Everything You Wanted To Know About Chihuahuas

Chihuahua's, also known as Chis, belong in the AKC's "Toy" group of dogs. Chihuahua's are an extremely popular breed of dog, they rank in the top 20 of the most popular dog breeds in the USA. But this doesn't mean a Chihuahua will be the ideal dog for you. So this article will help you learn about the personality, health, and physical characteristics of Chihuahuas to help you discover if a Chihuahua is a dog suited to you and your lifestyle.

The Personality Of Chihuahuas
Chihuahua's are not a very sociable dog breed. If you're always around people and want your dog to be friendly around and outgoing around them, then don't get a Chihuahua. However, they are very friendly and do become very attached with their family, especially with one or two people in the family, with whom they will form a strong bond with and will want to be around all the time. Every time you walk in the front door you will be greeted with a huge reception! They love cuddles and lots of attention, and make a perfect lap dog. They insist on snuggling under your blankets and make a great hot water bottle on cold nights! Chihuahua's are fairly easy to train, on a scale of 1 to 10 they are about a 4 or a 5 on the "easy of training" scale. Chihuahua's are good with children. You will have to ensure that you only let very gentle children play with your Chihuahua, though, because a rough child could easily harm him.

Chihuahua Health Concerns
Chihuahuas are one of the longest lived dog breeds. They live an average of 16 to 17 years. However, they don't come without some health concerns. These include: Luxating Patella, Hypoglycemia, Collapsing trachea, heart murmur, and Molera. These are all inherited diseases which some Chihuahua's can get. If you purchase your Chihuahua puppy from a responsible breeder chances are lower that he will inherit any of these diseases. However, even if he does, they can be managed.

Chihuahua Physical Characteristics
There are two kinds of Chihuahuas, the long coat kind and the short coat kind. Chihuahua's are medium to low shedding breed. Chihuahuas are the smallest of all dog breeds. They have a tiny body with a cute little apple dome shaped head. They shed all year round, once more heavily once in the spring and once in autumn. While they are not considered as a high shedding breed, if you hate finding dog hair in your house, you may be better of with a low shedding breed instead. Chihuahua's are not a hypoallergenic breed so they may not suit people with allergies. The best way to tell if a Chihuahua affects your allergies is to spend some time with one at a breeders home.

Grooming a Chihuahua
Chihuahua's are easy to groom. The short haired type only needs a quick brush and a check for fleas and ticks every week. While the long haired types needs two or three brushes per week, and a good check over for fleas and ticks. They don't need regular hair cuts because their dead hair falls out. You only need to bath your Chihuahua when he needs it. He will also need his toe nails clipped every month or so. Also, keep his ears clean and dry so they don't develop an infection.

History Of Chihuahuas
The name Chihuahua comes from Mexico, named after the state "Chihuahua". Some people believe Chihuahuas come from Aztec civilizations. Chihuahua's may have been introduced into Mexico by the Spanish who settled there.