Introducing....The World's Smallest Dog!

Legends abound with fabulous stories regarding the history of the Chihuahua, including tales of single families keeping upwards of a thousand dogs (each with his own slave!), cremating them with their masters as a guarantee of eternal life and offering Chihuahuas as sacrificial food to the Aztec gods. What is known is that the breed was named after Chihuahua, the Mexican state where it was discovered in the late nineteenth century.

The world’s smallest dog, the Chihuahua is also one of its most popular.

Ideally he should be as small as possible and weigh less than 2.7 kg. Is his popularity any wonder when you consider his portability, his tiny food requirements, his easy groom coat and low exercise needs? Add to that the fact that he is very clean in his habits and ultra alert means you have a built-in family (pocket) watchdog.

Taken all round, the “Chi” is a graceful, alert, swift moving little dog with a saucy expression. Being as small as he is, it is best not to purchase a Chihuahua puppy before 10-12 weeks of age. It goes without saying that he is not the dog for anyone looking for a robust play companion and is better suited for adults or homes with older, gentle children.

The Smooth Coat Chihuahua, as his name suggests, possesses a smooth close, glossy soft textured coat which can be of any colour.

It is believed that the Long Coated variety was subsequently developed in the United States by crossing the Smooth variety with other Toy breeds, thought to have been the Papillon and Pomeranian. Even the Pekingese, Yorkshire Terrier and Toy Poodle have been mentioned as possibilities.

The Long Coat Chihuahua is basically the same dog in all respects as the Smooth Coat Chihuahua, with the obvious exception of his coat. In fact, both types sometimes appear in the same litter, even though they are classified as separate breeds. His coat is long and either flat or slightly wavy with a soft texture. As will all coated breeds, the Long Coat Chihuahua will require regular grooming to keep his coat tangle free.