogs with the molera trait came from Malta and were taken on trading ships to

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other parts of Europe. Evidence of this comes from European paint- ings of the period. There is even a tiny dog, resembling a Chihuahua, featured on a fresco in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

Developing the breed We now take a great leap for- ward to the 1850s, when small dogs were found living in Mex- ico. Some were smooth-coated, some long-coated, and some hair- less (later to become the Mexican hairless, or Xoloitzcuintli). Some of these dogs were tak- en to the United States, where they were known as Arizona

Chihuahua basics

dogs or Texas dogs. Later the smooth and long-coated varieties were christened the Mexican Chihuahua, after the Mexican state where they were discovered. American debut In 1884 the first Chihuahua was exhibited in the American show ring; it was entered in the Miscellaneous Class as a Chihuahua Terri- er. James Watson, a well-known American judge, described the Chi- huahua in 1888 as a small, smooth-coated terrier, with a molera and a flat tail. It is interesting to note that all the early show dogs were smooth-coated, and many regard them as the original Chihuahua. At this stage the breed appears to have come in different sizes and in a variety of colors, all based on imports fromMexico. AChihuahua named Midget was the first to be registered by the American Kennel Club (AKC), in 1904. The AKC was just 20 years old at the time, mak- ing the Chihuahua one of the oldest registered breeds in America. However, in the early 1900s people tended to want dogs who could perform some work, such as hunting or herding or guarding.

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