Chihuahua Information & Dog Breed Facts

The Chihuahua is considered to be the smallest dog breed on the entire world. Furthermore, the breed is also believed to be among the oldest existing breeds, even though there is some uncertainty about its ancestry.

The Chihuahua is thought to have originated from the wild domesticated dogs indigenous to Mexico, more particularly, from the Tolec civilization, which dates back as far as 300 B.C. The Chihuahua’s earliest ancestors were called the Techichi, they had more or less the same round head with large ears, and with the tiny physique, these dogs were depicted on potteries found from 400 B.C. After the Aztecs conquered the Tolecs during the early 12^th century, they have taken the Techichi into their culture and society too. Many of the dogs were represented and used during Aztec religious rituals. According to the Aztec mythological culture, the Techichi possessed mystic powers, including the ability to see the future, to heal the sick, and to safely guide the souls of the dead to the underworld. It was also customary, according to this mythology, to sacrifice a red Techichi, and cremate him with the remains of descended people. The Aztecs also saw the Techichi dogs as a source of pelts and unfortunately, food. No matter the use, many experts believe that the Aztecs refined the Techichi into a lighter and smaller dog.

By the time that the Spanish conquistadors conquered the Aztec civilization during the 16^th century, the Techichi became an integral part of the Aztec culture, the dogs were considered one of the Montezuma’s fabled treasures, once presumed, lost forever after the conquest of Cortez. According to a well-known theory, small and hairless dogs were brought from China to Mexico by Spanish traders, and they were bred with small native dogs. No matter which theory is accurate, the modern shorthaired Chihuahua was discovered in the late 1850s, in the Mexican State called Chihuahua, from which the breed derives its name. These early, modern Chihuahuas lived in remote villages, however, by the late 1800s, Americans arriving in the country, began to take an interest in the breed. As the American visitors started to like the breed, they brought them to the United States of America. It is thought that the Chihuahua was further refined in the State of Texas, towards the end of the 19^th century. People started to show the breed in 1890, and not much later, the first specimen gaining an AKC (American Kennel Club) recognition for the breed, was named Beppie, in 1906. There is another more modern variety of the Chihuahua, the long-haired one, which emerged during the 1930s. It is believed that the long-coated type is a result of cross-breeding the Chihuahua with either the Papillons or with the Pomeranians.

The Chihuahua’s popularity took off during the early 1940s when the breed was associated with the dance king and Latin music bandleader, Xavier Cugat. Since then, the Chihuahua has been one of the most popular breeds registered by the AKC. After surviving two great civilizations’ doom, the Chihuahua got worldwide fame, with their loyalty, courageous nature, and intelligence. The breed is the ultimate purse-sized companion, coming in multiple different colors and coats. The breed was also shown in various TV shows and films, like ‘Sex and the City', and ‘Legally Blonde’. Moreover, the Chihuahua was a favorite to a number of celebrities, including Paris Hilton, with their huge personalities.