The Chihuahua is the universally accepted smallest dog breed. It is very popular among people from different backgrounds. The recent trend suggests an increasing celebrity ownership for this special type of dog. There are different views about the actual origin of the Chihuahua. While many researchers argue that it was the gift from Aztec royalty and then brought to United States through Mexico by the Spanish settlers, some others believe ancient Egypt was the original root of Chihuahua and then it made its journey to Mexico, and then Spain.
The long haired Chihuahua has a significant similarity to the Pomeranian because of their smooth undercoat with a long overcoat. The hair of this dog is known as “long coats” or “smooth coats”, as specified by the American Kennel Club (AKC). They look very cute with their lovely big eyes, apple-shaped head and fringed ears. A standard Chihuahua may have the height of six to nine inches. However, the show dogs have lower weight than those dogs not groomed for show purposes. Shows dogs have weigh about six pounds or less, while the ordinary pet dogs may weigh ten pounds or more.
While considering temperament and personality, there is no distinction between the short haired and long haired Chihuahua. Both of them are very loving and affectionate. They have a jovial personality on one hand and also a very alert type on the other. They are the most preferred pets for the elderly and disabled people because of their friendliness and socialization. This breed also has a negative reputation of being very stubborn and van be tough to train. However, following a successful training, this breed turns out to be an excellent pet.
Although it belongs to the Toy group, many standard breeders do not recommend either short or long haired Chihuahua for households with small children. They go very well with adults and offer nice companionship. Due to their small size and fragile bone structure a long haired Chihuahua must be handled very carefully, otherwise there is always a risk for potential injury. They can make friendships very easily with other breeds and animals, such as cats and dogs from other breeds.
Both the short and long haired Chihuahua are sensitive to temperature. Although they are well tolerant of warm weather, they cannot handle the cold. Many Chihuahua owners prefer to keep their dogs in coats or sweaters during winter and spring seasons. Similar to any other long haired breeds, the long haired Chihuahua demands extensive grooming in order to maintain the luster in its wavy hair. Regular care of the hair is necessary to eliminate knots, mats and burs as well as to keep them free from ticks and hitchhikers. Monthly bathing with residue-free shampoo is mandatory.
From a genetic angle, short hair is dominant over long hair. If both the partners are long haired Chihuahua, only then is it possible to have long haired Chihuahuas as offspring. It is the responsibility of the professional breeders to keep good breeding records of their long haired Chihuahuas, so that the highest quality in offspring can be effectively maintained. Quite obviously, a well-documented purebred is always in demand, hence the price is of course higher than others.
Chihuahua types vary depending on the length of their hair as specified by American Kennel Club (AKC). If you are interested about getting Chihuahua information you will be able to learn the fundamentals of this breed from this article.
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