According to the AKC standard a Chihuahua should not exceed 6 pounds. In real life, however, they do. Some Chihuahuas weigh in at 10 pounds or more. Some Chihuahua have longer legs and are lighter boned that is described in the AKC standard. Their muzzles tend to be longer and they have a more “deerlike†look. This type of Chihuahua is labeled a “deer type Chihuahua.†The deer type Chihuahua may have some advantages as a pet. They tend to be better walking companion and they fare better in obedience trials. They are less susceptible to hypoglycemia. However, if you want a “true†Chihuahua you can show or breed, then you need to get one within the standard. If you want a “true†Chihuahua you can love, get whatever appeals to you the most.
Some Chihuahuas are at the other end of not so perfect according to the AKC standards weighing in at as little as 2 pounds. A 2 pound Chihuahua is unofficially named “teacup†or “pocket†Chihuahuas. They are not a separate type of Chihuahua but simply unusually small specimens of the breed. They are somewhat more fragile and vulnerable to hypoglycemia, but not at all “unhealthy†or full of health problems just because they are smaller.
Coat
Chihuahuas come in two coat types: Smooth coat and the less familiar long coat. Neither coat type is difficult to care for or requires long hours of careful grooming. Both types can be seen within the same litter. The long coat is not thick and requires minimal brushing of about 2 times per week. Neither coat type sheds a lot.
Color
Chihuahuas can be solid colored or parti-colored (spotted). The color pattern can be clear, sabled (dark-tipped hairs), masked, or brindled (color broken up by irregular vertical dark stripes). The shade can be basically black or diluted shades of chocolate, blue, or red or its diluted shades of gold or cream, or white.
Sex
Females tend to be smaller than males. Both males and females tend to get along well together. Some people think males may be slightly sweeter. Each has their own adversities with sex hormones and adult sexual maturity. The solution for both sexes is neutering or spaying.
Age
Most people tend to look for a puppy when adding a pet to the family. However, puppies are not for everyone. They are cute and fun, but they are also an incredible amount of work. Chihuahua puppies are more fragile than other breeds. Hypoglycemia is more prevalent especially among the teeny tiny Chihuahuas. Of they miss one meal or overexert themselves they can go into hypoglycemia very quickly.
Many Chihuahua breeders will not send a Chihuahua pup to a new home until the pup reaches at least 10 weeks of age. This is extra work for the breeder, but a breeder who is willing to take on this extra work for you, the consumer, is a breeder worth waiting for or seeking out.
Connie Limon owns Little Guys Dog Clothes Shop. Purchase designer dog clothes and accessories for your Chihuahua and other toy breeds at: http://www.littleguysdogclothesshop.com
