The second name of this tiny breed is the Mexican dwarf terrier. The dog of the chihuahua refers to the decorative , it attracts the liveliness of the character, cheerful disposition, devotion to the master. Her huge expressive eyes fill the soul with love and pacification.
Chihuahua dog - breed description
Mexican Terrier - the smallest specimen in the world. Having a small size, this is a full-fledged dog. Chihuahua has the characteristics of the breed: the decorative pet is endowed with surprisingly intelligent eyes, comical big ears and a bold, bold character. These small individuals live longer than other relatives, they are convenient for urban residents, easy to care for, calm and sedate. A small dog has excellent watchdog instincts, can work as a lifeguard, is an ideal assistant for people with poor hearing. She has good immunity and health.
Chihuahua - the history of the origin of the breed
Its name was given to the dog by the name of the state of Mexico. The Chihuahua has an interesting history of the breed. Even before the discovery of America, they were considered sacred animals of the Incas. During the fierce battles of the Spaniards with the indigenous population, the individuals almost died out, they went into the woods. Only in the 19th century, the Mexicans found them in the wild, selling mini dogs became a profitable business. In 1884, the chihuahua dog became a participant of the international exhibition for the first time.
Soon the charming breed got into the secular news. The President of Mexico presented the singer Adeline Patty with a bouquet of flowers in which a delicious chihuahua was hiding. The dog was recognized in America, then the news of it came to Europe. The official standard of individuals appeared in 1923. Now this is one of the most popular ornamental rocks. Many breeders believe that the ancient Indians read a spell over it and such a dog brings happiness to the house.
Chihuahua is the breed standard
Miniature pets have a variety of looks. How does the Chihuahua breed look like:
- the average weight is 1-3 kg;
- growth to 23 cm;
- compact body, thin legs;
- the tail is medium, raised or has a curl that almost touches the back;
- a characteristic apple-shaped head with a short muzzle;
- eyes - large, round, dark in color;
- the nose is black, brown, pink-beige;
- the ears are large, wide and long, should stand;
- there are long-haired and smooth-haired chihuahua. The first type of pile is long and light, there is a pod. The second - shiny, glossy, dense adjoins to the body, longer on the tail and neck;
- colors - different, most popular:
- monophonic (black, red, white, chocolate, blue);
- black tricolor;
- chocolate-tan;
- black-fawn;
- pale-sable.
The nature of the Chihuahua breed
Being of small size, individuals are the keepers of home comfort, they are ready to rush to defense in case of danger. This is a loud dog - they bark a lot and ring. The character of the chihuahua emphasizes the characteristics of this breed - Mexican terriers have such courage and confidence that any big dog will envy. Because of its fervent disposition, a chihuahua dog often gets involved in fights with other animals, even much larger and can suffer from their teeth.
With family members, she is very peace-loving, but she is forever attached to one master. An interesting fact is that chihuahua dogs love women more and are afraid of men. The pet is persistent and determined, with other animals is easily friends. To teach him good manners will have to make an effort - the owner needs to insist on his own. But the dog is smart and with the right approach it will quickly learn the necessary skills.
With children they have a complex relationship. A chihuahua dog prefers to keep a distance with the households, which the master does not consider, and it is hard for the kids to understand this. Chihuahua will not tolerate rudeness and may even bite a child. To solve this problem, a puppy from childhood needs to be trained and socialized. But still it is not recommended to start a pet in a family with children under 8 years old - they can harm a fragile animal. Pets do not need physical activity - they need short-term walks.
The breed of chihuahua dogs - the pros and cons
When buying a puppy, it is important to understand immediately what difficulties will arise with it in the future. Before you get into the house of the chihuahua, the pros and cons of the breed are evaluated. Its main advantages are:
- compactness;
- the dog eats little and it will not be difficult to purchase expensive quality food for her;
- To find a place for her in the house is not a problem because of the small dimensions;
- does not need active physical activity;
- take a pet with you can be anywhere;
- Chihuahua has excellent health and good immunity due to its origin;
- has a cute playful character;
- requires minimal maintenance.
Among the disadvantages of the dog breeders are the following:
- fragility of the animal, you can accidentally injure it;
- because of small size, there are problems with teeth and childbirth;
- The longer the team learns due to emotionality;
- fearlessness - can throw even on big dogs.
Species of the breed Chihuahua
According to the type of wool, there are two types of Mexican terriers - with a long and short fur coat. According to the structure of the hull, different types of breeds of Chihuahua dogs are distinguished:
- a kobby - with a dense stocky body, a large head and short paws;
- dir - like a deer with long thin legs, a small head and a gaunt gait.
Many sellers talk about more species of chihuahua dogs - classic, native, Pekingese, extreme, English. But these are pseudo-types not identified in a separate classification, they are related to intra-abnormal deviations. The colors of all representatives are characterized by a great variety - solid, two-color, tricolor with different shades.
Dog breed longhair chihuahua
It is distinguished by the quality of the fur cover. Chihuahua - a characteristic of the longhaired breed:
- presence of a podpushi, fringe on the ears, suspension on the tail and a charming collar on the neck;
- hair - straight or slightly wavy, has a soft, delicate texture;
- such representatives are considered more calm, complaisant.
Smooth-haired Chihuahua
They have a short nap. All about breed chihuahua smooth-haired dogs:
- hair - small, even, dense, adjacent to the body;
- wool - shiny, silky;
- in the neck and tail of the hair is longer;
- short villi - on the muzzle and ears;
- smooth-haired individuals are quick-tempered, live a more active life.
Chihuahua mini - description of the breed
There are small representatives of terriers, whose weight is up to 1 kg. All about the Chihuahua mini breed:
- live up to 12 years;
- have a fragile body structure, incomplete set of teeth;
- immunity of individuals more weakened;
- for such pets you need special care:
- You can not drop a mini dog;
- it is important to look under your feet so as not to step on it;
- To avoid injury they can not play with children and other animals;
- a special feeding regime is necessary - food is given in a grinded form.
Chihuahua dog - care and content
Taking care of the baby is not difficult. Having studied the nature of the Chihuahua , information about the breed, how to care for pets, it becomes clear that they will bring cares a little, and the pleasures will bring weight. All that babies need is quality food, hygiene, little care for the hair, paddock and initial upbringing. Still dogs have one feature - they are cold, afraid of drafts and cold, for such pets warm clothing is needed. But many owners like to dress up their kids. With proper maintenance, such individuals live up to 20 years.
Chihuahua breed care
Decorative kids require delicate treatment. Care for a Chihuahua breed dog includes some rules:
- daily check the pet's eyes, if necessary, wipe them with a wet tampon;
- once a week to clean the ears ;
- Once a few months the baby can be bathed using special shampoos;
- in time to trim the claws;
- Chihuahua often has problems with teeth - when changing them it is important to visit a doctor to form a proper bite;
- pets need to walk, at temperatures below +1 degrees they need warm clothes;
- use standard remedies for fleas and ticks;
- Problems with the hair they do not have - the pile does not get dirty and even comb it occasionally.
Chihuahua - disease of the breed
These are the smallest, but long-lived individuals. They are distinguished by their stamina and excellent state of health. Typical health problems include:
- dysplasia - violations in the knee joint, such pets walk "skipping";
- puppies of the Chihuahua breed suffer from loss of milk teeth - they need to be taken to the vet to remove;
- there may be shortness of breath with a cough, wheezing, it is associated with hereditary cartilage defects, treated with antibiotics;
- heart disease - manifested in advanced age (over 10 years);
- dry eyes - in older individuals;
- an unpleasant smell from a mouth - it is necessary to carry out preventive maintenance by means of special dental delicacies.
Important measures for the preservation of health are vaccination, deworming, protection from parasites. After the street, the pet should be inspected for damage on the body, when there is lethargy and temperature, you should go to the clinic. Another feature of the small specimen is trembling, it comes from stress, cold, fright. The pet should be placed in warmth, calm with a gentle voice.
What to feed the dogs of the Chihuahua breed?
Baby food has its own characteristics. It's a small dog, so the Chihuahua breed consumes just a few tablespoons of food per day. It is not difficult to feed such an animal qualitatively. Puppy for a year should be provided with boiled beef, cottage cheese, boiled vegetables with a spoon of vegetable oil, eggs, sea fish, by-products. Eating an adult dog (normal per day 100-150 grams):
- meat and offal (30%);
- cereals - rice, buckwheat, oatmeal (40%);
- vegetables 30%;
- kefir;
- cottage cheese;
- fruit.
It is forbidden to give sweets cakes cookies, sweets (to avoid obesity), spicy, fried foods (causes gastritis). Also, legumes, fat pork, canned food, raw fish are not acceptable. A good alternative to natural food will be prepared feed super-premium. It is important to take into account the dosages calculated by the weight of the animal, indicated on the package.