Chihuahua - pros and cons of the breed

The Chihuahua is considered the smallest dog in the world, but despite this, it is a wonderful companion.

They are small and compact, but at the same time they have courage and liveliness.

They also have an easy-going nature.

This breed had a huge influence on the development of other small dog breeds.

Chihuahua is one of the most ancient breeds.

Origin story

The breed is one of the few that developed naturally without human intervention.

The ancestor of the Chihuahua is considered to be the Mexican Bailey wolf. The opinions of some scientists boil down to the fact that this breed came from the fennec fox, a big-eared fox that lives in northern Africa.

The most important version, which finds the largest number of supporters, is that the Chihuahua originated on the land of the Toltec tribe and existed together with the Aztecs and Mayans.

Since ancient times, this breed was considered sacred; only rich and influential people could own it..

The first written mention of this breed was made by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

In the sixteenth century, this breed almost went extinct due to the colonization of the land by the Spaniards, who used dogs as food.

The Chihuahua gained its greatest popularity in 1890, when the President of Mexico gave his favorite actress a bouquet of flowers in which he hid this decorative dog.

Now most scientists are sure that the Chihuahua owes its current appearance to crossing with the same dogs from China, but bald.

Read all versions of the origin of the Chihuahua breed here.

Description of the breed

Chihuahuas are small in size, but this does not prevent them from having a lively temperament, developed intelligence and self-confidence.

This breed is friendly and devoted to its owner; it is about it that one can say: “has excellent manners”.

Chihuahuas have a cheerful disposition, they subtly feel and understand the mood of the owner.

She also has a fontanel on her head, which may not close throughout her life.

Adult Chihuahuas are about 20-23 cm tall and weigh 2.5-3 kg.

They can be long-haired or short-haired.

Pros of the Chihuahua breed

When studying the pros and cons of Chihuahuas, it’s worth starting with the advantages. The representative of this breed has a lot of them. It’s worth taking a closer look at what’s positive about this little darling.

Maintenance and care

The dog does not require any special care. It is quite easy to care for her. It is enough to clean your pet’s ears and eyes regularly, once a week. It needs to be washed and combed periodically, especially during the molting period. Among the advantages are:

1. Due to its compact size, the pet eats little. Large expenditures on food are not expected. Eats natural food and specialized food. It won't hurt your wallet.
2. Due to its small dimensions, it is not necessary to allocate a huge amount of space in the house for your pet. This is one of the breeds suitable for apartment living. There is no need to build a separate enclosure or install a booth. It is enough to set aside a separate corner with a bed and toys. And there is always room for your pet to run around.
3. No need for serious physical activity. Your pet does not need long daily workouts or long walks. Pleased with the opportunity to play within the confines of the house. If you put a tray at home, then sometimes you can give up walking to relieve yourself.
4. Unlike many other breeds, representatives of this breed are easily litter trained. The dog can relieve itself in the house, which means there is no need to go outside in bad weather or cold. You don’t have to be afraid to leave your pet alone for a long time; he can comfortably go to the toilet in a designated place.
5. Mobility. There are no difficulties when traveling and moving. They are convenient to take with you everywhere. Animals tolerate a change of environment comfortably and quickly get used to new conditions. Children are allowed into places where it is prohibited to take large pets.

Character

Chihuahuas are distinguished by their calm nature and balance. Having matured, the dog becomes serious and does not fall into hysterics for any reason. Among other character advantages it is worth noting:

1. Love of life and cheerfulness. These babies spend most of their lives in a good mood. They easily lift the spirits of all family members and charge them with positivity.
2. Bravery and courage. Despite their compact dimensions, these animals are distinguished by their agility. They are able, without hesitation, to defend their owner. At the same time, the baby will not be scared by the size of the enemy. He will easily rush to protect his owner, even if the other animal is larger than him in size. This also applies to defending and protecting the dog’s own territory.
3. Intelligence level. Quite smart dogs. They are easy to train. In a short time they are able to remember basic commands. They fully understand the information given by the owner, absorb and apply. Also, individuals recognize the mood of the owner. And if he is not in the mood for games and communication, then the dog leaves him alone for a while.
4. Friendliness. It is believed that such pets choose a single owner for themselves and remain faithful to him. But they are quite friendly, so they pay attention to all family members and each of them is welcome. Able to easily get along with other animals.
5. Quick and easy adaptation to a new environment. This point has already been mentioned. The pet does not create problems for the owner and does not require additional attention or care to get used to the new environment.

Health

Continuing to study the pros and cons of the Chihuahua breed, it is worth focusing on its health. This pet has a wonderful one. Dogs have a well-developed immune system and are resistant to numerous negative influences. It is important that Chihuahuas rarely cause an allergic reaction in people.

This is important, especially if there are small children living in the house. If you look after your dog properly, he will rarely get sick or even spend most of his life without illness. It is worth noting that these individuals do not have a specific dog smell. Therefore, there will be no unpleasant aroma in the house. The smell can only be present in puppies.

Advantages and disadvantages

Chihuahuas, like any other dog breed, have their pros and cons.

Advantages of the breed:

• Small size, which allows you to keep them even in a small apartment;
• The dogs are in good health and hardy;
• They have a fairly stable psyche when compared with other small breeds;
• Easily adapt to new conditions;
• They are playful and active;
• They are distinguished by their devotion to their owner and love to communicate;
• Chihuahuas have a high level of intelligence and easily understand others;
• You don’t need to walk with them for a long time, and if necessary, the dog can use a tray or diaper;
• Get along with other pets: cats, rodents, birds;
• They are wary of strangers, have sensitive hearing and bark loudly, which makes them excellent watchdogs.

Disadvantages of the breed:

• They need warmth more than any other breed. This is especially true for short-haired Chihuahuas;
• During the cold season, clothing is required for them;
• Not suitable for everyone, because they require careful and careful handling;
• They are not resistant to stress, which manifests itself in uncontrolled urination;
• They can only be walked on a leash, and they also require additional supervision on the street when other dogs are paying attention to them;
• They bark loudly;
• They are distinguished by stubbornness, jealousy and resentment;
• They can be aggressive and uncontrollable if not trained in time.

Disadvantages of a dog

Against the backdrop of such advantages, you can forget that there are many problems associated with Chihuahuas. After all, each dog is individual and has its own set of positive and negative qualities. Where one puppy does nothing, his brother will do the opposite, and how. Let's consider what disadvantages dogs of this breed may have. They can also be divided into two groups:

• psychological;
• physical.

Psychological deficiencies

Despite the fact that these dogs easily get along with pets, they are not particularly fond of dogs of other breeds. This minus, combined with a courageous character, sometimes leads to conflicts. This can cause some problems for the owner. Therefore, the company of another Chihuahua is best for a Chihuahua.

Almost always, a pet chooses a favorite in the family, and does not pay much attention to the rest. Sometimes they can even bite a person they don’t like.

Many dogs of this breed are not very quick to train, because any emotional outburst on the part of the owner can confuse the pet or simply offend it.

The courage of these dogs can also be a challenge for their owner. During walks, the pet may try to attack someone else's large dog, winning back its territory. Chihuahuas can suffer seriously from such fights.

A huge disadvantage is the pet's jealousy. He becomes very loud and angry if he notices that his owner has paid too much attention to someone.

If there are small children in the family, then you should not get a Chihuahua. She doesn't particularly like loud noises and unnecessary fuss.

Many dogs love to defend their territory. Therefore, it is common for such animals to suddenly attack guests.

Physical disabilities

The small size of the Chihuahua, which gives so many advantages, when viewed from the other side, is a significant disadvantage. The owner has to carefully move around the house so as not to accidentally step on or sit on the pet. On walks you will have to watch and protect him from various troubles in the form of large animals or cars.

Fragile bones and a non-healing fontanel are features that will cause the owner of a Chihuahua a lot of trouble. Small children should not play with toy dogs, as any careless movement can seriously injure the dog.

Also, due to their small size, it is difficult for dogs to stay warm. Therefore, in the cold season they freeze very quickly. In cold weather, you can hardly take them outside without special clothing. And if the walk does take place, it will be short-lived. Due to rare walks, the owner will have to train the pet to use the toilet at home. This is a long process that requires patience, time and effort.

In any stressful situation, the Chihuahua begins to urinate involuntarily.

You should not buy decorative dogs weighing less than five hundred grams. These mini pets have huge health problems. Miniature sizes often cause problems with teeth and reproduction for animals. The smaller the bitch, the more difficult it is for her to give birth.

Who to choose - a boy or a girl?

Male and female Chihuahuas have different personalities. It is important to go to the breeder having already decided on the gender of the dog.

The most common reason why owners abandon girls is estrus , which happens twice a year .

But this natural process is not a reason to abandon the Chihuahua girl. Experienced dog owners and breeders solve this problem by putting on diapers or locking them in a separate enclosure for a while.

Clean Chihuahuas can solve this problem themselves so that the owners do not even notice the discharge.

The second problem that causes owners to abandon bitches of this breed is childbirth and pregnancy..

In small breeds this process occurs with complications due to their small size. The solution to this problem is also simple - keep the dog from accidentally mating.

If you are determined to breed a Chihuahua, then be prepared to help her if necessary. If you don’t know what to do, you’ll have to call a specialist.

Pros of a Chihuahua girl:

• Easy to learn and flexible;
• Marks territory much less than a boy;
• You can control her mating and breeding;
• More clean.

Minuses:

• Puppies, if mating is not controlled;
• Heats that may interfere with participation in the competition;
• In terms of appearance at exhibitions they are inferior to male dogs.

If breeding does not interest you, and you are not ready to take responsibility for a female dog, but on the contrary are ready to show that you are the boss of the house, then in this case a boy Chihuahua is suitable. They are more active, and also have greater success in exhibitions and the likelihood of winning prizes.

Males do not go into heat, but are in a state of hunting for females all year round.

Therefore, you should not let them off the leash during walks. They mark much more territory. In this case, only long walks, a tray with a post, or castration at an early age will help.

pros:

• They will not bring unwanted offspring;
• There are no heats, which means they participate more often in competitions and exhibitions;
• They are energetic and look more stately.

Minuses:

• Requires long walks;
• They are often disobedient;
• Mark the territory in the apartment and house;
• They are constantly in a state of hunting.

It's up to you to decide which dog you choose.

But it is important to weigh all the pros and cons to choose the right dog for you.

How to choose a nursery

Despite the long and difficult path of recognition, Chihuahuas have become increasingly popular in recent years. There are quite a lot of nurseries for this breed, but, unfortunately, not all of them pay due attention to their work. Some unscrupulous breeders, in pursuit of profit, violate breeding rules and sell sick animals. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing puppies.

You can make a list of the most popular nurseries in the city and then get acquainted with the opinions of owners who have already bought Chihuahuas there. The pros and cons in the reviews make it possible to understand what kind of reputation the club has and whether it is worth going there.

When visiting a nursery, you need to pay attention to the cleanliness of the enclosures, the quantity and quality of food.

How much a Chihuahua costs is also of great importance. If the price of a puppy is much lower than that of competitors, then there is reason to think about it. Keeping and breeding dogs is not a cheap pleasure, and a good breeder is unlikely to sell dogs at a loss.

A responsible breeder is obliged to provide all documents for dogs, including pedigree, upon the first request of a potential buyer.

If all conditions are met, then you can choose a puppy.

Chihuahua and children

Chihuahuas are great with children and love to play with them..

This is a great option for a growing child. But not every age will get along with this breed.

CAREFULLY!

Children under 7-8 years of age may accidentally damage this small dog.

Therefore, it is better to get a Chihuahua for children who have already learned responsibility. It is suitable for children 8 years and older.