Chihuahua
Should You Buy a Chihuahua?
Most people who watch television have seen celebrities like
Paris Hilton toting around this tiny breed with large brown
eyes. Chihuahuas are one of the smallest breeds in the world.
This breed originated in Mexico and does best in warmer
climates. In colder months a dog sweater will keep the dog
warm and cozy.
A Chihuahua generally weighs in at one to six pounds and
stands about five inches high. The breed comes in a large
array of colors with tan and black or tan dogs being the most
common. They have prick ears, an alert expression and large
eyes. This breed offers short and long haired varieties.
This breed is among the AKC's Toy Group. The dogs were bred
for companion animals and they excel at this task. The breed
hates to be alone and thrives best when it is in the center of
attention.
Chihuahuas are ideal apartment dogs because they require
little room or exercise. Some have successfully trained the
dog to use a litter box. Chihuahua's also enjoy living in a
house with a yard also. This breed enjoys exercising and
playing outside on warm days.
Chihuahuas are sometimes nippy towards small children,
especially if it is accidentally injured by a child. This
breed can be bossy and easily spoiled, especially if the
owners allow it to get away with negative behaviors. If other
dogs are present the Chihuahua will need to be watched closely
for bullying. This breed will fight with much larger dogs
because they truly believe they have the size and strength of
a Rottweiler. The Chihuahua is a wonderful guard dog and will
take on human intruders.
This breed should have adequate obedience training because it
is known for its bad behavior and self centered attitude.
Puppy classes will help the dog learn basic obedience and will
also socialize the animal. The dog will learn at an early age
to get along with other people and dogs. These dogs are quite
intelligent and do well with obedience training. Some even go
on to take agility classes.
Chihuahuas eat very little but feeding costs can be high as
the breed is very picky. This breed is delicate and may have
difficulty eating hard dry food. Chihuahuas are prone to
dislocated jaws, fractures, epilepsy and rheumatism.
The short haired variety requires little grooming. Long haired
Chihuahuas need a bit more but generally need to be brushed
only once per week. These dogs have very small jaws which mean
they can have dental problems. The dog's teeth should be
brushed daily.
For those looking for a tiny dog with the disposition of a
large breed a Chihuahua may be the right breed.
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