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Meet a small-sized dog with a giant-sized personality.

Chihuahuas are prized for their feisty personalities and compact size. This guide shows you how to be the best possible friend to your new dog, including:

The best places to find and adopt a Chihuahua
The gear you need to make sure your Chihuahua settles in at home
Feeding, grooming, and training tips to keep him healthy and well-behaved

Breed Profile: Chihuahua

The Chihuahua’s history can be traced back to ancient Mexico, but there are dozens of different stories about the breed’s origins. What is known is that they are named for the city of Chihuahua, located in the Sierra Madre mountains. Priests would sacrifice Chihuahuas during religious rituals, and Chihuahuas colored yellow and red were regularly killed when their owners died, for fear that the dog would take on the sins of his master after death.

The breed has been growing increasingly popular in the United States since it arrived in 1850, when two dozen Chihuahuas were imported into the country. Others were sold to American tourists in Mexican border towns. Nearly all present-day Chihuahuas can trace their ancestry back to these dogs. The American Kennel Club first recognized the Chihuahua in 1904.

Appearance

The following description is that of an ideal Chihuahua. Not all Chihuahuas will fit the description exactly, but that’s not an issue unless you want a dog who can participate in dog shows.

Height: Height ranges from 6–9" (15–23 cm) for both males and females.
Weight: Weight ranges from 4–6 pounds (1.8–2.7 kg) for both males and females.
Coat: The Chihuahua can be any color or color pattern, and there are two possible types of coat: smooth and long. The smooth-coated Chihuahua has a hard, flat coat, usually with an undercoat. The long-coated variety has long hair, especially on the ears, the backs of the front legs, around the neck, and on the tail. The long coat can range from a few sparse long hairs to a heavy coat.

Temperament and Personality

The Chihuahua is commonly described as lively, courageous, and saucy. Because of his high energy level and playful temperament, the Chihuahua is often likened to a terrier. Like most terriers, he has little understanding of his size and is surprisingly quick to defend both home and family.

Traits

Here are some traits to consider when determining how well a Chihuahua is going to fit in with you and your family.

Companionability

Chihuahuas bond very closely with their owners and tend to seek out one person in particular whom they prefer over all others. Their loyalty is unsurpassed, and they have a strong tendency for possessiveness and often are suspicious of strangers. They may not tolerate other dogs well but are very fond of others of their own breed. They also make good pets for children, as long as the children are gentle, respectful, and properly supervised.

Environment

The Chihuahua is highly adaptable and suited to any environment—urban, suburban, and rural—as long as he is loved and cared for. He does not handle cold well and is generally not an outdoor dog. When outdoors, never leave your Chihuahua unattended: his small size makes him vulnerable to any number of dangers, including traffic, wild animals, and other pets, who could seriously wound him, even by accident.

Exercise Requirements

Chihuahuas are active but do not require rigorous exercise. The amount an individual Chihuahua does need depends on his size. Most Chihuahuas could live in a small apartment and stay in good condition, but the breed also enjoys walking—though long walks are not necessary. Chihuahuas who don’t get enough exercise will easily become obese and unhealthy, and may become destructive as a way to release pent-up energy.

Trainability

Though they are not natural “obedience dogs” like golden retrievers, Chihuahuas are highly trainable. Housetraining, however, can be more of a problem with a smaller dog like the Chihuahua than with larger breeds. Chihuahuas can be stubborn and manipulative, but gentle, firm, and consistent training works wonders with them.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer

Next:
Where to Get a Chihuahua

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